Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XXII, Southeast Asia and the Pacific

205. Telegram From the Department of State to the White House¹

Washington, April 20, 1978, 1509Z

101270. Following repeat Jakarta 4023 Action SecState Mar 29.

Quote Secret Jakarta 4023. For Assistant Secretary Holbrooke from Masters. Subject: Vice President Mondale’s Visit to Indonesia.

1. Now that the Vice President’s visit has been postponed,² several influential Indonesian friends have told me on a personal basis that in rescheduling the visit we should be aware that the original program, under which the Vice President would have had no official activities during his first morning here, had raised serious questions within the GOI. These sources report that, while knowledgeable Indonesians understand the fact that the Vice President needed at some point to catch up on his regular work and to relax, they still were deeply concerned that he was setting aside such a large portion of his short stay here. Some, according to my sources, even thought that in the Indonesian context it was at least a slight affront to Suharto and the Indonesian Vice President for our Vice President to spend his first morning here in seclusion just across the main square from the Presidential Palace. They hoped he would use his full time here to meet more Indonesians and hold further substantive discussions.

2. I have explained once again to the Indonesians the reasons for setting aside the first morning and also the fact that his official program here under the earlier schedule would have been as long as that in neighboring countries. Nonetheless, the complaints, which are offered in a constructive manner by good friends of the U.S., persist.

3. We also have word that Malik, shortly after being installed as Vice President, reopened Indonesia’s request that the Vice President and Mrs. Mondale and several key members of their party should stay at the State guest house. The Chief of Protocol volunteered to the DCM that Suharto had also reiterated the importance he attaches to being able to have the Vice President as his official guest. Knowing Indonesia you will understand that this is important in terms of Asian concepts of hospitality. We can expect this matter to be raised with us officially and strongly when the visit is rescheduled and should be prepared for it.

4. The Indonesians are delighted that the Vice President is coming to Indonesia. The visit will be most useful however these issues which have been raised work out, but the impact will be heightened if we are able to go at least part way to meet their concerns. In rescheduling the visit would it be possible for the Vice President to take his free time at the end of the Canberra visit or, as had been proposed at one point originally to the Indonesians, spend a night in Bali and be prepared to swing immediately into his official program on arrival in Jakarta?

5. I am sure that, in line with our talk in Hong Kong,³ you have done everything possible to factor into the visit an invitation for Suharto to visit Washington. I want to underscore the importance which key Indonesians attach to this. An official invitation to Suharto together with the good talk he will have with the Vice President would go far to establish the personal relationship with the present administration which Suharto feels is so important. Masters. Unquote.

Christopher

1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Cables File, Far East, Box 11, 4–6/78. Secret; Immediate; Stadis.
2. April 11–13 were the original dates for Mondale’s trip to Indonesia.
3. No record of this meeting between Holbrooke and Masters has been found. Presumably they met at the East Asia and Pacific Chiefs of Mission conference in Hong Kong January 6.