164. Memorandum of Conversation, October 7, 1976, 5 p.m.1 2
MEMORANDUM
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION
PARTICIPANTS:
- President Ford
- Adam Malik, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Indonesia
- Brent Scowcroft, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
DATE AND TIME: Thursday, October 7, 1976
5:00 p.m.
PLACE: The
President’s Suite
The Beverly Hilton
Los Angeles
President: We think we are on the right track and I think our relations will allies have never been better. I am glad the President is well and things are going well. I appreciate my relationship with him and I hope it will continue to develop.
Malik: Your visit was too short. You must come back.
President: I want to go to Bali.
Malik: We would like to say to the President that PL 480 has been dealt with properly and there is a chance of obtaining additional aid in the future.
On other pending matters, we would be pleased to resume them after our election.
President: That is not much longer. We consider our friendship important to us and the free world. We want to do everything possible to maximize our relationship.
Malik: We are pleased to hear that.
[Page 2]President: What is your reaction to this UN session?
Malik: I think it more moderate on very controversial matters. Korea was luckily pushed aside. Also Africa, thanks to Secretary Kissinger. We feel the general situation is better than previously.
President: That is our impression. There is much work to be done but it is best done in a constructive atmosphere.
Malik: There are some new countries which want to make a fuss, but nothing important.
President: It is strange to realize that a country the size of Indonesia has one vote and one with 50, 000 people also has one vote.
Malik: I think there needs to be a process of education in the UN, so there is also a sense of responsibility. There is Lebanon, which is delicate, but there is no unity among the Arabs, so not much chance for solution.
President: We are anxious for Lebanon to be settled. We want to preserve its independence and integrity. It is a terrible tragedy but we think it is moving slowly to get better.
Malik: I think it is important for us all to do what we can, but the parties in the area are crucial.
President: It was very nice to see you. Please give my very best regards to President Suharto.
- Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, Memoranda of Conversation, Box 21. Secret; Nodis. Ford’s talking points from Scowcroft stated, “There are no major contentious issues in our relations with Indonesia.” The memorandum noted that the United States had increased Indonesia’s PL–480 commodity support by 200,000 extra tons of rice and its grant military aid by $9.8 million, adding, “The Indonesians have been informed of your decision and are very pleased by it.” (Ibid., Presidential Country Files for East Asia and the Pacific, Box 6, Indonesia [7]).↩
- Ford and Malik discussed foreign aid and other matters.↩