JAKARTA — Indonesia’s President criticised Australia’s Prime Minister yesterday for not expressing remorse over the alleged wiretapping of his phone and said cooperation agreements between the two countries would be reviewed.

In Canberra, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott endorsed intelligence gathering in principle, without confirming or denying the reported spying under a previous government in 2009.

In a series of tweets yesterday confirmed by his office, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono reacted strongly, a day after Indonesia recalled its ambassador to Australia. One tweet in Bahasa Indonesia said: “I also deplore the statement of Australian Prime Minister who underestimates the wiretapping of Indonesia, without sense of guilt.”

He did not specify which statement by Mr Abbott he was referring to. A later English tweet used the word “regret” instead of “deplore” and said the statement “belittled this tapping matter on Indonesia, without any remorse”.

Indonesia recalled its ambassador following reports that Australian spies had attempted to listen in on the President’s conversations on his mobile phone in 2009.

Australian media reports, quoting documents leaked by former United States National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, said that Australian spy agencies had also tried to tap the mobile phones of Mr Yudhoyono’s wife and senior officials.

Reports last month said the Australian Embassy in Jakarta had been part of a US-led surveillance network to spy on Indonesia.

“These US and Australian actions have certainly damaged the strategic partnerships with Indonesia,” Mr Yudhoyono tweeted. He also said Indonesia wanted an official Australian response that “can be understood by the public” and that bilateral cooperation agreements would be reviewed as a consequence of “this hurtful action”.

Analysts describe the furore as the lowest point in a perennially volatile bilateral relationship since 1999, when Australia led a United Nations military force into the former Indonesian province of East Timor, following a bloody independence ballot. At that time, Indonesia ripped up a four-year security treaty with Australia.

A new treaty has since been signed.

Mr Abbott told Parliament yesterday he regretted any embarrassment the spying reports had caused Mr Yudhoyono, but ruled out demands for an apology and explanation. “I regard President Yudhoyono as a good friend of Australia, indeed, as one of the very best friends that we have anywhere in the world,” he said. “That’s why ... I sincerely regret any embarrassment recent media reports have caused him.”

He also said: “I don’t believe Australia should be expected to apologise for reasonable intelligence-gathering operations, just as I don’t expect other countries or governments to apologise for their reasonable intelligence-gathering operations.”

Earlier, he told reporters that the two countries had a very good relationship, but added: “Obviously, today may not be the best day in that relationship.”

He pledged never to undertake any action that would damage ties with Indonesia, “which is, all in all, our most important relationship”.

The diplomatic spat is an early test for Mr Abbott’s government, which was elected in September and is anxious to cement ties with its populous near-neighbour before the uncertainty of Indonesian presidential elections next year. Australia wants to increase cooperation against human traffickers who ship asylum seekers in rickety boats from the Indonesian archipelago to Australian shores.

Mr Greg Fealy, an Australian National University expert on Australia-Indonesia ties, said the bilateral relationship was at its lowest point since 1999. “Depending on the Australian government’s response, it could still get worse,” he said. AGENCIES