Jakarta, July 3 -- Something felt different in Jakarta as Indonesia welcomed Aleksandr Lukashenko on Thursday (July 2). Unlike previous visits by foreign heads of state, the reception for the Belarusian president felt like far more than just a diplomatic ceremony.

Along Medan Merdeka Utara Road, hundreds of students waved the flags of both nations as Lukashenko's motorcade made its way toward the Merdeka Palace, escorted by 17 outriders and an 80-member mounted escort from Indonesia's Presidential Security Detail (Paspampres).

As the motorcade entered the palace complex, it was welcomed by the traditional Enggang dance from East Kalimantan.

Behind the grandeur of the reception lies a diplomatic process that began when Indonesian Presid...