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resident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono won praise from the world leader of the Seventh-day Adventist Church who thanked him for providing “wonderful religious liberty” amid ongoing unresolved issues of intolerance that have plagued parts of the country.

“I specifically thank the President of Indonesia for the wonderful religious liberty that is provided to groups who live in Indonesia and we are grateful for that,” Ted Wilson, the president of the general conference of the Seventh-day Adventist church, told journalists after a meeting with Yudhoyono.

The meeting took place at the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force base in East Jakarta, shortly after Yudhoyono and his delegation arrived from attending the National Press Day ceremony in Manado, North Sulawesi.

Wilson said his delegation and the President had not discussed acts of intolerance and persecution that have affected minority groups in Indonesia.

“We focused on trying to help in various ways without involving the church in political activities. We’d like to support the communities, the government, and specially the people, in every way that we can,” said Wilson.