An Indonesian parliamentary delegation is preparing to visit Canberra, in an attempt to persuade the Australian government it was wrong to grant temporary protection visas to 42 asylum seekers from the Indonesian province of Papua.
The ten-member delegation is expected to seek meetings with the Prime Minister John Howard and the Foreign Minister Alexander Downer during a three-day visit next week.
The visit was originally planned as an informal one, but has taken on official status, following INDONESIA's displeasure at the visa decision.
Mr Howard has defended the visas, and says he is confident the bilateral relationship will not suffer permanent damage.
"I think we will sail through fairly effectively and with relative speed, the current difficulty we have. But I don't want to play it down. I do understand Indonesia's sensitivity."
The Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said he deeply regrets the visa decision and he will not tolerate what he calls Australia's support of the separatist movement in Papua.