VIVAnews - The Australian Federal Police is reopening the investigation of the death of five Australian journalists in Balibo, East Timor in 1975, widely known as the Balibo Five case. The Indonesian representatives have met the Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.
"We have requested our high officials to meet the Australian Foreign Minister to clarify and state our position," said Foreign Department spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah in Jakarta on Friday, Sept. 11.
The meeting between the Indonesian representatives and Alexander Downer occured a couple of days ago. It was reported that the meeting discussed whether the Balibo Five issue would affect the bilateral relation.
"The answer was that both countries respect the bilateral relation. It is very stable and positive. However, it does not mean this positive relation will remain the same," Faizasyah said.
In November 2007, the New South Wales deputy state coroner Dorelle Pinch handed out her findings on the case of Brian Peters' death, one of the Balibo Five journalists, to the attorney general, who then later transferred the case to the Australian Federal Police (AFP).
Based on serious considerations, the AFP started their investigation on August 20 2009. Pinch argued that there are still two Indonesian Military high-rank officers who are still alive that were involved in the Balibo Five case.
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Translated by: Ariyantri E. Tarman
