99. Letter From Ambassador Galbraith to Secretary of State Designate Kissinger, Washington, September 5, 1973.1 2
Jakarta, Indonesia
September 5, 1973
The Honorable
Henry A. Kissinger
Secretary-Designate
Department of State
Washington, D.
C.
Dear Henry:
I would like to join the many who cheer your appointment as Secretary of State. We need a good teacher who can explain, especially through the press, the complexities of our foreign affairs to the American people and win their support. I know of no one as good at this as you are.
I would also like to reiterate my desire to serve on here as long as you and the President want me. Secretary Rogers and others in the Department have implied that I would be replaced sometime this year. It was their policy to encourage those of us nearing or over sixty to retire — and I did as of last January 31st, with the understanding that it would not affect my appointment here.
I believe I understand and am accepted by the Indonesians as few if any other foreigners are and that this is worth something to us. Feeling as I do at the peak of my physical and professional powers, I would prefer to go on working in some way that would make use of my accumulated experience on Indonesia and this part of the world generally. The best use I can make of it, I feel, is as Ambassador here.
[Page 2]Thanks to the interest and support of the President and yourself, and those in the Department of State and elsewhere in the U.S. Government, our relations with Indonesia have gone well during my time here. The most salient features of those relations have been and are: (a) Indonesian appreciation of our lead in the fields of economic and military assistance (b) the growth of U.S. investment and business interest and the concomitant growth in demand for my Embassy’s guidance and support from the American business community here (c) Indonesia’s emergence as leader in the region (d) Indonesia’s accommodation to our posture in the Asian Pacific area in the context of its own nonaligned posture and Indonesia’s wish for closer bilateral ties with Japan, Australia and the United States in the context of a recognized common interest and tacitly agreed strategy.
During any future trip you may make to this part of the world, I hope it will be possible for you to visit us here. Should you come here, my wife and I would be particularly pleased if you would stay with us at the Residence and allow us to show you something of this country — one of mankind’s most benign and beautiful environments. President Suharto and Foreign Minister Adam Malik and others here would also welcome your visit. They like to be reassured that we take them into consideration as we chart our policies. Indeed they want a close, albeit nonaligned relationship and would be pleased at your attention.
And when you have the opportunity to think about what you want to do about this Ambassadorial post — whether to leave me here or replace me — I would be grateful for word from you that will allow me to plan accordingly.
[Page 3]With the beginnings you have already made in opening up an era of peaceful coexistence and expanding trade and other intercourse between east and west, I am sure you will be one of our greatest Secretaries. I would like to help you in any way I can to realize the potential of the initiatives the President and you have taken.
Warm regards.
Sincerely,
[signed]
Francis J.
Galbraith
Ambassador
- Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Country Files, Far East, Box 533, Indonesia, Volume 4, 1 January 1973–. Confidential; Eyes Only; Personal. David Newsom replaced Galbraith as Ambassador in February 1974.↩
- Galbraith reported on the situation in Indonesia and asked to remain on as ambassador.↩