Canberra, 27 June 1967
Confidential
In conversation at a social function, the Indonesian Ambassador said that he had greatly enjoyed his recent visit to Papua — New Guinea1 and had been impressed by the effort Australia was putting into the development of the Territory. There was no doubt that Australia was doing far more for the Territory than Indonesia was doing for West Irian. At the same time, the Ambassador wondered whether we were not doing too much. However much Australia put into the Territory, its efforts were bound to be criticized at the United Nations as inadequate, while the widening disparity between conditions in the Territory and conditions in West Irian could lead to a bigger influx of people leaving West Irian for the Territory. Some of these people, although having lower living standards, would have a higher political consciousness than the people on the Australian side, and could prove troublesome.
2. I said that the Australian Government did not want to see any increase in the numbers of people seeking to enter the Territory from West Irian. As the Ambassador knew, the authorities in the Territory had turned back the great majority of the people who had tried to enter the Territory in recent months. It was in the interests of both our Governments to keep this movement within bounds and so far as possible to reduce it. But I did not think that a reduction in the present scale of Australian assistance to the Territory was practicable. It might be better to try reducing the gap by improving conditions in West Irian as Indonesia’s own economic position improved and perhaps with some degree of international assistance.
3. General Kosasih said he did not think it would be possible to increase Indonesian development in West Irian to a significant degree in the near future. He agreed that Australia and Indonesia had a common interest in keeping the movement of people within bounds, although he would not like to see a total ban on movement: perhaps it could be canalized to some degree by allowing people to cross the border for short visits to see friends and relatives, and then return. I said that perhaps the main consideration was that on both sides a careful watch should be kept on developments and that the two Governments should maintain close consultation.
4. General Kosasih said that he had seen P.I.R. and police establishments in the Territory, and wondered whether it was wise to give better treatment and conditions to the one and not the other. He also suggested that the splendid barracks which had been built for the P.I.R. might be too comfortable and might make them too soft in the long run to operate effectively in jungle conditions. In counter-subversion operations they would have to live and work in the jungle rather than in barracks {and} bases.
5. General Kosasih mentioned his idea of an exchange of representatives of the respective administrations between Sukarnapura and Port Moresby, saying that they should be ‘technicians’ rather than government representatives as such. An Indonesian technician could learn a great deal in Port Moresby that would be of great benefit to the Administration in West Irian. (I was able to avoid commenting directly on this suggestion.) General Kosasih again said how much he had enjoyed his visit to Papua– New Guinea and that he would like to go again.
[ matter omitted ]
[NAA: A 1838, 689/1 part 3]
1 See Document 110.