148. Minutes of the Secretary of State’s Staff Meeting, Washington, January 12, 1976, 8:11 a.m.1 2
In Attendance - Monday, 1/12/1975
- Secretary of State Kissinger - Chairman
- D Mr. Ingersoll
- P Mr. Sisco
- E Mr. Robinson
- T Mr. Maw
- C Mr. Sonnenfeldt
- AF Mr. Schaufele
- ARA Mr. Rogers
- EA Mr. Habib
- EUR Mr. Lowenstein (Acting)
- NEA Mr. Atherton
- INR Mr. Saunders
- S/P Mr. Lord
- EB Mr. Enders
- S/PRS Mr. Funseth (Acting)
- PM Mr. Vest
- IO Mr. Lewis
- H Mr. McCloskey
- L Mr. Leigh
- S/S Mr. SpringsteenMr
- S Mr. Barbian
The last thing: The UN General Assembly will be meeting next week on the Timor question.
SECRETARY KISSINGER: Is Indonesia going to be this year’s Turkey?
MR. HABIB: So far we have not gotten to that stage, and it Iooks as though It probably won’t. The only inkling we’ve had of real interest open — and, even then, it was only minor — we’ve had a couple of Congressional delegations out that way; and the Embassy reports that they were told by people in the delegation that the solution to the problem is the absorptions of Timor into Indonesia, which is exactly what the Indonesian position is. How it comes about and what problems it may cause in the UN I’d say in about two weeks’ time is another question there.
I think the best thing would be — what the Indonesians are probably pointing toward is some kind of a plebiscite under the Provisional Government of East Timor which they have set up. And, obviously, the plebiscite will opt for union.
SECRETARY KISSINGER: How is the war going?
MR. HABIB: The war — we’ve got a detailed [Page 3] memorandum that we’ve sent out. It gives you a capsule of the whole thing.
SECRETARY KISSINGER: Where is it?
MR. HABIB: Well, I sent it up on Saturday evening. I’m sure you’ll see it today.
The Indonesians, plus their supporters, have all the major centers and a good deal of the countryside. But the opposition is showing a surprising capacity to resist. It still exists as some kind of guerrilla force. It will probably go on for quite a while, but the Indonesians are cleaning up their cities in anticipation of the UN Secretary-General’s arrival. It’s more than a Potemkin village; it’s a Disneyworld castle to construct. (Laughter.)
MR. MAW: They’ve got all the major populated areas?
MR. HABIB: They’ve got all the major populated areas now. And that’s why this fellow is going. And if that’s all where he’s going, that’s one thing, but he’s seeing some of the opposition leaders. Some of them are in this country, some of them are in Portugal.
MR. LEWIS: So far the Fretilin still has access to radio, and they keep sending these messages to the [Page 4] UN Secretary-General and he distributes them all over New York. As long as that goes on, it’s not going to be easy for us.
SECRETARY KISSINGER: How is that a proper activity for the Secretary-General?
MR. HABIB: Remember, at the time the Secretary-General considered the matter the representatives of Fretilin and the pro-Indonesian groups were invited to the debate.
MR. LEWIS: Their representatives in New York get these radio reports and submit them for information purposes.
Mr. HABIB: Even if they did, you have a skeleton organization around, including some left wing Australian support. For example, there was in town this week Australian support lobbying for Fretilin. The Australian Government has been very cautious since they first made a statement. The new government doesn’t want to stir up any trouble, but there’s a traditional feeling in Australia toward the Timorese because in World War II the Timorese natives were very friendly to the Australians and there’s a kind of fraternal relationship.