The Pope received Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri in his study, and expressed the traditional Indonesian greeting, «selemat datang.»
The Vatican did not give any details about the topics discussed at today´s 10-minute meeting.
«God bless Indonesia,» John Paul II said during a brief photo session with the president. At the end of the meeting, Megawati introduced her husband and entourage to the Holy Father.
John Paul II visited Indonesia in 1989. The country has 228 million inhabitants, 88% of whom are Muslim. On that occasion, the Pope also visited East Timor, whose independence was officially proclaimed last month. It had been annexed by Indonesia without U.N. recognition.
