EVENING NOTES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-549-3-38-8
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: May 3, 2011
• Sequence Number: 38
• Publication Date: April 15, 1974
• Content Type: CABLE

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/05/03: LOC-HAK-549-3-38-8
W. v
******* 0 P S E C R E T *******S COPY
OP IMMED
DE WTE #1757 1052014
0 1520012 APR 74
FM THE SITUATION ROOM //TOHAK05//
TO JERRY BREMER FOR SEC. KISSINGER
T 0 P S E C R E T SENSITIVE EXCLUSIVELY EYES ONLY CONTAINS cODEWORD
VIA BLACK PATCH WH40976
TOHAK05
TOP SECRET-SENSITIVE
CONTAINS CODEWORD APRIL 15' 1974
MFMORANDUM FOR SECRETARY KISSINGER
FROM: THE SITUATION ROOM
SUBJECT: EVENING NOTES
ISRAELI GOVERNMENT: PRESS QUOTES A LABOR PARTY SOURCE SAYING
TODAY THAT HAIFA MAJOR JOSEPH ALMnGI IS THE MOST LIKELY CANDI-
DATE OF THE LABOR PARTY TO FORM THE NEXT ISRAELI GOVERNMENT.
AMBASSADOR KEATING SAYS ALTHOUGH IT IS TOO EARLY TO ANTICIPATE
LABOR PARTY OPTIONS' RABIN, ALMOGI AND ZADOK ARE CONSIDERED TOP
CONTENDERS WITH THE LATTER TWO APPEARING TO BE MORE AC.CEPTARLE
TO ALL FACTIONS. DEVELOPMENTS INCREASINGLY POINT TO ELECTIONS
SOUTH VIETNAMESE RANGER'S FROM THE TONLE CHAM BASE' 268 AR-
RIVED SAFELY AT AN LOG DISTRICT HPAOQUARTERS ON APRIL 15. FOUR
WERE KILLED AND 35 WERE WOUNDED IN THREE FIREFIGHTS EN ROUTE TO
AN LOC. INFORMATION ON THE SUCCESSFUL EXFILTRATION IS BEING
TIGHTLY HELD WHILE THE RANTERS ARE DEBRIEFED. THE COMMANDER OF
MILITARY REGION 3 IS SUSPICIOUS THAT THE BASE WAS NOT OVERRUN BUT
ABANDONED AGAINST HIS ORDERS. DAMAGE FROM GVN RETALIATORY AIR
STRIKES ON LOC NINH WAS MODERATE; SOME 15 BUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED.
MORE STRIKES AGAINST TARGETS IN NORTHERN TAY NINH PROVINCE ARE
SCHEDULED.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *WHSR COMMENT * * * .* * * * * * * * *.,* * *
SFCFL
PSN011213 PAGE 01
TOR:105/20:01Z DTG:152001Z APR 74
******* T 0 P S E C R E T
*******S COPY
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/05/03 : LOC-HAK-549-3-38-8
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/05/03: LOC-HAK-549-3-38-8
******* T 0 P S E C R E T *******S COY
NIGER MILITARY SEIZES POWER?: NIGER ARMED FORCES COMMANDER
KOUNTCHE HAS CITED THE NECESSITY nF ENDING YEARS OF GOVERNMENT
CORRUPTION AND MISMANAGEMENT AS THE REASON FOR HIS COUP. H1=
TOP SECRET-SENSITIVE
CONT4INS CODEWORD
TOP SECRET-SENSITIVE
CONTAINS CODEWORD -2-
HAS SUSPENDED THE CONSTITUTION, DISSOLVED THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY,
AND BANNED ALL POLITICAL ACTIVITY IN THE COUNTRY. FORMER PRESI-
DENT DIORI -- IN POWER SINCE NIGER GAINED INDEPENDENCE IN 1860 -
AND HIS TOP OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN PLACED UNDER ARREST. A NEW GOVERN-
MENT STRUCTURE HAS YET To PE ANNOUNCED.
CIA COMMENTS THAT KOUNTCHE'S DECISION TO MOVE AGAINST DIORI WAS
PROBABLY A CULMINATION OF nISSATISFACTION WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S
LONGSTANDING INABILITY TO IMPROVE NIGER'S CHRONIC ECONOMIC STAG-
NATION, NOW COMPOUNDED BY THE SERIOUS DROUGHT THAT HAS SPREAD
THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE COUtN,ITRY. KOUNTCHE ALSO MAY HAVE BEEPS DIS
PLEASED WITH THE HEAVY FRENCH INFLUENCE THAT PERVADES THE COUNTRY.
FRANCE IS THE PRINCIPAL SUPPLIES OF MILITARY AND ECONOMIC AID TO
NIGER AND A NUMBER OF FRENCH TECHNICIANS VIRTUALLY CONTROLLED THE
PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT IN THEIR CAPACITY AS ADVISERS TO DIORI AND
THE MILITARY. ALTHOUGH KOUNTCHE HAS ANNOUNCED THAT NIGER WILL
HONOR ITS INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS AND AGREEMENTS, PROVIDED
THEY RESPECT THE INTEREST AND DIGNITY OF THE NIGERIAN PEOPLE.
IT IS NOT YET CLEAR HOW HE VIEWS THE MUTUAL DEFENSE PACTS THAT
DIORI'S GOVERNMENT SIGNED WITH FRANCE AND LIBYA.
WASHINGTON STAR-NEWS: VIRGINIA ARMAT ASSESSES THE DIZZYING
PARADE OF CANDIDATES LINED UP TO SUCCEED POMPIDOU ALMOST TWn
WEEKS AFTER HIS DEATH.
GEORGE SHERMAN ASSERTS THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN A
DECADE, AMERICAN NUCLEAR DnCTRINE GOVERNING THE POWER EQUATION
BETWEEN THE TWO SUPERPOWERS IS CLOUDED IN CONTROVERSY. NOT SINCE
MCNAMARA LAUNCHED REFINEMENTS OF THE "MASSIVE RETALIATION" nOC-
TRINE BACK IN 1962 HAS THE HEAD OF THE PENTAGON CAUSED SUCH A
FUROR ON THIS SUBJECT. TDr?AY, SCHLESINGER IS ACCUSED OF RE_
WRITING SCRIPTURE TO MAKE t.UCLEAR WAR PLAUSIBLE.
JEREMIAH O'LEARY REPORTS THAT YOUR CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM ON THE
PROSPECTS FOR A SYRIAN-ISRAELI MILITARY DISENGAGEMENT IS BASED
LARGELY ON CONCEPTS WHICH THE SYRIAN MISSION TO WASHINGTON DID
NOT REJECT LAST WEEK.
NAOMI SCHWIESON REPORTS THAT POMPIDDU'S DEATH NOT ONLY SET OFF
A COMPETITION FOR HIS PLACE BUT HAS ALSO RAISED A LONG-RANGE
QUESTION, FOR MORE IMPORTANT, AnOUT THE FATE OF "GAULLISM" IN
FRANCE, IN EUROPE, AND IN RELATIONS ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.
A STAR FOITORIAL ON SALT ASSERTS THAT IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES,
THE RULING OUT FOR THE YEAR OF A COMPREHENSIVE FURTHER. AGREEMENT
IN SALT WOULD BE DISAPPOINTING. PUT GIVEN THE COMPLEXITIES OF
THE SUBJECT, PRESIDENT NIXON'S SHAKY HOLD ON OFFICE AND FEARS
THAT HE MIGHT BE OVERANXIOUS To SCORE AN OSTENSIBLE DIPLOMATIC
PSN:011213 PAGE 02
TOR:105/20:O1Z
DTG:152O0IZ APR 74
******* T 0 P S E C RE T *******S COPY
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/05/03: LOC-HAK-549-3-38-8
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/05/03: LOC-HAK-549-3-38-8
******* T 0 P S E C R. E T *******S COPY
TRIUMPH, THE WORD OF CAUTIU]N FRnM YOU COMES AS A REASSURANCF.
TOP SECRET-SENSITIVE
CONTAINS CODEWORO
PSN'011213 PAGE 03 OF 03 TOR:105/20:01Z OTG:1520012 APR 74
******* T0 P S E C R E T *******S COPY
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2011/05/03: LOC-HAK-549-3-38-8