THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 21 FEBRUARY 1973

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993751
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: February 21, 1973

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010046-9
The President's Daily Brief
21 February 1973
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B( 1).12),(3)
declassified only on approval of
Me Director of Central Intelligence
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
21 February 1973
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The Laos cease-fire agreement signed late yesterday
is to go into effect at midnight tonight. Meanwhile,
both sides continue military efforts to increase
their holdings. (Page 1)
North Vietnamese intercepts indicate that 15 infil-
tration groups totaling some 800 personnel are to
move south between 19 and 25 February. (Page 3)
(Page 1)
Developments in the international monetary situation
are discussed,on-Page 5.
The Soviet UN delegation has shown some disquiet
about the Security Council meeting in Panama next
month. (Page 6)
The EC Commission has moved to neutralize the effect.
of the dollar devaluation on US agricultural exports
(Page 7)
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LAOS
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The cease-fire agreement signed late yesterday
is to go into effect at midnight tonight Washington
time. The text of the agreement is not yet avail?
-
able
The agreement will be
supervised by the International Control Commission
using the 1962 Geneva Accords as the terms of refer-
ence.
The comprehensive nature of the agreement
came as a surprise to Souvanna's own cabi-
net. Lao Communist leader Souphanouvong
on Sunday proposed a relatively simple
interim cease-fire arrangement that would
have allowed Souvanna more time to over-
come rightist objections to the terms of
a political settlement reached during pri-
vate sessions. The rightists were particu-
larly opposed to an even split of cabinet
posts with the Communists. In initialing
a comprehensive settlement, Souvanna pre-
sented a fait accompli to the rightists.
A special session of the Lao cabinet yes-
terday, at which Souvanna disclosed the
terms of the agreement, ended bitterly
with the rightists accusing the prime min-
ister of capitulating to the Communists.
Following this meeting, the rightists
agreed to lodge one more protest with
Souvanna before the formal signing cere-
mony, but apparently arrived at no other
course of action. They seem to realize
that they have little choice but to ac-
cept the agreement while the Prime Minis-
ter has firm US support.
Meanwhile, both sides continue military efforts
to increase their holdings. Government irregulars
and North Vietnamese troops are battling for the
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
hills around Paksong on the Bolovens Plateau, but
the government remains in firm control of the town.
In the central panhandle, the Communists have fended
off an attempt by a government force to move into
Muong Phalane and it appears that future cease-fire
lines are well established in this sector. East of
the Plaine des Jarres, major elements of a North
Vietnamese regiment are moving toward Xieng Khouang-
ville, presumably to counter irregular troops that
recently moved onto a ridge overlooking Route 4 near
the town.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
VIETNAM
Intercepted North Vietnamese messages indicate
that 15 infiltration groups totaling some 800 per-
sonnel are to move south through the Vinh area of
North Vietnam between 19 and 25 February. Thirteen
groups--about 600 men--are headed for South Vietnam,
mostly to the central and southern portions of the
country. The other two groups are going to southern
Laos and northeastern Cambodia.
These are the first personnel noted enter-
ing the infiltration pipeline since 16 Jan-
uary. All of them are civilian and mili-
tary specialists--none is infantry--and
they are probably part of an effort by
Hanoi to strengthen the Communist organi-
zational apparatus.
Other intercepts disclose that some of the
infiltration groups that headed south be-
fore 16 January are now leaving Laos and
moving into the central highlands and to-
ward the southern provinces of South Viet-
nam.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY DEVELOPMENTS
There was a sudden substantial surge of dollar
selling by the Bundesbank just before closing yes-
terday. Reportedly. about $400 million was needed
to keep the mark above its floor. Dollar sales by
the Bundesbank reflect in part a divesting of specu-
lative mark holdings from the roughly $6 billion-
taken before the dollar's devaluation. Elsewhere,
the dollar closed mixed in light trading on foreign-
currency markets, while money managers continued to
assess their positions.
Apparently no intervention-by the Swiss National
Bank occurred following its announcement-Monday that
it-:woUld resume dollar purchases-if-necessary to keep
the Swiss franc, from rising-significantly above, its
present-level. Gold reached another postwar Euro-
pean high with a price in London of $76.50 in the
face of heavy demand, reflecting continued uncer-
tainty.
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USSR-PANAMA-UN
The Soviet UN delegation has shown some.dis7
quiet-about the' Security Council meeting in Panama.
next month. In a conversation with-a US official on
15 February,. a member: of the Soviet delegation noted
that. some countries might. use the occasion to attack
Cuba-for its support of subversion in Latin America
and, that a sticky debate could develop in. regard to
the creation ofa Latin American Nuclear-Free Zone.
The Soviet:officiai attempted to reassure the US:of-
ficial that "the Cubans are:not the saMe as they used
to be" and hinted that Cuba may be somewhat restrained
at the_meeting
Although the Soviets will not wish to appear
weak in support for the Latin Americans,
they seem wary of appearing to challenge
US interests in the hemisphere. They
clearly wish to avoid any unnecessary East-
West polemics during the meetings.
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NOTES
EC-US: The EC Commission has moved to neutral-
ize the effect of the dollar devaluation by adjust-
ing the conversion ratio between the dollar and the
EC's unit of account to reflect the new currency
alignment. This will cause an increase in the vari-
able import levies applied to grains and other pro-
ducts covered by the Common Agricultural Policy and
remove any incentive for larger imports of such
items from the US. The levy does not apply to soy-
beans, the largest US agricultural export to the
Community.
USSR-Czechoslovakia: TASS has announced that.
party chief Brezhnev left for Prague yesterday to
attend the 25th anniversary celebration of the Com-
munist take-over. We can identify no compelling
reason for Brezhnev's visit. A Czechoslovak Central
Committee Plenum that may consider a.successor to
aging President Svoboda.is under way and Brezhnev
may wish to put his stamp of approval on the choice
of,a new president. He may also use the visit to
offer some general. comments on European security
matters.
Uruguay: The military has prevailed on Con-
gress to extend until 30 March the temporary extraok-
dinary security measures that were to expire last
Friday.
Israel-Lebanon: Israeli forces struck near
Tripoli in northern Lebanon last night, killing
"scores of guerrillas," according to an.. Israeli
military spokesman. The strike reportedly involved
land, air, and sea forces, and was said to be aimed
at guerrilla bases and: installations at Nahr al-
Band and al-Badawi. There also are sizable Pales-
tinian refugee camps in both areas. The spokesman
gave no reason for the raid. Beirut has held a
tight rein on guerrilla actions since- Israel's in-
cursion into southern Lebanon in mid-September of
last year. Nahr al-Band was struck by the Is-
raelis in September 1972. At that time they de-
scribed it. as a fedayeen training base and possible
marine base.
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