Australia recalls ambassador to Indonesia after executions

"We respect Indonesia's sovereignty but we do deplore what's been done and this cannot be simply business as usual," Abbott told reporters in Canberra.

"I want to stress that this is a very important relationship between Australia and Indonesia but it has suffered as a result of what's been done over the last few hours."

Australians Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan were executed by firing squad along with six other drug convicts from several countries shortly after midnight on Wednesday, local media said.

Ambassador Paul Gibson will return to Australia at the end of the week, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said.

(Reporting By Jane Wardell; Editing by Mark Bendeich)