REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MAGELANG -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and his wife Maryna Poroshenko visited Indonesia's Buddhist Temple of Borobudur in Magelang District, Central Java, on Saturday.
President Poroshenko and party arrived at the Borobudur Buddhist Temple at 4.30 p.m. He was greeted by Central Java Deputy Governor Haru Sudjatmoko and Magelang District Head Zaenal Arifin.
After having a photo session in the temple's premise, Poroshenko climbed the world's biggest temple. He was accompanied by a guide from the Borobudur Conservation Office, Panggah Ardiansyah.
According to Panggah, Poroshenko asked many questions on what items are there in the Borobudur relief. "He questioned about a number of ornaments in the Borobudur relief," he said.
Central Java Deputy Governor Heru Sudjatmiko hoped that the visit of the Ukrainian president would help attract more tourists, particularly those coming from the Eastern European region.
Poroshenko and his family earlier visited Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono (HB) X at Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat kraton.
The Ukrainian president and his entourage reached the Sultan's palace at 12:30pm. local time. The Sultan, who was accompanied by GKR Hemas, welcomed the president.
The daughters of the Sultan, GKR Mangkubumi, GKR Condrokirono, GKR Maduretno, and GKR Bendoro, also received the entourage.
The Sultan, wearing a surjan, a striped traditional Javanese shirt, invited the president with him into tratak Proboyekso, a hut.
In the hut, the Yogyakarta governor displayed a collection of heirlooms, including keris (traditional daggers), wayang (traditional puppets), and a number of ancient fibers.
On that occasion, the governor also demonstrated the manufacture of leather puppets and batik making.
Before having lunch in Bangsal Manis, the president talked to the Sultan in Jene Building at the palace complex.
"The president and I discussed about the sister-province program between Yogyakarta and cities in Ukraine," the Sultan remarked.
The president was scheduled to visit Indonesia's most majestic temples, which are Borobudur and Prambanan.