211. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Indonesia1
1382. Mukarto called on Robertson today.2 Indicating we had no desire or intention to interfere in internal developments in Indonesia Robertson expressed our concern possible increased Communist influence and cited disastrous results former coalition governments in Europe and fate those who thought they could handle Communists. Mukarto reviewed recent developments Indonesia reaching conclusion that Advisory Council would be established with Communist participation with agreement principal parties including Masjumi and NU. He believed Council would have purely advisory capacity, would reach its decisions unanimously through compromise as in Village Council and could constitute no serious threat. He believes Communists will not be taken into Cabinet and that new Cabinet will be formed including elements of recent Ali Government. He stated Masjumi ready to reenter Cabinet with sole stipulation that Communists be excluded.
He attributed Sukarno’s conception to desire to shock non-Communist parties into greater unity.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 756D.00/2–2657. Confidential. Drafted and approved in FE.↩
- Two memoranda of conversation were prepared by Bell, both dated February 26; one recorded the discussion summarized in this telegram and the other recorded discussion concerning recent anti-American incidents in Djakarta. (Ibid., 756D.00/2–2657 and 611.56D/2–2657, respectively)↩