THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 24 OCTOBER 1973

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993965
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: October 24, 1973

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The President's Daily Brief
24 October 1973
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B( l),(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
24 October 1973
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Israel and Egypt have agreed to the new cease-fire
resolution. Israeli forces were inside Suez city
as the cease-fire was to take effect, following a
day of heavy fighting in the area. (Page 1)
Saudi Arabian officials would like to minimize the
damage the current crisis may do to US-Saudi rela-
tions, but they may consider applying additional
pressures on the US if there is no Israeli with-
drawal from some Arab lands. (Page 3)
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait
(Page 4)
Ethiopia has broken relations with Israel, the ninth
and most important black African state to do so
since the war started. (Page 5)
Lon Nol has formally reactivated the Cambodian legis-
lature amid indications that while the cabinet he
announced on Sunday may be more competent, it is un-
likely to be any more popular than its predecessor.
Sihanouk has also made some changes in his "govern-
ment." (Page 6)
The new government in Turkey, if headed by Bulent
Ecevit, may lift the ban on opium production.
(Page 7)
Notes on the World Peace
Congress in Moscow, North Vietnamese troop infiltra-
tion into the South, and the latest Sino - North
Vietnamese agreements appear on Page 8.
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a
Suez Canal Zone
As Salihiljah
=
7e-oricentrations,of
IsraeIuarmor
Territory .
claimed by,,lifrigade
Israeli forces .
Jabal al
----Mechanized Jufrah
division
Cairo. ents .
Internadolial
EINZN-
V..ly Wadi al
Cairo
Jandali.
O Kilometers 20
O Statute miles.
O Nautical Miles
Israeli Forces
Egyptian.Forces ?
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
ARAB STATES - ISRAEL
Israel and Egypt have agreed to a new cease-
fire, which was to have taken effect at one o'clock
this morning. Hostile military activity decreased
sharply, although some skirmishing was reported in
the area of Suez city and along the east bank of
the canal after the cease-fire was to have taken ef-
fect.
The Security Council resolution approved last
night reaffirms the cease-fire call of last Monday
and urges all parties to return to the positions
they occupied at the time that truce became effec-
tive. The new resolution also requests the Secretary
General to dispatch UN observers to supervise the
cease-fire along the Egyptian front.
Three UN observer teams were to be sent to the
west bank of the Suez Canal, and Israeli Defense Min-
ister Dayan was scheduled to meet last night with a
UN representative to discuss the placement of ob-
servers along the east bank. Some UN teams have re-
mained on the Syrian front throughout the war and
should continue reporting without additional instruc-
tions. Damascus has finally announced its acceptance
of the initial cease-fire resolution.
On the Egyptian front yesterday, heavy fighting
occurred near Suez as the Israelis continued to push
south. By late evening, an Israeli armored column
had reached Adabiya on the Gulf of Suez. Later re-
ports indicate that Israeli units were advancing on
Suez city, and by the time the cease-fire was to go
into effect lead elements were engaging Egyptians in
the naval base inside the city.
/If the city were to
fall, Egyptian forces in the southern sector of the
Sinai would be cut off from their supply lines and
the Israelis could effectively block their return
from the east bank.
(continued)
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The Syrian Front
c,-
17(/ *Rashayya
'14lianon
Fighting
continues
0001'
Damascus
232 .
AlicrirOCCan
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, 4.
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/
\
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j/ Estimated Israeli-
\ \occupied territory
?Baniyas
Qatana
Syrian
division'
\ Syrian defense
line
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?AI Kiswah
Syrian
division
Damascus!
International
Marl
Ruhayyil
y Brigade
sic, * ac-
. LI., .....-,
_,..Brigade
Israeli Cease Brigade
-Fire-siThi,dt - 711 ech Charr
Line, 10 kune 1967 ) r .
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Al Qunaytirah
GOLAN
HEIGHTS
Mashara?
ISyrian
\ I brigade
-421.
I Jordanian
brigades
\
L?Kudnah
Brigade/ RafZi7
Butayhah ?47
Khisfin ?
Wadi ar Ruqqad
Syrian Cease-Fire
Line, 10 June 1967
Jordan
Saudi
brigade
-"aMs
?Dayr al Adas
pTell Aantar
N,?....Kafr Shams
diVsion
/Al \
Iraqi .? As Sanamayn
I task force (
( Harrah
. \ Sy'r i a
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\ Jasim
Nawa
,4?Shaykh Miskin
Advanced elements o
new Saudi brigade
Dar
0 5 10 15
Kilometers
0 5 10
Miles
15
554781 10-73 CIA
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Fighting on the Syrian front yesterday was .
limited to air strikes and artillery duels in the
Mount Hermon area. Damascus claimed to have shot
down 11 Israeli aircraft, while Tel Aviv said it
destroyed 10 Syrian fighters. Early this morning,
the Israelis were shelling the ports of Latakia and
Baniyas from offshore.
Damascus claimed that
one Israeli vessel was sunk.
In a speech to the Knesset yesterday, Prime
Minister Meir emphasized that Israel had accepted
the cease-fire on Monday from a position of strength.
She noted that Israeli forces on the west bank of
the Suez Canal constitute a powerful base from which
to launch future operations if they become necessary.
Mrs. Meir stressed again the necessity for direct
negotiations between Israel and the Arabs, adding
that there would be "no Israeli withdrawal until a
binding peace settlement" is achieved.
Cairo claimed that the Meir speech proved Is-
rael's responsibility for the cease-fire violations,
and asserted that the US, as a sponsor of the
cease-fire resolution, has a special responsibility
for curbing Israel.
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SAUDI ARABIA - US
The US Embassy in Jidda reports that senior
Saudi officials want to minimize the damage the pres-
ent crisis may do to US-Saudi relations, and that
they view a cease-fire as an important positive step.
If a cease-fire is not followed by an Israeli with-
drawal from at least some Arab lands, or if renewed
fighting results in major Arab reversals, the Saudis
may consider applying more pressure on the US.
told the embassy
that King Faysal may have in mind a number of addi-
tional sanctions, and that the nationalization of
ARAMCO is probably high on the list. Other measures
could include further cuts in oil production, termi-
nation of US military overflights, and withdrawal of
Saudi funds from the US.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
ARAB MONETARY ACTIVITY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
AFRICA-ISRAEL
Ethiopia yesterday became the ninth and most
important black African country to sever relations
with Israel since the beginning of the war in the
Middle East. Ethiopia had long maintained strong
ties with Israel, which has been second only to the
US as a source of technical and military assistance.
The Emperor apparently came to believe, however,
that he could no longer resist pressures from both
the Arab and African camps.
Haile Selassie's decision may influence other
important African leaders who are still on the
fence, particularly Nigeria's General Gowon, the
current head of the OAU. Gowon has been under in-
tense pressure from within his own government and
from Arab states to break with Israel. Continued
fighting and Israeli diplomatic rigidity on a set-
tlement could convince him to follow Ethiopia's
example.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CAMBODIA
President Lon Nol formally informed the legis-
lature yesterday that the High Political Council
would continue as the country's ruling executive.
The President also authorized the legislature--which
has been in suspension for the past six months--to
resume an active governmental role. Although the
other three members of the council were opposed in
varying degrees to the legislature's recall, Lon Nol
evidently won them over by giving posts to their po-
litical supporters in the new cabinet announced on
October 21.
The new cabinet broadens the government's sup-
port; for the first time in over a year it includes
representatives from the opposition Republican Party.
The US Embassy suggests that the appointment of rea-
sonably competent vice prime ministers may lead to
some improvement in the government's performance,
but that it is unlikely to be any more popular than
its predecessor.
The "new" look in Phnom Penh probably will not
help to bridge the growing gap between the military
establishment and the civilian leadership, however.
Such key officers as Cambodian Army commander in chief
General Fernandez recently have been contending again
that the army is being "neglected" and that the war
effort is being undercut as a result of civilian pol-
iticking.
Meanwhile, Prince Sihanouk has announced in Pe-
king that all cabinet posts within his "government"--
except the foreign ministry--will be turned over to
the leaders of the "internal resistance." Most of
the individuals who will lose their cabinet positions
are members of the Prince's entourage.
Sihanouk indicated that this move is aimed at
giving more ammunition to his backers at the UN, who
are seeking to disprove charges that the Sihanouk
government is a government-in-exile. Sihanouk did
not name the new cabinet members, but a cabinet
chosen from among insurgent leaders in the field
probably will be less responsive to the Prince.
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TURKEY
The new government that will take office shortly
after the newly elected representatives to the Na-
tional Assembly are sworn in today could lift the
ban on opium production. Republican People's Party
leader Ecevit, who may form a coalition government
with the right-wing National Salvation Party, re-
portedly believes US compensation is inadequate,
and has indicated that he hopes to have the ban
lifted by the end of the year.
The two parties also have some other economic
and foreign policy views in common, but they repre-
sent opposite sides in Turkey's basic schism between
Westernization and Islamic traditionalism. The coa-
lition will be inherently fragile and will have a
hard time pushing legislation through parliament.
Suleyman Demirel, the leader of the Justice
Party, which lost about a fourth of its seats in
the assembly, says his party will play the role of
a "responsible opposition." Demirel is not anxious
to bring down the next government and force early
elections, preferring to give the Republicans time
to make mistakes and his own party time to reorgan-
ize.
Most junior army officers reportedly are happy
with Ecevit's victory, believing that he will develop
a more self-reliant and independent foreign policy
for Turkey. Thus far, there has been no reaction
from the senior officers who consider themselves the
guardians of Ataturk's modernizing reforms.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NOTES
USSR:
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World Peace Congress: The opening session of
the World Peace Congress in Moscow tomorrow will prob-
ably hear an address by Brezhnev. Although Moscow is
in firm control of the Congress, one "non-socialist"
attendee, Sean McBride of Amnesty International, has
raised the issue of Soviet treatment of dissidents
at preliminary work sessions and may do so at the
Congress itself.
Vietnam: Hanoi will continue to dispatch reg-
ular combat infiltration groups at the rate of "one
group a day," according to an intercept from the
North Vietnamese panhandle. About 18,000 troops
have set out since the beginning of September. Of
these, 4,000 are headed for northern South Vietnam;
the remainder are earmarked for duty along the lo-
gistics system in Laos, Cambodia, and western South
Vietnam.
China - North Vietnam: A trade agreement and
a protocol on Chinese economic aid were signed late
last week, completing negotiations for aid and trade
for next year. Such agreements have been concluded
annually since 1970, and have been heavily weighted
on the side of military aid. This presumably is no
longer the case, although the announcement was not
specific.
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Top Secret
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