THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 7 DECEMBER 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993665
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: December 7, 1972

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011400060001-4
The President's Daily Brief
7 December 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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LATE ITEM
Philippines: The wife of President Marcos was
stabbed by an unidentified assailant at a social
gathering near Manila today. The extent of her in-
juries is not known, but preliminary reports suggest
she is not in danger.
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THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
7 December 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The South Vietnamese drive to move north from Quang
Tri City to the Cua Viet River, is meeting stiffening
resistance and is handicapped by continuing poor
weather. (Page 3)
Government forces have captured Paksong on the
Bolovens Plateau and are on the verge of retaking
another important town in south Laos. Meanwhile,
the leaders of the Lao Communist negotiating team
will return to Vientiane this weekend in preparation
for next Tuesday's session of the peace talks.
(Page 4)
Efforts to negotiate an agreement between the Argen-
tine Government and Juan Peron on the designation
of candidates for the elections next March remain
stalled. (Page 5)
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WEST GERMANY
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USSR-SOMALIA
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SOUTH VIETNAM
The government drive to move north from Quang
Tri City to the Cua Viet River is meeting Stiffen-
ing resistance and is handicapped by continuing
poor weather* There is increasing evidence that
the North Vietnamese forces in this Sector have
been strengthened-since.their heavy losses last sum-
mer. One captured soldier claims that he Was part
of a 600-man infiltration group that was rushed
into action almost immediately on arrival. His
group, he says, joined.the 48th Regiment, which re-
placed another -regiment that had been badly battered
in the Communists front-line defenses.
In the western highlands, the combat perform-
ance of South Vietnamese troops has improved in re-
cent weeks. Enemy forces nevertheless are still
checking most of the limited government efforts to
expand control outside the provincial capitals of
Kontum and Pleiku.
Where the situation permits, the Commu-
nists appear largely content with?economy-
of-force tactics as a means of demonstrat-
ing continued military strength and pres-
ence. This presumably was the purpose of
the well-Staged...rocketing of Saigon's air-
port early yesterday. Although the re-
sults were marginal from a military stand-
point, the Communists could stage addi-
tional attacks of this nature in an effort
to dramatize their capability.
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LAOS
Government forces have captured Paksong on the
Bolovens Plateau and are on the verge of retaking
another important town in south Laos. Irregular
units in the central panhandle report that only two
platoons of Communist troops remain in Muong Pha-
lane, which has been in enemy hands since May of
last year. The North Vietnamese continue to put up
stiff resistance, however, and must be driven from
each bunker. Elements of an enemy regiment are also
resisting government moves to secure villages in the
surrounding area.
The leaders of the Lao Communist negotiating
team who went to their headquarters at Sam Neua via
Hanoi last week will return to Vientiane this Sun-
day, according to Pathet Lao spokesman Soth Phetrasy.
Soth has asked an International Control Commission
official in Vientiane to arrange a special flight
from Hanoi, saying that the leaders of the team are
in a hurry to get back for next Tuesday's session
of the peace talks.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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ARGENTINA
Efforts to negotiate an agreement between the
government and Juan Peron on the designation of
candidates for the elections next March remain
stalled. The military has leaked word that it plans
to organize a "third force" to oppose both the
Peronists and the Radicals in the elections. It
would be based on a coalition of provincial parties
and be led by an active duty officer.
This move appears designed mainly to put
pressure on Peron to engage in serious
negotiations. Although such a military-
Zed coalition seems bound to fail in
present circumstances, senior officers
would at least have someone in the running
by the filing deadline of 21 December if
President Lanusse and Peron have still
not reached an accord by then.
Peron remains the announced candidate of
his followers' "Justicialista Front," but
there are signs that the Peronists have
now accepted the government's stand that
the former dictator cannot run because he
was not in the country by 25 August. We
expect the Peronists will maintain his
candidacy as long as possible, however,
in an effort to hold the movement to-
gether.
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NOTE
India: The non-Communist press has joined in
welcoming the prospect of improved relations with
the United States signaled in Foreign Minister
Singh's Speech last week and in Secretary Rogers'
response. Reaction has been slower to Singh's call
for better relations with Peking, but most informed
Indians think this too would be to India's advantage.
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Top Secret
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