THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 29 JANUARY 1970

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977270
• 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 29, 1970

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007900240001-4
The President's Daily Brief
29 January 1970
49
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THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
29 January 1970
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Le Duc Tho is on his way back to Paris. (Page 1)
King Savang is pressing hard for an aerial attack on
Chinese road construction in Laos. (Page 2)
Peking
Russian
China
(Page 3)
(Page 4)
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NORTH VIETNAM
A French official informed the US delegation
in Paris last week that Le Duc Tho would be on hand
for the French Communist Party Congress scheduled
for 4 to 8 February. Moscow radia has nowannounced
he is on the way.
There are no persuasive reasons why Hanoi
would send Le Due Tho to Paris solely for
the French party congress. His presence
inevitably will generate press speculation
that it is connected with the talks, and
this may be more' what the Communists have
in mind. Any significant Communist ini-
tiative in the talks is unlikely at this
stage, but Hanoi might' calculate that keep-
ing Tho on tap in Paris for a while would
generate, more. interest in--and pressure
for,-the naming of a. successor to Ambassa-
dor Lodge.
The Communists do not wish to abandon the
Paris forum, and they are unhappy over what
they regard as US. efforts to "downgrade"
the importance of the talks. More impor-
tantly they probably are chagrined that
the US has been able to soft pedal. the
talks without generating much adverse pub-
lic readtion. Indeed, in view of the im-
portance Hanoi has always. attached to the
public relations, aspect of its policies,
we suspect the Communists want to get out
from under a propaganda disadvantage.
Their intransigence in recent months has
facilitated US and GVN efforts to show
that progress in the negotiations is, only
possible if the CommUnists.are willing to
loosenup. Sending Le Due Tho back, to
Paris now might be a way to get the ball
back in our court.
1
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BURMA
AREA CHINA
OF
MAP
NORTH
VIETNAM,
THAILAND
CAMBODIA
VI ET-
NAM
Communist Chinese Road Construction in Northern Laos
Ssu-mao_
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:- Muong Sing iv
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ept. 68-Apr. 69 . ?
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----New road
46
Muong Houn
valleY
gang
Communist-controlled area
Palt
4
?Sang
-cA.P.rabang
/42
Contested territory
?
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LAOS
King Savang.is pressing hard for a concerted
aerial bombardment'of the Chinese road south of
Muong Sal. On returning from Luang Prabang yesterday,
Prime Minister Souvanna called in. Ambassador Godley
to inform him of the King's orders to hit the road
"forthwith," including the Pathet Lao headquarters
at Muong Sai. Souvanna said that he did not want to
go as far as the King on. this matter, but Would bomb
targets southwest of the present terminus Of active
construction near Muong Houn, Souvanna added that
he considered it "absolutely essential' that a ground
blocking position be established between Pak Beng
and Muong Houn.
SoUvanna said the King dismissed out of hand a
suggestion that the government make a demarche to
Peking on the road building activity prior to any
military moves. The King continues to believe that
in light of Peking's refusal to admit to any activity
in Laos, the government could safely take any action
deemed necessary for its own defense.
Although Ambassador Godley was able to
forestall any Lao military initiative for
48 hours in order to notify Washington,
the Lao Government appears to be moving
rapidly toward the point of taking some
type of military action against the Chi-
nese road builders, either with or with-
out US concurrence.
2
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COMMUNIST CHINA - USSR
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3
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NOTES
Communist China:
USSR:
Greece:
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Top Secret
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