THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 19 AUGUST 1969

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976940
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: August 19, 1969

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79100936A007400160001-8
The President's Daily Brief
19 August 1969
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007400160001-8
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007400160001-8
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
VIETNAM
Sporadic enemy activity marked the Vietnamese Commu-
nist holiday of 19 August. The attacks fell far short of
what had been forecast in intelligence reports during the
past few weeks. Allied spoiling operations may account
for part of the shortfall, but the original Communist ob-
jectives probably were overinflated in many cases.
MIDDLE EAST
The Israeli Labor Party has approved nearly all of a
draft platform plank on the occupied territories. One key
paragraph still has to be ratified, but on the whole the
plank appears to be a substantial victory for Dayan and his
militants. Much is made of the need for setting up perma-
nent settlements, and incorporation is clearly--although not
explicitly--the goal.
All this confirms our belief that Dayan has no inten-
tion of bolting the party but that he intends to push as
hard as he can to improve his faction's position within it.
We note, incidentally, that Shimon Peres, his chief lieu-
tenant, is now being mentioned for a cabinet post.
WEST GERMANY
Bonn has decided to go back to the US and UK for fur-
ther clarification of the NPT. This move will improve
chances that the treaty will not become an election cam-
paign issue next month. Furthermore, Science Minister
Stoltenberg, a frequent critic of the NPT, has said that
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007400160001-8
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
it may be unwise to postpone a decision on signature much
longer. This suggests that opposition may be lessening.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Prime Minister Chichester-Clark is to meet with Harold
Wilson in London today for the first time since disorders
broke out. They are expected to discuss a new division of
authority between the provincial and national governments.
Wilson will probably try to use Belfast's dependence on
British troops as a lever to extract concessions to the
Catholics.
Any new constitutional arrangements would require re-
calling parliament from its summer recess. Wilson is not
eager to do this, because the government has gotten solid
non-partisan support in the crisis up to now. Moreover,
parliamentary debate might raise the issue of partition of
Ireland and thus give Dublin a fresh opportunity to intervene
London appears to have accepted the fact that the com-
mitment of British troops could be only the beginning of a
long-lasting and embarrassing responsibility.
SOVIET UNION - COMMUNIST CHINA
We have received from the Australians the text of a
message sent by Moscow to the Australian Communist Party
(and probably to other parties as well). The message
gives details of alleged Chinese border violations and-
cites recent speeches by Brezhnev and Gromyko as proof
2
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
of the Soviets' desire
The document, claiming
note of "war hysteria"
preparations" campaign.
for peaceful negotiations with Peking.
233 violations in June alone, takes
in China and refers to Peking's "war
It follows Soviet propaganda, how-
ever, in attributing this campaign to "internal considera-
tions" of the Chinese leaders and says China does not want
to risk a big war.
The message accuses Peking, nevertheless, of planning
to turn the Sino-Soviet frontier into a "bleeding wound"
of endless small armed conflicts. It adds that Moscow will
take additional measures to safeguard its frontiers.
The language of the message raises the possibility
that the Soviets are seeking to justify stronger punitive
measures in border areas. It does not appear designed to
justify larger-scale military action, however, given the
statement that China does not want a larger war and the
omission of any reference to Peking's nuclear program.
INDIA
The votes cast last Saturday in India's hotly con-
tested presidential election will be counted tomorrow. The
delay is the result of the complicated voting system, in
which members of both the national and the state legisla-
tures cast ballots. Sanjiva Reddy, the initial favorite,
lost a good deal of ground to the candidate of Mrs. Gandhi's
faction last week, and we expect the result to be close.
3
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007400160001-8
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007400160001-8
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
PAKISTAN
Air Marshal Nur Khan and Vice Admiral S. M. Ahsan, who
only recently had rejoined their respective services after
serving four months as deputies to Yahya, have now been
named governors of Pakistan's two provinces. The ambitious
Nur Khan, who will be heading the West Pakistan government,
may now have a better chance to establish an image distinct
from Yahya's; Ahsan, meanwhile, is saddled with the virtually
insoluble problems of the eastern sector. These appointments
also suggest that a return to civilian rule will be slow in-
deed in coming.
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007400160001-8
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007400160001-8
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007400160001-8