THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 24 AUGUST 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993481
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: August 24, 1972

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The President's Daily Brief
24 August 1972
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Exempt from general
declassification uhedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5( I ),(2).(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
24 August 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
In South Vietnam, the government's counteroffensive
in coastal Quang Nam Province has met stiffened
Communist resistance. (Page 1)
In Laos, Vang Pao is committing additional troops
to his offensive in the north. (Page 2)
The Cambodian Government evidently intends to go
ahead with legislative elections next month as
scheduled. (Page 3)
The Chinese have officially informed the Thai Gov-
ernment that they would conduct substantive talks
with a senior official who will accompany a Thai
table tennis team to Peking this weekend. (Page 4)
Peking. (Page 5)
Israeli Defense Minister Dayan outlines his views
on Middle East peace prospects in the light of the
Soviet withdrawal from Egypt. (Page 6)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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DEMILITARIZED ZONE
SOUTH
VIETNAM
SOUTH
CHINA
SEA
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SOUTH VIETNAM
The government's counteroffensive in coastal
Quang Nam Province has met stiffened Communist re-
sistance. Heavy fighting has broken out a few
miles east of enemy-held Que Son town following
two days of relatively light Communist opposition
to the cautious government advance. The enemy has
again shelled the government's staging area at
Fire Support Base Baldy as well as the nearby dis-
trict town of Thang Binh in adjacent Quang Tin
Province. Prisoners and captured documents indi-
cate that in this region North Vietnamese main
force troops have the mission of attacking popu-
lated areas and interdicting Route 1 while local
Viet Cong forces are tying down counterattacking
government troops.
Meanwhile, Communist shelling of South Viet-
namese Marines in the Quang Tri City area continues
at a high level. A small marine contingent reached
the northeastern corner of the citadel on 22 August,
but was driven back by intense artillery and mortar
fire. Sharp skirmishes were reported elsewhere in-
side the city. To the south, enemy pressure less-
ened against government airborne positions, but
radio direction-finding shows that a freshly re-
fitted regiment from the North Vietnamese 304th
Division has moved into position on the airborne's
western flank.
South of Hue, government troops clashed with
enemy sapper elements near Phu Bai and were struck
by some 750 rounds of mortar fire. The detection
of another North Vietnamese regiment in this area
suggests an increase soon in enemy pressure against
the southern approaches to Hue.
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LAOS: PLAINE DES JARRES AREA
0 Miles 10
,? Government-held location
? Communist-held location
Highpoint
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LAOS
yang Pao is committing additional troops to
his offensive in the north. On 22 August, advance
elements of a multibattalion task force began moving
toward the Plaine des Jarres from Bouam Long, an
isolated government stronghold north of the Commu-
nists' major supply lines to the Plaine. Its mis-
sion is to divert North Vietnamese troops from the
Plaine to protect these vital routes. Several
other irregular battalions have been airlifted to
a landing zone near Phou Keng, a strategic hill
overlooking the northwest Plaine.
Two other task forces participating in the
drive continue to encounter only sporadic resist-
ance. One force is regrouping on the western edge
of the Plaine while awaiting orders from Vang Pao.
Three battalions attempting to move from the south-
east have been held up by bad weather that has
limited air support.
yang Pao has now committed about 6,000-7,000
men to the current campaign. In addition, elements
from the 4,200-man force that since May has been
screening Long Tieng from positions east of Sam
Thong have begun to test North Vietnamese defenses
in the hills near Tha Tam Bleung. The Communists
have kept five infantry regiments and a number of
independent battalions, numbering more than 10,000
men, in this area and appear determined to hold it.
2
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CAMBODIA
There is evidence that the government intends
to go ahead with legislative elections next month
as scheduled. Candidate lists have been published,
and the government has sent messages to the prov-
inces ordering local officials to take the custom-
ary security preparations.
Early this month, President Lon Nol had
indicated that he might call off the elec-
tions because of concern that his Socio-
Republican Party might not win a sweeping
victory. He has shown no further inter-
est in doing so, however, even though the
leading opposition parties--Sink Matak's
Republicans and In Tam's Democrats--have
withdrawn. This reduces the election to
a sham contest, but Lon Nol could, never-
theless, complete the process of return-
ing to ostensible constitutional rule.
3
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CHINA-THAILAND
The Chinese have officially informed the Thai
Government that they would conduct substantive po-
litical'talks with Prasit Kanchanawat, a senior Thai
official, who will accompany a Thai table tennis team
to Peking this weekend.
4
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CHINA
5
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ISRAEL-EGYPT
During a conversation with Charge Zurhellen on
20 August, Defense Minister Dayan outlined his views
on Middle East peace prospects in the light of the
Soviet withdrawal from Egypt. Noting that he does
not believe:either Egypt or Israel is yet ready for
a final settlement, ?Dayan said that in his view Pres-
ident Sadat's best course would be to work toward
an interim-Suez.Canal agreement. The key4 Dayan
said, is in Sadat's hands, but no progress can be
achieved if Egypt continues to insist on making an
interim agreement Contingent on a later complete Is-
raeli withdrawal. If Sadat would give up this de- ,
mand, Dayan would recommend tO his government that
Israel in turn drop all of its previous .positions--
such as opposition to stationing Egyptian troops on
the east side of the canal', and insistence that Is-
raeli withdrawal into the Sinai be minimal--and
start again from the beginning.
Dayan said that Israel could not consider with-
drawing to the pre-June 1967 borders, but it would
be prepared to avoid mention of a final frontier and
would make it clear that withdrawal under an interim
agreement did not constitute a final withdrawal.
Dayan noted that an agreement might also--in response
to Sadat's fear that an interim line .would become the
final line--carry definite conditions designed spe-
cifically to prevent this.
Dayan pointed to other positive elements in the
Egyptian attitude, in addition to the expulsion of
the Soviets, which he implied made progress toward
an interim settlement more likely. He cited reports
that Egypt. plans to demobilize between 50,000 and
100,000 men and noted that this was a welcome signal.
Implying that Israel might respond in
kind, he said the government has under consideration
a plan to reduce the 36-month Israeli conscription
period by three months, and indicated that he is
prepared to make a public announcement to this ef-
fect as soon as possible after final approval is ob-
tained.
Although the Egyptians have indicated on
several occasions in recent months that
they might be willing to give up their de-
mand that Egyptian troops must be allowed
to cross the canal, this is the first in-
dication from the Israeli side that a
6
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troop crossing might be acceptable. In
previous negotiations on an interim agree-
ment, Israel has refused to consider any
Egyptian military presence east of the
canal.
As defense minister, Dayan would of course
have a considerable voice in establishing
any security arrangements under an interim
agreement. He is, however, only one min-
ister--and a rather more forthcoming one
than many of his colleagues?and it is
questionable whether Prime Minister Meir
or the cabinet as a whole would be will-
ing to go as far as Dayan does. Another
serious impediment to Dayan's proposal
ties in his condition that Egypt drop its
insistence on a commitment to total with-
drawal by Israel; Sadat's fear that a
partial withdrawal under an interim agree-
ment would eventually become frozen is a
real one, and there has been no indication
that Egypt is ready to move on this issue.
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NOTES
Libya-Syria-USSR:
Morocco:
(continued)
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India-Pakistan: Indian and Pakistani delega-
tions will meet in New Delhi tomorrow to try to halt
erosion of the fragile understanding that was achieved
at Simla last July. Prime Minister Gandhi requested
the meeting, according to a Pakistani Foreign Minis-
try official. She wants the two sides to discuss
Bhutto's refusal to allow repatriation of Hindu Paki-
stani citizens who crossed into India during the war
last December, the establishment of a "line of de-
marcation" in Kashmir, and Pakistan's recognition of
Bangladesh. According to the Pakistani official,
Bhutto has assured Mrs. Gandhi that he intends to
make progress on all three points, but that he would
be more forthcoming if Bangladesh would cease using 25X1
the prisoner-of-war issue as a "lever to force rec-
ognition."
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Top Secret
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