THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 19 JANUARY 1970

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977252
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: January 19, 1970

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/2 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007900150001-4
The President's Daily Brief
19 January 1970
48
Top Secret
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
19 January 1970
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Communist supply shipments through the Laos Panhandle
toward South Vietnam are increasing rapidly. (Page 1)
North Vietnam's economic plan for 1970 differs little
from last year's, except that there is more emphasis
on the civilian sectors. (Page 2)
The Libyans are in the process of sending military
forces to Egypt. (Page 3)
Despite Peking's recent public attacks on the Sato
government, the Chinese seem ready to renew their
annual trade arrangement with certain favored Jap-
anese firms. (Page 4)
The Soviet guided-missile helicopter cruiser Moskva
is operating in the Atlantic for the first time.
(Page 5)
Nigerian police seem to be having little trouble ex-
tending the Lagos government's presence in former
Biafran territory. (Page 6)
In Sudan
(Fage 6)
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LAOS - SOUTH VIETNAM
The Communists are putting heavy emphasis dur-
ing this winter dry season on the shipment of sup-
plies to South Vietnam through the Laos Panhandle.
Increased logistic activity began early in December--
about a month earlier than last year--and Communist
rear-service messages have been calling for a "gen-
eral offensive' in the movement of supplies this
month.
The level of activity is well ahead of last
year's. In fact, one important Communist logistics
unit reported four times as much traffic last month
as during December 1968.
The Communists have to move more supplies
this year and move them faster because
they did not maintain their stockpiles
during the past rainy season. In addi-
tion, of course, any new military offen-
sive in the south would require intensi-
fied logistic activity to build up stock-
piles.
1
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NORTH VIETNAM
In a series of public announcements, Hanoi has
revealed its economic plan for 1970. The new plan
is basically the same as that of 1969, a year of
only modest achievements, with some additional em-
phasis on the civilian sectors of the economy.
One notable difference between the 1970 plan
and last year's is that there is less provision for
expanding communication and transportation facili-
ties. Substantial improvements since the bombing
restrictions were introduced in March of 1968 have
presumably permitted a reduction in the priority
for this sector. Hanoi's pronouncements suggest
that pre-bombing levels of output in some other sec-
tors will not be regained soon, however.
The need to support the war effort has
been a recurring theme in speeches on the
plan by Vice Premier Le Thanh Nghi, who
is also Hanoi's chief aid negotiator.
For the first time in years, however,
national defense is not specifically
cited as North Vietnam's major goal. The
continuing uncertainties of war seem to
preclude long-range pZanning, as before,
and Hanoi has said nothing about the di-
rection the economy is expected to take
after 1970.
2
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LIBYA
The Qaddafi government is assembling a "Libyan
brigade" for duty in Egypt.
troops from artillery, ar-
mor, infantry, antiaircraft, and associated support
units were ordered to be ready for the move by the
21st.
The new regime in Libya has been anxious
to participate more directly in the Arab-
Israeli conflict, and Nasir, who is tak-
ing a daily battering from the Israelis,
may have called for help. Some of the
military are known to be unhappy with
Qaddafi's strong pro-Egyptian posture,
which suggests that he may also take this
opportunity to remove potentially disloyal
troops from the country.
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COMMUNIST CHINA - JAPAN
Chinese officials and Japanese trade representatives
have begun to discuss arrangements for the annual
round of trade talks in Pekin
This is the first solid evidence we have
seen that the Chinese are prepared to re-
new the annual trade. Earlier, some Jap-
anese had feared that Peking might call
it off as a follow-up to its strongly neg-
ative public reaction to the Nixon-Sato
communique' of last November.
There have been other recent signs that
China's policy toward Japan is not com-
pletely frozen. The Chinese recently in-
dicated they were willing to accept an-
other crapanese,newsman in Peking. They
have also released another Japanese de-
tainee since the Nixon-Sato communiqud
was ibsued.
4
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MOSKVA Enters Atlantic
FINLAND
RE LAND
DENMARK
ATLANTIC
. OCEAN
HUNGARY
PORTU9 L
SPAIN
Location of Moskva
18 January
RUMANIA
GOSLAVIA
BULGARI
ALBANIA
MOROCCO
ALGERIA
P, 97273 1-70 CIA
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
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USSR
The Soviet guided-missile helicopter cruiser
Moskva, accompanied by two Kashin-class guided-mis-
sile ships, passed through the Straits of Gibraltar
early on 17 January. This is the first time the
Moskva has been in the Atlantic, and the little
fleet is now heading northwest off the coast of
Portugal.
We have no evidence describing the mission
of the Moskva and its escorts, nor do we
know their destination. Our best guess
is that they will test their equipment
and conduct antisubmarine exercises while
in the Atlantic.
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NOTES
Nigeria: L the federal
police are having little trouble as they move into
the former Biafran territory, with minor resistance
in only one isolated area disrupting the general
calm. Gowon has' sent the Biafran surrender team
back to the enclave to help set up an administrative
apparatus. This move is one of several by Gowon
intended to reassure the Ibo people that they will
not be mistreated.
Sudan:
6
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