THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 8 NOVEMBER 1975

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Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
0006014949
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RIPPUB
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T
Document Page Count: 
15
Document Creation Date: 
August 14, 2016
Document Release Date: 
August 24, 2016
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Publication Date: 
November 8, 1975
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 The President's Daily Brief ? November 8, 1975 2 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 Exempt from general declassification schedule of E.O. 11652 exemption category 5B(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-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 iim.... Declassified in Part - Sanitized 6Opy APPrr-o-Ve-cl'f-Jr?R-ele-a?ser.-2-01.6/07r16:-C-Ii-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 November 8, 1975 Table of Contents Portugal: The cabinet, with strong backing from the ruling Revolutionary Council, has announced a crackdown on civil disturbances by the far left. (Page 1) Spanish Sahara: Morocco is sending two infantry battalions into border areas recently abandoned by Spanish troops, and skirmishing is under way with pro-Algerian Saharans. (Page 3) Spain: The Sahara problem has given Prince Juan Carlos an opportunity to create an initial im- pression of energetic leadership, and fragmen- tation within the Spanish opposition so far has averted any serious challenge to his lead- ership. (Page 4) India-Bangladesh: India is examining its options in Bangladesh, and military intervention is one of them. (Page 5) Angola: A last-ditch effort to patch together a coalition government before independence day on Tuesday seems doomed, and the Portuguese are likely simply to withdraw without turning over sovereignty to any group. (Page 6) China: In its first official reaction to personnel changes in Washington, Peking yesterday ex- pressed unhappiness over the departure of Sec- retary Schlesinger. (Page 7) Notes: USSR; Lebanon; Turkey; USSR-Zaire; South Vietnam (Pages 8 and 9) FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007 7 Declassified in Part - Sanitized CopyAPP-r-o-ve-dfi-O-r--Rele;-Se-2-01-6/07/i9-:-C-IP:-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 PORTUGAL The Portuguese cabinet has warned the left that it will no longer toler- ate breaches of public order and will take whatever measures are necessary to enforce its authority and ensure civil peace. The government statement was released Thursday evening after a joint session of the cabinet and the Revolutionary Council and following several days of leftist disturbances. The Council subsequently issued its own en- dorsement of the cabinet's position. It also cau- tioned unspecified groups to refrain from exploiting discontent among the 200,000 refugees who have re- cently returned from Angola. Underlining its support for the government's new policy toward the left, the Council yesterday authorized paratroopers to seize and destroy a leftist-occupied radio transmitter outside Lisbon. Leftists had used the radio to urge leftist demon- strators to lay siege to the information ministry. The government's position contrasts sharply with previous indications that the cabinet would assert its authority gradually and in areas where there is little organized opposition. Direct con- frontation with militant leftists had been regarded as a risky policy that might make martyrs out of the dissidents. The government has been encouraged in recent weeks by the failure of the far left to mount ef- fective anti-government demonstrations and the im- pressive support given the Azevedo government in the provinces. Provincial support has been care- fully stage-managed by the military's government partners--the Socialists and the Popular Democrats. (continued) 1 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 25X1 25X1 25X1 the government will soon launch military Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/67/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 _ _ . The danger in a crackdown is that the govern- ment may not have had time to put together the se- curity force necessary to enforce its will upon a well-armed, recalcitrant left. maneuvers involving units throughout the country. One of the purposes of the exercises will be to test the responsiveness of these units to the gov- ernment's directives. FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 25X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 Atlantic Ocean Tarfaya Proposed limit of march area Tan- tan Morocco El Aaiun Spanish 558785 11-75 CIA aouza Sahara 0 50 MILES Algeria Mauri- tania Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 Declassified in Part - Sanitized CopyAPPrO-veCifOr?Rel-e;-Se-2o'i6/07F16:-6-14-R'DP79T00936A012900010007-7 SPANISH SAHARA Morocco is sending two infantry battalions with supporting artillery into Spanish Sahara to reinforce the regular and irregular forces that have been skirmishing with the pro-Algerian Polisario Front during the past few days along the central and eastern border. The Spanish have been shifting their forces for the past two weeks toward the coast. They re- cently abandoned eight posts near the central and eastern border to avoid attacks on their more iso- lated positions. Moroccan irregulars and Polisario guerrillas have clashed as each has tried to take the abandoned Spanish posts. The Algerians are still reinforcing their units around Tindouf. Press reports from Algiers say there has been a "total mobilization" of troops on the southeastern border. The Moroccan information minister, meanwhile, says King Hassan has halted any further advance of his marchers for 24 hours to permit bilateral dip- lomatic efforts to move forward. Press reports, however, assert a second column of marchers crossed the border late yesterday at a point 120 miles east of Tarfaya. 3 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 ? - ? ? Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/i9 :-C-I4-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 _ _ _ _ SPAIN The Sahara problem has given Prince Juan Carlos an opportunity to create an initial impression of energetic leader- ship. His surprise visit to Spanish Sa- hara last weekend boosted his public im- age; even the illegal opposition has praised it. Perhaps even more important, the visit strengthened his political base with the military, whose support will be crucial during the transition period. As long as Franco lives, however, the Prince probably does not feel free to begin policy in- novations on internal issues. Meanwhile, the left is stepping up its demands for liberalization. So far, fragmentation and bickering within the Spanish opposition have averted any serious challenge to Juan Carlos' leadership. The joint communique issued recently by the two loose coalitions of the left--the Communist-dominated Democratic Junta and the Socialist-dominated Plat- form of Democratic Convergence--lacked teeth and required over two weeks of arduous negotiations. The recent rash of arrests and detentions of students and non-extremist opponents of the regime-- should they continue--will make it more difficult for the opposition to give Juan Carlos a "period of grace" in which to move toward liberalization. Labor Minister Suarez told Ambassador Stabler that the arrests did not reflect a hard-line atti- tude at the upper levels of government. He at- tributed the actions to the "policeman in the street" who has been used to having his own way for the past 35 years. 4 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release-io-IT/of/f9-:-61A-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 INDIA-BANGLADESH India is examining its options in Bangladesh, and early military inter- vention is one of them. In discussions yesterday, an Indian foreign ministry official painted a dark picture of the Bangladesh situation and implied that New Delhi cannot live indefinitely with the new leaders there. He described them as unprincipled, unpopular, and interested only in staying in power. He declared India would consider its own security interests to be threatened if the government in Dacca were to grant military facilities to China or declare Bangladesh an Islamic state and move against the Hindu minority. The Bengalee government that took over in Au- gust made initial moves to designate the country an "Islamic republic," but dropped the idea because of concern over India's reaction. New Delhi's views of the situation probably were colored by demonstrations in Dacca yesterday. Reports that two Indian army officers were killed during the demonstrations will inflame Indian opin- ion, already stimulated by emotional stories in the press. The Indian foreign ministry's view of a lack of popular support for the new regime in Dacca appears overdrawn. The seizure of power by Major General Zia ur-Rahman yesterday seems to have gen- erated considerable enthusiasm among the citizens of Bangladesh. Zia enjoys the backing of key units in Dacca and other cities. Calm appears to be returning to Bangladesh, and Zia has ordered army and police units to return to their barracks. He will probably try to reassure the Indians. Zia's regime, like its predecessors, will probably be preoccupied with staying in power and have little success in dealing with the country's massive problems. As a result, public support for the new government is likely to be short-lived. Zia's ability to survive may also be limited by his lack of experience in politics. 5 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 ANGOLA The Organization of African Unity's last-ditch effort to patch together a coalition government for Angola in time for independence day next Tuesday seems doomed to failure, and the Portuguese are likely just to withdraw without turning sover- eignty over to any of the three na- tionalist groups. The final 2,000 Portuguese troops will depart Angola on Monday night. The Portuguese high com- missioner in Luanda remarked recently that, if he must, he will simply "take down the flag and sail away." The Angolan nationalist groups, meanwhile, are preparing for the Portuguese departure. The Popular Movement on the one side and the National Front and the National Union on the other will probably declare rival "governments" and intensify the civil war as they compete for international recognition. The Popular Movement seems to have a leg up in this department; according to one of its spokesmen, some 80 communist, third-world, and African states will recognize a Popular Movement "government" on Tuesday. Heavy fighting continues in the territory, and Portuguese officials in Luanda expect an attack on the capital by the National Front at any time. Fighting also continues in Cabinda, probably in- volving Zairian and Congolese troops as well as the Angolan nationalists each supports. 6 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy AWrO-ve-Ci-i-O-r?Rele;-;e2of6/07F16:-dli-DP79T00936A012900010007-7 CHINA In its first official reaction to the personnel changes in your adminis- tration, Peking yesterday expressed un- happiness over the departure of Secre- tary Schlesinger. A New China News Agency article asserts the changes have touched off "strong repercussions" in the US and abroad. The article replays comments by Senators Jackson and Goldwater as well as others who reacted negatively. Senator Jackson is quoted as saying that Secretary Schlesinger's departure was due to his differences with Secretary of State Kissinger. The Chinese apparently considered Secretary Schlesinger to be the member of your administration whose views are closest to their own. Peking has long given approving treatment in the press to his positions on detente, defense spending, and NATO. The Chinese press handling of the personnel changes clearly indicates the Chinese are appre- hensive that Secretary Schlesinger's replacement will mean that US-Soviet detente will move forward more easily and that Washington is more likely to make concessions to Moscow in Europe. The news agency cites a statement by a Soviet commentator welcoming the change. It is extremely rare for the Chinese to take a public position on high-level personnel appoint- ments in the US, and their decision to do so is a clear indication of their deep concern. The Chinese article mentions in passing the other personnel changes but gives little hint as to how the Chinese regard them. 7 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 558780 11-75 CIA V-class Submarine ? Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19: CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 25X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized -63p--; Approved for -Cli-RDP79T00936A01290001 0007-7 NOTES What probably is a Soviet v-cZass, nuclear- powered attack submarine has been identified some 120 nautical miles off the coast of North Carolina. No submarine of this type has previously been spotted closer than about 300 miles from the US coast. it presumably is attempting to gauge our navy's response to Soviet submarine operations in waters near the US coast. Lebanon The Turks are still holding to their decision not to allow evena partial reactivation of US facilities until major progress has been made in the negotiations on anew defense relationship with the US. General Staff Chief Sancar, the most influential military man, recently told a senior US military official that he agrees with the need for an early reactivation of the facilities and is working hard to bring this about. He noted, however, that he needs more time to out- maneuver those who are opposed. (continued) 8 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1aX1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 25X1 25X1 25X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for i-keieiie-2-01670771-9-:-Cii-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 Relations between Zaire and the USSR are seri- ously strained over their supportof TiTTa groups in Angola's civil war. The Soviet charge in Kinshasa presented a demarche to the Zairian government concerning Angola late last month. The Zairians immediately and publicly rejected it. Since then, the Zairian media and President Mobutu's party have kept up a steady barrage of attacks on the Soviet Union. So far, Soviet officials in Kinshasa have remained silent. In Moscow, Soviet media have emphasized foreign intervention in Angola, with specific ref- erences to Zaire's support for the National Front. The militant resistance of anti-communist groups in South Vietnam has forced the communist regime to maintain large security forces and may have hampered efforts to reconstruct the South Vietnamese economy. Elements of at least four North Vietnamese divisions have been dispatched to the central high- lands, the Mekong Delta, and areas north of Saigon to oppose the dissident groups. The resistance forces do not pose a serious threat to the govern- ment, but their disruptive activities have delayed the regime's efforts to resettle people in rural areas and restore agricultural production. 9 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7 - Top Secret --miemi, Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012900010007-7