REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Resources, Rizal Ramli, and President of Timor Leste, Xanana Gusmao held a closed meeting, in Rizal private residence in Kemang, South Jakarta, on Sunday (23/8),

In a meeting that held for 45 minutes, the two talked about fisheries and maritime issues. Indonesia and Timor Leste will work together to widen Timorese access in education at the College of Fisheries in Indonesia.

Rizal more talked about light things, such as his familiarity with Xanana. He said he is close with Xanana because of the similarity of the past. For Rizal, jail gave an opportunity to learn. He called the jail as "university".

"This was a meeting of two old friends. Mr. Xanana was an alumnus of the ‘Cipinang university’. S7 (seven years). I was in university of Sukamiskin Bandung. We're old friends," said Rizal, Sunday (23/8).

Xanana responded Rizal statement with a joke. In Rizal’s house, he ate ice cendol for the first time.

“I prefer to live longer in Cipinang if I knew there was ice cendol in Jakarta,” he said, with laughter.

Rizal Ramli was jailed for 1.5 years in 1978 in Sukamiskin, Bandung. At that time, Rizal still became student of Engineering Physics of ITB. Rizal was arrested for defying Soeharto government. Meanwhile Xanana was arrested in 1992 in Cipinang until separation of Timor Leste in 1999.

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