The turnabout-accomplished with the aid of the DAS team in less than one year's time-was termed "unprecedented" for an underdeveloped country in another confidential DAS report.

At the suggestion of a corps of economic advisors-most of whom received academic training in the United States-the government also reversed Sukarno's anti-foreign economic stand and re-opened the country to investment from abroad.

The major foreign investors-who have concentrated on oil and minerals-are from the U.S., Japan, West Germany, Holland, and Britain, in that order. Their investments total nearly $2 billion in actual or planned ventures.

The DAS team-which began working for Suharto in mid-1968-has helped the Indonesian government in its negotiations with foreign investors. "They badly needed jobs, they badly needed revenues, so they made some deals that were highly favorable to the foreign investors," Papanek said last month. He added that the DAS has also counseled the government against lopsided bargains with foreign firms.

The source of the confidential memos on Indonesia said in releasing them, "What they are essentially arguing for is an 'open-door' policy for Indonesia-and in a world economic system dominated by American capital, such an open door is a conveniently liberal way for American capital to extend its power and control."

Papanek said in defense of present Indonesian policy that reversal of Sukarno's extravagant monument-building program-in combination with a resumption of large-scale American aid-has brought about significant economic improvement.

Adding that the government is reported to be releasing some of the political prisoners, he said, "By any standards that measure the well-being of the Indonesian people, this government is clearly doing more than the Sukarno government was doing. I don't think one has to be too apologetic for working with them."