Australia PM arrives in Jakarta for refugee talks

Australia's new Prime Minister Tony Abbott has begun a visit to Indonesia amid tension in Jakarta over the visiting politician's hardline stance on refugees.

Abbott's choice of Indonesia as his first overseas trip as premier is in line with a pledge to bolster ties with Asia, but it comes amid tensions after his hardline policy on boatpeople was criticized by Indonesian officials.

It also comes just days after an Australia-bound refugee ship sunk, resulting in the death of dozens of people.

In the campaign for September's elections, he pushed a "stop the boats" policy and has put into place a military-led operation known as Sovereign Borders, which involves turning boats around when it is safe to do so.

Abbott laid a wreath on Monday at Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in south Jakarta, where many who died fighting in the Indonesian war of independence against colonialists are buried, and was due to hold talks with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono later.

As he set off for Jakarta from Australia on Monday, Abbott sought to shift the focus of the visit away from asylum seekers.

"We will be covering a range of matters, because this is an important relationship and it's important to get it right at the start of this new government," he said.

He is hoping to boost trade with Southeast Asia's biggest economy, and is accompanied by Trade Minister Andrew Robb and 20 business leaders.

But the asylum-seeker issue remained in sharp focus as he headed to Jakarta, with Indonesian officials reporting that the death toll from the sinking of an Australia-bound refugee boat on Friday had risen to 36.

Australia has been forced to defend its actions after survivors said their calls for help to the country went unheeded following the accident, which was the first fatal asylum boat sinking since Abbott came to power earlier in September.

Survivors of the accident, which also left many missing, told journalists that they sent their GPS coordinates to Australian rescuers to assist them, but no one came to their aid.

Australian Finance Minister Mathias Cormann stressed on Sunday that the area where the accident occurred was "under Indonesian jurisdiction" and insisted Australia provided "all appropriate assistance.”

Hundreds have died in fatal sinkings in recent years, as huge numbers continue to board rickety, wooden boats in Indonesia to try and make the treacherous sea crossing to Australia.

The issue is hugely sensitive in Australia and it was a key battleground topic at the recent general election.

While Abbott's policies helped propel him to power, they have already strained the traditionally strong relationship between Indonesia and Australia, with Jakarta saying the measures could infringe Indonesian sovereignty.

During a meeting with his Australian counterpart Julie Bishop in New York last week, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said the measure could put cooperation on asylum-seekers at risk.

Al Jazeera and the AFP wire service