THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 17 NOVEMBER 1970

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977802
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: November 17, 1970

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A008900160001-2
The President's Daily Brief
17 November 1970
0
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
17 November 1970
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The military situation northeast of Phnom Penh
Page 1.
Damascus has made its first announcement reflecting
changes in leadership. (Page 2)
Chile
(Page 3)
50X1
"Big" Minh has now stated that he will be a candi-
date for the South Vietnamese presidency in next
year's election. (Page 4)
Fedayeen organizations are planning to merge into a
"Palestinian Liberation Front." (Page 5)
In Egypt, Prime Minister Fawzi is putting together
a new cabinet to be announced soon. (Page-6)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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Current Situation
104 176
THAILAND
?14-
Kom
V
rey To ung
f14.
OUT H
?12
PhroM
Rau
Korn pong('Soly; ?
? ? Icrimritir ?*-1
(Sihanoukville)
GULF 7.
OF
THAILAND
*Saigon
VIETNAM
Cambodia
o ' Principal city (10,000 or over)
r= Population over 125 per sq. mi.
LT1_ 1 Communist-controlled area
;50
MILES
104 ? 106
SOUTH
CHINA SEA
550540 11-70 CIA
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CAMBODIA
No significant new Communist military actions
have been reported in Kompong Cham but government
forces ?there are bracing for fresh enemy assaults.
Civilian refugees have told the press that. much of
Route 7 between Skoun and'Kompong Cham is still ,
closed. Communications intelligence indicates the
headquarters of the Viet Cong 275A Regiment has
moved closer to Route 7 and now is located about
five miles north of Prey Totung. In addition; the
headquarters of the North Vietnamese 174th Regi-
ment is just to the east, about five miles north
of Troeung. A recent enemy message stated that
elements of the 174th were preparing artillery po-
sitions so that when "orders are received from the
regiment they can attack'."
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
1
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SYRIA
Damascus has made its first announcement re-
flecting leadership changes. A newly formed "pro-
visional regional command" of the Syrian Baath Party,
still unidentified but presumably allied with De-
fense Minister Asad, has broadcast its intention to
carry out a specific program of action for a "tran-
sition period" until a party congress can elect a
new leadership. The program stresses increased co-
operation with the "progressive" Arab states, par-
ticularly Egypt, and expresses hope for increased
Arab unity and continued support for the Palestinian
and all-Arab progressive movements. Internationally,
close cooperation with the Socialist states, partic-
ularly the USSR, will be continued.
If the new leadership follows these gen-
eral precepts, there will not be any dra-
matic differences in the basic direction
of Syrian policy, but there could be some
Lessening in the political isolation that
Syria has maintained even among its
brother Arab states. Basic changes in at-
titude toward the West and Israel are not
likely to occur.
Asad, according to most accounts, moved
against the civilian Leadership last Fri-
day after the conclusion of a party con-
gress. This congress was convened in late
October, allegedly to resolve internal dif-
ferences brought to a head by the abortive
Syrian involvement in the recent Jordanian
crisis.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CH I LE
3
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SOUTH VIETNAM
Former chief of state "Big" Minh has declared
that he will be a candidate for president in next
fall's election. The US Embassy has reports that
Minh has begun to assemble a campaign staff and to
make plans for the campaign.
Minh's decision will have come as no sur-
prise to President Thieu as he is a lead-
ing opposition figure and a strong poten-
tial vote-getter in a race against Thieu.
Minh filed for the 1.967 elections while in
exile in Bangkok but was disqualified on
grounds that his running mate had pro-Com-
munist leanings. He is likely to take
pains this time to avoid a pretext for dis-
qualification.
While Minh has carefully avoided espousing
any controversial policies, he has sought
to portray himself as a leader who could
put an end to the war. Since he is known
to be a weak administrator, his candidacy
could become the focus of groups such as
the militant An Quang Buddhists who may
believe he could be manipulated to support
their interests.
4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
FEDAYEEN
The fedayeen central committee, which serves
as a coordinating body among the various Palestin-
ian commandos, has announced that commando groups
plan to merge their military and political organi-
zations. The committee will meet in Amman this
Friday to discuss the terms for creating a single
"Palestinian Liberation Front."
The move appears to be a victory for
Fatah, which has been pressing since the
debacle in Jordan for a united front to
exercise greater control over individual
guerrilla organizations. Most of the
fedayeen groups will go along primarily
for temporary tactical reasons, however,
and the durability of any merger remains
questionable.
5
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NOTE
Egypt: Prime Minister Fawzi, who, with his
cabinet, resigned on 15 November, has been asked by
President Sadat to form another government. The
resignation of the cabinet, in the main a holdover
from Nasir's day, apparently is a pro forma move
designed to permit Sadat and Fawzi to put their own
imprint on a new regime. The reorganization may
also be occasioned in part by reported disagreements
between Sadat and various ministers. The new cab-
inet is expected to be announced by Thursday.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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Top Secret
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