THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 25 AUGUST 1969

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976950
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: August 25, 1969

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007400210001-2
The President's Daily Brief
25 August 1969
19
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
VIETNAM
The new premier, Tran Thien Khiem, was to some degree
a controversial figure during the intrigues and coups of the
post-Diem era, and he probably has some important enemies.
There has been little adverse criticism of him since mid-
1967, however, when Thieu brought him back from his 1"exile"
as ambassador to the US and later to Taiwan. Like Thieu,
Khiem is an ambitious man and something of a lone wolf.
Thieu and Khiem have worked well together in the past two
years, .and there is no reason now to doubt that they will
.continue to.. cooperate with each other.
The president and his new prime minister probably dis-
cussed future cabinet appointments before Khiemtook the
seems to have had a pretty good idea of.the slate
he wants--but we do not yet .know how many potential minis-
ters have been firmly lined up.
MIDDLE EAST
Muslims everywhere are still indignant about the fire
in the al-Aqsa mosque, but have not as yet adopted a specific
course of action. Their UN delegates decided Saturday not
to call for a Security Council meeting. The foreign min-
isters of the Arab states, meeting in Cairo, may endorse
the suggestion that an Arab summit meeting be held soon.
Most Muslim leaders have either ignored or rejected
Israeli statements of regret, and Israel's detention of the
alleged arsonist is generally scorned as an unsubtle subterfuge.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007400210001-2
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
The incident will reinforce opposition to Israeli occupa-
tion of territory the Arabs claim as their own, because it
symbolizes the impossibility of permitting Israeli custody
of Muslim holy places.
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
The introduction of a series of repressive legal pro-
visions last week clearly reflects the increased influence
of pro-Soviet hardliners in the government and suggests they
fear more demonstrations may be coming. Individuals ar-
rested for either potential or real opposition to the re-
gime face severe punishment and loss of their civil rights.
Rude Pravo, the main party daily, inferred in a recent
article that Dubcek and former liberal leader Josef Smrkovsky
were partly-responsible for the demonstrations marking the
first anniversary of the Soviet invasion. It is probably
only a matter of time before Dubcek and Smrkovsky are de-
moted even further than they have been in the past year.
NORTH KOREA
Recent photography gives the first evidence that North
Korea may ?intend to deploy Styx cruise missiles near the
Demilitarized Zone.
2
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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LAOS: Current Situation
1-- Area clat ynder r
Cdrnmunist akaieutralist \-1
cdntrol. June 11162
NORT
V I E N A
HANO
0)14.ffek4)here
by airstrikes an rains
?"g-P,,,et. Ban Ban/
\Plaine lies
--?-.1arres
CULP
ToNK I N
Dernametion Line
THAILAND'
Communist-controlled lerritory?:;
Contested territory
2,5 59 7,5 190 Miles . CAMBODIA
0' 25 50 i5 100 Kilometers
? _ ......;
N.,
95868 8-69 CIA
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LAOS
Heavy monsoon rains and air strikes continue to ham-
per Communist forces in the north.
In a belated reaction to the government offensive
against Route 7, Communist forces on 22 August mounted
several sharp probes against government forward positions
south of the road. They will almost certainly continue to
exert pressure in order to safeguard the flow of supplies
into the Plaine des Jarres area.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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Top Secret
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