RI ASKS AUSTRALIA TO BE BALANCED ON EXTRADITION

Port Moresby, March 11 (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government has asked Australia to be balanced on the extradition of the two countries' criminals convicted in both states, an Indonesian minister said.

"We have fulfilled Canberra's request for the extradition of three of its criminals convicted in Indonesia but Australia has not done the same on our request for the extradition of five convicts now living in Australia," Law and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar said on Thursday.

He made the remarks aboard a presidential plane that flew President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and entourage from Sydney, Australia, to Port Morseby, Papua New Guinea.

"I have told the Australian attorney general and the immigration minister that we have to be balanced regarding the extradition case," Patrialis said.

He said that he was told by the Australian attorney general and immigration minister that Australia had not yet fulfilled the Indonesia request due to complicated bureaucratic matters.

"But with our official visit to Australia, they will do their best to fulfill our extradition request, though they did not give any timeframe," the minister said.

Patrialis said that Indonesia had asked for the extradition from Australia to Indonesia of Adrian Kiki Ariana (corruption case in Bank Indonesia liquidity assistance), Christopher John James (violence crime), Jason Sujana Tanuwidjaya (forgery), Sofyan Sarabin (fraud) and Peter Dundas Walbron (violence on children).

Indonesia has granted the extradition to Australia of Charles Alfred Barnet (pedophile case), Hadi Ahmadi (human trafficking) and Raul Francis Callahan (sexual abuse).