Morrison, Widodo talk, but trade deal on hold over embassy

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has attempted to salvage a free-trade agreement between Australia and Indonesia in a meeting with President Joko Widodo at the ASEAN* ((AH-see-ahn)) summit in Singapore. The deal was due to be signed this week but has been stalled since the Prime Minister announced Australia would consider relocating its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has described as "friendly and respectful" his first face-to-face talk with Indonesian president Joko Widodo ((JO-ko wih-DOH-doh)) since floating the idea of shifting Australia's embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, is furious at the potential relocation of the embassy from Tel Aviv because it considers Jerusalem's status critical to a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. Mr Morrison's announcement prior to the Wentworth by-election has stalled an imminent free-trade agreement between the two nations. The leaders were due to sign the pact on the sidelines of this week's ASEAN summit in Singapore, but finalising the agreement has been put on hold.

Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Indonesia's President Joko Widodo at a bilateral meeting during the 2018 ASEAN Summit in Singapore. Source: AAP