Office of the Historian

256. Telegram From the Embassy in Indonesia to the Department of State0

Djakarta, May 18, 1960, 11 a.m.

3281. CINCPAC for POLAD, Paris for Secretary. Verbatim text. Embassy telegram 3251.1 Chargé summoned to home of Acting Foreign Minister Leimena morning May 18 to be given aide-mémoire by Leimena text of which follows:

“Following are comments given by Dr. J. Leimena, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy First Minister of the Republic of Indonesia on the information furnished orally and summarized in an aide-mémoire [Page 494] of the US Embassy, Djakarta, dated May 16, by Mr. John W. Henderson, Chargé d’Affaires A.I. of the Embassy of the United States of America in Djakarta:

  • “1. The Government of the Republic of Indonesia appreciates the attention given by the Government of the United States of America to the question of the dispatch of the Dutch aircraft carrier Karel Doorman and other Dutch warships, miliary equipment and combat troops to West Irian. While realizing fully the significance of the efforts of the United States in this regard, it would have been more satisfactory to the Indonesian Government, if the United States could see its way clear to attempt to seek cancellation of the projected Dutch action, inasmuch as the dispatch of above-mentioned Dutch warships and the Dutch military buildup in West Irian constitute a provocation to the Indonesian people.
  • “2. The Indonesian Government has reiterated time and again that the Indonesian policy in relation to the West Irian dispute is a peaceful one. This peaceful policy has been restated recently by Dr. Subandrio in the course of his visit to Cuba when he was accompanying President Soekarno.
  • “3. The Indonesian Government would like to point out that expression of public opinion in the press and in resolutions adopted by various layers of the Indonesian community and demonstrations is a direct consequence of the Dutch provocative actions. In the meantime the Indonesian Government has taken all normal and also special precautionary measures with a view to controlling outbursts of excesses. The United States Government is undoubtedly aware of the fact that no disorderly demonstrations have taken place notwithstanding that an explosive situation continues to exist.
  • “4. The understanding of the United States Government that military equipment which is obtained by Indonesia from the United States will be used for internal security and legitimate self-defense only, and not in any attempt to resolve the West Irian dispute by force, is correct.”

Comments follow.

Henderson
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 790.5856/5–1860. Confidential; Niact. Repeated to The Hague, London, Canberra, Paris, and CINCPAC.↩
  2. See footnote 2, Document 254.↩