THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 12 JULY 1969

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976875
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: July 12, 1969

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007300110001-4
The President's Daily Brief
12 July 1969
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
MAJOR PROBLEMS
VIETNAM
In Paris, Vietnamese Communists were quick to denounce
President Thieu's election offer. They continue to stand
firmly behind the Viet Cong ten-point proposal.
Ground fighting continued at a low level throughout South
Vietnam, although terrorists were active in Saigon. More than
40 allied bases and towns were subjected to rocket and mortar
attacks, but few casualties and little damage resulted.
SOVIET AFFAIRS
The Soviets announced yesterday that they were releasing
the US colonel who violated Soviet airspace last Friday. This
decision came two days after an American journalist was per-
mitted to enter East Berlin after having first been barred by
the East Germans. In both cases the Soviet officials who
handled the US demarches were extremely cooperative, and the
events would seem to indicate that Moscow is willing to back
up Gromyko's conciliatory words with deeds.
The Romanian ambassador. in Paris announced yesterday at
a press conference that top Soviet leaders have indeed post-
poned their scheduled visit to Bucharest this month, presum-
ably to sign a revised friendship treaty, until fall. The
reason given was "urgent and unforeseen duties" on the part
of the Moscow entourage. The semiofficial statement is
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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Soviet
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
probably intended to minimize Moscow's embarrassment over re-
ports that Soviet-Romanian relations had worsened since the
President's trip to Bucharest was announced.
MIDDLE EAST
The Arabs are once again alarmed about the possibility
of an Israeli attack against Syria, Jordan, or Egypt. The
Syrians have sent reinforcements to the cease-fire line as a
precautionary measure, and Egyptian forces are on the alert.
The Egyptians in particular have good reason to be apprehen-
sive; some kind of Israeli retaliation on this front is over-
due.
Arab apprehension will increase when current reports that
Israeli reserves are being called up reach them.r
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General Odd Bull, worried about the safety and morale
of the UN observers along the Suez Canal, is thinking of pro-
posing "temporary" withdrawal of some of them. He is aware
of the repercussions such a move could have, however, and he
intends to check the situation again this weekend before mak-
ing any recommendation to U Thant.
VENEZUELA
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President Caldera has expressed a desire to use 50X1
diplomatic channels to resolve the border dispute with Guyana,
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The military can exert tremendous pressure on Caldera.
His four-month-old government is rapidly losing the support of
the public, for it has been unable to solve any of the prob-
lems it inherited from its predecessor. Caldera is faced with
an almost empty treasury, a hostile congress, and uninspiring
performances from many of his cabinet members. Caldera is in
a tight corner. 50X1
EL SALVADOR - HONDURAS
The years-old boundary dispute between the two nations
has been heating up since mid-June, and may reach the boil-
ing point before the weekend is over. There is little sig-
nificant territory at stake, but both contestants are obsessed
with upholding their national honor. Honduran jealousy of its
more progressive neighbor has been transformed into fear by
Salvadoran bellicosity[
The Hondurans have accepted a proposal by three Central
American foreign ministers who are attempting to mediate the
situation, but the Salvadoran government has rejected it.
Ambassador Bowdler in San Salvador believes the mediators
have found their task too difficult and prefer to turn the
matter over to the Organization of American States, even though
delay can lead only to further deterioration.
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Top Secret
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