Megawati and Australian Ambassador Discuss Bilateral Relations and Geopolitics
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s fifth President and General Chair of PDI Perjuangan, Megawati Soekarnoputri, received a visit from the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Rod Brazier, at her residence in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Monday.
During the dialogue, Megawati and Ambassador Rod discussed relations between the two countries and the geopolitical situation.
Both agreed that Darwin, located in northern Australia, along with Papua and East Nusa Tenggara, could serve as a gateway for economic cooperation between the two nations.
The discussion grew warmer when addressing diplomacy, including Ambassador Rod’s admiration for Soekarno as a revolutionary leader and his role in initiating the Asia-Africa Conference.
Meanwhile, Megawati recounted, among other things, her experiences as Indonesia’s fifth President in making time to meet with representatives from friendly embassies.
“I was taught by Bung Karno that if an embassy representative wants to meet, they must be received promptly and welcomed well because ambassadors represent sovereign states. That is why, when I was President and an ambassador wanted to meet, I always prioritised it,” Megawati said in a written statement received in Jakarta.
Megawati and Ambassador Rod also discussed geopolitics, with Megawati touching on the detrimental impacts of war on all parties and calling for the UN to play a greater role.
In the meeting, Megawati was accompanied by PDI Perjuangan’s General Secretary Hasto Kristiyanto, Head of the Strategic Policy Research and Analysis Agency Andi Widjayanto, and Director of Foreign Relations Hanjaya Setiawan.
Ambassador Rod was accompanied by Deputy Ambassador to Indonesia Gita Kamath.
Ambassador Rod speaks fluent Indonesian, and Megawati then asked how long he had been in Indonesia.
Ambassador Rod said he has a strong historical connection to Makassar city because in his youth he participated in a student exchange programme.
“I have been [Ambassador] for one year and three months. I once participated in a student exchange at Hasanuddin University and lived with an Indonesian family in Makassar. At that time, it was called Ujung Pandang,” said Ambassador Rod.
“So, are you brave enough to eat chillies now? Because Makassar food is delicious,” Megawati remarked.
“Delicious and healthy. In fact, I felt there for the first time that I agreed with Indonesians that eating with hands is more enjoyable,” he replied.
Megawati said she was taught by Indonesia’s first President Soekarno that while it is necessary to learn table manners and etiquette when eating at the table, eating with hands is more pleasurable because we ourselves know best if our hands are clean or dirty.
Ambassador Rod said he had just visited the Bogor Botanical Gardens and heard about Megawati’s pioneering role in preserving and developing the gardens.
Megawati currently serves as General Chair of the Indonesian Botanical Gardens Foundation.
“I always encourage commitment to the environment. Now there are more than 45 botanical gardens. Every PDI Perjuangan regional head is asked to establish a botanical garden,” said Megawati.
To conclude the meeting, Megawati explained that she often invites ambassadors to visit botanical gardens in various regions of Indonesia. “Most ambassadors want to see the Bali Botanical Gardens,” Megawati said with a smile.