THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 18 JULY 1969

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976885
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: July 18, 1969

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007300160001-9
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The President's Daily Brief
18 July 1969
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007300160001-9
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
MAJOR PROBLEMS
MIDDLE EAST
Israel's ruling Labor Party begins its national conven-
tion on Sunday to the accompaniment of sotto voce mutterings
from Moshe Dayan's RAFI faction. - Some members of the faction
are even urging Dayan to bolt the party. The Odds are heav-
ily against such a split, since Dayan is acutely aware that
there is no dependable road to leadership in Israel except
through control of the party machinery. Dayan has made it
clear, however, that he wants improvements in RAFI's position
within the party.
This is all part of the larger power struggle between
the "Old Guard"--mostly Zionists of Eastern European origin--
and Israeli-born younger men such as Dayan and Deputy Premier
Allon. Mrs. Meir is clearly trying to keep the lid on the
dissension but her Old Guard colleague, party secretary Sapir,
seems mainly interested in putting the younger men back in
their place.
SOVIET AFFAIRS
The Soviet naval force, which is scheduled to begin a
one-week visit :to Cuba on Sunday, has split into two groups
in the Gulf of Mexico. The main group, Consisting of three
guided missile ships and two F-class diesel submarines, con-
ducted antisubmarine warfare operations yesterday and the
day before in an area some 300 miles southeast_of,New Orleans.
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The support ships of the visiting naval squadron remained at
anchor about 70 miles west of Key West. A Soviet N-class
submarine was sighted transiting the passage between Puerto
Rico and the Dominican Republic on Wednesday, the first Soviet
nuclear unit to operate in the Caribbean area.
VIETNAM
,
Communist forces are preparing for attacks in several
areas of South Vietnam, A new "high point" could come this
weekend.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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EUROPE
Despite continuing reservations by some members, the
North Atlantic Council at a meeting Tuesday gave general en-
dorsement to the President's proposal of last April that NATO
address itself to social and environmental problems. A sub-
committee is preparing the terms of reference for a proposed
permanent Committee on the Problems of Human Environment.
Some delegations are concerned about the propriety of
NATO becoming involved in the environment-al project. Some
countries believe that NATO should act only as a catalyst to
existing national and international organizations involved
in this field and should not assume the expense and compli-
cations of additional administrative machinery.
These reservations notwithstanding it appears that NATO
will take on new responsibilities along the lines of the Pres-
ident's proposal some time this fall. Secretary General
Erosio's report on the attitude of NATO governments took this
line. His presentation was favorably received by most of the
delegations at the Tuesday session.
II OTHER IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS
MALAYSIA
Malay extremists apparently are determined to precipitate
more communal violence.
the extremists are hoping that by pro-
voking further racial incidents they can force the largely 50X1
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Malay army to_intervene. This would be followed-by.the ouster
of Rahman along, with the entire Malay.uold order,'! presumably
including Deputy Prime Minister Razak. An extremist Malay
government would be formed and the Chinese community suppressed.
Yesterday's rally by Malay students demanding Rahman's
resignation may have been the opening gun in this campaign.
Although the students failed to provoke the Chinese this time,
\the Chinese are ready to retaliate. 50X1
If violence is to be headed off, Razak will have to move
quickly against the extremists. We have little hope that he
will do so, however, given his indecisiveness during earlier
phases of this crisis.
EL SALVADOR - HONDURAS
The military situation is murky, but it appears that
Honduras yesterday regained some of the ground it had lost
to the Salvadorans. Some fighting still seems to be going
one although both countries are running short of arms and
equipment.
The OAS mediating team hopes to move the two sides closer.
to a cease-fire today. The main point at issue yesterday
was the time to be allowed for the withdrawal of Salvadoran
forces from Honduras, with Honduras insisting that the Salva-
dorans pull out within 12 hours and El Salvador holding out
for 96 hours./
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007300160001-9
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Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007300160001-9