New Australian ambassador to Indonesia

Australia's new ambassador to Indonesia is senior career diplomat Gary Quinlan.

Australia's chief negotiator in the East Timor maritime boundary dispute is headed to Jakarta.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has announced Gary Quinlan will be Australia's next ambassador to Indonesia.

East Timor and Australia have reached an agreement for a treaty on their disputed maritime border and on a "pathway" to develop the giant Greater Sunrise offshore gas fields.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull hopes to sign an agreement with Indonesian President Joko Widodo on the sidelines of a special Australia and Association of South East Asian Nations leaders summit in Sydney in mid-March.

Indonesia and Australia failed to meet a deadline late last year on sealing a free trade agreement.

AAP understands 95 per cent of the deal has been finalised.

The remaining sticking points relate to services and include whether Australian universities can set up campuses in Indonesia.

Discussions are also continuing around Indonesian workers such as nurses being granted visas to fill skills shortages in Australia.


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Source: AAP


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