THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 30 JANUARY 1970

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977272
• 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 30, 1970

Declassified in 'Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007900250001-3
The President's Daily Brief
30 January 1970
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THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
30 January 1970
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Moscow's arms offer has placed King Husayn in a di-
lemma. (Page 1)
Husak handled himself well during the Czechoslovak
plenum but his personal power may yet be challenged
on several fronts. (Page 2)
The Egyptians are in dire need of qualified combat
pilots; Americans living in the Cairo area have be-
come increasingly unpopular because of the Israeli
air attacks. (Page 3)
The Italians are inching toward the formation of a
new government. (Page 4)
South Vietnam
(Page 5)
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USSR-JORDAN
The USSR has finally responded to King Husayn's
long-standing request for arms aid. In a message
to Ambassador Symmes, Husayn said the Soviet charge
in Amman offered to provide a sizable number of anti-
aircraft and long-range artillery pieces, and as-
sorted equipment in a conversation with the King on
28 January. The charge said the total price would
come to around $20 million, with 90 percent of the
materiel to be delivered by the end of 1970. The
Soviets also offered to train Jordanians on the equip-
ment in the USSR and send Russians to Jordan to help
in the transfer of the materiel. Husayn, whose mili-
tary advisers are discussing the purchase of similar
equipment with a US mission now visiting Amman, said
he had told the charge that he would need "a few
days" to decide.
After ,a six-month delay, the timing of
the Soviet offer is suspiciously opportune
from Moscow's point of view. The Soviets
have put Husayn on the spot at a time when
he is under growing domestic pressure to
take some action to counter daily Israeli
air attacks. If Husayn refuses Moscow's
proposal the Soviets can play the role of
the disabused salesman who has made a
generous offer. If he accepts, they have
a foot in the door, as they have wanted
for some time.
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CZECHOSLOVAKIA
The Czechoslovak party plenum took another step
this week to purify the ranks of the party. In ad-
dition to approving leadership changes, the plenum
created a 12-member party commission, dominated by,
pro-Soviet conservatives,, to oversee the revalida-
tion of each party member's credentials. Yesterday's
party press assured the rank and file that this ac-
tion is being taken to reunify the party and should
not be misconstrued as revenge.
The widespread overhaul of the party rank
and file will be crucial for the future
of the party and its leaders. Although,.
the revalidation commission is dominated
by conservatives, the program will be ad-
ministered for the most part.by. local party
officials who are generally under Husak's
control. Thus the replacement this week
of the Slovak and Czech regional party
bosses takes on added' significance.
Lubomir StrougaZ, a conservative rival of
Husak, was removed as head of the powerful
Czech party apparatus in favor of the more
moderate Josef Kempny who is now indebted
to Husak for his promotion. In Slovakia,
Husak did not fare as well, with Lenart
replacing the more moderate Sadovsky.
Lenart, however, has a reputation of being
malleable and may prove responsive to Hu-
sak's will..
The leadership reshuffle and other topics
at the plenum gave Husak another opportu-
nity to display his considerable skills
as a counterpuncher. So far, however, Hu-
sak's "victory" can only be measured in
terms of his success in warding off a com-
plete takeover by conservative elements of
the party leadership. Next week's Slovak
party plenum may provide further clues on
the extent of Husak 's real authority.
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EGYPT
The Egyptians are having trouble developing
? qualified combat pilots to man their estimated in-
ventory of 200 supersonic aircraft. Combat losses
and training accidents have reduced the number of
well-qualified MIG-21 and SU-7 pilots to about 110.
Pilot losses from al/ causes have averaged
20 per year since 1907. This attrition is
likely to increase as the air z4ar-intensi-
fies.
Egyptian irritation over the Israeli air attacks is
building up to the point where anti-American inci-
dents may occur. Wednesday afternoon, for example,
American children returning home from school were
mildly harassed by Egyptian children blaming the US
for supplying planes to Israel. The school is only
about a block away from the Egyptian army camp, just
outside Cairo, which the Israelis bombed that morn-
ing. Egyptian household servants, sensing this
growing mood, are advising their American employers
to stay out of the bazaar area. The U.S Interests
section in Cairo also has sensed a gradual rise in
anti-American sentiment in the Cairo area.
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ITALY
The last negotiating session between the secre-
taries of the four center-left parties ended on 28
January, and if their recommendations are approved
by the party directorates the way will be clear for
the formation of a new coalition government. The
Christian Democrat directorate met yesterday and the
other three parties will meet today to consider the
general principles of the new government mediated by
the party secretaries.
It is not likely the directorates will
disavow their own secretaries, and Prime
Minister Rumor may be able to resign as
early as 31 January. Some parties may
convoke their central committees to ratify
the decision, however, and delay Rumor's
resignation several days. This will be
followed by further negotiations on gov-
ernment posts prior to the installation
of a new coalition. Rumor is the likely
candidate to succeed himself.
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LAOS - SOUTH VIETNAM
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NOTES
El Salvador - Honduras: Troops from both coun-
tries exChangea fire across the border riesterday in
the most serious incident since last summer's five-
day war. Each country has publicly accused the other
of sending troops and aircraft across the border.
Yesterday's clash will deter efforts to normalize
relations, and the delicate bilateral negotiations
which began last Monday in Costa Rica will now be on
an even shakier footing.
USSR:
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Top Secret
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