THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 16 OCTOBER 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993574
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: October 16, 1972

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The President's Daily Brief
16 October 1972
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B(1).( 2).(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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Declassified in Part-- Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14: CIA-RDP79T00936A011200130001-8
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
16 October 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
In South Vietnam, the Communists appear to be pre-
paring for a major effort against the Saigon area
in the coming weeks. (Page 1)
Cambodian President Lon Nol has approved first min-
ister-designate Hang Thun Hak's proposed cabinet.
(Page 2)
The opening round of peace talks between the Lao
Government and the Communists will be held inVien-
tiane today. (Page 3)
Israel's bombing yesterday of fedayeen bases in
Lebanon and Syria apparently is intended as a warn-
ing against a renewal of fedayeen activity. (Page 4)
In Moscow, Egyptian Prime Minister Sidqi begins talks
aimed at a reconciliation with the Soviets. (Page 4)
The Chilean Government is moving firmly to end the
transportation and commerce strike, but at last word
the opposition Christian Democrats have called for
still broader strike action. (Page 4)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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SOUTH VIETNAM ,
' MILITARY
REGION 3
DINH TUONG
Cambodia:.
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Military Region 2
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SOUTH CHINA SEA
553715 10-72 CIA j
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SOUTH VIETNAM
Communist military activity near Saigon continues
to increase. Over the weekend several roads north and
east of the capital were cut. At least four large-
caliber rockets have been discovered aimed at the city,
and we have many intelligence reports of rockets and
mortar shells being moved closer to Saigon.
The current disposition of enemy units in MRs 3
and 4 shows that they are expanding their operational
areas to threaten not just strategic roadways and
waterways, but some major towns and military installa-
tions. In a highly unusual move the headquarters of
Communist forces in the northern delta provinces,
which has been operating from Cambodia for the past
two years, apparently has relocated into Dinh Tuong
Province southwest of Saigon. A number of unidenti-
fied Communist radio stations have been detected in
sensitive areas close to Bien Hoa, Lai Khe, and Cu
Chi, as well as Saigon.
Among the Saigon government's countermeasures,
MR 3 commander General Minh is deploying Rangers and
regional forces in blocking positions north and east
of the capital./
The severing of key highways leading to
the capital?the Communists' apparent ob-
jective--can be achieved without great num-
bers of troops and could seriously hamper
defensive deployments. Despite government
security measures, we believe that some
sapper and terror units have infiltrated
into Saigon and its suburbs.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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CAMBODIA
President Lon Nol has approved first minister-
designate Hang Thun Hak's proposed cabinet list
for his new government. The new cabinet consists
chiefly of technicians carried over from the out-
going Son Ngoc Thanh government, plus a few new
faces from the ranks of Lon Nol's Socio-Republican
Party. Key appointments include the shift of Gen-
eral Thappana Nginn from Interior to Defense and
the naming of the former commander of Military Re-
gion IV, General Sar Hor, to the Interior post.
Lon Nol's unpopular younger brother, Colonel Lon
Non, has been given his first cabinet-level job.
He was named a "special minister," who will con-
cern himself with pacification. Long Boret remains
foreign minister.
Hang Thun Hak's government is not likely
to be any more effective in dealing with
the country's myriad problems than its
predecessors The 46-year-old Hak's gov-
ernmental experience has been largely
limited to his service for less than a
year as third deputy prime minister in
charge of community development programs.
Thus, his decision to retain a majority
of veteran ministers seems to be neces-
sary and prudent.
The new government fails to include any mem-
bers of the opposition Republican or Democratic
parties. Lon Nol had sought to include them in a
"government of national union," and to that end,
had recently encouraged a political dialogue be-
tween Socio-Republican leaders and the chief of
the Republican Party, Sink Matak./
/ The govern-
ment did even less courting of the Democrats, whose
former head, In Tam, had made it clear that he
would not accept any position in a new government.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LAOS
The opening round of peace talks between the
government and the Lao Communists will be held in
Vientiane today. Although the Communists have
given no clues as to their negotiating tactics,
their statements on arriving in Vientiane Saturday
had a conciliatory tone.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NOTES
Israel-Fedayeen: Israeli aircraft yesterday
bombed four fedayeen bases in Lebanon and one in
Syria. The air Strikes seem intended mainly to
remind the fedayeen and the Beirut and Damascus
governments that Israel will not tolerate a re-
newal of fedayeen activity. There have been no
incidents of any magnitude nor any Israeli casual-
ties since 20 September. Tel Aviv is certainly
aware, however, of the growing opposition in
fedayeen ranks to Fatah. leader Arafat's agreement
with Beirut to limit guerrilla activity against
Israel.
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Egypt-USSR: The first round of serious re-
conciliation talks begins today with the visit of
Prime Minister Sidqi to Moscow. On the eve of his
departure, Egypt's leading journalist, Muhammad
Haykal, provided another reminder that the dialogue
will be far from smooth Haykal warned against
"turning the page on this dispute without deep
debate." If Sidqi believes he is making progress,
we expect that final arrangements will be worked
out for an early meeting involving President Sadat.
Chile: The truck owners' flat rejection of
the government's terms for ending their strike
frees President Allende to deal even more firmly
with them. Police and army troops have greatly
lessened the .effect of the strike by keeping im-
pounded trucks operating. The sympathy strike
of small shopowners has had only limited effec-
tiveness. Yesterday, the military commander of
Santiago ordered that all transport and commerce
must return to normal this morning and warned
that military and police forces would ensure com-
pliance. In response, the opposition Christian
Democrats met early this morning and called for
a new wave of strikes, to begin today, in all
sectors where their party has influence.
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,
Top Secret
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