THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 20 NOVEMBER 1971

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005992984
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: November 20, 1971

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936X010100190001-4
The President's Daily Brief
20 November 1971
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Top Secretc
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010100190001-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010100190001-4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
20 November 1971
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The recent military activity close to Phnom Penh has
put the Cambodian economy under new strains. (Page 1)
On Page 2 we comment on the likelihood of a Warsaw
Pact foreign ministers' meeting late this month.
Japan may be preparing to reverse policy and permit
the extension of government credit to North Korea to
purchase industrial plants. (Page 3)
North Vietnam's premier is heading a delegation to
Peking. (Page 4)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010100190001-4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CAMBODIA
Phnom Penh is beginning to feel an economic
pinch from the current fighting close to the city
and from Communist interdiction over the past two
weeks of Route 5, the capital's main link to the
ricebowl in the northwest. Hoarding in the city is
on the increase, and prices have been moving upward
rapidly. To add to the problem, the economic reform
measures introduced last month have not yet made an
impact.
The tight rice situation may ease somewhat
next month if a shipment of rice due from
Japan arrives in the capital and if some
rice from the new harvest becomes avail-
able. In the meantime, however, the gov-
ernment may have to dig into its stock of
very low quality rice in order to feed the
population. The uneasy military situation,
together with the ineffectiveness to date
of the stabilization program, could dis-
suade other countries from contributing
to a proposed fund for boosting Cambodia's
foreign currency reserves.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010100190001-4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
WARSAW PACT
there will
be a meeting of the pact foreign ministers in Warsaw
by the end of this month. The possibility of a
rapid conclusion of the inter-German negotiations
on Berlin could mean that the gathering will be an
important one in the development of the pact's po-
sition on European security.
J Pravda on 18 November went so far
as to misquote East German party chief Honecker to
the effect that the German talks "can and must be
successfully concluded in November." (In fact,
Honecker said he was interested in reaching an
agreement this month--"if it was possible".)
Pravda went on to argue that preparations should
begin in the "very nearest future" for a Conference
on European Security and Cooperation.
The USSR will probably use the pact
meeting to issue a fresh joint appeal
for such preparations in the hope of
influencing the NATO ministers' meeting
scheduled for 9.-10 December,
A pact gathering also will most likely
take up the question of mutual force
reductions. Lately, Moscow has attrib-
uted little urgency to this question,
and there are no signs that the Soviets
and their allies have done anything yet
to develop a common position on this
issue. The USSR has still not officially
agreed to talk to former NATO Secretary
General Brosio, who has been commissioned
to sound out Moscow's position.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
JAPAN - NORTH KOREA
The Japanese trade minister recently indicated
he favored Japanese financing for the sale of in-
dustrial plants to North Korea. Three such deals
are under consideration, having a value of nearly
$10 million.
This would be a complete reversal of pol-
icy. Japanese business has long been in-
terested in selling factories to North
Korea, and this interest has perked up
following the imposition of US import re-
strictions and recent moves by Pyongyang
to improve relations. A major stumbling
block until now has been the North Koreans
inability to secure adequate financing.
Another block has been Tokyo's unwilling-
ness to alienate South Korea. Although
Seoul can be expected to protest a move
by Tokyo to extend credit to Pyongyang,
the South Koreans of late have lessened
their opposition to such trade. Tokyo's
efforts to improve relations with Peking
also make it likely that the Japanese are
considering similar financing of trade
with Communist China.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010100190001-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010100190001-4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NOTE
North Vietnam - Communist China: A North Viet-
namese delegation headed by Premier Pham Van Dong
began an official visit to Peking today. In addi-
tion to serving as the occasion for an effusive show_
of Sino - North Vietnamese solidarity, the visit
will offer Hanoi an opportunity to probe Peking's
current position on the war in the wake of the re-
cent changes in the Chinese power structure. The.
delegation will also be seeking the latest reading
on the state of relations. between Washington and
Peking, along with whatever further reassurances it
can. get from the Chinese..
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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Top Secret
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010100190001-4