THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 3 MARCH 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993171
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: March 3, 1972

Declassified in Part-Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010500030001-7
The President's Daily Brief
3 March 1972
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010500030001-7
Declassified in Part-Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A010500030001-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
3 March 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
We have received our first indication of North Viet-
nam's reaction to the Sino-US communique. (Page 1)
The presence of fedayeen in border areas of southern
Lebanon increases the possibility of renewed Israeli-
fedayeen clashes. (Page 2)
The Cypriot bishops are demanding that Archbishop
Makarios resign as president of Cyprus. (Page 3)
Libya is asking the Mediterranean riparian countries
to join in a plan for neutralizing Malta. (Page 4)
Sudan's relations with the USSR remain badly strained.
(Page 5)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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NORTH VIETNAM
The first indication of North Vietnam's reac-
tion to the Sino-US communique has come in a dis-
patch from the Hanoi correspondent of the French
Communist paper L'Humanitg. The article quotes
"observers" in the North Vietnamese capital as com-
plaining that China's statements on Laos and Cam-
bodia were evasive and "juggled" the Pathet Lao and
Cambodian Communist negotiating positions. The
sources also criticized the section of the document
dealing with force withdrawals for not adequately
distinguishing between the "aggressor and the vic-
tim of aggression." The communiqug's call for
total withdrawal of forces from the region was char-
acterized as "hypocrisy" since it made no mention
of a time frame for the action. This failure to
set a deadline, said the observers, could lead to
reinforcement of "puppet regimes" in Indochina un-
der the guise of self-determination.
While the authenticity of a Communist cor-
respondent's report is open to question,
the criticisms and complaints surfaced in
this dispatch center on issues about which
we believe the North Vietnamese are sensi-
tive.
The North Vietnamese Government has yet to make
any official statement concerning the President's
talks in China, but its concern has also been re-
flected in the media blackout of all news and com-
mentary from Peking until after the President's de-
parture for home. During this period, Radio Hanoi
devoted many broadcasts to replaying earlier vitri-
olic press attacks on the US and President Nixon
personally.
In contrast to the media blackout, Communist
party communications links carried some news of the
President's trip, mostly from foreign sources, to
cadres in the countryside. "Elite" cadres were ul-
timately sent a copy of the final communique.
1
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Al Qamishll
Israeli overflights
r Raqqah
Latakia
?
? Ba niy as
Day az 2awr
Mediterranean
Tartus ?
Sea
Hamah
ISRAEL
Ar b
area
/( Damascus'
)---, /
/' GOLAN HEIGHTS
occupied)
?
.Daraa ?AS Suwayda
2.5 50 75 Miles
0 25 50 7.5 Kilometers
552628 3-72 CIA
JORDAN
*Amman
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ISRAEL-LEBANON-SYRIA
The presence of fedayeen in border areas of
southern Lebanon increases the possibility of re-
newed Israeli-fedayeen clashes, which would most
likely involve Lebanese forces.
the Lebanese Army
has been unable to prevent the return of some 1,500
fedayeen to the Arqub--the area of southern Lebanon
opposite the Golan Heights. /
Meanwhile demonstrations planned by the feda-
yeen and their leftist supporters in southern Leb-
anon yesterday did, not take place. Elements of the
local population who fled the area during the height
of this week's fighting have now returned and are
described by Lebanese officials as pleased to see
the army occupying positions in the towns and vil-
lages. Some anti-government demonstrations did
occur in Beirut, but they were brief and without
incident.
Israel has not retaliated for Syria's air
strike on Tuesday, but did conduct overflights yes-
terday of northern Syria including the port city of
Latakia. Tel Aviv has made it clear that future
incidents will draw an Israeli response.
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CYPRUS
Yesterday Archbishop Makarios was formally
asked to resign as president of Cyprus by the three
other bishops of the Cypriot church--ostensibly be-
cause his exercise of temporal authority conflicts
with his spiritual role. /
the bishops acted under pressure from
Athens. Makarios has asked for time to consider
the request and has called an immediate emergency
meeting of his cabinet.
In past confrontations with the bishops, who
under canon law could strip Makarios of his ec-
clesiastical functions, the archbishop has had no
trouble in outmaneuvering them. As a first step,
he is most likely to stir up popular sentiment
against the bishops and mass demonstrations in
support of Makarios are planned in Nicosia today.
He might eventually resort to a resignation and a
plebiscite in full confidence that he retains the
support of most of the Greek Cypriots.
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LIBYA-MALTA
Libya is asking the Mediterranean riparian
countries to join in a plan for neutralizing Malta
and "ridding it of foreign bases." The Libyans are
soliciting both political and financial support for
such an effort and are planning to call a confer-
ence to get things going if reactions are favorable.
The only response of which we are aware thus
far is from France. The French reported to NATO
yesterday that they had recently been sounded out
by the Libyans and noted that Paris was replying
negatively.
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NOTES
Sudan-USSR: President Numayri's characteriza-
tion of relations with the USSR as "very bad" in a
press interview yesterday indicates that recent
Egyptian efforts to mediate between the two have
failed. Numayri is angry that the USSR ?has deliv-
ered no arms to Sudan since the coup in July; he
threatened that he would scrap what weapons he has
if the Soviets fail to deliver spare parts. Numayri
is still resisting the posting of a Soviet ambassa-
dor to Sudan, even though on 11 February TASS an-
nounced that a new one had been appointed and im-
plied that he would soon arrive on station. r
Pakistan: President Bhutto has announced a
new program that will reduce the amount of land any
single individual can own by 70 percent. The gov-
ernment will transfer excess holdings without charge
to tenant farmers and small plot holders. Bhutto
may reap some political advantage by this seemingly
radical move, but because the ceilings apply only
to individuals, many large family holdings are
likely to go untouched. The million acres estimated
to be involved will by no means satisfy the needs
of the three to five million landless farmers.
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Top Secret
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