THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 14 SEPTEMBER 1973

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Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
0005993931
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RIPPUB
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T
Document Page Count: 
13
Document Creation Date: 
August 14, 2016
Document Release Date: 
August 24, 2016
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Publication Date: 
September 14, 1973
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 The President's Daily Brief 14 September 1973 45 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936jA011700040013-0 Exempt from general declassification scheduk of E.O. 11652 exemption category 513(1),(2).(3) declassified only on approval of the Director of Central Intelligence Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 14 September 1973 PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS In Laos, the protocol to implement the peace agree- ment has been signed, but there may be some delay in carrying it out. (Page 1) The Israelis claim they downed 13 Syrian MIGs yes- terday in the first aerial engagement between the two countries since last January. (Page 2) The junta in Chile is still encountering small pockets of armed resistance in Santiago, but else- where the country reportedly is returning to normal. The junta has been too preoccupied with security to consider government policy and organization. (Page 3) Soviet officials have sought to mask any anxieties ?they may have about the impact of the Chinese party congress on Sino-Soviet relations. (Page 5) The allies, now preparing for force reduction talks that begin in Vienna next month, remain divided on a number of major points. (Page 6) Thai Prime Minister Thanom has notified Nationalist China that a new Thai ambassador will be sent to Taipei. This will be regarded by Peking as a set- back in its efforts to normalize relations with Bangkok. (Page 7) Notes on Scud missile equipment at the Soviet port of Nikolayev, and on There are also notes on preparations for a major North Vietnamese transportation effort through Laos FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY 25X1 25X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 25X1 25X1 25X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY LAOS The protocol to implement the February peace agreement has been signed, but there may be some delay in carrying it out. The coalition government authorized by the pro- tocol will not come into being until it is invested by the King, and that cannot happen until the right- ist-dominated National Assembly approves the proto- col. Prime Minister Souvanna anticipates no major problems with the assembly. As a precaution, how- ever, he is planning a parliamentary maneuver de- signed to gain de facto approval without a formal vote by the deputies. Neither will key military provisions of the protocol go into effect until investiture is com- plete. The 60-day period for the removal of all foreign forces from Laos, for example, will not be- gin until the government is formally organized. Moreover, the neutralization of Vientiane and Luang Prabang--which involves the withdrawal of troops from both cities and the establishment of a joint security force--very likely will be subject to the same delay. Some military provisions of the protocol, how- ever, such as setting up boundary markers in the countryside, may be implemented before a new govern- ment is formed, and planning for others may begin in the interim. FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 Israeli?Syrian Air Engagement TURKEY MEDITERRANEAN 'SEA Port Said ISRAEL Tel Aviv-Yato Latakia jrnmi+ Tartus SYRIA LEBA 0 Beirut Damascus /. IRAQ 554605 9-73 Gulf of Aqaba ke Tiberias *Amman salem Dead Sea JORDAN SAUDI, ARABI A SEA. 9 100 Nautical Miles Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011'700040-013-0 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY ISRAEL SYRIA In yesterday's dogfight in the vicinity of the Syrian port of Tartus, the Syrians apparently lost 13 MIG-21s and the Israelis one Mirage. According to the Israelis, their aircraft were on a reconnais- sance mission over Syria and were intercepted; in the ensuing engagement, nine Syrian and one Israeli aircraft went down. The Israelis say that their efforts to rescue a downed pilot brought on.a sec- ond engagement in which they got four more Syrian MIGs. Damascus has acknowledged that eight of its planes were hit. The Israelis occasionally fly reconnais- sance missions over the Syrian ports of Tartus and Latakia. The current mission may have been an attempt to determine whether the Soviets have delivered any Scud surface-to-surface missiles to Syria; such missiles may have been given to Egypt. It is not clear why the Syrians decided to challenge the Israeli incursions, something they had not done since January, when it cost them six planes. Their heavy losses this time may cause them to think twice in the future. 2 25X1 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 25X1 25X1 Declassified' in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19: CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-9 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY CHILE The military junta continues to encounter small pockets of armed resistance in industrial sectors and low income areas of Santiago, but elsewhere the country reportedly is returning to normal. Military leaders expect that it will take several days before the city is completely pacified. Arrests and casual- ties are numerous, and Chilean authorities have been calling urgently for blood donors, medicines, and sanitary materials. the junta has been too preoccupied with restoring order to consider govern- ment policy and organization. A major concern at the moment is to ensure the distribution of food and fuel throughout the country. In an effort to portray an image of normalcy, the government-controlled radio network is broad- casting numerous messages of support from civic, industrial, and professional groups, and denying reports of damage or sabotage of public services. These efforts apparently are also aimed at counter- ing reports being broadcast from a radio transmit- ter operated by followers of the late President. One such report alleges that former army commander General Prats is leading a column from the south to attack the junta's forces in Santiago. The ex- istence of such a column remains unconfirmed, and Prats is at his home in the capital, according to a government spokesman. International reaction to the coup continues to be largely critical. Protest demonstrations have been organized in major cities, and several Latin 3 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY American countries have declared three days of offi- cial mourning for the death of Allende. Brazil and Uruguay, however, have recognized the new government. At the UN, the Cuban Ambassador has formally re- quested an urgent meeting of the Security Council to consider the attack on the Cuban Embassy in San- tiago by the Chilean military. The USSR has reacted by issuing a statement in the name of the Central Committee sharply denouncing the coup. The statement expresses "full solidarity" with leftist forces in Chile and "firm confidence" that they will continue the struggle. It is doubt- ful, however, that the Soviets see much prospect that the military take-over will be reversed. The reaction of Moscow's closest East European allies has been relatively restrained thus far. The two Balkan mavericks--Yugoslavia and Romania-- have weighed in with strong condemnations of the coup. FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 25X1 25X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY USSR-CHINA Soviet officials have sought to hide any anx- ieties they may have about the impact of the Chi- nese Tenth Party Congress on current Sino-Soviet relations. In two recent conversations with US Embassy officers, Soviet officials took the line that the congress marked a victory for Chou En-lai, and that Chou is better than an unknown quantity. The officials did not mention Chou's strong attacks on Moscow during the congress or Peking's careful endorsement of Sino-American rapprochement. Instead, Viktor Trifonov--a Foreign Ministry China specialist--professed to regard as a positive de- velopment the fact that Chou had "left the door open" to the normalization of Sino-Soviet relations, and that for the first time this position had been endorsed by the Chinese party. When asked about signs that the USSR might declare that China is no longer a socialist state, Trifonov denied any such intention. In an effort to encourage caution in the US attitude toward China, Trifonov argued that the congress had touched off a new round of domestic political infighting. He said that Chou's author- ity probably is unimpaired, but the prospects for continuing his policies are not bright once he passes from the scene. Trifonov claimed that left- ist radicals now have the edge among the party vice-chairmen and the politburo's standing committee This Zine suggests the Soviets are con- cerned that even the appearance of fur- ther deterioration in Sino-Soviet rela- tions will be exploited by the US. 5 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY NATO - FORCE REDUCTIONS The allies, now preparing for the force reduc- tions talks that begin in Vienna next month, remain divided on a number of major points. At the September 12 meeting of the North Atlan- tic Council, the West Germans argued that the concept of imposing a "common ceiling" on NATO and Warsaw Pact ground forces in central Europe should be intro- duced early in the negotiations, but that two nego- tiating phases are necessary to achieve this force reduction goal. The West Germans maintain that the allies should call early for expliCit agreement to hold a second phase, making clear that the second phase would primarily involve European rather than US and Soviet forces. The UK--which has now taken a position somewhat closer to that of the US--has warned that it would be dangerous to try to specify the contents of the second phase. Although the British accept for in- ternal Alliance use the "common ceiling" figure of 700,000 troops, they hope it will not be necessary to mention the figure during the first phase of the actual negotiations. The British think it is a mis- take to specify--as the US would like--a two- to four-month duration of the initial round of talks, since experience shows they might drag on a good deal longer. Turkey, supported by Greece and Italy, continued to voice its fears that force reductions in central Europe could permit Warsaw Pact forces to threaten NATO's southern flank. The Turks have said they may hold up agreement on an allied position if they do not get satisfaction on these points. NATO has set September 30 as the target date for settling these disagreements. Discussion could continue longer, however, since the force reduction talks themselves do not open until October 30. 6 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011-700040013-0 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY THAILAND-TAIVAN-CHINA Thai Prime Minister Thanom, reversing an ear- lier cabinet decision, has notified the National- ists that a new Thai ambassador will be sent to Taipei the reversal represents an effort to maintain a balance between the "two Chinas." The Thai leaders evidently believe the improved relationship which Bangkok has developed with Peking over the past 18 months can be main- tained. Prime Minister Thanom has consistently had more doubts than other Thai leaders as to the wisdom of improving relations with Peking at Taipei's expense. His views may have been reinforced by the findings of .a Thai Foreign Ministry dele- gation that visited China recently. The Chinese apparently were unwilling to com- ply with Thanom's demand that they abandon all assistance to Thai insurgents. More important, Thanom is not under the same pressure he was a year ago when a bandwagon psychology was pushing most Southeast Asian countries toward early recognition of China. Peking would regard the retention of a Thai ambassador in Taipei as a setback to the normalization of relations with Bangkok, which China has regarded as pro- ceeding smoothly. 7 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 ? 25X1 2bAl 25X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700046013-0 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY USSR-Egypt: NOTES the Black Sea port of Nikolayev indi- cates that equipment for the Scud--a surface-to- surface missile with a range of 160 nautical miles-- is still in place. 25X1 Some of it has not even been moved. 25X1 25X1 LbAl 25X1 USSR: Indochina: Preparations are under way for a major transportation effort from North Vietnam through Laos soon after the dry season begins next month. A major logistic unit just north of the Ban Karai Pass in North Vietnam reported on August 30 that it had received over 1,200 tons of munitions since the middle of the month--an unusual amount for this time of year. Recent intercepts indicate that two Communist transportation regiments are moving from South Vietnam to the main north-south road corridor through the Laos panhandle. 8 25X1 25X1 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0 Top Secret Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011700040013-0