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Demonstrators call for Indonesians to "fight Australia"
Australian embassy in Jakarta - Nov. 21, 2013

11/22/2013

JakartaPost:

Members of the House of Representatives will fly to Russia to meet with US National Security Agency (NSA) whistle-blower Edward Snowden, who is living in Moscow under temporary asylum, to clarify allegations that Australia had attempted to tap the phones of Indonesian officials, including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Russian parliamentary leader Nikolai Levichev, who visited the House on Thursday, said the Russian government would allow the lawmakers to meet with Snowden.

"Through Levichev, Moscow has given us the green light to talk directly with Snowden," legislator Tantowi Yahya of the House's Commission I overseeing defense, foreign affair and information, said on Thursday.

Earlier this week, the Australian media published contents of a "top-secret" document, allegedly leaked by Snowden, suggesting that Canberra had tapped the phones of President Yudhoyono, his wife and some of his Cabinet members for at least 15 days in 2009.

Tantowi, however, could not yet disclose exactly when the House delegation would fly to Moscow to meet with Snowden. "We need to work out matters related to the Russian Embassy in Jakarta first. Whenever clear access to Snowden has been given, the Commission I members will be ready [to go to Russia]," he said.