Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952–1954, East Asia and the Pacific, Volume XII, Part 2

856D.00 TA/10–2052: Telegram

No. 230
The Ambassador in Indonesia (Cochran) to the Department of State

secret
priority

Djakarta, October 20, 1952—4 p.m.

741. Upon receipt Deptel 562¹ afternoon Oct 15, I consulted Allison. We agreed it was against our judgment carry out this instr immed in light polit developments (Embtel 702).² In Deptel 575³ Emb was given discretion to defer action. Parl now in forced and indefinite recess. Cabinet still in existence, but whole balance of power between Pres and Cabinet likely to be undergoing fundamental change. We cannot at this time determine where real auth lies or what regard will be had for recessed Parl. Altho PriMin and FonMin evidently still respected and in no danger, they are members Parl which has been to great extent discredited and against whose polit maneuvers recent occurrences have been directed.

Furthermore, with augmented auth of mil and eclipse of Parl whole situation may be altered to point where Indos may desire hold to 511a assurances and commence TCA program under Jan 5 agreement without further negots aimed at replacing it. Dept has already expressed its view that such a solution wld be highly desirable. (Deptels 709, Jan 8 and 319 Aug 28.)

I consequently recommend strongly that entire question of Amer aid to Indo be held in suspense until situation clarified.

Cochran

1. Document 226.
2. Not printed. (856D.00 TA/10–1552)
3. See footnote 2, Document 226.