Journal Entry of Ambassador Zhukov: Visit of Huang Zhen

FROM THE JOURNAL OF
D.A.ZHUKOV

Iskh. #117/ss
12 April 1955
 

TOP SECRET
Copy #2

Today at 16.00, according to prior agreement, I was visited by the PRC Ambassador to Indonesia, Huang Zhen.

During the discussion he informed me of the composition of the Chinese delegation to the conference of Asian and African countries. He said that the delegation will be headed by the Premier of the PRC State Council, Zhou Enlai. The delegation will include Vice Premier Chen Yi, the Minister of Foreign Trade, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, as well as the Vice Chairman of the Muslim Congress (I cannot recall his name)--24 people in all.

I noted that, in my opinion, the inclusion of a prominent Muslim official in the delegation is of great significance.

To my question regarding the PRC delegation's time of arrival in Indonesia, Huang Zhen replied that on 15 April Zhou Enlai will take a plane from the Hunan province (PRC) to Rangoon, where he will meet with Prime Ministers of India--Nehru, Egypt--Nasser, and Burma-U Nu, and will have a discussion with them. On the following morning Zhou Enlai will fly to Jakarta on an Indian airline.

I inquired the ambassador whether he is aware of what steps the Indonesian government has taken in order to provide security for the conference participants. The ambassador replied that he had received an assurance from the General Secretary of the United Secretariat of the Conference of Asian and African Countries, Ruslan Abdulgani, that the Indonesian government believes it is its "sacred responsibility" to provide security for Zhou Enlai. Further, he said that in order to provide security for the buildings in which the conference will be held and the area surrounding these buildings, the entire police force and the troops of the 3rd military district under the command of colonel Kavilarang are currently being mobilized. In addition, a battalion from the 7th military district is being deployed in Bandung, and two battalions are currently being organized from former fighters in the liberation movement. He added that the PRC Embassy has already leased for the duration of the conference two buildings in Bandung which are located in the protected area. One of the buildings is for Zhou Enlai and the other—for Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, Pham Van Dong.

Huang Zhen said that the General Secretary of the United Secretariat of the Conference, Ruslan Abdulgani, had recently asked him whether the PRC government intends to introduce preliminary proposals for the conference agenda. The ambassador replied to Abdulgani that the PRC government does not have any such proposals, since, according to the decision of the Bogor conference, the agenda for the conference of Asian and African countries will be discussed during the conference itself.

I said that I had been informed that India had recently presented a report to the United Secretariat regarding the economic situation in Southeast Asia, the details of which were unfortunately unknown to me. In connection with this I asked the ambassador whether he receives similar documents from the United Secretariat, to which the ambassador replied in the negative. He added that it is possible that the documents from the Secretariat are being sent directly to Beijing.

At the end Huang Zhen stated that the PRC Embassy, following the practice of other embassies, has leased two good villas in a mountainous location in the Sindanglaya region (20 km . southeast of Bogor) with 8 family rooms, a pool, tennis courts, and hot and cold shower installations. He said that in view of the difficult climate conditions in Jakarta, he intends to send there several of his employees for 2-3 days in the middle of the week, and himself intends to go there on the week-ends. He added jokingly that there is a very good Chinese restaurant nearby. Huang Zhen invited me to visit him at the villa and from time to time send Soviet Embassy employees there. I thanked him for this kind invitation.

Present at the discussion was 3rd secretary of the USSR Embassy, V.D. Kurochkin, and PRC Embassy interpreter, Chao.

USSR AMBASSADOR IN INDONESIA [signature] (D. ZHUKOV)