THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 6 JUNE 1970

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977496
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 19
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: June 6, 1970

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The President's Daily Brief
6 June 1970
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LATE ITEM
CAMBODIA
A Cambodian Government spokesman said this
morning that Siem Reap city and its airport have
come under Communist attack, according to press
reports. The size of the attacking force and its
composition have not yet been determined. The gov-
ernment is said to be trying urgently to get rein-
forcements to the area.
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THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
6 June 1970
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Events in Cambodia are discussed. on Page 1.
In Laos, no major military activity was reported
yesterday, but intercepts point to impending Commu-
nist actions in the south. (Page 3)
Recent Communist attacks in South Vietnam have been
characterized mainly by shelling of military and
urban targets. [
/ (Page 4)
On Page 6 we offer some thoughts on the forthcoming
visit to New York of Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister
Firyubin-.
Incidents on the Israeli-Jordanian border have
raised tempers in both Tel Aviv and Amman. (Page 8)
Panama expects major US concessions to follow from
its extension of the Rio Hato Base Agreement. (Page 9)
Satellite photography has identified two new groups
of SS-11 silos in the USSR. (Page 10)
Madame Binh's departure from Paris will leave no
high-level representative in either of the Vietnam-
ese Communist delegations there. (Page 10)
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Cambodia: Current Situation
,THAILAND
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SOUTH
CHINA SEA
987866-70 CIA
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CAMBODIA
Two government battalions, backed by air and
armor support, Moved into the village of Setbo,
south of Phnom Penh', yesterday, ?meeting only token
enemy resistance,,
elements of 4 Communist regiment are still in the
area, however,, A buildup of. Communist forces was
also reported near Saang, a river town some 18 miles
south of Phnom Penh that was held briefly by the
Communists in late April, Several government bat-
talions have been ordered to sweep the BasSac River
area between Setbo and Saang.
Kompong Thom town is still besieged by Commu-
nist forces, but the four Cambodian battalions there
appear to be holding their own. They are receiving
some tactical support from the Cambodian Air Force,
and supplies are being dropped to them. The regional
commander has asked for at? least two Khmer Krom or
paratroop battalions to launch a counterattack.
In the northeast, the Communists placed mortar
fire on Bokheo town in Ratanakiri Province, but
without serious effect. The nearby position at La-
bansiek continues to be harassed.
Government officials in Preah Vihear Province
are now reporting Communist troop movements west of
Route 12; it appears that the provincial capital of
Tbenq Meanchev has fallen.
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According to Cambodian intercepts, Vietnamese
Communist troops are moving through a district in
eastern Siem Reap Province. This would represent
the Communists deepest westward penetration, but
it is possible that the troops are indigenous Cam-
bodian insurgents. The Communists are telling vil-
lagers that Siem Reap city will be attacked soon.
Such reports probably dictated Phnom Penh's decision
to suspend temporarily tourist travel to nearby
Angkor Wat for "security reasons."
(continued)
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According to our embassy in Bangkok, there has
been considerable debate in the Thai cabinet over
the kind of military support to be given Cambodia.
Prime Minister. Thanom and his deputy, General Pra-
phat, appeared to incline toward sending regular
Thai? troops. Under the urging of Foreign Minister
Thanat, however, it was decided to send only ethnic
Cambodian volunteers, who would serve as an integral
part of the Cambodian Army.
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Laos: Current Situation
Communist-controlled territory
Contested territory
98787 6-70 CIA
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LAOS
? The fighting in the Sam Thong -Tha Tam Bleung
sector has tapered off, and government forces are
regrouping to go back on the offensive soon. A guer-
rilla battalion, airlifted from Long Tieng, has re-
occupied the positions on Phou Long Mat ridge lost
on 4 June.
In southern Laos, enemy units fired rockets at
PS-38, the guerrilla base west of Attopeu, but did
no damage. Laotian Army patrols encountered small
enemy units around Saravane, but no major clashes
developed.
Recent intercepts between Pathet Lao ele-
ments 'operating near Saravane providejsome
insight into Communist tactical planning
in this area. According to these messages,
an attack on the nearby guerrilla base at
Ban Nong Boua will be mounted on 8 June.
An assault on Saravane is to follow on 25
June. Intercepted Pathet Lao reports on
future military operations have proved to
be inaccurate in the past with respect to
timing. It seems plausible, however, that
the Communists would want to eliminate any
sources of opposition in the Saravane area
before seizing the provincial capital.
3
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SOUTH VIETNAM
The early June upsurge of the Communists'
"spring" campaign so far has consisted largely of
shelling military and urban targets in South Viet-
nam's I, II, and IV corps. This phase of enemy
action may last several more days.
Enemy forces marked the opening days of
April and May with similar efforts, but
with each series the scope :and intensity
has been decreasing. This may be due not
only to increased enemy difficulties, but
also to allied pre-emptive measures
(continued)
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
USSR
Deputy Foreign Minister Firyubin, who is re-
sponsible for South and Southeast Asia, is coming
to New York on Sunday as a "guest" of Ambassador
to the UN Malik. No reason has been given for his
trip. .
If the visit has political significance,
Firyubin's task probably is related to
the situation in Indochina, where the So-
viet position has deteriorated badly in
recent weeks while China has made corre-
sponding gains. The spread of the war
into Cambodia has pushed North Vietnam
toward Chinese positions and delivered
Sihanouk into Peking's hands. In these
circumstances, Moscow's best chance of
getting back into the act is via the dip-
lomatic route.
If this is Firyubin's mission, several
possibilities occur to us:
--He might be charged with taking sound-
ings on the possibility of international
action to restore Cambodian "neutrality"
after 30 June. This would be intended to
force ARVN to depart Cambodia with the US
forces and to restore the operating con-
ditions which the Vietnamese Communists
enjoyed until last month. Firyubin might
try to stimulate and build on the efforts
of others, such as U Thant, to organize
international efforts in this direction.
--He might have a private message for the
US to the effect that the present is a
propitious time for Washington to make a
new diplomatic gesture, such as the dis-
patch of a high-level negotiator to Paris.
Recent Soviet statements to third coun-
tries, alleging that great strains have
been placed on North Vietnamese resources
by the Cambodian action, could have been
intended to prepare the ground for this
pitch, which would be accompanied by warn-
ings that, unless the deadlock were broken,
Chinese influence in Indochina would con-
tinue to grow.
(continued)
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--His instructions might go no further
than to put in an appearance, remind UN
diplomats of the USSR's 1969 proposal on
Asian collective security, and generally
manifest continuing Soviet interest and
involvement in the area.
Projects of the first two sorts would face
formidable obstacles. Neither Hanoi nor
Peking (nor Moscow, for that matter) has
ever accepted any UN competence in Indo-
chinese questions. North Vietnam's pro-
pensity to negotiate is currently at a
nadir. Nor can the Soviets have much hope
that the US is ready to lower its terms at
the present moment.
Despite these odds, Firyubin's trip sug-
gests that Moscow is casting about for some
way to reinject itself into the game. In
the face of its recent setbacks, Moscow
may have decided to take a more independent
Zine rather than clearing everything with
Hanoi. The trouble is that, if Moscow is
readier to play its own hand, this is only
because it has hardly any leverage left
over Hanoi.
7
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08788 6-70.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
ISRAEL JORDAN
A. series of incidents on the Istaeli-Jordanian
border has raised tempers in both Israel and Jordan
and could spiral even further into more serious
military clashes. Israel has lost a half dozen
dead in Bet Shean Valley in the last few days
through fedayeen and Jordanian Army shelling8.
Tel Aviv says it will take stronger action includ-
ing "even crossing the border" if Husayn is not
able to bring the fedayeen and Jordanian and Iraqi
forces? under control.
Fedayeen firing on Israeli settlements
in the Bet Shean Valley has been a con-
tinuing problem for both Tel Aviv and
Amman. The latter has tried hard--and
with some success tocurb fedayeen ac-
tion there, but lately the fedayeen have
gotten out of hand. The Israelis retal-
iated with the indiscriminate shelling
of the town of Irbid, and Jordanian
forces countered by lobbing shells into
Israeli Tiberias. Some Israelis are con-
vinced that if they are to control the
situation, they will have to move across
the valley and clean out the high ground.
Israeli patrols have been sweeping into
desolate southern Jordan from time to
time, and of course most recently into
southern Lebanon, with relative impunity.
A move into northern Jordan could be the
catalyst for far more trouble.
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Panama Seeks Concessions for Rio Hato
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PANAMA
In a talk with Ambassador Sayre yesterday,? Pres-
ident Lakas reaffirmed his government's willingness
to allow the US to use Rio Hato, a major air base and
training area outside the Canal Zone, after the exist-
ing agreement expires in August, Lakas made it clear,
however, that he expects the US to reciprocate by
granting a number of Panamanian requests.
Top Panamanian officials have recently tried
to persuade the US to return certain areas
within the Canal Zone, such as military air-
fields and the docks at Colon and Balboa.
Earlier this week, the Panamanian charge
in Washington stressed his government's in-
terest in gaining an increased sugar quota,
an annual rent for Rio Hato, and the return
of a disused airfield, Old France Field.
The government has not yet settled on a
specific quid pro quo for Rio Hato and may
even, in advance of any concessions by the
US, extend the agreement for one year.
Nevertheless, the government's revenue prob-
lems and its wish to increase its popular
support by demonstrating its ability to
deal effectively with the US make it likely
that Panamanian demands eventually will be-
come insistent.
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NOTES
USSR: Two new groups of ten SS-11 subs each
have been identified in the latest satellite photog-
raphy . of. the Derazhnya MRBM complex. Construction
of the new groups probably began about. the first of
this ' year. A total of 12 SS-1L groups has now been
identified at - Derazhnya and at. the Pervomaysk IRBM
Complex. Five of these groups are operational; con.,
struction is continuing at the remaining sever/ AnA
they should be completed by early next year.
Paris Talks: Madame Binh, the Viet Cong.' s
"foreign minister," has announced that , she is return-
ing- to Vietnam. Her departure will leave no. high-
level - delegate in either- .of the Vietnamese Communist
delegations . The Communists' have been careful not
to scuttle the Paris talks completely, but they
clearly see- no immediate prospects for meaningful
. negotiations in' this forum.
10
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Top Secret
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