THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 19 JUNE 1970

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977518
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: June 19, 1970

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A008400170001-6
The President's Daily Brief
19 June 1970
46
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
19 June 1970
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Early returns from the British elections point to?
ward ,a stunning upset victory for the Conservative
Party. (Page 1)
Cambodian developments are discussed on Page 2.
Souvanna wants to keep the possibility of a future
meeting with the Pathet Lao alive even though he
cannot accept the Communists' preconditions for the
talks. (Page 4)
The enemy supply flow through the Laotian panhandle
continues despite heavy rains. (Page 5)
In Libya
(Page 6)
(Page 7)
Panama will soon present its official position on
the Canal treaty negotiations, and in the interim
General Torrijos has made it clear that he is not
satisfied with the draft treaties. (Page 8)
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UK
The Conservative Party may win a majority of
30-40 seats if the trend reflected in the early re-
turns of the British elections continues. Labor has
already lost over 40 seats it won in 1966 and the
returns from the Conservative strongholds have not
been announced. Vote-counting is scheduled to re-
sume today at 0500 (EDT).
Heath stressed economic issues, principally
rising living costs, throughout the cam-
paign. His 11th-hour charge that Labor
policies would only lead to a further de-
valuation of the pound may have been ef-
fective.
Foreign policy issues were not a major
factor in the campaign. Heath and the
Conservative Party are on record for re-
storing a British presence "East of Suez.
The costs would be prohibitive, however,
and the Tories may soften on this issue.
Both parties are on record for British
entry into the European Communities, but
on favorable terms.
Wilson has not yet conceded but his re-
marks before retiring last night were not
optimistic. A break in Labor's rule after
six years could lead to a search for new
faces and new policies. Although Wilson
had no outstanding rival in the party
prior to the election, challengers may
arise if Labor becomes the opposition party.
1
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Cambodia: Current Situation
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CAMBODIA
The Communists yesterday mined and shelled
Route 1, which connects Phnom Penh with the South
Vietnamese border. According to an intercepted army
message, the mining occurred nearthe Neak Luong
ferry, 30 miles southeast of Phnom Penh. Another
message claimed the Communists intend to destroy
bridges in the same area. If the enemy maintains
pressure on Route 4, between Phnom Penh and Kompong
Som (Sihanoukville) then- all main roads out. of the
capital will be blocked.
The government continues to brace itself for
a possible Communist attack on Phnom Penh, although
there are still no firm indications that any such
action is brewing. SOme propaganda leaflets were
circulated yesterday in Phnom Penh, however,-claim-
ing that an attack onthe capital by massive.North
Vietnamese forces surrounding the city was being
planned.
Communist forces in Kompong Chhnang city seem
to have withdrawn to its outskirts, where skirmishes
continue to be reported'. Southeast of the city, an
estimated enemy battalion armedwith heavy weapons
still holds the town of Krang Lovea, and the railway
westward to the. Thaiborder remains blocked'. The,
Communists captured about 1,000 tons of rice from a
supply train in the town on 17 June. Two trainloads
of government reinforcements are en route to Krang
Lovea.
Elsewhere in the west, the government still
'describes its position at Siem Reap and Kompong Thom
cities as' "critical." Military action near Siem
Reap yesterday was light; but reinforced Communist.
elements are now reported to occupy almost. all of
the temples in the Angkor Wat complex. The, enemy
made another heavy night mortar attack on Kompong
Thom; the government commander there reports the
morale of his men is declining fast.
(continued)
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
The Communists again made brief mortar attacks
yesterday on the towns of Labansiek and Bokheo in
Ratanakiri Province. US Embassy officials and
senior Cambodian Army officers in Phnom Penh believe
these last two government garrisons in Ratanakiri
should be evacuated and they are trying to persuade
Lon Nol to do so. The government has been unable
to resupply the estimated 8,000 military and civil-
ians in the two posts.
The National Assembly has established an exec-
utive committee to advise the aovernment on various
aspects of national policy.
the executive committee was slated
to meet earlier this week with government represen-
tatives. It planned to recommend that political
counselors be assigned to all military units and
that an "international police force" be created to
prevent further misconduct by South Vietnamese
troops operating in Cambodia.
The impetus for this step came from a
number of ambitious deputies who have
criticized the government's performance
and are seeking a greater voice in its
management. The government probably has
no intention of relinquishing any real
power to the new committee, but has ac-
cepted it in order to mollify these
critics.
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LAOS
The Laos Government will counter the latest
Communist? demand for an end to US "aggression"
(referred to in yesterday's Brief) with a call for
a correspondina withdrawal of North Vietnamese
troops, Vientiane
is under no illusion that the Communists will accept
this procedure, but the government believes it must
take a firm stand.
Nonetheless, Souvanna Phouma wants to maintain
contact with the Pathet Lao. To that end he told a
cabinet meeting on 17 June that the government's
response should hold open the door to exploratory
meetings with the Communists. Souvanna will insist'
that any such meetings be held in Laos and he has
indicated that the Plaine des Jarres, under Commu-
nist control, or the royal capital of Luang Prabang
would be acceptable sites. .
Souvanna is trying to maintain a precari-
ous balance between growing military pres-
sures from the Communists and internal
political pressures from rightists. Thus,
he wants to keep open his options for
talks with the Communists, but he cannot
go very far in this direction without in-
creasing his difficulties with the right-
ists.
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Communists Continue Supply Movements During Rainy Season
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VIETNAM
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CAMBODIA
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LAOS - SOUTH VIETNAM
Despite heavy rains, Communist supplies are
still flowing into and through the Laotian panhandle
in substantial quantities-. An average of 51 tons a
day moved into the southern panhandle in the first
week of June. This is about .one-half the peak daily
average, during the past dry season. A roadwatch
team also repotted an average of 39. trucks a day
during a five-day period in June on one. route in
Laos near the Demilitarized Zone. ,
Most of the supplies are moved from North
Vietnam to Laos over routes west of the
Demilitarized Zone and across the South
Vietnamese border on routes south of Route
922. Although the Communists have recently
extended their control of Laotian territory
by taking Attopeu, the enemy is not making
extensive use of the Se Kong River system
to move supplies.
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LIBYA
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USSR
Brezhnev's speech was more conciliatory
than usual. At the same time, it depicted
US actions as an obstacle to improved re-
lations, and Gromyko appeared gratified
that the US press had stressed that point.
This is consistent wit recent ovie e -
forts to create an impression of orderli-
ness in Moscow's relations with the West,
a posture that has been particularly evi-
dent since last year's increased tensions
on the Sino-Soviet border.
7
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PANAMA
General Torrijos has sharply criticized the
1967 draft treaties in a conversation with Ambassa-
dor Sayre, He asserted that the drafts did not
solve the sovereignty and jurisdiction problemsand
that they would not eliminate friction between the
two countries. He wants a single, uncomplicated
agreement rather than three treaties
Torrijos specifically attacked a provision of
the 1967 draft that provides for the transfer of the
Canal and the Zone to a joint administration com-
posed of five Americans and four Panamanians. He
stated that under such an arrangement Panama would
not be a bona fide participant in canal administra-
tion. He also complained that the defense arrange-
ments were completely open-ended, that USforces
could. be deployed without Panamanian approval and.
that nuclear weapons could be. stored in the country.
The General's remarks suggest that he will
want very strict controls over defense.
forces.. Moreover, the Panamanians may
also insist on annual payments for base'
rights. They can also be expected to
press for full and equal partnership in
the administration of the Canal. They
have already indicated that all commercial
activities within the Zone should be under
Panamanian control.
General Torrijos informed the ambassador that
Panama will have an official position on Canal treaty
negotiations ready within a few days.
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Top Secret
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