THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 17 AUGUST 1968

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976309
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: August 17, 1968

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The President's Daily Brief
7----'rorrflact,_17 August 1968
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THE PRESIDENT'S
DAILY BRIEF
17 AUGUST 1968
1. Vietnam
2, Israel
3. Israel-Jordan
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4, Czechoslovakia
5. Czechoslovakia -
East Germany
6. Poland
Czechoslovak journalists do not
yet understand that they are not to
criticize the Soviet Union. Less than
24 hours after Dubcek cautioned the
press to exercise self-restraint, a
liberal Czech journal criticized Soviet
"psychological warfare" during the re-
cent confrontation. There have been
other offensive articles. Soviet media
replied in terms which suggest that
Moscow feels the Czech press is out of
line with agreements made at Bratislava.
Dubcek is to talk with Prague newsmen
today to explain--again--the regime's
concept of freedom of the press.
The factional struggle in the Po-
lish Communist Party is beginning to
show the impact of Czechoslovakia's lib-
eral course. Edward Gierek, leader of
Poland's key industrial province and a
major contender for power, spoke to a
large group of party activists on 15 Au-
gust and called for freedom to criticize
the party and its policies without fear
of reprisals. His position is a direct
swipe at Gomulka and is _also an echo of
a provision in the new draft of the Czech
party statutes.
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7. Nigeria
Soviet Union
Gowon is adamant about not ac-
cepting the proposal of the:Interna-
tional Red Cross Committee to land
relief supplies at an airstrip in Biafra.
The probable reason for Gowon's posi-
tion is that he does not want Biafran
claims to.sovereignty to be bolstered
by direct Biafran contacts with the out-
side world. He contends, however, that
Ojukwu selected a particular airstrip
which would impede the advance of. Fed-
eral forces, and he is irritated With
the way the Red Cross representative:
has handled matters. Gowon told.Ambas-
sador Mathews that his offer of a land
corridor was still open.
Moscow's proposal this week for a
new communications satellite system
called Intersputnik seems aimed more
at obtaining improved terms for Soviet
entrance into INTELSAT than at actually
setting up a new system, the prospects
for which are not very good.
The Soviets object to INTELSAT's
weighted voting system, which assures
a dominant voice for the US. France
and numerous small states in INTELSAT
also dislike this system. By proposing
a one nation, one vote formula, the So-
viets probably hope to stir up enough
dissatisfaction so that the control
formula will be altered in next year's
INTELSAT negotiations.
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9..Arab.States
10. Algeria-Israel
'Syria, faced with a,new_wave of
coup plotting within and outside the
country, has adopted trade restrictions
to get its neighbors to crack down on
Syrian exiles. The neighbors.are.'retal-,
.iating.. Saudi Arabia and Iraq have got-
ten nowhere with diplomatic protests
Lebanon is
reacting mildly, but seems determined
not to:curtail the activities of Syrian
exiles. The situation is the latest
evidence of growing Arab disunity.
The Algerians have been sharply
stung by the decision of the Interna-
tional Federation of Airline Pilots
Association to boycott flights into
Algeria in retaliation for Algeria's
failure to release the hijackeciEl Al
airliner. They are trying to enlist
international support for their posi-
tion'.and may demand that the Arab states
adopt a counterboycott which would se-
riously disrupt international air travel.
The airline boycott, scheduled to
go into effect at midnight Sunday,
could further damage relations between
Algeria and France. The vast majority
of flights into and within Algeria are
flown by members of the French airline
pilots organir7afinn whirh r.nrInrcPri thP
boyCott.
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Top Secret
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Top Secret
FOR THE PRESIDENT'S EYES ONLY
1.) Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
2.) North Vietnamese Reflections of U S
Political Attitudes
Top Secret
16
17 August 1968
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Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
for the President's Eyes Only
17 August 1968
I. NOTES ON THE SITUATION
* * *
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II. NORTH VIETNAMESE REFLECTIONS OF US POLITICAL
ATTITUDES ON THE WAR
day.
There is nothing of significance to report to-
-3-
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gnyi
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Top Secret
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