( CNN ) -- Australia 's Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Tuesday refused to apologize over damaging allegations that Australia 's intelligence services spied on Indonesia 's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono , tapping his personal mobile phone and those of his inner circle . `` Australia should not be expected to apologize for the steps we take to protect our country now , or in the past , any more than other governments should be expected to apologize for the similar steps they have taken , '' Abbott said in an address to parliament . `` Importantly , in Australia 's case , we use all our resources including information to help our friends and allies , not to harm them , '' Abbott said , adding that Australia should not be expected to detail what it does to protect its country any more than other countries do . `` I want to make it absolutely crystal clear , Australia has deep respect for Indonesia , for its government , and for its people , '' he said . `` 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 , that 's why ... I sincerely regret any embarrassment that recent media reports have caused him . '' He said that it was in everyone 's interest that `` cool heads prevail '' over the spying scandal that has engulfed his new Liberal government . On Monday , the Indonesian government took what it described as `` the serious step '' of withdrawing its ambassador from the Australian capital Canberra . Jakarta also summoned Australian ambassador Greg Moriarty to voice its anger at allegations that Australia had been spying directly on the Indonesian president . Earlier on Tuesday , President Yudhoyono released a series of angry Tweets -- translated from Bahasa Indonesia into English and signed `` SBY '' to indicate they come straight from the president -- in which he attacked Abbott over a perceived lack of remorse over the revelations . `` I also regret the statement of ( the ) Australian Prime Minister that belittled this tapping matter in Indonesia without any remorse . *SBY* , '' the tweet read . `` These US & Australian actions have certainly damaged the strategic partnership with Indonesia , as fellow democracies . *SBY* , '' an earlier tweet read . Indonesia earlier this month expressed outrage over reports that Australia 's Jakarta embassy was used as part of a U.S.-led spying network in Asia . In his series of tweets , Yudhoyono called on the Australian government to `` give us an official answer which can be understood by broader Indonesian society about the tapping . '' While the direct attack on Abbott is likely to be a blow for the new Liberal government , which has made much of maintaining good relations with its populous northern neighbor -- a key ally and trading partner -- Abbott has been consistently unrepentant about the revelations . Speaking in parliament on Monday , Abbott had said : `` The Australian government never comments on specific intelligence matters . `` All governments gather information and all governments know that every other government gathers information . `` I will never say or do anything that might damage the strong relationship and the close co-operation that we have with Indonesia , which is all in all our most important relationship . '' Indonesia 's objections stem from reports in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation ( ABC ) and Guardian Australia that said Australian intelligence tracked Yudhoyono 's mobile phone for 15 days in August 2009 , monitoring the calls he made and received . The intelligence agency also tried to listen in on what was said on at least one occasion . But the call was less than a minute long and could not be successfully tapped , ABC reported . The two media outlets cited documents provided by Edward Snowden , the U.S. national security contractor-turned-leaker .
Indonesian Prime Minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono refuses to apologise over spy allegations . He tells parliament that information is used by Australia to `` help not harm '' its allies . Australia on 15 days withdrew its ambassador to Australia in protest . Australian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono fired off a series of angry tweets over the issue .