Crean Denies Australia Pushed Delay of 'Bali 9' Executions

Australian Trade Minister Simon Crean denied a media report that embassy officials in Jakarta suggested Indonesia delay the execution of 3 convicted Australian drug smugglers until after an election this year.

Australian diplomats in Jakarta told Indonesian authorities that the possible execution of 3 people for drug trafficking is a "highly sensitive" issue in an election year, the Age newspaper reported today, citing unidentified Indonesian officials.

"Not only is it inappropriate, it's not true," Crean, who is also acting foreign minister, told ABC 774 Radio Melbourne, according to a transcript of the interview posted on his Web site. "We would never tie the circumstances of people facing potentially death row or of consular cases or of people in trouble. We would never tie that to the election cycle."

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who must call a general election no later than April 2011, may seek a ballot this year.

Myuran Sukumaran, Andrew Chan (pictured) and Scott Rush were among nine Australians arrested on the Indonesian island of Bali on April 17, 2005, for attempting to carry 8 kilograms (17 pounds) of heroin through Bali's Denpasar Airport. They were sentenced to death; Sukarman and Chan as ringleaders, and Rush as the drugs carrier.

3 had their death sentences reduced to life in prison in 2008 and 3 are serving various jail terms for their roles in the plot.

"Clearly we have been making representations to the Indonesians, as we do with anyone in a country convicted of a crime that in that country carries the death penalty," Crean said, according to the transcript. "We make the point we dont support the death penalty. But to suggest that we would be saying to the Indonesian authorities, 'look, don't do anything that could embarrass us in an election year,' is nonsense."

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will visit Australia March 9 to 11 for talks with Rudd on issues including security cooperation, economic ties and environmental challenges facing the region, according to an e-mailed statement from Rudds office today.

Source: Bloomberg News, Feb. 18, 2010