Australia's minister says translation glitches delay trade deal with Indonesia
Australia's trade minister said translation issues were behind the delay of a billion-dollar free trade agreement with Indonesia, downplaying a friction between the countries over Australia's possible Jerusalem embassy.
"There were some translation issues still being dealt with last week," Simon Birmingham told Australia's ABC TV.
"We will get all of those finalised and then when it suits both countries, we'll get on and get it signed," he said, adding that he hopes the accord will be signed in "the coming months".
The deal, which is intended to boost trade in areas ranging from crafts to cattle, was concluded in August and has been expected to be signed by the end of the year.
But Indonesia has said that Australia's recent proposal that it might move its Israeli embassy to Jerusalem might upset plans for the accord.
Indonesia is the world's biggest Muslim-majority country, where tens of thousands protested against US President Donald Trump's decision in May to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.
