Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XX, Southeast Asia, 1969–1972

324. Message From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to Indonesian General Sumitro ¹

Washington, December 11, 1971.

Your messages of December 5² and December 9³ on the question of the U. S. pledge to be made at the IGGI meeting December 13 were much appreciated. President Suharto’s letter to President Nixon on this subject⁴ has also been delivered by Ambassador Thajeb. I hope that President Suharto by now will have received President Nixon’s reply⁵ explaining his thinking on this matter, which is unquestionably of great importance to both of our countries.

As President Nixon stated in his reply, we fully share your concern that the momentum of Indonesia’s economic development, achieved under President Suharto’s leadership and with arduous effort, not be lost. For our part we are pledging, consistent with our formula last year, to meet one-third of your non-food aid requirements and a fair share of your food aid requirements, for a total pledge of approximately $203 million.

We are also aware that serious consideration is being given by other IGGI donors to increasing their pledges for the coming year. I am sure that with the same representations with the other members which you have made in the past, Indonesia will again be successful this year in inducing them to increase their contributions. You may count on the fullest cooperation from the U. S. representatives in this effort.

Let me reassure you concerning the great value we place on the cooperation your Government has shown toward ours, and once again affirm our admiration of and support for the inspired progress that your country has made under the leadership of President Suharto.

Warm regards

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 101, Backchannel Messages 1970, Indonesia, HAK/Sumitro 1970 [1 of 2].
2. Sumitro’s December 5 message to Kissinger stated that Indonesia had learned from the Department of State that the U.S. Government “would pledge approximately $100 million in support of Indonesia’s Development Program at the I.G.G.I. meeting beginning on 13 December. This amount is a decrease of previous years and will have an adverse effect on our economic development plan.” Suharto, should very much like to have President Nixon be made personally aware of our concern.” (Ibid.)
3. Sumitro’s message to Kissinger of December 9 reiterated the concerns of the December 5 message and added among other arguments that the Indonesian Government was convinced that any U.S. Government reduction in its pledge “will have an adverse and negative impact on other donor nations who will probably follow your lead and decrease their pledges as well.” (Ibid.)
4. Not found.
5. Not found.