Gatot Nurmantyo confirms meeting with Gerindra chief Prabowo

Jakarta (Antaranews Babel) - Former National Defense Forces (TNI) chief General Gatot Nurmantyo has confirmed a meeting with Chairman of the Greater Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party Prabowo Subianto.

"It is true that I have asked for time to meet him," Gatot said in a media discussion held here on Thursday night.

However, he refused to divulge the place and time of the meeting.

Gatot said he met with Prabowo to express gratitude to him.

"When I was going to take a fit and proper test at DPR  (the House of Representatives) I visited Megawati Soekarnoputri, Mr. SBY (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono), Mr. Prabowo and the others to pray for me. After I am no longer TNI chief, ethically, as an Easterner, I have to express my gratitude to them," he said.

"When I was TNI chief, I was assisted not only by the House Commission I (overseeing defense, foreign affairs, communication and information) but also by the House Commission overseeing agriculture. Shortly before my term of office as TNI chief ended, TNI received the highest level of confidence from the public. We achieved all of these thanks to their assistance," he said.