Hajriyanto Thohari, deputy chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), on Thursday backed away from earlier comments in which he called Australia's policy on towing asylum seeker vessels back to Indonesia "arrogant."

But Hajriyanto didn't completely rescind his criticism, saying the policy "causes trouble" for Indonesia, Australia's National Times reported on Thursday. "The impact of a strong policy will add more problems to Indonesia," he told the National Times.

"It is impossible for Indonesia to deal with the illegal migrant issue alone. We have a very long coastline. It is impossible for us to guard inch by inch of our coastline.

"So Indonesia and Australia should work together well. We hope Australia discusses this problem more with Indonesia to eliminate the implication to our country."

Hajriyanto's earlier comments, which he conceded were "a slip of the tongue on my part," according to the Straight Times, were made during an official meeting with Julie Bishop, Australia's opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman, who was in Jakarta on her first official visit to Indonesia.

The comments were a result of misunderstanding, Hajriyanto said, according to the National Times. While he initially thought Bishop had referred to Australia's "high per capita income" as a reason for its rejecting asylum seekers arriving by boat, he acknowledged later that she had actually referred to its already "high per capita intake" of refugees.

"In my opinion, that view is a view that is solely focused on Australia's perspective, without considering Indonesia at all as the country that experiences the negative impacts of the illegal immigrant issue," Hajriyanto said earlier, Radio Australia reported on Thursday.

Bishop also met with Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, who called Australia's asylum seeker policy "unworkable," Radio Australia said.