THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 17 MAY 1973

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993825
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: May 17, 1973

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010039-6
The President's Daily Brief
17 May 1973
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010039-6
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of EO. 11652
exemption category 512( I
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
17 May 1973
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The Lebanese Government is seeking US diplomatic
and military help in its efforts to gain control
over the fedayeen. (Page 1)
The allocation of posts in the new Cambodian cabi-
net constitutes a setback for Sink Matak. (Page 2)
The presence of two swing-wing Backfire bombers at
a Soviet training airfield indicates that the first
Backfire regiment could be operational next year.
(Page 3)
The dollar rallied modestly in European trading yes-
terday. (Page 4)
Libya's demands that African states sever their ties
with Israel will be the principal issue at OAU meet-
ings beginning today. (Page 5)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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LEBANON-FEDAYEEN
The Lebanese Government has asked the US Embassy
in Beirut to relay a request to Washington for addi-
tional US support for its efforts to gain control
over the fedayeen and to exercise full sovereignty
over the 300,000 Palestinians in Lebanon. President
Franjiyah wants the US to persuade the USSR and some
Arab states to pressure the fedayeen to accept gov-
ernment demands made when negotiations with the feda-
yeen began on Tuesday. These include tighter control
over fedayeen arms, access to refugee camps by the
army, and the application of Lebanese law to all Pal-
estinians.
Although the USSR reportedly has warned
Yasir Arafat against expanding the con-
frontation with the Lebanese Army, the
Soviets are unlikely to go further for
fear of damaging their image as champions
of the Palestinian cause.
The Arabs see some benefit in preserving
the guerrillas' capability to conduct lim-
ited operations against Israel and would
be opposed to tighter controls on the
fedayeen. The fedayeen themselves will
not accept the government's demands and
the negotiations appear headed for a
stalemate.
The army's keen interest in avoiding an
all-out showdown with the fedayeen limits
Franjiyah's ability to force acceptance
of his demands.
/the army is in-
capable of sustaining a prolonged country-
wide campaign against the guerrillas.
Franjiyah also wants rapid US help in strength-
ening his 14,000-man army in the event the negotia-
tions collapse. If another round of fighting oc-
curs, he will seek further US diplomatic support to
deter Syrian intervention.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CAMBODIA
The Makeup of Prime Minister In Tam's cabinet
announced yesterday marks a political setback for
Sink Matak. About half of the 24 positions went
to President LonNol's Socio-Republican Party; the
remainder were divided among the Republican and Dem-
ocratic parties and independents. The able Long
Boret will remain as foreign minister, and Major
General U Say, now ambassador to Laos, has been
named defense minister.
Sink Matak had hoped to dominate both the
High Political Council and the cabinet,
but his unwillingness to compromise re-
sulted in only three relatively minor port-
folios for his Republican Party. Matak
blames this setback on an alliance between
Lon Nol and In Tam.
By the same token, Lon Nol seems to have
improved his chances of reasserting his
own primacy. A majority of the new cabi-
net ministers are generally loyal to him
and can be expected to safeguard his in-
terests.
Lon Nol continues to insist that he will
soon travel abroad for further medical
treatment. He probably will not leave,
however, until he is confident that the
other Council members will not unite
against him during his absence.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
USSR
two
swing-wing Backfire bombers were at the airfield
used by the Medium Bomber Training Division of Soviet
Long-Range Aviation.
If training begins immediately and there
are no delays in deliveries, some of the
aircraft could be sent to operational
units later this year, and the first Back-
fire regiment could be operational in 1974.
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INTERNATIONAL MONETARY DEVELOPMENTS
The dollar rallied modestly in light European
trading yesterday and the free market gold price
slipped somewhat, probably because of profit-taking.
No clear trend developed, however, and there are no
solid grounds for predicting an end to the current
trouble.
The European joint float has easily weathered
the storm on the currency markets. With all cur-
rencies strong relative to the dollar, only modest
interventions have been required to maintain the
band. The Swedish and Norwegian crowns remain at
the top of the band, followed closely by the French
and Belgian francs. The mark still is at the bot-
tom of the band.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN UNITY
Israel's presence in Africa is likely to be the
principal issue at both the OAU heads of state con-
ference, which opens on May 26, and at the prepara-
tory meeting today.
Libyan President Qadhafi has demanded, in ef-
fect, that African states sever their ties with Is-
rael or face loss of Libyan aid to them and to African
liberation groups. He has threatened to boycott the
conference unless the Africans adopt his position and
has called for the removal of OAU headquarters from
Addis Ababa to Cairo because of Ethiopia's close ties
to Israel.
Some countries in need of financial support
may yield to Libya's pressure. Several im-
portant African leaders have already re-
jected Qadhafi's ultimatum, however, and
there is little likelihood that the move
of OAU headquarters will be seriously con-
sidered.
Other themes at the conference are likely to be
the strains between Ethiopia and Muslim countries,
which Somalia may try to exploit, and the desire to
increase pressure on white southern African regimes.
At least behind the scenes, Somalia may
attempt to advance its long-standing ter-
ritorial claims against Ethiopia.
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NOTE
Western Europe: The European allies begin dis-
cussions next week on how to assume a larger share
of their own defense, as urged by the US, while
keeping in mind the security implications of the
MBFR negotiations. The talks will be held within
the political committee of the EC, thereby carrying
an EC body further into the security area than ever
before. In March the committee decided that its
proper role in considering MBFR was to discuss those
aspects of force reductions that have a bearing on
future West European integration, leaving purely
military aspects to NATO.
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Top Secret
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