Australia, Indonesia sign delayed free trade agreement

By Riyaz ul Khaliq </p> <p>ANKARA (AA) – Australia and Indonesia on Monday signed a free trade agreement (FTA) after months of delay, media reports said.</p> <p>The FTA will allow Indonesia to import 94 percent of Australia's merchandise either duty free or under significantly improved preferential terms, Japan's Kyodo news agency said in a report.</p> <p>“Indonesia will be allowed to send all such goods to Australia duty free,” it added. </p> <p>The move to further the trade relations between the two countries was announced last August and an agreement was expected to be signed by 2018 end. </p> <p>However, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in October that he would consider moving Australia's embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, prompting opposition from Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation.</p> <p>In December, Australia recognized West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, but did not relocate its embassy.</p> <p>Jerusalem remains at the heart of the Israel-Palestine conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem — now occupied by Israel — might eventually serve as the capital of a future Palestinian state.