THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 21 MAY 1969

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976785
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: May 21, 1969

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007100170001-0
The President's Daily Brief
21 May 1969
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007100170001-0
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007100170001-0
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
MAJOR PROBLEMS
VIETNAM
As we suspected, there was more to the recent conversa-
tion between Prime Minister Souvanna and North Vietnamese
Ambassador Hien than Souvanna passed on to his cabinet'.
Under some prodding from Charge Hurwitch, Souvanna admitted
he told Hien that US bombing in Laos would cease if North
Vietnamese troops pulled back to border areas?not neces-
sarily into North Vietnam itself. When Hurwitch noted that
infiltration routes to South Vietnam run through such border
areas, Souvanna stated that the US could Continue to bomb
the trails. The prime minister "smiled enigmatically" when
Hurwitch tried to pin him down further.
Souvanna also said he expected to see Hien again be-
fore the ambassador returns to Hanoi next week, and implied
that Hien might before then have some response from Hanoi
to Souvanna's proposals.
Hurwitch believes that Souvanna still has not revealed
all that transpired with Hien, and that the prime minister's
negotiating position is a good deal more flexible than his
public one, which calls for a complete withdrawal of North
Vietnamese troops from Laotian soil as a precondition for a
Lao settlement.
MIDDLE EAST
The Christian and Muslim communities in Lebanon, fur-
ther polarized over the fedayeen issue, are arming themselves.
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Already well supplied with small arms, they are now seeking
heavier weapons. In the current atmosphere of mutual an-
tagonism, it would not take much of an incident to set
things going. The US Embassy estimates that the Muslims,
along with the fedayeen and Palestinian refugees, may have
the preponderance of arms, but in the event of civil war
the Christians would be better organized and might have
greater access to army weapons.
EUROPE
A communique issued last Friday was the first indica-
tion that a group of 30 "democratic socialist and other
leftist" European politicians from the Common Market six,
plus Britain, had met earlier this month in the Netherlands
to discuss formation of a European political party. The
conference was held at the initiative of one Vredeling, a
Dutch Labor Party member of parliament, with the support
of some West German SPD members. This was the first serious
discussion in recent years of the need for a supra-national
party base for the European integration movement. Vredeling
referred to the increasing number of "European" issues which
require political action--direct election of the European
parliament, enlargement of the communities, and suspension
of Greece from the Council of Europe. A working group of
three was set up to prepare for a second meeting in October.
SOVIET AFFAIRS
There is nothing significant to report.
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II, OTHER IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS
MALAYSIA-SINGAPORE
The emergency cabinet announced yesterday in Kuala
Lumpur will play little more than an advisory role to the
Malay-dominated Operations Council, which has assumed all
governmental power. Nonetheless, the nation's Chinese
will not miss the message of its composition--all portfolios
but two went to Malays,, and the exceptions were Indians.
Four Chinese, two of whom previously held cabinet posts,
were named to "special functions" in the cabinet, not fur-
ther identified.
With the lessening of incidents, curfews are gradually
being relaxed. The official count of 152 killed in the
week-long rioting appears to be running far behind the ac-
tual number.
In Singapore, security forces have been put on alert
after scattered clashes between Chinese and Malays there.
While criminal elements may have been largely responsible
for these incidents, the troubles in Kuala Lumpur have un-
doubtedly sharpened racial tensions in Singapore as well.
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50X1
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
PERU
The government issued a communique last night calling
for withdrawal of US military missions from the country and
stating that the scheduled visit of Governor Rockefeller on
30-31 May would be "inopportune." The communique was re-
leased after a cabinet meeting called to discuss the sus-
pension of US military sales, made public following seizure
of a US fishing boat last week. The public disclosure of
the suspension has apparently enabled those in the Peruvian
armed forces who want to replace US military missions with
French advisers to prevail over those opposed to such a
move. Four admirals who had been invited to a farewell
dinner honoring the US naval attache declined the invitation
without explanation an hour before the communique was issued.
Ambassador Jones had been giving serious consideration to
recommending cancellation of the Rockefeller visit, in any
event, on the basis of the problem of providing adequate
security.
TURKEY
The Senate met for some two hours yesterday but never
reached the question of the constitutional amendment opposed
by the army. On finding that a quorum no longer existed
after a discussion of minor agenda items, it adjourned. It
is uncertain whether another session will be held today but
until the issue is resolved or abandoned, the political
situation will remain unsettled.
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007100170001-0
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Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007100170001-0