THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 19 SEPTEMBER 1968

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976365
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: September 19, 1968

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The President's Daily Brief
----forre-geto September 1968
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THE PRESIDENT'S
DAILY BRIEF
19 SEPTEMBER 1968
1. Czechoslovakia
2. Panama
3. Portugal
The US mission at the UN learns
that Prague will oppose any but the
most generalized discussion of the
Czech situation when the General Assem-
bly convenes next week. Czechoslo-
vakia's foreign ministry and UN mis-
sion have apparently not come under
Soviet influence, but at the UN, the
Czechs will try to avoid antagonizing
the Soviets as a matter of prudence.
A member of Prague's UN mission
predicts that they would not partici-
pate in debating an item specifically
referring to the crisis, and might even
walk out. They would take part, how-
ever, in debate on a general item which
avoided referring directly, to the situ-
ation but provided an opportunity to
discuss it.
People around Arias are saying
that as soon as he takes office next
month he will move to cut back the
size and authority of Vallarino's Na-
tional Guard and will beef up the small
secret police organization as a counter
force. This kind of instant freewheel-
ing would almost certainly start Arias
off on a collision course with the
Guard and sour relations with his power-
ful coalition partners to boot.
President Thomaz is under increas-
ing pressure to name a new-prime minis-
ter despite his wish to hold off in the
remote chance of getting guidance from
Salazar. Marcelo Caetano still seems
to be the front runner for the job, al-
though there are reports he is already
saying "no" unless he can have a free
hand in naming a cabinet.
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4. North Korea
5. Sweden-Vietnam
As the National Liberation Front
of South Vietnam moves ahead with its
plans to open an "information office"
in Stockholm, the ruling Social Demo-
crats in Sweden find themselves in com-
petition with the local Communists in
trying to win the Front's favor. As of
now, the Social Democrats have the in-
side track(
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Top Secret
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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
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19 September 19 6 8
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Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
for the President's Eyes Only
19 September 1968
I. .NOTES ON THE SITUATION
.Hanoi on the Demilitarized Zone:
the Indian Foreign Ministry told US
Embassy officials on 17 September that in recent con-
versations representatives of North Vietnam had shown
a decided interest in ascertaining US minimum condi-
tions for a bombing halt. The North Vietnamese re-
portedly complained that US remarks on restoring the
zone were exceedingly vague and that Hanoi was being
asked to pay a price without being told what the price
was. The Indians were asked to "persuade" the US to
define precisely what is wanted.
The Indians admitted that at no time in the con-
versations did Hanoi officials indicate that they
would be willing seriously, to consider meeting US
terms.
/the Communists were probably more
concerned with running down US motives than in spell-
ing out their own position on the Demilitarized Zone.
Hanoi frequently talks this way to Free World allies
of the US as part of an effort to press for US conces-
sions.
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French Correspondent Discusses his Work: The
French press agency correspondent who returned from
Hanoi in July after a six-month tour admitted to a mem-
ber of the US Embassy that he had not been as success-
ful in his Hanoi assignment as his two predecessors.
He explained this by saying that his pro-Western bias
had not endeared him to the Vietnamese and had prevented
his developing close working relationships with North
Vietnamese officials.
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* * *
II. NORTH VIETNAMESE REFLECTIONS OF US POLITICAL ATTI-
TUDES ON THE WAR
There is nothing of significance to report today.
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