Indonesia and Australia agreed at Bali on Thursday to exchange prisoners and planned to sign the agreement in September, said Indonesian Justice and Human Rights Minister Hamid Awaluddin.

The agreement could allow Australians convicted in Indonesia of drug smuggling and Indonesian being detained in Australia to serve their time back home, the minister was quoted by Eshinta Radio station as saying at Bali after ending his negotiation with Australian Attorney General Philip Ruddock.

"In September the MoU of the agreement will be signed," he added.

Under the deal the prison would keep performing the verdict of the law of the country where he or she was tried, he said, adding that in the next meeting both sides would determine the number of prisoners and the length of their punishment.

The exchange must be approved by the convicts themselves, he said.

Dozens of fishermen convicted of poaching in Australian waters and those implicating on corruption case could be sent back to Indonesia, he said.

Source: Xinhua