JAKARTA – Indonesia’s fifth President, Megawati Soekarnoputri, recently hosted the German Ambassador to Indonesia, Ralf Beste, and his delegation at her Menteng residence in Central Jakarta on Friday, April 17th.
This high-level meeting followed earlier diplomatic engagements, as Megawati had previously welcomed both Qatar’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Sultan bin Mubarak Al-Dosari, and Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Faisal Abdullah Al Amoudi, underscoring her continued role in international relations.
Accompanying Megawati during her discussions with Ambassador Beste were key figures from her political party and institute: Hasto Kristiyanto, Secretary-General of the PDI-P; Ahmad Basarah, Head of the PDI-P’s Foreign Affairs Division; and Hilmar Farid, Executive Director of the Megawati Institute.
Ambassador Beste shared that his recent travels included a visit to Bandung, where he toured the historic Asia-Africa Conference Museum. He expressed profound admiration for Indonesia’s Proclamator, Soekarno, also known as Bung Karno, acknowledging his pivotal role in inspiring the resurgence of nations across Asia and Africa.
Reflecting on his efforts to deepen his understanding of Indonesia, Ambassador Beste remarked, “I’m traveling around to get to know Indonesia better. I just went to Bandung and visited the KAA Museum.”
Upon hearing the Ambassador’s reference to the Asia-Africa Conference (AACC), Megawati recounted her own formative experience: accompanying President Soekarno as the youngest delegate, at just 14 years old, to the 1961 Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. She fondly recalled sitting alongside towering figures of the era, including India’s Jawaharlal Nehru and Egypt’s Gamal Abdel Nasser.
Megawati shared with a smile, “At that time, I called them uncle.”
Following the discussions, Hasto Kristiyanto revealed that Megawati and Ambassador Beste delved into crucial geopolitical issues, particularly the escalating conflict in the Middle East. He added, “Madam Megawati and Ambassador Ralf Beste discussed geopolitics, including the current situation in the Middle East, and the Asia-Africa Conference (AACC Bandung), which will commemorate its 71st anniversary tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, Ahmad Basarah elaborated on other significant aspects of the meeting, noting that Megawati presented Ambassador Beste with several insightful books, including ‘To Build The World A New‘ and ‘Lahirnya Pancasila‘ (The Birth of Pancasila).
According to Basarah, Megawati underscored the critical importance of proactively anticipating and preparing for potential global crises during her conversation with the Ambassador. She further drew upon her own experience, recounting her administration’s successful efforts to navigate and resolve Indonesia’s severe 1997 economic crisis during her presidency.
Basarah quoted Megawati explaining how her government “successfully stabilized the Rupiah exchange rate, repaid Indonesia’s foreign debt, and effectively resolved the crisis.” He added that Megawati detailed the immense challenges she faced as Indonesia’s fifth President in tackling a multidimensional crisis, successfully resolving numerous issues within the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (BPPN) and ultimately repaying loans from the IMF.
Basarah concluded by reiterating Megawati’s urgent warning: “Why was that conveyed? Because war against Iran and the potential blocking of the Strait of Hormuz could plunge the world into a crisis that absolutely must be anticipated.”
Summary
Megawati Soekarnoputri recently hosted German Ambassador