TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Former British prime minister Tony Blair meets with a number of Indonesian state officials during his visit. After meeting with Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in Jakarta State Palace, on Tuesday, March 7, Blair today had a session with Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto in the latter’s residence in Kertanegara, South Jakarta.

Prabowo’s spokesperson Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak said the two have many topics in discussion but stayed silent when asked whether or not Indonesia's new capital development project is included given that Blair is one of the members of the project’s steering committee.

“It’s exactly about geopolitics and global geostrategy,” Dahnil said of topics of discussion to Tempo, Wednesday, March 8.

The meeting started at 4 p.m. and lasted for one hour. Prabowo handed Blair a traditional blade Keris as a souvenir.

The session between Blair and President Jokowi was their third official meeting. Blair exited the Palace at 13:47 Jakarta time and refused to answer reporters’ questions. He walked straight to his car while smiling.

Jokowi had earlier called in Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia who had met the former British PM on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on January 18. They discussed Indonesia’s investment prospects and challenges, particularly related to the capital relocation project to East Kalimantan.

Bahlil left the Palace right after Blair arrived, confirming that he did not join the meeting between Jokowi and Blair. “Not joining [the meeting],” he said shortly.

Tony Blair is among the three foreign figures who were appointed by Jokowi to join the steering board for Indonesia’s new capital project. The other figures are United Arab Emirates (UAE) Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son. Lately, Softbank withdrew from the project.

“They have good experiences in urban development,” said Jokowi at the Ritz Carlton Pacific Place Sudirman Jakarta, on Thursday, January 16, 2020.

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