Office of the Historian

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

Djakarta, January 25, 1957—4 p.m.

1834. Reference: Deptel 1153.2 Secretary General Foreign Ministry has informed me he will provide me with note containing assurances [Page 347] Deptel 585. He said Ambassador Mukarto apparently ignoring his instructions perhaps because he fears associate his name with transactions which might later have repercussions damaging to him politically (this may be reasonable explanation since Mukarto known hold ambitions for prominent positions in future Indonesian Governments).

When I met Prime Minister day before yesterday he again expressed his anxiety get ahead with purchase US military equipment, said he could not understand Mukarto’s failure obey instructions. He said purchase might not be large, perhaps initially only arms for UNEF and perhaps another home battalion, but he thought it important start providing army with American equipment. He said if military equipment comes “our army will have something to play with besides politics”.

He said important too because “I am being pressed purchase military equipment from other places”.

I said I had inquired of Subandrio about rumors concerning purchase Soviet military equipment (my telegram 16733). Prime Minister said rumors untrue, that there had been offers but that he wanted to confirm Subandrio’s statement to me “we have ordered nothing from USSR except jeeps and spare parts for jeeps”, Prime Minister said. He added he thought inordinately large supply spare parts being included.

I expect to hear from Subandrio shortly and will forward promptly any note he gives me. He showed me informally draft and it appeared adequate.

Cumming
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 756D.56/1–2557. Secret; Limited Distribution.↩
  2. Telegram 1153 to Djakarta, January 18, stated that the procedure set forth in telegram 585 to Djakarta, Document 182, for establishing Indonesian eligibility for military assistance before initiating technical discussions remained unchanged. (Department of State, Central Files, 756D.56/1–2557)↩
  3. Telegram 1673 from Djakarta, January 8, reported that Cumming had asked Subandrio about this during their conversation that morning, reported in part in telegram 1675, Document 201. (Department of State, Central Files, 756D.56/1–857)↩