THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 10 JANUARY 1970

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977238
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: January 10, 1970

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007900080001-2
The President's Daily Brief
10 January 1970
49
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007900080001-2
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
10 January 1970
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Sharp propaganda exchanges between Moscow and Peking
have created a hostile atmosphere for the resumption
of the Sino-Soviet border talks. (Page 1)
The Biafrans continue to lose ground as federal for-
ces apply pressure on several fronts. (Page 2)
The Yugoslav press has published an interview with a
Hungarian Marxist which is highly critical of Soviet
distortions of Marxism. (Page 3)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
COMMUNIST CHINA - USSR
The Chinese used a Hong Kong Communist newspaper
article on 8 January to lay full responsibility on
Moscow for lack of progress in the first two months
of the border talks. The article charged that the
Soviets are attempting to apply military pressure
along the Chinese border in order to gain advantage
in the talks, and added that this behavior is opposed
to an understanding Kosygin and Chou reached on 11
September.
The Chinese have consistently maintained
that a mutuaZ agreement to withdraw mili-
tary forces along the border must precede
negotiations on other substantive border
issues. Peking would certainly want to
show it is sticking to its guns, now that
the second round of talks is under way.
Moreover, Peking almost certainly judges
that Moscow, as the obviously stronger
party in the dispute, is vulnerable to
charges of heavy-handed pressure tactics.
Yesterday Moscow issued a 900-word blast, ac-
cusing Chinese leaders of "artificially whipping up
military psychosis" and increasing "anti-Soviet slan-
der." The attack centers on China's "war prepara-
tions" campaign, which Tass claims was really aimed
at distracting attention from China's domestic ills
and at overcoming "splits and quarrels" among Pe-
king's leaders.
Such sharp propaganda exchanges are a
good indication that the border talks
will remain at an impasse. We still doubt,
however, that the Chinese and Russians
would see anything to gain by breaking off
the discussions. Both appear to be pre-
pared for a protracted stalemate.
1
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Nigerian Federal Forces Make Additional Gains
id Site of heavy fighting
BIGHT OF BIA FRA
97140 1-70 CIA
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NIGERIA
Federal forces entered the outskirts of Owerri
after shelling this strategically located city yes-
terday. Owerri is on the main road to the crucial
Ihiala airstrip, where supplies destined for the
secessionists are landed. A number of Biafran civil
and military administrative centers are also located
in the Owerri area.
The Biafrans are also under intense military
pressure on other fronts. The federal First Division
has gained some ground along the road from Okigwi to
Umuna, but has not yet crossed to the west side of
the Imo River. Heavy fighting continues in the Onit-
sha area, but the Nigerians still have not made any
inroads southeast into the main enclave.
2
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
USSR-HUNGARY-YUGOSLAVIA
Gyorgy Lukacs, a veteran Hungarian Marxist phi-
losopher, has publicly condemned Soviet distortions
of Marxism in a recent interview with a Yugoslav cor-
respondent in Budapest. Last week Borba, one of
Yugoslavia's main dailies, published the interview
in three installments. In it Lukacs forcefully ex-
plains the need for a Marxist renewal to avoid a cri-
sis in the socialist world. Lukacs boldly criticized
the Soviet leadership for losing common cause with
European socialists and characterized the theories
of Stalin and his predecessors as "tactical maneuver-
ings which are largely irrelevant." Lukacs expanded
his heresy by citing Tito and the Yugoslav self-man-
agement system as a major contribution to Marxist re-
newal.
The 85-year-old .Lukacs is a party member
but does not hold a party position. This
is the first time he has linked current
Soviet policies in his tirades on Stalin's
errors. His remarks will complicate the
position of Hungarian party leader Kadar
who is attempting to introduce liberal
measures within the bounds posed by Soviet
conservatism.
Lukacs' article appeared a few days after
the Lenin Centennial theses which implic-
itly criticized the Yugoslav system, and
this may have swayed Borba's editors to
cooperate with the Hungarian philosopher.
3
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,
Top Secret
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