REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, LONDON – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) received a lavish royal welcome for the first Indonesian state visit to Britain in more than 30 years. In the three-day official visit, SBY will attend a state banquet, address parliament and open the Indonesia-UK Business Forum.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth greeted SBY and his wife in a red-carpeted pavilion on Horse Guards Parade, as a 41-gun salute rang out and regimental bands in bearskin hats played the Indonesian national anthem. After the official welcome, SBY was whisked off in a gilded carriage to Buckingham Palace for a private lunch with the queen. 

SBY praised the Queen during banquet dinner at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday night and congratulated the Queen for the Diamond Jubilee. "Queen Elizabeth II is an inspiration of loyalty, dedication, and devotion towards state duties," SBY said on his speech as reported by Esthi Maharani from Republika.

He also explained that in 17th century, Banten Kingdom in Java Island sent its representative to the Great Britain. And 150 later, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles wrote a monumental 'History of Java' after seeing Borobudur Temple.

"Both countries have similarity, including democracy. on the last decade, Indonesia is seen as a model of harmonization of Islam, democracy, and modernity," he said.

Indonesia has one of the world's fastest growing economies and is seen as one of the most democratic countries in Southeast Asia. Britain is keen to foster a strong commercial relationship with the fast-emerging nation and has channeled resources from its embassies in the European Union to boost its diplomatic presence in Indonesia and the region. Yet, activists criticized the British government for valuing commercial ties over the rights of Indonesian minorities.

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