THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 30 JUNE 1969

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976853
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: June 30, 1969

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007200250001-0
The President's Daily Brief
30 June 1969
19
op
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007200250001-0
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007200250001-0
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
MAJOR PROBLEMS
VIETNAM
Communist propagandists have played up the Ben Het a
tacks as a blow to allied plans to "Vietnamize" the war.
The North Vietnamese party daily claimed on 28 June that
Communist military activities throughout the highlands have
undermined US hopes to have South Vietnamese troops take
over more of the fighting.
Huynh Tan Phat, head of the Communists' Provisional
Revolutionary Government, is now in Phnom Penh for talks.
It appears that Sihanouk is at best a reluctant host. He
may have agreedto Phat 's visit at this time as part of the
price for the Communists' recent promise to remove their
troops from Cambodian soil "as soon as possible."
Phat may have a number of other problems relating to
the Vietnam war that he wants to discuss now with Sihanouk.
One likely request Would be the easing of military pressure
against Communist elements in Cambodia.
SOVIET AFFAIRS
The Soviet proposal for a "collective security system"
for Asia, surfaced by Brezhnev on 7 June, "is still no more
1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007200250001-0
50X1
50X1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007200250001-0
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
than a general concept," according to a Soviet foreign min-
istry official. A planning group is working on details, the
official added, and a more concrete plan may soon be offered
for international discussion.
The Asian eecurity system probably will resemble past
Soviet proposals for European security, calling for all na-
tions to abolish military blocs and to work peacefully to-
ward better economic political, and cultural relations. The
Soviets probably have no illusions that such a system could
be implemented, but by proposing it they would be able to
portray themselves as more interested in Asian peace and
harmony than are the Chinese.
In Czechoslovakia, more than two months after Dubcek's
ouster, party leader Husak is still enmeshed in a factional
struggle that has frustrated his efforts to gain complete
control. Husak's insistence on a relatively moderate re-
treat from Dubcek's liberalism has created a series of dis-
putes with pro-Soviet conservatives who desire a return to
full orthodoxy. At the same time his repeated compromises
have moved the nation steadily toward a conservative posi-
tion. Thus far, Husak has achieved a period of relative do-
mestic calm, partly because he has refused to impose police
terror to enforce the retrogressive decrees.
The people regard the regime as a creature of Soviet
pressure, and they have become increasingly alienated by
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007200250001-0
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007200250001-0
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Husak's compromises with the conservatives. Passive resist-
ance is growing among workers, students and intellectuals?
_
demonstrated primarily, in popular determination to reject
further concessions to Moscow and to oppose austerity meas-
ures which are being drafted to bolster the sagging economy.
EUROPE
The general attitude in NATO toward strategic arms limi-
tations talks between the US and the USSR is favorable. The
allies are pleased by US plans for a comprehensive exchange
of views, but-have nagging fears that the US will enter
NATO consultations with an inflexible position.
The Allies will seek assurance that the US will not ac-
cept any agreement which might have the effect of lessening
Western European security. The UK and West Germany will
probably urge that bargaining explicitly include NATO nu-
clear forces and similar Soviet forces targeted against Eu-
rope. The UK would prefer as a first step to freeze such
forces rather than to reduce them.
The West Germans, while supporting the talks in prin-
ciple, fear an arms limitation arrangement which might ap-
pear to formalize the political status quo in Europe. They
have urged parallel progress on the political problems de-
riving from the division of Germany and have advised the US
not to accept nuclear parity without political concessions
from the Soviets.
3
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007200250001-0
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007200250001-0
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
MIDDLE EAST
The UN Security Council is scheduled to meet today to
consider another protest by Jordan about Israeli activities
in Jerusalem. If Jordan presses for a strongly worded reso-
lution, a full-scale debate could result which might be dam-
aging to the four-power negotiations.
OTHER IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS
MALAYSIA
Communal clashes in Kuala Lumpur over the weekend were
the worst since the rioting of mid-May. Security forces ap-
parently have the immediate situation in hand, but the city
is still highly volatile. The emergency government, almost
4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27: CIA-RDP79T00936A007200250001-0
50X1
50X1
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007200250001-0
- FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
exclusively Malay, is likely to point to the latest incidents
as a further argument against reinstituting parliamentary
government. In fact, -a major cause' of the unrest is lack of
progress toward adequate Chinese representation.
5
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007200250001-0
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007200250001-0
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007200250001-0