TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Middle East analyst at Universitas Indonesia Yon Machmudi, asserted that the state visit by King Salman bin Abdulaziz to Indonesia will have a special meaning. Both countries plan to compose a partnership strategy during the state visit that will be held on March 1 to March 9, 2017.

"Why is this visit so important? It can be seen from two things. First is that the visit signifies the first visit to Indonesia by a Saudi Arabia King after 47 years," Yon said on Friday, February 24, 2017.

According to Yon, since the era of the New Order, a number of Indonesian Presidents have carried-out state visits to Saudi Arabia, starting from Abdurrahman Wahid, Megawati Soekarnoputri, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, up to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

Yon stated that the absence of visits from the Saudi Arabian King since the 1970s can be considered unusual.

Yon added that the recent changes in global political situation, especially the United States' unfriendly stance against the Muslim community and the Middle East, also contributes in the importance of the visit.

"Indonesia as a nation with the world's largest Muslim population is starting to attract the attention of Middle Eastern countries," Yon said.

According to Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, King Salman will bring 1,500 people with him, which will consists of Ministers, Entrepreneurs, and Princes.

"King Salman will arrive together with ten members of their ministry and 25 Princes," Pramono said on Tuesday, February 21, 2017.

ADITYA BUDIMAN | ISTMAN M.P. | ANTARA