THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 13 JULY 1968

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976249
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: July 13, 1968

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The President's Daily Brief
--Top--S-ec-r-eLJ3 July 1968
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THE PRESIDENT'S
DAILY BRIEF
13 JULY 1968
Soviet Union -
Czechoslovakia
LATE ITEM
The Czech news agency announced
this morning that Soviet troops, "es-
pecially communications and signals
units," have begun to leave Czecho-
slovakia.
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THE PRESIDENT'S
DAILY BRIEF
13 JULY 1968
1. Soviet Union -
Czechoslovakia
2. Middle East
Nith Prague's assertions
that a troop withdrawal will begin today.
Quite clearly, the troops play an impor-
tant part in the orchestration of So-
viet.pressure. We assume that unless
Dubcek caves in, Moscow will want to
keep some forces on the scene as long as
it can--preferably until the Czech party
congress in September. We have seen no
sign of Dubcek'S caving in, and'we do
not expect to. A retreat now'would mean
the demise of his regime and might even
lead to a popular rebellion.
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3. Nigeria
4. Greece
The Greek Government's draft con-
stitution runs true to form. It is a
loosely worded document which cuts back
the prerogatives of both the monarchy,
and the legislature. A good many mem-
bers of the government wanted these two
institutions limited even more Severely,
but Papadopoulos held the line.
The populace is to vote on the
draft in a referendum which is now
scheduled for 29 September. If the
vote is favorable, the constitution
will probably be put into effect in
stages.
Papadopoulos has sent an emissary
to King Constantine with a copy of the
draft. Constantine's reaction after a
hasty reading is that he can live with
it. He plans to make no public comment.
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5. Communist China
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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
17
13 July 1968
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Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
for the President's Eyes Only
13 July 1968
I. NOTES ON THE SITUATION
Comments of Swedish Diplomat: Sweden's Ambas-
sador Petri, en route for home leave from his post
in Peking, passed along some miscellaneous comments
to the US Embassy in Moscow on 11 July. These were
based mainly on conversations with the North Viet-
namese ambassador to China and on his earlier trips
?to Hanoi.
Petri was told by his North Vietnamese colleague
that the rail line from China to North Vietnam had
been "broken" pearNan-ning for about three weeks.
The flow of Military supplies had been disrupted but
the Chinese cdntinued to send rice by sea. The North
Vietnamese had Considerable stockpiles of military
supplies, however, and were not worried unless there
was a prolonged disruption.
Petri voiced the standard judgment that Hanoi
would be "very flexible" about withdrawal of US forces
from the South but adamant about not dealing with the
present South Vietnamese Government. He saw no early
break in the North Vietnam position at the talks but
thought that eventually some move would be surfaced
through a third party.
* * *
Sino-Vietnamese Differences: The North Vietnam-
ese News Agency's treatment of the current visit of
Vice Premier Le Thanh Nghi to Peking underscores the
differences between the two countries about the Paris
talks. Unlike Peking's account in yesterday's Daily
Report, the North Vietnam agency did not carry .the
derogatory Chinese remarks about negotiations, but
picked up a reference by Le Thanh Nghi to the Paris
talks which the Chinese version had not carried.
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These variations in coverage are the usual way dif-
ferences are expressed. They do not alter the judg-
ment that both Hanoi and Peking are using the occa-
sion to stress unity.
* * *
? POW Release: The trio of peace activists en
route to pick up the three American fliers in Hanoi
were interviewed during a stopover in Bangkok on
11 July. They said they feared US officials might
insist the pilots be returned on A US military air-
craft.. They, stressed that North Vietnamese officials
had said the release was a "humanitarian.gesture."
One of the activists added that GovernOr Harriman
was "not very sensitive" to the meaning of this.. The
group thought the pilots should be allowed to choose
whether they want to go home via military or commer-
cial aircraft.
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* * *
Mongolian Aid: Hanoi radio's international ser-
vice in English announced yesterday that a Mongolian
delegation was received by Ho Chi Minh and Premier
Pham Van Dong and had delivered a letter concerning
Mongolia's so-called economic and military aid to
North Vietnam for 1969. No details were given. The
occasion was enlivened by'a "grand meeting" held to
celebrate the 47th anniversary of the founding of
the Mongolian regime.
* * *
:Moscow-Hanoi Aid Agreement: Soviet propaganda
media have failed to make any substantive comment ?
on the new economic and military aid agreement which
climaxed the Visit of Deputy Premier Le Thanh Nghi
to Moscow on 4 July. A general canvass of opinion
by the US Embassy reveals no hard information. Specu-
lation centers around increased economtc, aid to re-
store industrial facilities now spared from bombing
and more small arms to replace hardware lost during
the Tet offensive.
These opinions generally coincide with our view
that as well as arranging for continuing economic
and military support; Hanoi also was attempting to
find out how much assistance might be' availablefor
a relatively long-range rehabilitation plan. Some
of the agreements concluded earlier during Le Thanh
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t.))(1
Nghi's tour of Eastern Europe call-explicitly for
the acquisition of complete plants. Construction
work under way in Hanoi, however, continues to be
limited to repairing bomb damage.
II. NORTH VIETNAMESE REFLECTIONSOF.US POLITICAL
?ATTITUDES ?ON.THE WAR
Hanoi Sponsors New Committee: On 11 July, Radio
Hanoi's international service in English announced
the founding of the Vietnam Committee for Solidarity
with the American People. It cited as reasons the
"ceaseless struggle" of the American and Vietnamese
people to end the war in Vietnam and the increased
contacts between American antiwar groups and the Viet-
namese people.
to:
cans;
According to the broadcast, the committee hopes
--Develop friendship between Vietnamese and Amen-
--Support cultural and economic exchanges;
--Acquaint the Americans with the history and
culture of the Vietnamese people and with their strug-
gle to defend their independence and freedom;
--Encourage an exchange, of views to increase
understanding and to "coordinate struggles."
Hanoi may plan to promote the new solidarity com-,
mittee by having it handle the visit of the three US
pacifists coming to arrange the release of the cap-
tured pilots.
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