THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 2 OCTOBER 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993549
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: October 2, 1972

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The President's Daily Brief
2 October .1972
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Exempt from general
declassification scheduk of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B( I
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
2 October 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
In Vietnam, Communist forces in the Quang Tri area
appear to be preparing for renewed activity against
the provincial capital. We have details on a new
directive issued by COSVN providing guidance to
local cadre on Communist plans and intentions for
the next month or so. (Page 1)
Laotian
(Page 3)
Diplomatic moves are under way in the Middle East
with the apparent aim of effecting a reconciliation
between Egypt and the USSR. (Page 4)
The Lebanese
(Page 5)
Border fighting has erupted between the two Yemens.
(Page 6)
In the USSR, the party boss of Soviet Georgia has
resigned amid signs of trouble in the republic's
party organization. (Page 7)
Yesterday's attack on the Ubon air base in Thailand
appears to have been the work of North Vietnamese
sappers. (Page 8)
The Guatemalan Communist party is still trying to
determine what the government has done with its
leaders. (Page 8)
Pro - European Communities forces in Denmark are
given the edge in today's referendum on market mem-
bership. (Page 6)
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VIETNAM
North Vietnamese forces in the Quang Tri area
appear to be preparing for renewed activity against
the provincial capital. According to an intercepted
message, an antiaircraft regiment stated that "the
policy is to move all of our forces ?to a point out-
side the Quang Tri citadel." Earlier messages
called for more effort to support vehicle convoys
moving supplies for the "major campaign." Another
indication of impending action is a recent surge
of logistical activity, including the transshipment
of substantial quantities of fuel and ammunition:
the Central
Office for South Vietnam issued a new directive in
mid-September providing additional guidance to local
cadre on Communist plans and intentions for the next
month or so. The directive amplifies instructions
issued earlier by COSVN to its subordinates.
The directive emphasizes that the mission of
the local cadre remains the same. Communist forces
are "to attack pacification, seize the bulk of the
countryside, and expand the liberated areas, par-
ticularly those in the Mekong Delta." The enemy
is to attack strongly in the northern half of the
country, where its main forces are close to supply
lines in the hope that such attacks will draw some
of the government troops away from the provinces
around Saigon and the delta, so that the Communists
can attack successfully in these areas. The direc-
tive acknowledges that the Communists "cannot afford
to use siege tactics in every province" and cites
the battles of An Loc and Quang Tri where "we
seized...rubber trees and bricks," but not the
population.
The directive also indicates that the military
highpoint scheduled for October may not be fully
coordinated between main and local forces. While
the main forces will try to launch increased attacks
in many places, local forces have been told that
they must attack on their own and not wait for the
start of the highpoint. The directive emphasizes
that "there can be no further delay. From now un-
til the US presidential election we are determined
to hit hard to force the enemies to accept a polit-
ical settlement to end the war."
(continued)
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The COSVN?directive informs lower echelons that
the Communists intend to realize an on-the-spot
cease-fire, and they envision negotiating with the
Saigon government to determine the makeup of the
third element in a new tripartite coalition govern-
ment. In the expectation of a cease-fire and a
political settlement, the Communists at the local
level are directed to strengthen their forces so
that each district would have at least one battalion.
The directive appears to draw a sharp distinction
between local forces and main forces, ordering that
"northerners" be kept in remote areas while the
local armed forces wage political struggles with
the enemy.
President Thieu evidently is also taking
steps in anticipation of a cease-fire.
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LAOS
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USSR - MIDDLE EAST
The public disclosure that Syrian President Asad has
been mediating between the USSR and Egypt seems de-
signed to prepare the Middle Eastern and particularly
the Egyptian public for a reconciliation at the sum-
mit. a Soviet Foreign
Ministry official has said that one of the Soviet
leaders will meet with Egyptian President Sadat in
about two months, probably in Cairo, after appropri-
ate preparations had been made at lower levels. Ac-
cording to the Soviet, the first of these working
meetings is to take place this week when Egyptian
Deputy Foreign Minister Hatim visits Moscow. A fur-
ther step, Premier Sidqi's journey to the USSR on 16
October; was announced after Asad's stopover in Cairo
The Soviets, still smarting from their forced with-
drawal from Egypt last July, have been working hard
in recent weeks to recoup some of their lost pres-
tige in the Middle East. Medical supplies were de-
livered with fanfare to fedayeen elements after the
Israelis bombed guerrilla bases. Lebanon was offered
a "defense package." Iraq has been offered observer
status in CEMA and perhaps a market for its oil.
Syria has been on the receiving end of a well-publi-
cised military airlift, while at the same time
highly visible units of the Soviet Mediterranean
squadron have anchored in Syrian ports.
President Asad most likely saw his mediation effort
as a small price to pay for the military and politi-
cal support Syria is receiving from the USSR. His
credibility in Egypt no doubt has been enhanced by
his continued resistance to Soviet pressures for
Syria's agreement to a friendship pact, similar to
those signed by Egypt and Iraq before Sadat's ex-
pulsion of Soviet military advisers.
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LEBANON
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