CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Fall of the Libyan Monarchy
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03162533
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: August 20, 2019
• Document Release Date: August 30, 2019
• Publication Date: November 1, 1969

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DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Central Intelligence Bulletin
--Secret-
-- 5a
1 November 1969
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Secret
The CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN is produced by the
Director of Central Intelligence to meet his responsibilities for providing
current intelligence bearing on issues of national security to the President,
the National Security Council, and other senior government officials. It
is produced in consultation with the Departments of State and Defense.
When, because of the time factor, adequate consultation with the depart-
ment of primary concern is not feasible, items or portions thereof are pro-
duced by CIA and enclosed in brackets.
Interpretations of intelligence information in this publication represent
immediate and preliminary views which are subject to modification in the
light of further information and more complete analysis.
Certain intelligence items in this publication may be designated specifically
for no further dissemination. Other intelligence items may be disseminated
further, but only on a need-to-know basis.
WARNING
This document contains information affecting the national
defense of the United States, within the meaning of Title
18, sections 793 and 794, of the US Code, as amended.
Its transmission or revelation of its contents to or re-
ceipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
GROUP 1
Excluded from automatic
downgrading and
declassification
Secret
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No. 0262/69
1 November 1969
Central Intelli gence Bulletin
CONTENTS
South Vietnam: Austerity taxes on most imported
goods have provoked harsh criticism. (Page 1)
Arms Control: Prospects for the draft seabeds treaty
have improved. (Page 2)
European Security: Warsaw Pact Foreign Ministers
have called for a European security conference.
(Page 3)
Venezuela: A teachers strike may unite educators
and students against the government. (Page 4)
Pakistan: The government is being forced to inter-
vene in labor disputes. (Page 5)
Tunisia-Algeria: Relations seem to be improving.
(Page 6)
Lebanon: Agreement possible (Page 7)
Libya: Wheelus conversion (Page 7)
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South Vietnam: President Thieu's new "auster-
ity" taxes on most imported goods have provoked
harsh criticism throughout the country.
The decree, which was issued on 23 October,
produced almost immediate public alarm and exten-
sive hoarding, and, as a result the prices of most
basic consumer goods, domestic and imported, have
soared. Sharply worded attacks on Thieu's decree
have come from both progovernment and opposition
politicians, as well as the press.
According to a US Embassy survey, many Viet-
namese believe that the measure hurts the poor far
more than the rich, and that the government should
have warned the public. In addition, some Vietnam-
ese are saying that the new cabinet, which was to
give first priority to solving the country's eco-
nomic problems, now has actually worsened the sit-
uation.
The most violent reaction has come from the
National Assembly where both houses have passed a
series of resolutions condemning the tax increases,
and accusing the Thieu administration of acting un-
constitutionally by failing to consult the assembly.
Some deputies are trying hard to have the decree
annulled, but there seems little likelihood of this.
The Supreme Court has been petitioned for a ruling
but in the past it has shied away from such ques-
tions.
President Thieu devoted part of his National
Day speech on 31 October to explaining the country's
economic problems and threatened to resign if his
austerity measures were not allowed to go into ef-
fect. The government is claiming that prices will
go down in the near future, which would probably
result in the subsiding of public furor. For the
moment, Thieu's relations with the assembly are at
an all-time low, and his legislative programs, par-
ticularly the budget and land reform bills, may well
face rougher treatment in the future.
1. Nov 69 Central Intelligence Bulletin
1
SLGRET
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Arms Control: Prospects for the seabeds treaty
have been improved by the last-minute Soviet concur-
rence in revisions to the draft.
The revisions--including the deletion of a pro-
vision that the superpowers could veto amendments
to the treaty--are designed to increase the draft's
acceptability to the nonnuclear states. The other
members of the Geneva disarmament conference have
welcomed the new draft, but some have indicated they
will offer further revisions when the treaty is de-
bated at the UN General Assembly later this month.
The focal point of the Assembly debate is likely
to be the verification procedures outlined in the
draft treaty. Canada and Brazil are certain to press
for coparticipation rights for a coastal state in any
observations for treaty compliance off its shores.
Their position reflects a concern that advanced na-
tions could exploit the natural resources on the con-
tinental shelves of less advanced countries in the
guise of verification activities.
The Geneva conference concluded its work for
the year yesterday with final approval of its report
to the General Assembly. The final sessions were
characterized by a sharp improvement in the mood of
the nonnuclear members, partially as a result of the
announcement on the strategic arms limitation talks.
Their general receptivity to the revisions of the
seabeds draft is likely to deflect criticism that
the superpowers are attempting to ram
treaty through the UN.
1 Nov 69
Central Intelligence Bulletin 2
srac-itsrr
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European Security: Much as expected, the War-
saw Pact Foreign Ministers' meeting, held on 30-31
October, issued a moderately phrased call for an
East-West Conference on European security.
The meeting proposed that a conference open in
Helsinki next year. It suggested a two-part agenda
including the renunciation of the use of force, and
expansion of East-West European commercial, scien-
tific, and technical cooperation. The ministers ad-
vocate bilateral and multilateral consultations
among interested states to promote agreement, and
emphasize that all issues, whether of agenda, range
of participants or manner of convening the confer-
ence, are open for settlement. Even the touchy sub-
ject of US participation is left to the decision of
the interested nations.
This low key proposal is obviously designed
elicit a positive response from the NATO Foreign
Ministers meeting in December.
1 Nov 69
to
Central Intelligence Bulletin 3
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Venezuela: The nationwide teachers strike now
under way may unite educators and students in com-
mon cause against the Caldera administration.
The 56,000-member teachers federation declared
the walkout--the first nationwide strike faced by
the administration--on 30 October after several
months of unsuccessful negotiations with government
officials. The teachers are demanding that the pres-
ent minimum wage be doubled within three years and
that special bonuses be granted. Government offi-
cials have turned down the demands because of the
tight fiscal situation, and the labor minister has
declared the strike illegal.
Venezuela's three labor federations are support-
ing the teachers' demands and radical students, who
demonstrated violently against the government ear7
her this week, have also pledged their support. :En
a move designed to forestall further violence, the
government yesterday ordered the military to occupy
the university campus in Caracas. Extremist student
leaders may be able to exploit this intervention,
however, to generate more widespread support for re-
newed antigovernment demonstrations.
1 Nov 69
Central Intelligence Bulletin 4
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Pakistan: The authorities are being forced
to intervene as labor difficulties become increas-
ingly disruptive to industrial activity.
Jute and textile mills have been the hardest
hit by the continuing strikes and lockouts, which
are prohibited by martial law. Workers are pro-
testing inadequate pay or lack of coverage by the
hastily drafted minimum wage ordinances. Manage-
ment is objecting to official wage, price, and tax
policies.
Until recently, Rawalpindi maintained a hands-
off policy on labor problems, having several months
ago transferred responsibility in this area to
provincial authorities. The central government was
finally forced to resume a direct role when textile
negotiations between East Pakistani union, manage-
ment, and provincial government representatives
reached a complete impasse. Government referral of
the dispute to the courts suggests that the regime
wants to replace forcible strike-breaking with
arbitration by an "impartial" third party, with the
decision binding on all parties.
Other industrial problems in East Pakistan con-
tinue unabated. The seriousness of the situation
was underlined recently when East Pakistan Governor
Ahsan met with local industrialists who complained
of drastically reduced output, described bitter con-
flicts between rival labor unions, and pleaded for
personal protection.
In West Pakistan, the situation has not dete-
riorated as far, although industrial disputes have
reduced productivity. Labor unrest is reported in-
creasing in the Lahore and Karachi areas, however,
and may eventually force the government to inter-
vene there as it has in East Pakistan.
1 Nov 69
Central Intelligence Bulletin
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SEelTrT
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Tunisia-Algeria: Relations between the two
governments, frequently strained by border diffi-
culties and other contentious issues, seem to be
improving.
A Tunisian Foreign Secretariat official says
his government hopes that an all-inclusive agree-
ment with Algeria will be signed by the end of this
year. Although negotiations for such an agreement
foundered last spring, the Tunisian official be-
lieves that the Libyan coup may have pushed both
governments into proceeding with more urgency.
Tunis and Algiers have recently made signifi-
cant gestures toward furthering better relations.
The Algerians sent relief supplies to flood-ravaged
Tunisia even though they have had their own devas-
tating floods. Boumediene also dispatched his
minister of the interior to Tunis early last month
to see what other cooperation could be proffered.
For his part, Tunisia's President Bourguiba selected
one of his closest associates to be his personal
representative at Algeria's national day celebra-
tions today. (CONFIDENTIAL)
1 Nov 69
Central Intelligence Bulletin
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NOTES
ELebanon: Fatah leader Yasir Arafat's arrival
in Cairo last night just before the scheduled de-
parture of the Lebanese Government representatives
suggests an agreement between the fedayeen and
Lebanese authorities may be in the making. Whether
Arafat intends to press for full freedom of action
for the fedayeen in Lebanon or accept something
short of this remains uncertain. President Hilu
is aware that Lebanon cannot contend with increased
fedayeen-Arab pressures and that he is at best
fighting a delaying action hoping to avoid a com-
plete capitulation to the fedayeen.
Libya: Some members of the governing Revolu-
tionary Command Council would like to convert
Wheelus Air Base into Libya's principal military
base, As of 24 Oc-
tober, they recognized that this would require an
orderly transfer of functions. This suggests that
the Libyans, who on 30 October asked for an "early
and voluntary" US withdrawal, may avoid pushing for
immediate evacuation unless they become trapped at
some point in their own propaganda. They may push
for an early opening of discussions, however, in
order to satisfy political pressures, and may also
soon beain stationina around troops at Wheelus.
1 Nov 69
Central Intelligence Bulletin 7
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