THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 23 MAY 1973

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993830
• 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 23, 1973

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The President's Daily Brief
23 May 1973
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Exempt from general
declassification scheduk of EO. 11652
exemption category 5B(1),(2).(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
23 May 1973
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Cooperation in Europe.
Conference on Security and
(Page 1)
In the last few days, pressure on the dollar appears
to have been coming from US traders and Middle East-
ern sellers. (Page 3)
The Communists appear to have launched an offensive
designed to take the Cambodian Government's Mekong
River base at Neak Luong. (Page 4)
There is heavy fighting in South Vietnam around Kon-
tum City, resulting from a government effort to
clear Communist forces from the area. (Page 5)
The North Vietnamese Government appears to be putting
increasing emphasis on reconstruction. (Page 6)
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USSR
The Soviets first raised the idea of a
month's lag between CSCE and MBFR in re-
cents talks with Dr. Kissinger. At that
time they spoke of an end to CSCE in
September, and of possible MBFR negotia-
tions in October.
The Soviets have always attached primary
importance to CSCE, rather than to the
force reduction talks that interest the
West more. I
Most Western allies believe, however, that
only while CSCE negotiations are still
going on will the Soviets have an incentive
to move ahead with MBFR.
(continued)
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INTERNATIONAL MONETARY DEVELOPMENTS
Swiss bankers and other currency dealers say
that large New York banks and other US corporations
made heavy dollar sales in the last few days for
Swiss francs. Other European bankers are claiming
that most of the pressure on the dollar is coming
from sellers in the Middle East who are shifting
their holdings into gold.
The dollar recovered only slightly yesterday
in light trading on European money markets, in a
day of profit-taking. Reacting to the uneasiness
in Europe, traders in Tokyo pushed the dollar down
to its lowest level relative to the yen in two
months.
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CAMBODIA
The Khmer Communists appear to have begun an
attack designed to take the government's Mekong River
base at Neak Luong. They probed government defensive
positions on three sides of the town early on May 22
and rocketed its center. After US air strikes en-
emy activity subsided. Other Communist units struck
government positions on the Mekong midway between
Phnom Penh and Neak Luong on the same day, causing
the evacuation of one government brigade from the
area. The Communists are also preparing for attacks
on the junction of Routes 3 and 4 in the vicinity
of Phnom Penh.
Should Neak Luong fall, the capital's Me-
kong River supply route would be effectively
closed. In such an event, the Communists
could be expected to increase their efforts
to cut Phonm Penh's overland supply routes.
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SOUTH VIETNAM
A US officer in Kontum City reports that there
has been "heavy fighting" between South Vietnamese
regulars and Communist forces about ten kilometers
northwest of the city for more than a week. The
South Vietnamese have not referred to the fighting
in their daily briefings,
MR-2 commander General Toan has brushed aside
attempts by the acting US Consul General in Nha *
Trang to discuss the situation in the area, de-
scribing the action as "light." He reportedly has,
however, requested permission from Saigon to conduct
air strikes against an 80-truck enemy convoy carry-
ing an estimated 2,400 troops spotted about 25 miles
to the northwest, moving toward the fighting.
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NOTES
North Vietnam: The North Vietnamese evidently
are putting increasing emphasis on reconstruction
goals. Billboards have appeared in Hanoi urging
young men to join "reconstruction brigades." The
signs apparently replaced military recruitment post-
ers, which suggests that the construction program
has a higher priority than conscription. The North
Vietnamese Army apparently will play a leading role
in the rebuilding program. An editorial of May 16
in the army newspaper referred to local militia and
self-defense forces as the first military units to
join in the recovery effort. The editorial urged
these units to take on especially difficult and
long-term work such as land reclamation and irriga-
tion projects.
China:
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