THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 23 OCTOBER 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993586
• 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 23, 1972

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011200190001-2
The President's Daily Brief
23 October 1972
145
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011200190001-2
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011200190001-2
Exempt fronr general
declassification schedule of E.O. I 1652
exemption category 5B( I )21.(3)
declassified only on approval of
Ihe Director of Central Intelligence
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011200190001-2
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011200190001-2
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
23 October 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The Laotian Government has prepared a seven-point
program to present tomorrow at the second round of
talks with the Communists. Meanwhile, both sides
are trying to expand the, territory under their con-
trol. (Page 1)
President Marcos
an indefinite term 25X1
as the leader of the Philippines. (Page 3)
The situation in Chile may be easing. (Page 4)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LAOS
the government's initial position for the second
round of talks with the Lao Communists, which re-
sume on Tuesday in Vientiane. In response to the
Communists' initial statement of 17 October, Pheng
Phongsavan, the government's chief negotiator, in-
tends to sidestep the question of the presence of
Thai troops in Laos as well as the issue of US bomb-
ing. Instead, he will hit hard at the North Viet-
namese occupation of Laotian territory, a matter
the Communists chose to avoid in their presentation.
Once this .scene is set, Pheng will present the
government's seven-point program for a settlement.
It calls for:
--respect for the Geneva Accords, including
an end to North Vietnamese aggression and a
withdrawal of the Lao Communists from the so-
called "Indochina Liberation Movement";
--a comprehensive cease-fire under supervision
of the International Control Commission;
--total withdrawal of all foreign troops and
a pulling back of Pathet Lao troops to lines
existing in 1962;
--immediate negotiations on unifying the coun-
try, integrating the respective armed forces
of all sides, and preparing for general elec-
tions of a national assembly and a new govern-
ment;
--free travel after a cease-fire for all Lao-
tian citizens;
--maintenance of a neutral foreign policy con-
sistent with the 1954 and 1962 accords; and,
--freeing of all prisoners of war, regardless
of nationality, as soon as possible after a
cease-fire.
We expect the Lao Communists to rebuff the
government statement, but not the seven
points. Recently, a member of the Commu-
nist delegation told Deputy Chief of Mis-
sion Stearns that the negotiations would
require compromise by all parties. At the
moment, the government seems most inter-
ested in exploring the Communist proposal
1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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LAOS
GULF
OF
TON KIN
ARCA TION
LINE
553738 10-72 CIA
? ? ?
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
for establishing a provisional political
council. For the future, the government
negotiators are also thinking of recommend-
ing that the present cabinet be broadened
to allow the Communists three portfolios
in addition to the two they are already
entitled to under the 1962 Geneva agree-
ment. Both negotiating teams are operating
against a background of fresh efforts to
expand the territory under their control.
The Communists, for example, have thrust into
the Mekong Valley after taking the town of Khong
Sedone. They are also continuing their attacks near
Pakse in an effort to keep government forces from
returning to the Bolovens Plateau. In part, these
moves may be in response to a government airlift of
troops onto the plateau which resulted in the seizure
of Saravane, a provincial capital long in Communist
hands. The enemy's progress in the west could lead
to abandonment of the Saravane operation. To the
north, both sides are maneuvering for a new round of
fighting around and on the Plaine des Jarres.
2
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011200190001-2
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
PHILIPPINES
the Marcos-controlled consti-
tutional convention is producing a document that
will allow Marcos to continue indefinitely either
as chief executive or prime minister. Marcos has
told the convention to finish its draft by the end
of next month.
On Saturday, Marcos moved to strengthen his
backing among the peasantry-. He announced a land
reform that would turn over rice and corn lands to
tenants and sharecroppers.
3
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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NOTE
Chile: President Allende appears to be gradu-
ally Ti=ling the upper hand in the transportation
strike. More strikers have returned to work, and
no significant new groups have joined the strike
movement. Allende claims that the situation will
be back to normal by early this week.
4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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Top Secret
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