THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 18 FEBRUARY 1967

• Document Type: FOIA
• Keywords: DIF-DUP
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005968793
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: February 18, 1967

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A005000180001-2
The President's Daily Brief
7-617?Ste444:7 18 February 1967
23
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DAILY BRIEF
18 FEBRUARY 1967
1. Vietnam
2. South Vietnam
3. Soviet Union
Prime Minister Ky and Chief of
State Thieu are eyeing each other like
a pair of fighting cocks just before
combat. This is the way one South
Vietnamese politician describes the
present relationship of the two lead-
ing presidential hopefuls in Saigon.
The rivalry is, in fact, becoming in-
creasingly open, though both men real-
ize the dangers of a split in the mili-
tary and will probably seek some kind
of an accommodation before it is too
late.
Meanwhile, we are again beginning
to hear broad hints that Ky would like
very much to visit the US this spring.
Among other things, he thinks it will
help him politically.
The Laotian Government has, as ex-
pected, granted the Soviets overflight
privileges for several round-trip
flights between Moscow and Hanoi. The
flights--which are to bypass China--
will be by way of Pakistan, India, and
Burma. We have not yet heard whether
these three have agreed to the flights.
A single Soviet flight was made
over the route at the height of the
Sino-Soviet tension last week.
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4. Soviet Union
5. Soviet Union
18 Feb 67
The Soviets are harassing the two
US destroyers cruising in the Black Sea
since Thursday. Aircraft--including
supersonic bombers--have repeatedly
overflown the ships, a Soviet tanker
tried to force a collision yesterday,
and today a Soviet destroyer is shadow-
ing them. Both ships are due to exit
the Bosporus tomorrow.
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6. Ghana
7. French Somaliland
18 Feb 67
Key members of the National Libera-
tion Council--the guys with the guns who
ousted Nkrumah--are so fed up with Chief
of State General Ankrah that they may
force his resignation later this month.
Since they put Ankrah where he is, they
probably can in fact remove him. His
ouster would not immediately affect the
regime's pro-Western orientation, but
would have unsettling internal repercus-
sions at a time when Ghana is making
some progress toward getting back on its
feet economically.
It now looks as if the natives might
sever ties with France by voting "no"
in next month's referendum. This would
put the place up for grabs between neigh-
boring Somalia and Ethiopia.
The Somali Army is massing along the
border, and would like to see the Stimali
half of the population take over if the
French leave. Ethiopia says it cannot
stand still for this, since the ocean
terminus of the vital railroad from
Addis Ababa would then be in "unfriendly"
hands.
An eventual clash between the Soviet-
equipped Somali Army and US-equipped
Ethiopian forces cannot be ruled out.
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Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A005000180001-2