THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 13 DECEMBER 1969

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977193
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: December 13, 1969

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The President's Daily Brief
13 December 1969
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
13 December 1969
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The Chinese may see some indirect benefits in talk.-
ing With Ambassador Stoessel in Warsaw and appear to
be interested in sounding out the US position on var-
ious issues. (Page 1)
The large movement of supplies into northern Laos by
the Communists may be the initial phase of an ex-
panded offensive, (Page a)
The Hungarians are preparing for bilateral negotia-
tions with West Germany. and Bonn is certain to be
receptive in order to further its Eastern policy.
(Page 3)
Japan
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
COMMUNIST CHINA
Ambassador Stoessel had his meeting with the
Chinese Charge in Warsaw on Thursday. The Chinese
listened attentively to our proposal for renewing
the suspended Sino-US ambassadorial talks in mid-
January and stated that he would report the proposal
to Peking "as rapidly as possible." The meeting was
conducted in .a cordial and relaxed atmosphere and
was free of polemics.
The Chinese were clearly interested in
what we had to say. Peking may have ex-
pected a formal demarche rather than a
simple request for renewal of the ambassa-
dorial talks.
Although the Chinese have recently stepped
up their virulent propaganda attacks
against the US and almost certainly do
not expect great improvement in Sino-US
relations, Peking can gain some indirect
benefits in talking to the US. The Chi-
nese probably hope that the prospects of
improved relations between Peking and
Washington may cause Moscow to take a
softer line in the Sino-Soviet border
talks. At the same time, Peking may hope
to insure US neutrality in the Sino-So-
viet dispute while increasing its room
for international maneuver against Moscow.
Peking seems to be genuinely interested
in sounding out the US position on bilat-
eral issues and Asian affairs. A number
of high-ranking Chinese officials have
recently expressed unusual interest in
Washington's Asian policy and Vietnam in
particular.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LAOS
Since early October the North Vietnamese have
moved three times as much supplies into northern
Laos as they did in a similar period last year.
Moreover, a recently intercepted enemy message has
revealed plans to "greatly increase" December ship-
ments. To support this effort, North Vietnamese
engineers have been directed to keep the roads open
for at least 25 days during December. An additional
1,000 North Vietnamese troops are moving toward
north Laos.
These troops are likely replacements for
heavy casualties which have been suffered
by units of the 312th Division in fight-
ing near the Plaine des Jarres. The Com-
munists have not been able to make any
significant inroads into government ter-
ritory in their latest attacks but the
unusually heavy build up of supplies sug-
gests a stronger effort may be in the off-
ing.
Hanoi's concern with the government's most
recent gains has been reflected in vocif-
erous propaganda from other Communist cap-
itals. Emphasizing the government's occu-
pation of the Plaine des Jarres as a se-
rious escalation of the war, the Commu-
nists make it clear that the Plaine must
be recaptured. They have hinted that
Vang Pao's headquarters at Long Tieng may
be a target.
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HUNGARY - WEST GERMANY
The Hungarians are showing considerable inter-
est in improving relations with West Germany. A
West German official told Ambassador Rush in Bonn
on 11 December that Budapest wants to begin talks
on a long term economic agreement before the end of
the year. Hungary is also interested in expanding
cultural relations.
The Hungarians probably intend to lag
slightly behind the Poles, who on ZO Decem-
ber resumed negotiations with Bonn on long-
range trade and credit matters. If suc-
cessful, the Polish-West German economic
agreement could become a model for all of
Eastern Europe. The Poles will also set
a precedent for other Eastern European
countries in their upcoming political
talks with Bonn.
The Hungarians clearly are anxious to move
under the umbrella of the recent Warsaw
Pact conference decisions. Economic is-
sues are the most vital to Hungary and
probably will be the focus of its first
initiative. Bonn is anxious to make
ostpolitik a viable policy and welcomes
such approaches.
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JAPAN
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