Derwin Pereira, Jakarta – Past and present came together yesterday when President Abdurrahman Wahid met former Indonesian leader Suharto for the first time since taking office four months ago.

Accompanied by wife Sinta Nuriyah and Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab, the 59-year-old president was welcomed by Mr Suharto, who was making his first public appearance in months, and his eldest daughter Siti "Tutut" Hardiyanti Rukmana, at the porch of their house in the posh Menteng district.

The deposed leader, who for 30 years maintained a tight hold on Indonesia before his fall in May 1998, smiled and waved at the huge gathering of reporters outside the house before going in to have lunch with his long-time critic.

After the meeting, Mr Abdurrahman stood with Mr Suharto, held his hands and pleaded with journalists not to read any political overtones into the meeting. He said: "Please don't misunderstand my visit here. I have come to represent no one. I have had for a long time wanted to see Pak Harto, but I could not because of his health. I got that chance today. Please don't misunderstand my visit here. It is a courtesy call by someone paying his respects to his elder." Describing the selection of Javanese delicacies he had for lunch as "delicious", he said that the two families also got to celebrate his wife's birthday yesterday.

Mrs Rukmana told reporters later that the lunch was a "light-hearted" affair, with palace sources adding that the President was "cracking jokes and Pak Harto laughing" throughout the hour-long meeting. "I am very grateful that the President has met Bapak," said Mrs Rukmana. "Bapak is so happy to have met him."

She added that Mr Suharto, who is under official investigation for corruption and recently failed to make several appearances to the Attorney-General's Office saying he was too ill, was in good health. Political analysts believe that Mr Abdurrahman's meeting with the former strongman, together with his visits last week to ousted General Wiranto and former President B.J. Habibie, were all aimed at "reconciliation". Said a palace source: "He wants to get support from these people to minimise the possibility of them causing problems for his government."

Mr Abdurrahman used to be one of Mr Suharto's strongest critics during the New Order regime. But despite this, he managed to maintain a good relationship with Mr Suharto.