THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF (MORNING) 31 MARCH 1969

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976695
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: March 31, 1969

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The President's Daily Brief
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31 March 1969
(Morning)
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TOP SECRET
TOP SECRET
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MI? TI-IF PRINITVNT ()NI Y
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1 April 1969
LATE NOTES FOR THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF OF
31 MARCH 1969
I. MAJOR PROBLEMS
SOVIET AFFAIRS
Defense Minister Grechko and several members of the
Soviet General Staff flew to Czechoslovakia yesterday. We
have no indication whether this quick trip is connected
with the weekend demonstrations in Prague or with the mili-
tary exercises currently going on in Eastern Europe. (Reu-
ters NOR 415, 1 Apr 69)
VIETNAM
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The military situation in Vietnam is generally quiet,
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MIDDLE EAST
There is nothing significant to report.
EUROPE
There is nothing significant to report.
OTHER IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS
CANADA
The press in Ottawa says Prime Minister Trudeau will
announce the results of Canada's review of its NATO policy
in Parliament tomorrow. Embassy Ottawa has been informed,
however, that the chances of his doing so are only fifty-
fifty. Tomorrow is the last time Parliament will meet before
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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the NATO ministerial meeting in Washington.
PERU
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There have been several recent signs that the govern-
ment intends to move against APRA, Peru's only well-organized
political party and traditionally the archenemy of the
Peruvian military. Press reporting from Lima suggests that
much may be made of alleged collusion between APRA and CIA
in the course of this campaign.
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A long-scheduled cabinet reorganization is to be made
.
"P.:,?
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4-
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today. There
Prime Minister
the other.
is no sign that either
Montagne will use the
President
occasion
Velasco or
to move against
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
MAJOR PROBLEMS
V I ETNAM
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
EUROPE
The Concorde supersonic transport is encountering serious
technical difficulties which will probably keep it from becom-
ing an economic success. Of the many problems that have plagued
its developers, noise and weight have been the most intractable.
It apparently can be heard 21 miles away on takeoff, for example.
The passenger load has been reduced from 140 to about 110 in an
unsuccessful effort to cope with the weight problem.
The British have begun to voice grave doubts about the fea-
sibility of the whole project, but the French are still enthusi-
astic, at least in public. The desire for prestige and continued
technological gain could still bring the Concorde into limited
production and operation.
The French populace is approaching April's referendum on
reform of the Senate and on administrative decentralization
with indifference and some hostility, according to the polls.
Only 24 percent of those questioned said they planned to vote
"yes," 23 percent said they were voting "no," and 53 percent
said they had no opinion. Such attitudes only four weeks be-
fore the referendum will incite the government to step up its
"hard-sell" campaign even further.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SOVIET AFFAIRS
The Soviets have begun a new attack against Josef Smr-
kovsky, the. Czech reformist and supporter of Dubcek, who was
speaker of the Czechoslovak legislature until January. Pravda
today charged that Smrkovsky took part in the weekend demon-
strations which ended in the sacking of the Soviet airline
office in Prague. The paper claimed that this was not the
first time Smrkovsky had been involved in an "anti-Soviet
outburst." In a warning to the Prague leadership as a whole,
Pravda also asserted that the Czech party had failed to criti-
cize publicly the anti-Soviet demonstrations just over a week
ago.
MIDDLE EAST
There is nothing of significance to report.
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II, OTHER IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS
NIGERIA
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY ?
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Top Secret
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