Jakarta – The 5th President of the Republic of Indonesia and the President of PDI Perjuangan, Megawati Soekarnoputri, received an honorary visit from the Ambassador of Kuwait to Indonesia, Khalid Jassim Al-Yassin. The warm meeting took place at Megawati’s house in the Menteng area of central Jakarta on Monday, May 18, 2026, and discussed the escalating conflict in the Middle East and the historical relations between the two countries.
During the meeting, Megawati was accompanied by members of the PDIP elite, including Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto, DPP Chief Ahmad Basarah, Foreign Relations Director Hanjaya Setiawan, and politician M. Guntur Romli.
PDIP Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto revealed that Deputy Ambassador Khalid Jassim Al-Yassin initiated a dialogue by expressing deep appreciation for Indonesia’s consistent support for Palestinian independence. In the eyes of Kuwait, the conflict affecting the Palestinians is a remnant of colonialism still existing on earth.
Kuwait and the Arab world, continued Hasto, have extraordinary respect for Indonesia’s political foundations, especially the legacy of Bung Karno’s thought that fiercely fought imperialism.
“The Ambassador of Kuwait hailed Indonesia’s leadership role in the world through the Bandung spirit, namely the value of solidarity, peace, and anti-colonialism that emerged from the Asia-Africa Conference, which contributed to Kuwait’s independence. Kuwait then joined the Non-Aligned Movement. Today, Indonesia holds a very important position in the global South region,” declared Hasto in a statement on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
Responding to these compliments, Megawati reaffirmed Indonesia’s geopolitical position, which has always supported global peace through the historical momentum of the 1955 Asia-Africa Conference.
“One of the important points of the Asia-Africa Conference agreement is the support for Palestinian independence,” affirmed Megawati.
The cry of humanity and Kuwait’s cry in the whirlwind of war
Discussions between these two national figures then turned to the global geopolitical situation, particularly the war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran in the Middle East. Highlighting the destructive impact of war, Megawati expressed her concern from a mother’s perspective.
“As a mother, I feel deep sadness for the unforeseen effects of war on the fate of children and mothers in conflict countries,” said Megawati.
On the other hand, the Kuwaiti diplomacy chief revealed the difficult position his country is experiencing. He stated that Kuwait officially remains neutral, is not part of an armed conflict, and firmly prohibits its territory or airspace from being used as a base for attacking a neighboring country.
However, this neutrality has come at a cost. Over the past two months, Kuwait has been the target of massive aggression.
“However, over the past two months, Kuwait has continued to face intensive attacks. These attacks target civilian facilities such as airports, oil installations, water treatment facilities, and government buildings, leading to casualties. Iranian attacks also violate the United Nations Pact and international law principles. Under the pretext that Iranian attacks aim to disrupt US facilities and interests in Kuwait,” said Mission Chief Khalid, explaining the situation in his country.
The Kuwaiti diplomacy chief emphasized that Kuwait has protested against this violation of sovereignty to Iran. Considering Indonesia’s respected international position on the world stage, Kuwait lamented Jakarta’s strategic role in easing tensions in the Middle East.
Furthermore, both parties also discussed short-term solutions to restore global economic stability, one of which is to push for the reopening of the Hormuz Strait. This crucial maritime route must be normalized quickly to ensure the security of the international trade supply chain and the stability of the global energy market.
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