THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 4 AUGUST 1976

Document Type: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
0006466730
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
T
Document Page Count: 
15
Document Creation Date: 
August 14, 2016
Document Release Date: 
August 24, 2016
Sequence Number: 
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
August 4, 1976
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon DOC_0006466730.pdf385.04 KB
Body: 
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 The President's Daily Brief I August 4, 1976 2 Top Secrez5?x1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 Exempt from general declasufication schedule of E 0 11652 exemption category, 5B( I 1,(2),(3) declassified only on approval of the Director of Central Intelligence Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY August 4, 1976 Table of Contents Lebanon: The Arab League is still trying to secure compliance with a cease-fire. Meanwhile, both the Muslim and Christian factions are moving to bolster their civil authority. 50X1 (Page 1) South Africa - Rhodesia: Egypt: Some military officers reportedly view the buildup along 50X1 the Libyan border as a US-engineered scheme to divert Egypt's attention from Israel. (Page 4) Greece-Turkey: Athens has sent its own oceanographic ship into the northern Aegean where a similar Turkish vessel has been operating since last week. (Page 5) Guinea-USSR: President Toure says he intends to prohibit the use of Guinea as a staging base for Soviet TU-95 naval reconnais- sance flights after this month. (Page 6) Notes: Libya-USSR; Libya; Malaysia-USSR; Chile (Pages 8 and 9) FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY LEBANON: Arab League mediator Hasan Sabri al-Khuli is continuing his efforts to secure compliance with a cease- fire, but several ob- stacles apparently re- main before a truce can be concluded. President Franjiyah has called for a cabinet meeting today--the first since late March-- to consider trying to revive the central gov- ernment's administra- tive a'saratus. Although Christian leaders report- edly accept the concept of sta- tioning Arab League forces in a buffer zone between east and west Beirut, they may still be resist- ing deployment of the forces in the eastern, Christian-controlled sector. The leftist political council re- cently formed by Kamal Jumblatt to administer west Beirut announced yesterday that it has created a 420-man military police force. Troops from the renegade Lebanese Arab Army and leftist militiamen apparently form the backbone of the force. Fatah, which had been providing security for the Muslim sector c5ox1 the city, has become increasingly concerned about the resentment its authority has engendered among Lebanese Muslims/ The commander of the police unit-- a member of the largest left-wing 50X1 militia in Beirut--has stressed that the force's primary task is to restore order/ Karami has announced that he will not attend the session on the grounds that he no longer recog- nizes Franjiyah as the president of Lebanon. Other Muslim cabinet ministers will probably also boy- cott the meeting. 1 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY --continued Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 50X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 620210 8-76 CIA Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Fighting was at a low level throughout most of Lebanon yesterday, and a local cease-fire in the Tall Zatar area of Beirut finally per- mitted evacuation of the first increment of wounded from the camp. Christian and Syrian forces continue shell- ing Palestinian and leftist positions in the Jazzin area, but ground fighting appears to have tapered off. These moves and countermoves are likely to work to Jumblatt's ad- vantage by underscoring the total collapse of the central government and the lack of any real power among traditional Muslim leaders like Karami to represent Muslim interests. A total of 91 were taken out of the camp yesterday. Red Cross of- ficials are hopeful that the evac- uation can be continued for five or six days until the more than 1,000 wounded are removed, but Christian officials on the scene yesterday told the press that al- lowing the camp's defenders an ex- tended truce would not be "realis- tic." Christian leaders hope that Pales- tinian forces will voluntarily de- part from the camp after the wounded have been removed, leaving the area fully in Christian hands. They are working on a similar ar- rangement for the Shia Muslim dis- trict of Nabaa, the only other Muslim enclave in the Christian sector of Beirut. The Christians claimed on Monday night that the key town of Rum, site of a regional Fatah headquar- ters, had been "regained." --continued 2 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 50X1 50X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY 50X1 SOUTH AFRICA - RHODESIA: 50X1 * * 50X1 * 50X1 --continued 3 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY EGYPT: Some Egyptian military officers re- portedly view their military buildup along the Libyan border as a US-engineered scheme to divert Egypt's at- tention from Israel. 50X1 50X1 "many" military officers believe Washington is encouraging an Egyp- tian operation against Libya be- cause the US cannot fulfill its promises to return Israeli-occupied territory in the Sinai and wants to focus Egyptian forces away from that area. They purportedly think Egypt's military readiness against Israel is being reduced at US be- hest to fight "the wrong enemy," 50X1 and that President Sadat is a US pawn. We do not know how widespread these sentiments are. They are probably --continued 4 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 V U G 0 S L-A VIA 24 BULGARIA Lake Prespa "P? Lesbos Sismik I present area of operation Samotkrane Limnos Imroz Is ta nbu SEA OF IvIARAIARA C.7 TURKEY 36 qgq IONIAN SEA 0 025 50 75 Miles , 0 25 50 75 Kilometers 24Q SEA OF CRF;TE Crete 28 ?36- 620211 8-76 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY GREECE-TURKEY: Athens announced yesterday that it had sent its own oceanographic ship, the Nautilus, into the northern Aegean. not prevalent 50X1 50X1 50X1 nonetheless reflects the views of a segment of the Egyptian military. These complaints would undoubtedly be silenced by a successful opera- tion against Libya. An unsuccess- ful operation, on the other hand, or a prolonged deployment on the Libyan border without action, could increase military discontent with Sadat and aggravate griev- ances over economic and other is- sues unrelated to the military situation. A similar Turkish vessel, the Sismik I, entered the Aegean last week accompanied by a naval es- cort. The Nautilus reportedly is operating alone, although press reports claim it is "in contact" with Greek warships. The course announced for the Turk- ish ship through August 20 should not provoke a confrontation, but Greek Prime Minister Caramanlis appears convinced that the Sismik will enter a contested area after that period. Ankara has not indi- cated the ship's itinerary after August 20. Caramanlis told Ambassador Kubisch over the weekend that if the Sismik began seismic research in a Greek area, he would be forced "to re- act" or risk being removed from office. Caramanlis was not cer- tain what form his reaction would take but said he would give the Turks 24-48 hours to cease activi- ties on the Greek-claimed conti- nental shelf. --continued 5 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY GUINEA-USSR: President Toure has told Ambassa- dor Harrop that he in- tends to prohibit the use of Guinea as a staging base for Soviet TU-95 naval reconnais- sance flights in the Atlantic after this month. The Turkish government has indi- cated it is up to Athens to resume the talks--broken off late last month--which sought to devise a compromise formula for safe pas- sage of the Sismik through con- tested waters. Ambassador Macomber believes the Turks are not now pre- pared to take the lead in avoidina a crisis over the Sismik but may50X1 show some flexibility before the ship enters disputed waters. Toure said that provisions to this effect have already been completed, although we have no reports that he has informed the Soviets of this. He may be trying to elicit US pro- tection against an alleged threat posed to his regime by Guinean ex- iles living in neighboring Senegal and Ivory Coast. Toure told the ambassador that the Soviet flights were first allowed because they served as a protection for Guinea against a recurrence of the sea- borne attack on Conakry mounted in 1970 by Portuguese-backed forces and Guinean exiles. The Soviets have used the port of Conakry since 1970 as a staging base for naval operations off the west coast of Africa but have been refused permission to build their own facility there. --continued 6 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY They have deployed long-range na- val reconnaissance aircraft to Guinea 16 times since 1973. The most recent deployment was from July 5 to 22, 1976. These aircraft usually have conducted at least one reconnaissance mission over the Atlantic. They have also on occasion been used to monitor the movements of US aircraft carriers en route to the Mediterranean and to support the Cuban sealift to Angola. The loss of the use of facilities in Guinea would not se- riously hamper Soviet maritime re- connaissance operations in the north Atlantic, but operations in equatorial waters would be curtailed. Toure, on the other hand, may only be giving the appearance of recep- tivity to US concerns. He avoided discussing the small Soviet naval patrol off Conakry since 1970, which strengthens Toure's position against his domestic opponents. --continued 7 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Libya received 17 MIG- 23 jet fighters from the USSR last month. These shipments bring the estimated number of MIG-23s delivered thus far to 41. Libyan President Qa- dhafi has shelved, at least temporarily, his planned call-up of some 20,000 government civil servants for military service. NOTES Moscow has now delivered about half of the $730 million worth of equipment negotiated in 1974. In addition to the MIG-23s, deliveries have included tanks, armored per- sonnel carriers, SA-2 missiles, and six TU-22 medium bombers. Libya expects to receive six more TU-22s soon. Iraq is the only other third world country to re- ceive this sophisticated bomber from the USSR. Last year, 350 Soviet military technicians were in Libya and 600 Libyans were sent to the USSR for military training. * * * 50X1 /his advisers may have convinced him that the call-up would seriously hurt the Libyan economy. Qadhafi has been planning for some time to expand the armed forces to man his growing stocks of Soviet and West European weapons. His efforts have been frustrated, how- ever, because of Libya's small population (2.5 million people) and the lack of interest among eli- gible males in military service. --continued 8 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Malaysia has decided to cancel impending nego- tiations with the USSR on a hydroelectric proj- ect that was to have been Moscow's first ma- jor aid venture in non- communist Southeast Asia since the mid-60s. The Chilean government announced last night that 250 political pris- oners would be released as soon as countries could be found to ac- cept them. * * * A Soviet feasibility study on the $80 million dam project was com- pleted last year. Pressure from Moscow for an agreement to begin the project has only irritated the Malaysians. The cancellation follows a long series of Malaysian rebuffs to Mos- cow and underscores how little prog- ress the Soviets have made in re- cent years in cultivating non-com- munist Southeast Asian states. Prime Minister Hussein clearly would like to keep both the So- viets and the Chinese at arm's length. Because of Malaysia's very large ethnic Chinese minority, Kuala Lumpur particularly wants to avoid any gesture to the Soviets that would give Peking an opening to seek an increased presence. * * * The move is intended to improve Chile's image--particularly in the US. The planned releases will bring the total number of detainees freed to about 610 since Secretary Simon's visit to Santiago in May. Although Foreign Ministry sources did not identify those to be re- leased, the press reported earlier that Allende's former economy min- ister, Fernando Flores, had been granted an exit permit allowing him to go into exile in the US. 9 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1 Top Secret Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200010003-1