Office of the Historian

185. Telegram From the Embassy in Indonesia to the Department of State1

Djakarta, October 20, 1956—9 a.m.

965. Foreign Office Secretary General Subandrio tells me he having great difficulty preparing Soviet-Indo aid agreement (mytel [Page 315] 5142) for formal presentation Cabinet. Said many Cabinet Ministers “were sensitive and watchful” on all aspects Indo-Soviet relationships, especially since Moscow joint communiqué3 and therefore many “critical questions” anticipated during Cabinet discussion requiring extreme care in preparation supporting documentation. Half seriously Subandrio said US Government could get him “off the hook” by criticizing Indo signatures Soviet trade and aid agreements because absence such criticism plus absence US economic aid tends remove argument that Indos willing accept aid from any source provided no strings attached. (His remark undoubtedly refers, although obscurely, to reported Moslem party Minister’s reluctant acquiescence to aid agreement only in order not oppose Indo active independent foreign policy.) Subandrio said in search for US criticism Foreign Office had queried Mukarto who gave negative reply.

Subandrio’s remarks in my opinion point up wisdom US refraining from public official criticism Indo flirtations with Soviet bloc during present fluid period, thus continuing our avoidance direct competition each Soviet offer and pointing up our general attitude that Indonesia is sovereign country free make its own independent choices and bear their consequences. This, I believe, also applies for time being to Sukarno action and statements during Soviet Union-Communist China tour until such time as our assessment completed (Deptel 580).4

Subandrio then raised question of status “$35 million” in US aid (in contrast Mononutu’s 25 million figures subject mytel 851). I explained to him along line previously used with Premier Ali (mytel 3545) that 35 million was figure which had appeared in press and was by no means official or authorized.

I added that I had previously informed Ali and Foreign Minister Abdulgani of this situation and Baird had done same with Djuanda. Subandrio accepted my explanation, which he said clarifying because he under impression I had been “sitting on $35 million offer” for past two months.

Subandrio also mentioned Indo shyness in requesting aid, a trait brought up by other officials in discussing this subject. Parenthetically, Indian Military Attaché told me Sunday6 he had same problem in regard military aid which India wished give and Indo wanted receive, [Page 316] an impasse which finally removed only by delicate circumlocution with both sides. This indicates Indo shyness not motivated solely by suspicion of west and Soviet bloc but also characterizes relations with fellow Asian-African nations.

Cumming
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 856D.0061/10–2056. Secret; Limited Distribution.↩
  2. Telegram 514 from Djakarta, August 21, concerned an unrelated matter. (Ibid., 756D.00/8–2156) Reference is presumably to telegram 714 from Djakarta, September 19, which reported information concerning the Soviet-Indonesian aid agreement of September 15. (Ibid., 456D.6141/9–1956)↩
  3. See footnote 11, Document 179.↩
  4. See footnote 6, Document 181.↩
  5. See footnote 6, Document 167.↩
  6. October 14.↩