THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 10 APRIL 1970

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977395
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: April 10, 1970

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The President's Pally Brief
A
/0 April /970
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
10 April 1970
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The party central committee is expected to meet in
Moscow today, and if it does it may stop some of
the extravagant rumor-mongering about a shake-up
in the Soviet power structure. (Page 1)
Le Duc Tho is leaving Paris for Hanoi, but it is
hard to say if he is really needed at home or if
his departure is just another slap at the US.
(Page 2)
In Saigon, the National Assembly will balk at giving
Thieu special decree powers. (Page 3)
(Page 4)
Cambodia. 50X1
Cambodia
(Page 5)
Lao
(Page 6)
The Canadian Parliament now has government-sponsored
legislation giving Canada control of the northern
archipelago and setting a 12-mile territorial limit.
(Page 7)
(Page 8)
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USSR
The French press report from Moscow that the
Soviet party central committee will meet today in
Moscow is the most specific report of the many we
have seen recently on this subject. The "informed
Soviet sources" quoted by AFP claim that this is the
first step toward an eventual reshuffle of the leader-
ship. They note, however, that the meeting might be
delayed, pending the recovery of the four ailing
leaders--President Podgorny, Premier Kosygin, and
politburo members Suslov and Shelepin,
We have no firm evidence to confirm or
deny this report. Soviet Ambassador Dobry-
nin, a candidate member of the central com-
mittee, is leaving for home on 10 April,
but his trip had been planned since mid-
March. The Soviet ambassador in Rome,
who is a member of the central auditing
commission but not of the central commit=
tee, left his post on 1 April, presumably
for home leave. No other ambassadorial
travel, which we sometimes note in connec-
tion with plenums, has been reported.
.Rumors of impending changes in the Soviet
leadership have been flying for the past
week, sparked at least in part by the ab-
sence due to illness of so many members
of the politburo. If a central committee
meeting indeed comes off, it could be for
the purpose of demonstrating the unity of
the leadership, despite the widespread re-
ports of rifts, or for some routine purpose.
1
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NORTH VIETNAM
Le Duc Tho, the real power in North Vietnam's
delegation at the Paris talks, is returning to Hanoi.
North Vietnamese officials in Paris announced that
he will leave today. Tho returned to Paris in late
January after a seven-month absence, ostensibly to
attend the French Communist Patty Congress. Why he
stayed on for some two months after the congress has
never been made clear.
Thos return probably is connected with a
new round of decision-making in Hanoi,
possibly involving the coup in Cambodia
and last week's proposals by France for
international consultations on Indochina.
As a ranking politburo figure, Tho prob-
ably would have a hand in any decisions
that are to be made. His previous depar-
tures from Paris have seemed to signal the
start of over-all policy reviews.
Thos trip also could serve a nalirower?
tactical purpose. It could be designed
as pressure on Washington. The Communists
may attempt to depict Thos departure as
a result of American obduracy in not send-
ing a replacement for Ambassador Lodge.
2
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SOUTH VIETNAM
The National Assembly probably will resist pas-
sage of Thieuus planned legislation giving the presi-
dent special decree powers. When Khiem presented
Thieu's scheme to the Upper House on 8 April, he did
not indicate how Thieu would use such powers if he
had them, but South Vietnamese officials believe they
will be directed at resolving economic problems and,
perhaps, responding to the grievances of the disabled
veterans.
Thieu is already under heavy criticism for
relying on extraconstitutional devices,
such as the military tribunal which re-
cently convicted Tran Ngoc Chau. The As-
sembly is jealous of its prerogatives,
however, and is highly unlikely to grant
Thieu more extensive authority than he al-
ready has, especially in sensitive economic
matters.
3
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Cambodia: Current Situation
,THAILAND
Sam rong.
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?Siem Reap
battalions Idaving
Ni
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*Battambang
Kompon
.771(54:.0 C. hhnang
toV
Heavy insurgentattack7
in late Marth4
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AR VN raids into ' '1 ..4. i
Cambodia continue ,', / 1' jel
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VC activity keeping
up pressure
\
s*Saigon :
V I E/T N A M
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ompong
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Svay Rieng
Province
-10?
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GULF
OF
SIAM
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104
106
SOUTH
CHINA SEA
?
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SOUTH VIETNAM - CAMBODIA
The South Vietnamese carried out several raids
into Cambodia during late March, after which there
was a lull in such activity for about a week. Since
.5 April, however,_South Vietnamese troops and air
forces have conducted daily cross-border raids on
the Communists in Svay Rieng Province.
The Communists, meanwhile, are continuing to
put fairly strong pressure on Cambodian border de-
fenses in Svay Rieng Province. They probably intend
to use whatever force is necessary to ensure the se-
curity of their border bases and north-south supply
routes. A major thrust by the Communists deep into
Cambodia seems unlikely for now, unless their posi-
tion along the border becomes untenable because of
repeated attacks from the Vietnamese side.
4
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CAMBODIA
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LAOS: Current Situation
AREA OF
MA IN MAP
Vientiane
Bouam
Long
, Heavy enemy attacks
71
Ban Ban '
PLA/NE Non .1'
Xieng
Khouangville ?
Tha Tam
emeung
Government forces,
closing iron area--
ang Vieng
10 ? 20 M les
20 Kilometers,)
o
G6iernment-helci' location
0 CommurOst-held I catio
---- , `, \
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LAOS
The government's response to the Lao Communist
peace proposal, delivered yesterday to Pathet Lao
representative Soth Phetrasy in Vientiane, amounts
to a counterproposal to the Neo Lao Hak Sates state-
ment of 6 March. Sidestepping the Communist demand
for an unconditional bombing halt, the text calls
for a total cease-fire and the immediate withdrawal
of "foreign forces," supervised by the International
Control Commission. It also calls for a meeting of
"interested parties" in order to seek an equitable
solution.
The message is replete with references to
North Vietnamese aggression in Laos and
makes it clear that this is at the heart
of the country's difficulties. It does
not, however, pose the withdrawal of North
Vietnamese troops as a precondition to a
cease-fire or talks. The reference to a
cease-fire in "all zones without exception,"
which presumably would include the Ho Chi
Minh trail area, may have been designed to
appeal specifically to Hanoi. Government
leaders probably realize, however, that the
Communists would almost certainly reject
meaningful supervision of their "liberated
areas."
Heavy fighting has again broken out near Bouam
Long, the government's most important base north of
the Plaine des Jarres. On the night of 8-9 April,
several hundred North Vietnamese troops attacked four
outposts commanding the southern approaches to the
base. Guerrilla defenders successfully repulsed all
of the attacks, but large numbers of enemy troops--
probably from the North Vietnamese 312th Division--
continue to maneuver throughout the area. Bouam Long
itself remains under sporadic artillery fire. The
Communist actions have already neutralized several
of the government's heavy weapons in the area, and
the situation is described as serious.
South of the Plaine, government forces are con-
tinuing to close in on the key enemy position at Tha
Tam Bleung.
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Canada Moves to Prevent Pollution of Arctic Waters
140 1do
FINLAND
SWEDEN
ICELAND
UNITED
STATES
GREE 'LAND
(DEN MA
Balif in
c4 Island
Adentic
Ocean
,UNITED STATES
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CANADA
A bill introduced in Parliament Wednesday pro-
vides that ships transiting the Northwest Passage
will have to comply with stringent antipollution
regulations. Trudeau also tabled legislation that,
if passed, will extend Canada's territorial seas to
12 miles.
Although the bills as written avoid any
outright claim to sovereignty, in effect
they give Canada full control over the
northern archipelago. The government
stressed to the press, however, that the
waterway would be open to "innocent pas-
sage" by ships of all nations.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
USSR-EGYPT
The Soviet helicopter carrier Moskva is in Alex?
andria-
The Moskva's visit probably is intended as a
display of Soviet support for the Arab cause.
Probably t also means that the Moskva's
role in the Soviet naval exercises in the
Mediterranean has been completed.
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Top Secret
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