Hi Duncan Graham

Here's the text of the "Joint Understanding" http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/foreign-affairs/code-of-conduct-between-australia-and-indonesia-on-framework-for-security/story-fn59nm2j-1227040371193 that you quote.

The Understanding is a piece of diplomacy where the act of touching base and agreeing is more important than the innocuous wording. It is a realistic document which accommodates our countries keeping an eye on each other - noting the best of friends keep an eye on each other.

On a country eg. the US NSA, tapping an Aussie phone (like mine) it depends if its kept a private matter - if kept private it will probably be curious, ho-hum, boring and expected.

However if the New York Times and our own ABC make tapping of a VIP's phone an international media event then FACE is lost all round because the agency of State (of Country A) that is meant to protect the act of tapping AND the agency (of Country B) meant to protect phone security are embarrassed. Leaders of Countries A and B then have to take public-political positions and make public-political comments that reflect national embarrassment.

Human nature.

Pete

A very appropriate response to a storm in a tea-cup!