326. Message From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to Indonesian General Sumitro1
WH 20098. Please Pass Following Message to General Sumitro From Henry A. Kissinger:
In reply to your message2 concerning support for the proposals discussed with Generals Hasnan Habib and Sudardjo Niklani, please be assured that these proposals remain under active consideration on a close-hold basis in appropriate areas of the Department of Defense. In view of the uncertainties which have developed from Congressional handling of this year’s military assistance appropriation, it has not been possible to establish a clear basis for funding levels or sources. However, I will see to it that this matter will continue to be addressed. The [Page 706] entire military assistance picture should become much clearer in early 1972, and your proposals will be given every consideration. I anticipate that any assistance we provide can be handled covertly, as you prefer.
In the meantime, I have asked the Department of Defense to consider means for assisting Indonesia in this matter via existing programs. 5 lines of source text not declassified] I will keep in touch with you as further information becomes available.3
Warm regards
- Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 101, Backchannel Messages 1970, Indonesia, HAK/Sumitro 1970 [1 of 2].↩
- Not found.↩
- Sumitro replied in a message, January 22, that he understood from Kissinger’s message that “the financial support we expected has been more or less agreed upon and will be implemented thru covert channels, when approved.” Sumitro stated that he and President Suharto appreciated Kissinger’s “personal attention and efforts on our behalf” in “the favorable results” from “President Nixon’s decision on the U.S.I.G.G.I. pledge for 1972.” (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 101, Backchannel Messages 1970, Indonesia, HAK/Sumitro 1970 [1 of 2])↩