Office of the Historian

309. Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (Haig) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)1

Washington, July 7, 1970.

SUBJECT

  • Meeting with Sumitro

Attached is the MemCon of your meeting with Sumitro in Los Angeles on July 2.2 Admiral Moorer was asked yesterday to meet again with Sumitro and did so at 5:00 p.m. last night. Sumitro was told by [Page 669] Holdridge to provide Admiral Moorer with a list of Indonesia’s requirements; however, he refused to do so and when he was pressed by Admiral Moorer he stated that his instructions provided that he had to give the list to you alone. All of the instructions which you gave to David were carried out, and Holdridge spoke to Sumitro yesterday morning on the subject but apparently to no avail.

During the conversation with Admiral Moorer, Sumitro made the following points:

  • —Indonesia is prepared to furnish up to 25,000 AK–47’s to Cambodia.
  • —Indonesia is also prepared to train Cambodian forces either in Indonesia or in Cambodia. Sumitro estimates it would take three months to develop an effective soldier and six months to train highly qualified troops.
  • —Sumitro is very anxious to actively participate in Cambodia’s anti-Communist efforts. He suggested to Admiral Moorer that the U.S. should completely replace all Soviet equipment in Indonesia and should also provide the amphibious or airlift for at least a brigade of Indonesian troops so that their power could be projected into trouble-spots.
  • —Sumitro estimated that the major threat comes from Communist China which could move through Burma or Thailand.

Admiral Moorer got the impression that there would be no difficulty in getting the Indonesians to help provided their quid pro quo was met. The quid pro quo, in Admiral Moorer’s estimation, undoubtedly will be extremely large, however.

John Holdridge is completing detailed talking points for your use at tomorrow night’s meeting with Sumitro and will have them to you before the close of business today.

  1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 101, Backchannel Messages 1970, Indonesia, HAK/Sumitro 1970 [1 of 2].↩
  2. Document 308. The meeting took place on July 1.↩