THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 13 MAY 1968

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976144
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: May 13, 1968

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
The President's Daily Brief
13 May 1968
23
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
- Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-aixi
THE PRESIDENT'S
DAILY BRIEF
13 MAY 1968
1. Czechoslovakia
2. France
The Prague-Moscow confrontation
seems to have become one of watchful
waiting.
No significant Soviet troop move-
ments have been noted over the weekend,
but the Russians have trained their
propaganda guns on Prague. For their
part, the Czechs show little tendency
to cave in. Neither are they going out
of their way to antagonize the Soviets.
They may be moving to mute some of the
more discordant voices at home--a prom-
inent liberal has publicly called for
an end to indiscriminate attacks on the
party.
Given the emotional student issue
and widespread labor discontent, the
call for a general strike today is
likely to get considerable support
from workers. The government's conces-
sions have done little to defuse the
situation. Demonstrations are planned
along with the strike. These easily
could get out of hand.
50X1
50X1
65361
u^ .
,
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
uX1
3. Australia
4. Congo
Pressing economic and administra-
tive problems have been allowed to
drift while Mobutu goes junketing around
Africa. Paper work stacking up on Mo-
butu's desk includes recommendations for
cutting expenditures in an effort to
bail the Congolese budget out of its
deepening deficit.
Mobutu may paste on a few stop-gap
measures, but, so long as the govern-
ment keeps floundering along, he is
likely to remain more interested in
travel than in getting down to the hard
work of finding a lasting solution.
50X1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
5. Burma
6. Dominican
Republic
7. Panama
The leftists are talking about
trying to disrupt municipal elections.
to be held this coming Thursday. Any
violence would be mostly in Santo Do-
mingo, but the security forces will
be on their toes and probably can
handle the situation.
David Samudio, the government's
candidate, seems to have a slight edge
in the few returns so far reported.
No final tally is expected before to-
night, however.
Arias supporters already are
shouting "foul," but, aside from some
cases of ballot box theft
things
have been relatively calm for a Pana-
manian election. Real trouble, if it
comes, would be more likely tonight or
tomorrow--particularly if the govern-
ment carries through with its plans to
declare Samudio the winner regardless
of the balloting.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
50X1
50X6
50X1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
?
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
Top Secret
FOR THE PRESIDENT'S EYES ONLY
1.) Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
2.) North Vietnamese Reflections of U S
Political Attitudes
Top Secret
16
13 May 1968
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
for the President's Eyes Only
13 May 1968
I. NOTES ON THE SITUATION
Hanoi Sets Its Conditions Regarding Paris Talks:
During the weekend the North Vietnamese laid out their
full set of conditions for further diplomatic progress
and warned that if the US fails to comply, "difficul-
ties" will arise during the talks.
Hanoi on 12 May broadcast in English a summary
of a Nhan Dan editorial, again stressing that the
"firsT-4716Fron" for the Paris talks is ending the
bombing and "all other acts of war." Dropping any
earlier ambiguities about the specifics of "acts of
war," the paper tabled Hanoi's maximum demands. It
specified that not only the bombing but all overflights,
including reconnaissance and leaflet drops, as well as
naval gunfire, artillery firing across the Demilitarized
Zone, and sabotage operations must end. The halt to
these actions must be "definitive and unconditional"
and include the entire territory of North Vietnam.
In its most direct reference to the issue of re-
ciprocal Communist military restraint, the paper said
that the US has "no right whatsoever to set any condi-
tions to the North Vietnamese Government." Like most
other recent North Vietnamese statements, it did not
mention the San Antonio formula or specifically rule out
some reciprocal move.
According to Nhan Dan, Hanoi already has shown its
"good will" by agreeing T6 the Paris talks, and the next
move is up to the US. The editorial did not threaten
to inflict the usual military "punishment" or to break
off the talks if the US fails to stop the bombing. It
merely warned that the US would be responsible for any
"difficulties" during the talks.
North Vietnamese statements have made a special
point of labeling the discussions opening on Monday as
"formal talks," rather than the preliminary contacts the
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
50X1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
Communists envisaged prior to 3 May. After the dis-
cussion of procedural matters in Paris on 11 May, the
spokesman for the North Vietnamese carefully noted
that agreement had been reached on official talks be-
tween "Americans and North Vietnamese." Other state-
ments often imply that even postbombing talks will be
strictly bilateral by saying they will involve "other
problems of concern to the two sides."
Hanoi clearly anticipates, however, that other
parties will be drawn in at some point. The Commu-
nists have moved quickly to bring up their new front
organization in South Vietnam as one of the parties
to later negotiations. Answering a question about who
would represent South Vietnam in Paris, the spokesman
for the North Vietnamese responded that the Liberation
Front and the new Vietnam Alliance of National, Demo-
cratic, and Peace Forces were the "authentic represen-
tatives of our compatriots," and would speak for the
South.
* * *
-2-
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
50X1
55OX1
50X11
50X1
50X1
50X1
50X1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
Peking and the Paris Talks: Peking is maintain-
ing its silence on the current talks in Paris. The
visit of Thai Prime Minister Thanom to the United
States, however, was used by the New China News Agency
on 10 May to reiterate Peking's charge that the United
States intends to occupy South Vietnam, using the dual
tactics of "peace talks hoax" and "war blackmail."
China's unwillingness to take public notice of
the negotiations was made even more obvious when it
failed to report the presence of senior members of
the North Vietnamese negotiating team in Peking on
7 and 8 May. The Chinese were silent even though the
Vietnam News Agency reported that Xuan Thuy and his
colleages en route ?to Paris were met at the Peking
airport by Foreign Minister Chen Yi and other Chi-
nese officials.
Soviet Union's Attitude Toward Peace Talks: The
Soviets continue to take an approving view of the
talks. Izvestia on 11 May spoke of the "favorable
atmosphere" in Paris and took an oblique swipe at the
Chinese by adding that, "it is obvious that the peace-
loving forces in all countries will do their utmost
to strengthen that atmosphere." On 12 May the Ital-
ian Communist Party paper L'Unita quoted Soviet For-
eign .Minister Gromyko as saying inan interview that
Hanoi's agreement to talk opens a "real road" to a
peace settlement. Gromyko coupled this with a re-
assertion of Moscow's* intent to continue aid to the
Vietnamese Communists.
Moscow also continues to mix its endorsement of
the talks with claims that the responsibility for suc-
cess in negotiations will lie with the United States.
Pravda on 12 May charged that the US is planning to
_expand the war and called this a "policy which lies
like a black shadow on the Paris negotiations."
* * *
Conflicting French Statements on Liberation
Front Presence: Etienne Manac'h, who heads the Asian
bureau of the French Foreign Ministry, told a US of-
ficial that no National Liberation Front officials
were in Paris yet. He repeated earlier information
-3-
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
50X1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
50X1
that two Front men were waiting in Prague but they
did not wish to proceed without agreement on their
status. Manac'h said France wanted Front represen-
tation limited to a press office, although the Front
seemed to be holding out for something more official.
II. NORTH VIETNAMESE REFLECTIONS OF US POLITICAL
ATTITUDES ON THE WAR
There is nothing of significance to report today.
-4-
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
50X1
50X1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2015/07/24 : CIA-RDP79T00936A006100110001-7