5. Editorial Note
On January 6 at the 350th meeting of the National Security Council, Director of Central Intelligence Allen Dulles discussed Indonesian developments during his briefing on significant world developments affecting U.S. security. According to the memorandum of discussion, drafted on January 7 by S. Everett Gleason, Dulles’ briefing was as follows:
“The Director of Central Intelligence stated that the Indonesian Government had apparently decided to turn to the Soviet bloc for the purpose of acquiring arms, although the Government would also shop for arms in Western Europe. Their first effort will be to try to get arms from Yugoslavia, and thereafter from Czechoslovakia or Poland. It also appeared likely that the Djuanda cabinet would try to induce the Indonesian Parliament to ratify the $100 million barter agreement concluded many months ago with the Soviet Union.
“Sukarno left yesterday on his rather lengthy visit to various foreign states. He will be accompanied to certain of these capitals by his Foreign Secretary. A main objective of Sukarno will be to secure support from the governments of the countries he visits for the Indonesian claim to West Irian. Mr. Allen Dulles speculated that Sukarno might be making this extensive trip in order to permit certain changes to be made in the Government of Indonesia without loss of face for Sukarno himself. There were conflicting reports on this point.
“Meanwhile, further measures against the Dutch were being planned by the Indonesians. It now appears that they are going to try to repudiate all their financial obligations to the Dutch. Such a repudiation would have the most serious repercussions. The deteriorating economic situation in Java has led to further defections from the Central Government on the island of Borneo, as had occurred earlier in Sumatra and the Celebes.” (Eisenhower Library, Whitman File, NSC Records)