756D.00/4–1951: Telegram
The Ambassador in Indonesia (Cochran) to the Secretary of State
1458. Embtel 1451, April 18.1 FonMin Roem discussed with me evening eighteenth President’s naming joint formators from Masjumi and PNI to form govt within five days. Roem said so much common ground for agreement found between Masjumi and PNI through extensive conversations that it should be possible for them to get together on coalition govt shortly. He said Sartono’s inclination to include representatives from extreme left had frightened other PNI leaders and he had consequently been dropped in favor of Sidik Djojosukarto as dual formator with Sukiman.
Roem told me off record Pres Sukarno is responsible for some of difficulty in getting PNI and Masjumi work together since President is prodding PNI holdout for making denouncement union statute part of govt platform. Masjumi on other hand desires await report of commission headed by Supomo before deciding what action should be taken in normal international intercourse toward changing relations with Netherlands.
Roem feels there is so much agreement between two parties on most points that policy of coalition govt would differ little from that of Natsir. Consequently Masjumi will endeavor retain key Cabinet posts. In answer my query re Minister Defense, Roem thought Sultan Jogja might again be named thereto.
- In telegram 1451 from Djakarta, April 18, Ambassador Cochran reported that Mr. Sartono had returned his mandate to form a cabinet to President Sukarno, who, in turn, had immediately charged the chairmen of the Masjumi and PNI, Dr. Sukiman and Sidik Djojosukarto respectively, with the task of forming a new coalition government (756D.00/4–1851).↩