A Indonesian presidential spokesman Saturday said the publication of a cartoon of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Australia's biggest-selling national newspaper was "very deplorable and hurtful".

"We deeply deplore the offensive publication and see it as rubbish," presidential spokesman Dino Pati Djalal was quoted by official news agency Antara as saying.

He said Indonesia was also very shocked by the decision of the editor of the Weekend Australian to publish the cartoon which depicts Susilo as a male dog, who is accompanied by a Papuan who is also represented as a dog.

Dino said he also got direct information from the Australian Ambassador in Indonesia Bill Farmer that the Australian government, represented by its Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, had also denounced and expressed disagreement toward the cartoon publication.

He said the cartoon was seen as not representing the Australian people toward Indonesia.

"I am sure that the sentiment described in the cartoon is not representing the Australian people (position) toward Indonesia," Dino said.

Previously, a Jakarta paper portrayed the Australian leader in a similar manner this week.

The Indonesian government previously sent a protest note to the Australian government and recalled the Indonesian ambassador to Australia following the Australian government's granting visas to 42 asylum seekers from Papua.

Source: Xinhua