JAKARTA, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Indonesia plans to downgrade its relations with Australia in a row over alleged spying by Canberra, a government official said on Wednesday, as a rift deepened between two neighbours with a long history of uneasy ties.
Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa was starting the process of cutting back relations with Australia, a ministry spokesman told Reuters. He did not elaborate.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who earlier in the week recalled the country's ambassador to Australia, was expected to speak on the issue later on Wednesday.
The latest flare-up followed Australian media reports, quoting documents leaked by former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, that Australian spy agencies had tried to tap the mobile phones of Yudhoyono, his wife and senior officials.
Reports last month said Australia's Jakarta embassy had been part of a U.S.-led surveillance network to spy on Indonesia. (Reporting by Kanupriya Kapoor; Writing by Randy Fabi; Editing by Ron Popeski)
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