Ms Bishop told Fairfax Media she called Mr Kalla to clarify that Mr Abbott was not trying to link the two issues but merely emphasising the long history of support and friendship between the two countries.

Julie Bishop says she did not discuss the timeframe for the execution of two Australians in a phone call with Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla. Credit:Joe Armao "I said I regretted if this comment was seen as anything other than that." Attorney-General H.M. Prasetyo also denied local media reports on Friday that Mr Kalla had told Ms Bishop the executions could be delayed and take place in three to four weeks. "I never said that and I don't think the vice-president meant that. He leaves it up to us," Mr Prasetyo said.

Ms Bishop told Fairfax Media a time-frame for the executions was not discussed during the phone call, in which she told the Vice-President that Australia was grateful for the delay in the transfer of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran to Nusakambangan Island, where their executions are slated to take place. Andrew Chan Credit:AFP "I said I hoped we could seek an indefinite stay of execution." Ms Bishop also expressed a hope that Indonesia and Australia could work together on ways to tackle the drug problem and drug syndicates. The possibility of Australia co-funding drug rehabilitation projects has been part of ongoing negotiations between the two countries.

"Both of our countries are victims of drug syndicates. We've proposed ways we can work together to save the lives of Indonesians from the drug problem and I reiterated that to Mr Kalla." She also emphasised Chan and Sukumaran's rehabilitation in lndonesia's prison system and said it was something Indonesia should be proud of. The phone call had been recommended by the Australian Embassy. The Foreign Affairs Minister said Mr Kalla was "deeply grateful" to her for clarifying the Prime Minister's comments. "He is very well disposed to Australia. I hope that my representations will make a difference but I don't know." Ms Bishop said she had not intended to make the phone call public but agreed to speak to Fairfax Media after their conversation was reported in the local press.

Her phone call to the Vice-President, which took place on Thursday, came after Mr Abbott's vowed to let Indonesia know in "absolutely unambiguous terms" that Australia would feel "grievously let down" if the executions proceeded. "Let's not forget that a few years ago when Indonesia was struck by the Indian Ocean tsunami, Australia sent a billion dollars worth of assistance, we sent a significant contingent of our armed forces to help in Indonesia with humanitarian relief and Australians lost their lives in that campaign to help Indonesia," he said. The Indonesian government responded angrily, with a foreign ministry spokesman warning it did not respond to threats. Jakarta-based international relations expert Pierre Marthinus said Mr Abbott had "jumped the shark" in his handling of the execution issue. He said the link to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was offensive to Indonesians. "Look into the eye of a child who lost their parents and say: 'You know what? We gave you money, now we want something in return."

Mr Marthinus, the director of the Marthinus Academy, a not-for-profit centre focusing on transnational relations, said he can understand the frustration of Australians given the constant waiting and uncertainty around the executions. But he was worried Mr Abbott's belligerence would have a lasting impact on bilateral relations. "We really don't want another fallout between Indonesia and Australia." Meanwhile, Mr Prasetyo said on Friday the execution of Chan and Sukumaran would be immediately carried out when preparations at Nusakambangan were completed. He said he could understand why Australia was making representations to spare the men's lives. Loading

"Should our nationals be executed we would do that too, however we never put pressure on others, we therefore hope they won't press us," he said. With Karuni Rompies