THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 25 APRIL 1973

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993806
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: April 25, 1973

?
Declassified in Part---Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010020-6
The President's Daily Brief
25 April 1973
L5
25X1
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010020-6
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010020-6
Exempt from general
declassification scheduk of E.O. 11652
exemption category 51141).(2),(31
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010020-6
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010020-6
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
25 April 1973
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Canadians are becoming more and more skeptical of
their participation in the ICCS. (Page 1)
The chief Lao Communist negotiator appears ready
to resume talks with Prime Minister Souvanna.
(Page 2)
The EC Commission has proposed changes in tariff
arrangements that would be welcome to the US.
(Page 3)
President Tito has failed to announce--as expected--
that he would begin withdrawing from direct manage-
ment of Yugoslav affairs. (Page 4)
India
(Page 5)
Cambodia's new four-man council faces its first
test in cohesiveness with the selection of a cab-
inet. (Page 6)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010020-6
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part..- Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936?A011600010020-6
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SOUTH VIETNAM - CANADA
The Canadian Government is becoming more and
more skeptical that its participation in, the ICCS
is worth the political costs at home. Ottawa is
particularly disillusioned by the helicopter in-
cident earlier this month. The Trudeau government
is under fire in parliament because of the increased
hostilities, including US bombing, in Indochina.
Moreover, some Canadian politicians are now voicing
doubts that a withdrawal will harm relations with
the US. The government will make its decision on
whether to. pull out by the end of May. Meanwhile,
the Canadian teams in Vietnam are compiling a record
to show that their efforts were frustrated by Polish
and Hungarian obstructionism.
Reports that the Canadians may withdraw
are bound to have a negative impact on the
Indonesians. Officials in Jakarta are
hinting that Indonesia will have to re-
consider its position unless the situation
in Vietnam improves.
1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010020-6
Declassified in Part- Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936-A011600010020-6
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LAOS
? Phoumi Vongvichit, the high-ranking "special
adviser" to the Lao Communist negotiating team, left
Sam Neua for Vientiane on April 24, presumably to
resume direct private discussions with Prime Min-
ister Souvanna.
During Phoumi's absence, his subordinates
continued talks with government officials,
but they were not empowered to reach any
binding agreements. The Communists showed
some flexibility on political matters, but
stuck to their tough proposals on super-
vision, cease-fire demarcation, and other
military matters.
Phoumi and Souvanna worked out all im-
portant details of the peace agreement
signed last February. Phoumi probably
now has instructions on how the Commu-
nists would like to implement the agree-
ment.
2
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010020-6
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010020-6
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
The EC Commission has proposed that less-
developed associates of the EC be permitted to of-
fer third parties the same tariff advantages in
their markets which these associates now grant to
EC members. The proposal has picked up strong sup-
port in the community. The British, Dutch, and
Germans are willing to go a step further and elim-
inate the special advantages to EC exports--the so-
called reverse preferences to which the US has long
objected. The French do not want to go beyond the
Commission's proposal, however.
The French oppose any more drastic changes
in community policies largely because
they fear it could lead to eventual elim-
ination of the special relationship be-
tween the EC and its African associates.
Although the French concede that reverse
preferences are of little material benefit
to French exports, they believe the rela-
tionship is particularly important now
that France's bilateral ties with its
former African colonies are under strain.
The Council will discuss the EC's associa-
tion policy in May or June. Given the
French position, the British may try for
community agreement to leave open the
question of reverse preferences until ne-
gotiations with the Africans and others
begin. It is doubtful that any of the
members will push for elimination of these
preferences with respect to such countries
as Spain and Israel, which are regarded as
developed enough to offer the EC meaning-
ful reciprocal concessions.
3
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010020-6
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010020-6
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
YUGOSLAVIA
President Tito devoted a large part of his major
policy address on Monday to calming Western fears
that nationality problems are tearing Yugoslavia
apart and that it is slipping back into the Soviet
orbit. He reaffirmed Yugoslavia's "non-aligned"
policy and, in contrast to his explicit denial of
closeness to the USSR, avoided criticism of the
West, even omitting his usual objections to the US
role in Southeast Asia.
There had been hints that Tito, who will be 81 next
month, would use the occasion to announce that he
would begin withdrawing from direct management of
Yugoslav affairs. If so, he apparently judged that
now, in the wake of his purges of the Communist
Party, is not the time.
In his speech, Tito pressed ahead with his program
for tightening central party control over the con-
tending nationalities and decentralising the gov-
ernment apparatus. Perhaps when these things are
done to his satisfaction, he will feel confident
enough to transfer some of his burdens onto the
shoulders of those in the institutions he has cre-
ated.
4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010020-6
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010020-6
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
INDIA
5
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010020-6
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010020-6
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NOTES
Cambodia: The initial task of the ruling four-
man "F67.177-6-Iitical council," which was officially
established yesterday, presumably will be to select
a new cabinet. The process will be important not
so much in terms of who is chosen, but because it
will be the first test of how well the new leaders
can work together.
Romania-USSR: Soviet Defense Minister Grechko
left Romania yesterday after disagreeing with his
hosts about Romania's place in the Soviet orbit.
25X1
CSCE: The fourth round of talks preparatory
to a Conference on Security and Cooperation in
Europe begins in Helsinki today. If these talks
are successful, the conference could convene as
planned in June. There will have to be some com-
promise, however, on such complex issues as broad-
ening human contacts between East and West and the
declaration on inviolability of frontiers. The
Soviets are pressing the West, saying that unless
a firm date for CSCE is reached, the USSR "probably"
will not be willing to set a date for talks on
European force reductions.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010020-6
25X1
_
?
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RD-P79T00936A011600010020-6
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010020-6