THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 22 FEBRUARY 1973

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993752
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: February 22, 1973

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The President's Daily Brief
22 February 1973
45
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B( I
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
22 February 1973
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The Swiss National Bank intervened yesterday to sup-
port the dollar for the first time since the Swiss
franc was floated last month. (Page 2)
Arab states have sharply protested the Israeli down-
ing of a Libyan civil aircraft yesterday and the
raid in northern Lebanon, but we see no direct mili-
tary response in prospect. (Page 3)
On Page 4 we assess the way the Chilean elections of
4 March are shaping up. There seems to be little
chance that either the Allende government or the op-
position will win a conclusive mandate.
In Cambodia, the insurgents are maintaining pressure
against several major highways. (Page 5)
The North Vietnamese in Laos have retaken Paksong on
the Bolovens Plateau. (Page 5)
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SOUTH VIETNAM
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INTERNATIONAL MONETARY DEVELOPMENTS
The Swiss National Bank intervened yesterday to
support the dollar for the first time since the Swiss
franc was floated on 23 January. The intervention
reportedly amounted to about $250 million and oc-
curred in the form of contracts to buy dollars in the
future. The Swiss National Bank assumes that dollars
leaving West Germany are entering the Swiss market.
Elsewhere, the dollar weakened slightly. The
Bundesbank, however, continued to sell dollars in
support of the mark, raising its three-day interven-
tion total to almost $1 billion. The price of gold
jumped to $79.30 in London, a new high.
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ISRAEL - ARAB STATES
Arab states have reacted with sharp protests
to Israeli actions in Lebanon and the Sinai. Beirut
lodged a strong complaint with the UN Security
Council over the Israeli raid near Tripoli in
northern Lebanon early Wednesday morning, but did
not request a meeting.
The initial response to the Israeli downing
of a Libyan civil aircraft over Sinai yesterday
has been directed toward international opinion
rather than military action. An Egyptian spokes-
man said that the "world public" should move to
confront the Israeli threat to peace in the area.
He also vaguely promised that the Arabs would pun-
ish Israel.
The Libyan reaction bears close watching.
The Libyans are frustrated by their in-
ability to strike Israel directly. Since
they regard the US as the major force be-
hind the Israeli "aggression," officials
might well instigate demonstrators to at-
tack US property.
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CHILE
With only ten days remaining before the congressional
elections on 4 March we see little prospect for a
conclusive vote favoring either the government or
the opposition.
Because of the way the electoral laws are drawn and
because of the party affiliations of those senators
not up for re-election, the opposition needs at least
60 percent of the vote to retain its majorities in
both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. The
opposition believes that the widespread economic dis-
content gives it a good chance to do this, and it is
billing the election as a plebiscite on the Allende
government itself. President Allende and his Popular
Unity coalition, on the other hand, claim that any
amount over the 36.3-percent plurality he received
in 1970 would constitute approval of his socializa-
tion program.
Several new factors add uncertainty to this election.
The electorate is at least 40 percent larger than in
the last congressional election four years ago be-
cause the franchise has been extended to illiterates
and the minimum voting age lowered from 21 to 18.
In addition, the combination of most parties into
two competing slates will alter the effects of the
complex system of vote computation.
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'.----------)(ompong Thom
554167 2-73 CIA
Insurgent interdiction
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NOTES
Cambodia: The Khmer insurgents are keeping up
the pressure against several major highways. South
of Phnom Penh, harassing attacks have again closed
Route 2 north and south of Takeo and Route 3 just
above Tram Khnar. The insurgents have effectively
resisted government attempts to reopen a section of
Route 1 some 15 miles southeast of Phnom Penh and to
regain control over much of Route 15 on the Mekong's
east bank between Banam and the town of Prey Veng.
Cambodian clearing operations have been hindered by
inept leadership and command and control problems.
Laos: The North Vietnamese have retaken Paksong
on,the-Bolovens Plateau. According to the initial
repOrt,theCommuniSt attack began about 15 minutes
after the Agreed cease-fire hour today? Irregular
forces are now trying to regroup at the town's out-
skirts.
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- .
Top Secret
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