THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 13 DECEMBER 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993675
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: December 13, 1972

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011400110001-8
The President's Daily Brief
13 December 1072
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B(I),(2)A3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011400110001-8
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENTS DAILY BRIEF
13 December 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The principal development emerging from last week's
NATO ministerial meetings was the expressed prefer-
ence by the French, Italians, and the British that
any force. reductions in Europe be limited to Soviet
and American troops. (Page 1)
Lao Communist negotiators in Vientiane have pre-
sented the government with a draft agreement pri-
marily noteworthy for its specific timetable for
implementation. (Page 2)
The Soviet Union has been trying since last October
to influence Phnom Penh. toward a political settle--
ment of the Cambodian conflict and to a lesser ex-
tent has been doing the same thing in Laos. (Page 3)
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NATO
The most important development to emerge from
the NATO ministerial meetings last week was the ex-
pression of preference by the French, Italians, and
the British that any force reductions in Europe be
limited to Soviet and American troops.
The French argue that such an arrangement
would affect Western European security
the least, and the Italians agree. The
British do not wish to be committed to
any action that would make more difficult
the eventual creation of a European de-
fense force. The three allies would also
like to stave off as long as they can de-
fense cuts among the smaller NATO allies.
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LAOS
Communist peace negotiators have returned to
Vientiane and yesterday presented the government
with a draft agreement. It calls for a cease-fire
simultaneous with signature of the agreement.
Within 30 days thereafter, a broadly based polit-
ical consultative council would be created and a
provisional government of national unity would be
formed. Until a permanent coalition government was
established after national elections, the two sides
would continue to administer their respective zones.
Vientiane would be a neutral zone open to all.
The cease-fire would be supervised by a joint
Lao commission supported by the International Con-
trol Commission, using the 1962 Geneva Accords as
its guide. All foreign military personnel and ad-
visers would be withdrawn within 90 days after the
agreement was signed. All future military assist-
ance to either side would require prior approval
of the new provisional government.
This draft is noteworthy primarily for
the specific timetable it contains. In
substance, it fleshes out previous pro-
posals(
/ and 1-gnores
Vientiane's proposal simply to bring
Communists into the cabinet of the pres-
ent government.
During yesterday's negotiating session, gov-
ernment representatives were not prepared to speak
about the draft agreement.
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USSR-INDOCHINA
Since late October, the Soviets have been
attempting to influence Phnom Penh's
attitude toward a political settlement
of the Cambodian conflict and to a lesser
extent, they have been doing the same in
Laos.
In Phnom Penh, Soviet representatives appear
to be trying to make sure that the Cambodians will
continue to ignore the deposed Prince Sihanouk--who
resides in China--and initiate direct contacts with
the Khmer Communists instead. They are holding
out prospects of peacetime Soviet aid to the pres-
ent government and are fanning Cambodian fears of
the Chinese.
Soviet diplomats in Asia appear to be
afraid that the US and China could reach
an understanding that would permit
Sihanouk's eventual return to Phnom Penh.
They also fear that North Vietnam might
insist on Sihanouk's return, leaving the
USSR in an isolated position.
In Laos, the Soviets have been content to sup-
port the Lao Communists and the North Vietnamese.
They have held out hope of an early settlement and
urged the government to negotiate seriously.
The Soviets do not appear to believe they
need to interfere much in Laos. Early
in December the Lao Government asked for
Soviet assistance toward breaking the
deadlock in the peace talks, but Moscow
demurred.
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NOTES
Philippines: President Marcos apparently be-
lieves he is now in a position to move further against
opponents in the political establishment. He con-
tinues to describe the attack on his wife last week
as part of a long-standing "rightist" conspiracy
against his government. His allegations are directed
primarily at the Lopez and Osmena families, both of
which have long been powerful forces in the Philip-
pines. A few of their members had been arrested be-
fore the attack on Mrs. Marcos. The President may
believe that further selective detentions would help
considerably to bring his more conservative opponents
into line. Most arrests since the imposition of mar-
tial law in September have been directed against
"leftist" elements.
Argentina: Juan Peron may announce, before his
expected departure today, his selection to carry the
Peronist banner in the elections next March.
the Peronists have tried
to agree on a candidate with
either the military or the Radical Party. Should a
last-minute accord not be reached, Peron could let
his own nomination stand until the Supreme Court rules
on the constitutionality of the residency requirement
that now bars his candidacy. Peron, who is said to
be traveling to Paraguay and Peru before going back
to Madrid, is scheduled to return to Argentina before
the elections are held.
Pakistan-Bangladesh: Students rioted in Lahore
on 11 and 12 December and in Rawalpindi on the 11th
to protest the government's proposal to recognize
Bangladesh. The students, apparently inspired by a
conservative religious party, met in defiance of a
government ban on demonstrations. In clashes with
police in Lahore one person may have been killed and
17 were reported to have been wounded. Rioting in
Rawalpindi left 18 injured. If President Bhutto de-
cides to press forward with recognition of Bangladesh,
he will have to take into account the likelihood of
more violent reaction--at least in the important
Punjab Province.
(continued)
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Malta: Prime Minister Mintoff has publicly
raised the issue of the financial losses incurred
by Malta when London floated the pound last summer.
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Top Secret
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