YOUR MEETING WITH GENERAL SUMITRO

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-6-3-4-7
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: February 1, 2010
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: June 20, 1970
• Content Type: MEMO

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/02/01 : LOC-HAK-6-3-4-7
ET /SENSITIVE
June 20, 19 70
MEMORANDUM FOR DR. KISSINGER
FROM: John H. Holdridge
SUBJECT: Your Meeting with General Sumitro
NSC review completed - may be declassified in
part
'Indonesian General Suxra.itro, whom you met in Djakarta last year,
is arriving in Washington June 22 for the expressed purpose of seeing
you and following up on your conversation with General Alamsjah
about U. S. arms aid to Indonesia and Indonesian military assistance
to Cambodia. (VIe will not be able to set the specific time of your
meeting until after he arrives.) Although State is very much aware
of Surnitro's visit, the arrangements have been made through the
special channel and not by State. Sirnitro will, in fact, probably want
to s=ort-circuit State (although a protocol call on Ambassador Green
is in order) on the grounds that he will expect to got more by dealing
directly with you and Defense.
S urnitro'sAntici ted Position
He will hope to obtain a firm U. S. program for Indonesia
which will re-equip a substantial part of the Indonesian
armed forces with U. S. military hardware. (He will not
wish to get into specifics, since a military mission under
General Uxnar will be arriving soon to discuss details. )
He may justify the need for an k A P progzam on the grounds
that the Indo-China situation poses a grave threat to the
entire Southeast Avian region, and that Indonesia has an
important regional defense role. He will probably explain
that Indonesia's previous Communist sources of arms are now
excluded.
-- He may also argue that Indonesia's needs for economic
development preclude picking up this burden through
Indonesian resources.
MORI/CDF
C03337682
JHH/sfp/6-20-70
CR: T /SENSITIVE
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/02/01 : LOC-HAK-6-3-4-7
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/02/01 : LOC-HAK-6-3-4-7
? W
SECRET /SENSIT
-- He will probably rare the matter of Indonesia's plan to send
15, 000 C:omz unist-pattern weapons to Cambodia. He will want
immediate U. S. replacement of these stocks, as a special
program and not part of the regular MAP.
He will solicit your help in getting favorable action out of Defense
and State.
Your Recommended Position
-- You recall with pleasure your talk with Sumitro and his associates
last summer in Djakarta. You are glad to welcome Sumitro to
Washington.
As the - -'resident told President Suharto, we want to be as helpful
as Possible in responding to in.donesia's arms needs. There are
of course Congressional and budgetary constraints on what we can
do, but within these parameters we will try to work out an appropriate
program. (You might wish to mention that we have already more
than trebled Indonesian MAP.
As discussed by the President and President Suharto, the matter
of arms did to Cambodia I. urgent. You hope that Indonesia
can move soon on this, not only to meet the military needs in
Cambodia, but to give the Cambodian Government a needed
psychological boost. You appreciate, though, the desirability
of maintaining Indoneaibbs rn-aligned image, especially while
Japan, Malaysia, and Indonesia are following up the Djakarta
Conference.
-- You might wish to ask Sumitro how these arms would be delivered,
and whether he thinks secrecy could be maintained. (Possibly the
U. S. could render some assistance in delivery, either directly or
through third parties. 3
- You hope that Simitro will have useful discussions with people in
the Pentagon. Your staff members have been in touch with responsi-
ble people there in setting up meetings. The question of our replacing
stocks of Indonesian arms sent to Cambodia can be discussed in
them.
CRET/SE V'SITIVE
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/02/01 : LOC-HAK-6-3-4-7
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/02/01 : LOC-HAK-6-3-4-7
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SECRET /SENSITIVE
You believe it would be useful, too, for Sumitro to talk with
,Ambassador Green. All of us - those in the IN bite house,
Defense, and State - want to be helpful.
You understand that General Umar will be coming soon with a
mission to .,o into details of U. S. military aid. He and his
group will be welcome. You anticipate that further details
will be worked out afterwards at Djakarta between our respective
military representatives.
(If Sumitro raises. You are glad to hear that our technicians have
arrived to inspect the Bandung ammunition plant, and hope that
conversion to handle AK-47 ammunition can proceed rapidly.)
in tary a.ve become sensitive over the way that Alamsjah functioned
within the Suharto party. (A.lamsjah is only a Brigadier General.)
This smacks the Indonesian palace politics, of which we want no
part. If the matter arises, you might note that you dealt with
lamajah merely as Suharto's emissary, and as a transmission-
belt for carrying the President's views to Suharto.
hat senior officers among the Indonesian
with Suh.arti we have learnerd 25X1
-- Implying any substantive role for Alamsjah in our ran nts,
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/02/01 : LOC-HAK-6-3-4-7