THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 3 DECEMBER 1973

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006007612
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: December 3, 1973

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The President's Daily Brief
3 December 1973
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 513(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
3 December 1973
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Efforts to resume the Egyptian-Israeli talks con-
tinued over the weekend, while UN sources report
signs of possible Egyptian preparations for renewed
attacks near Ismailia. (Page 1)
King Husayn's conciliatory speech over the weekend
has brightened prospects for Jordan's participation
in a Middle East peace conference. (Page 3)
Moscow is showing heightened concern over the Middle
East situation, but apparently expects the cease-
fire to hold. (Page 4)
Signs of strain in Franco-Soviet relations are in-
creasing. Paris dislikes the extent of recent
US-USSR consultation, and Moscow is apprehensive
over military implications of France's EC policy.
(Page 5)
Sduth Korean President Pak today fired his contro-
versial intelligence chief and also named new for-
eign and defense ministers. (Page 6)
North Korea has laid claim to waters surrounding
islands. off its west coast on both sides of the
Northern Limit Line, and Seoul has placed its air
and naval forces on "standby alert." (Page 7)
The current status and objectives of Romania's
fence-straddling are discussed on Page 8.
Notes on the destruction of a POL depot near Saigon,
Australia's shifting attitude on Cambodian recogni-
tion and on this week's meetings of EC finance and
foreign ministers appear on Page 10.
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ARAB STATES - ISRAEL
UN observers reported unusually large movements
of Egyptian troops and equipment toward the Suez
front yesterday. UN observers in the Ismailia area
saw what they estimated to be several tank battalions,
along with several new missile sites and anti-aircraft
units. In the past week the Egyptians were also re-
ported to have built two ponton bridges across the
Suez Canal about three miles north of Ismailia, as
well as two bridges over the Sweetwater Canal west
of the city. UN officers also noted "extremely
heavy" military transport activity at the Cairo air-
port since Saturday
Attempts to contact the senior Egyptian
liaison officer yesterday were thwarted when UN of-
ficials were told he was attending a large hastily
convened meeting in Ismailia.
UNEF Commander Siilasvuo met late yesterday in
Cairo with War Minister Ismail after conferring ear-
lier in the day in Jerusalem with Defense Minister
Dayan to explore ways to reopen the desengagement
talks. After his meeting with Siilasvuo, Dayan
stated that Israel was willing to resume the talks
whenever Egypt is ready, and noted that Israel's
negotiator, General Yariv, would be prepared with
"instructions from the government and able to sub-
mit them to the Egyptians." Ismail had told Siilasvuo
on Friday that Egypt wished to continue substantive
talks but wanted to hear Dayan's view before consid-
ering whether to resume negotiations.
Several cease-fire violations were reported
along the Syrian and Egyptian fronts yesterday. In
the most serious, Damascus claims to have destroyed
an Israeli engineering unit, three tanks, a bull-
dozer, and an ammunition dump during a three to
four-hour battle. The Israelis contend that the
clash was sparked by the Syrians firing on a tractor,
working in an area near the Israeli forward line.
The Syrians reportedly employed small arms, artillery,
and tank fire, as well as anti-tank missiles. An
Israeli military spokesman said that two Israeli
soldiers were wounded, but would neither confirm
nor deny the Syrian claims.
(continued)
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Abu Dhabi's Minister of Petroleum Otaiba, who
also was at Algiers, nevertheless says that the sum-
mit participants agreed to resume some oil shipments
to the US once a peace conference establishes a
definite time-table for an Israeli withdrawal and
the implementation of UN Resolution 242. In the
meantime, according to Otaiba, they agreed to main-
tain the 25-percent reduction in oil exports but to
abandon the December additional 5 percent production
cut and all planned subsequent 5 percent monthly cuts.
Otaiba also briefed the US Charge on a UAE dele-
gation's visits to Cairo and Damascus before the sum-
mit. In Cairo, Sadat claimed that the Egyptian mili-
tary was pressing him to resume hostilities. Sadat
denied that he had any firm guarantee from Secretary
Kissinger relating to an Israeli withdrawal to the
lines of October 22, but insisted that he was prom-
ised the US would do what it could to effect an Is-
raeli withdrawal and promote a peace settlement meet-
ing most, if not all, of Egypt's essential requirements.
According to Otaiba, the Egyptians claimed that the
Soviets had failed to provide Egypt with enough air-
craft and blamed them for "faulty" communications
equipment that resulted in the loss of about 50 Egyp-
tian aircraft to their Soviet-supplied SAMs. Otaiba
also said that Cairo asked the UAE for a virtual
blank check to replace war losses, asking for every-
thing "from pajamas to missiles."
In Damascus, President Asad told the delegation
that he was satisfied that the US was working hard
for a lasting Middle East peace settlement, although
he stressed that Syria was prepared for renewed
fighting should the cease-fire break down. Despite
the Soviets' replacement of much of the war losses,
Asad said the Syrians were still short of planes,
tanks, and anti-tank missiles.
Libya has closed its diplomatic office in Cairo
and recalled its personnel. There has been no an-
nouncement that Egyptian diplomats have been asked
to leave or are being withdrawn from Tripoli
In what may be an effort
at mediation, Syrian President Asad, according to
press reports, has dispatched a cabinet minister to
Tripoli with a message to Qadhafi "dealing with safe-
guarding unity in Arab ranks."
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JORDAN
Prospects for Jordan's participation in a Middle
East peace conference have brightened.
King Husayn's expectations of representing West
Bank residents as part of Jordan received a blow
when the Algiers summit designated the Palestine
Liberation Organization (PLO) as the sole interna-
tional bargaining agent for Palestinian interests.
Husayn had threatened to boycott the peace confer-
ence if this were done.
Husayn's speech to Jordan's National Assembly
on Saturday modified this stance. The King:
--reiterated his willingness to allow self-
determination by West Bank residents. He pro-
posed a UN-administered referendum and pledged
that whatever the outcome--a unified Jordan,
a confederation, or separate states--"we shall
be their noble brothers."
--withheld his decision on attending a Geneva
peace conference pending clarification from
"brotherly Arab quarters" of his own responsi-
bilities for the restoration of Palestinian
lands and rights. He would not "compete with
anybody" if Jordan were excluded from repre-
senting Palestinian interests.
--emphasized his standing requirement that any
settlement be a comprehensive one, and include
Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Arab ter-
ritories; he ruled out "withdrawal from any
part," such as Sinai, "at the expense of any
other part," such as the West Bank of the Jor-
dan.
Husayn's statements can be read as an appeal
to Sadat for reassurance that no separate deals will
be made at Jordan's expense and for some solution
of the Palestinian representation issue that would
permit Jordan's acceptance of a peace conference
seat.
The US Embassy in Amman believes Husayn will
do his utmost to strike a direct bargain with the
PLO that will allow him to go to Geneva. A promi-
nent West Bank politician assured an embassy offi-
cer shortly after Husayn's speech that talks with the
PLO were already under way and were likely to succeed.
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USSR - MIDDLE EAST
Moscow is displaying heightened concern over
the Middle East situation, but appears to expect the
current cease-fire to hold. Last Friday, Pravda
launched its toughest attack on Israel in several
weeks, accusing Tel Aviv of trying to pursue its
pre-October course and of placing every possible
obstacle in the way of a political settlement. The
following day, Moscow radio warned that Israeli ac-
tivity had sharply increased tensions and gave its
tacit approval to Cairo's decision to break off the
talks at Kilometer 101.
A Soviet official in Cairo, however, has ex-
pressed no special concern over the breakdown of the
talks and has acknowledged that Soviet dependents
are returning to Egypt.
What is especially nettlesome to the USSR at
this juncture is the budding US-Egyptian relation-
ship. Soviet officials in Cairo have questioned
both US visitors and the Egyptian Foreign Ministry
about this. Egyptian Foreign Minister Fahmy has
told the US the Soviets have made no secret of their
displeasure, but affirms that both he and Sadat want
closer relations with the US.
At the same time, the Egyptians continue to
demonstrate overt gratitude and affection for the
USSR. In Friday's al-Ahram, editor Haykal termed
the Soviet-Egyptian relationship "vital and irre-
placeable for Arab peace" and said that relations
with the US should not be permitted to diminish
the Soviet role.
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USSR-FRANCE
Signs of strain in Franco-Soviet relations are
increasing as each country reassesses the value of
their "special relationship."
Moscow's failure to consult with Paris during
the October war apparently touched off the latest
discord. More fundamental is France's publicly
expressed concern over an alleged US-Soviet "con-
dominium" and Moscow's dislike for Paris' moves to
enhance EC unity and upgrade West European political
and defense cooperation.
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Brezhnev met with French Communist chief
Marchais for two days in mid-November, and Marchais
has since been exceptionally active in attacking
government policy. He even published a letter with
a rare, denunciation of President Pompidou by name,
accusing him of moving toward "a sub-bloc dependent
on the Atlantic bloc." French officials have .indi-
cated that they regard the Marchais letter as a
strong Soviet warning. They note. that Soviet dip-
lomats in Paris have recently been making repre-.
sentations along the same line.
Nevertheless, a fourth Brezhnev-Pompidou meet-
ing is likely early next year in the USSR, probably
in,February rather than January as earlier indicated.
This week, Soviet Foreign Trade Minister Patolichev
goes to Paris for commercial talks during which con-
tracts for French construction of ammonia plants in
the USSR may be signed. French Armed Forces Minis-
ter Galley is expected to visit the USSR shortly;
Paris has been at pains to describe the visit as
merely a reciprocal gesture for Grechko's trip to
Vrance last year and undertaken only. after Galley
had visited Western capitals.
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SOUTH KOREA
The ouster of Korean CIA chief Yi Hu-rak in a
cabinet reshuffle announced today is the government's
most serious effort to defuse unrest among students
and intellectuals. The CIA chief had been the target
of intense criticism for his agency's role in the
kidnaping of opposition leader Kim Tae-chung in Tokyo
last August, for its pervasive surveillance on uni-
versity campuses, and for its involvement in the
recent "suicide" death of a professor while under
interrogation. Yi's successor, Justice Minister
Sin Chik-su, is a close associate of President Pak
and a former vice director of the Agency, and is
likely to be considerably less controversial.
Yi also resigned as chief of Seoul's delegation
to the South-North Coordinating Committee. Pyong-
yang had been demanding his removal since August,
and his departure lifts a major impediment to a re-
sumption of the North-South dialogue. Yi's loss
of his CIA job and the other cabinet changes do
not seem to be an outgrowth of North-South relations,
however.
The handling of Yi's removal will go a long
way toward easing the domestic situation. The gov-
ernment admitted, for example, that it had accepted
his resignation and those of six other cabinet offi-
cers so they could "assume responsibility" for
"unfortunate" recent incidents at home and abroad.
Anticipating that students would demand further
concessions, the government delayed its announce-
ment until all the nation's schools had closed for
the three-month winter vacation.
Yi's ouster also changes the political balance
among Pak's chief lieutenants, since Prime Minister
Kim Chong-pil--Yi's principal rival--retains his
position. Yi, as a personal friend, is nonetheless
likely to retain considerable influence with the
President.
Among the other shifts, Foreign Minister Kim
Yong-shik has been demoted to the Ministry of Na-
tional Unification and replaced by the current
ambassador to the US, Kim Tong-cho, who has been
a persistent target of the Korean CIA. The new De-
fense Minister is Chief of Staff So Yong-chol, an
experienced officer with close ties to the President.
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KOREA
Pyongyang claimed on December 1 the territorial
waters surrounding islands off the west coast that
lie on both sides of the Northern Limit Line--the
unofficial seaward extension of the Demilitarized
Zone. North Korean officials made clear at a meet-
ing of the Military Armistice Commission that they
undertook naval activity south of the limit line
recently in order to establish a basis for the
claim. Pyongyang appears intent on raising the
question of the future status of the islands as
well as securing unimpeded passage into Haeju, a
port it has been building into a major maritime
base.
Seoul has responded to Pyongyang's claim by
placing its air and naval forces on "standby alert,"
but has taken no other measures. In the past, it
has maintained its own claim to the islands with
routine patrols on its side of the line.
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ROMANIA
President Ceausescu arrives in Washington at a
time when his country is uncomfortably prominent in
international affairs. Bucharest's initiatives dur-
ing the Mideast war were designed to gain for itself
and other small powers at least some role in any
settlement and to display independence. But they
also brought pressures from the Kremlin to take a
more pro-Arab stance.
While in the US, he will seek
--reassurances that US-Soviet cooperation will
not undercut Romanian independence, and
--expanded economic ties that will further re-
duce his dependence on Moscow and give the West
a greater stake in Romania's future.
Although his country is a member of the Warsaw
Pact and CEMA, Ceausescu has carefully built, and
expanded, a form of independence that is unique in
the Soviet alliance system.
--He has consistently refused to permit Warsaw
Pact forces to maneuver on Romanian territory;
--He maintains a stubborn neutrality in the
Sino-Soviet dispute;
--His representatives persistently lobby in the
name of small and medium sized powers, and
against superpower domination, at MBFR, CSCE
and in the UN.
--His is the only Warsaw Pact country that
maintains relations with Israel as well as with
the Arab states.
That Ceausescu has been able to get away with
such defiance of Moscow is primarily due to his
ability to sense the limits of Soviet tolerance.
On those rare occasions when he has miscalculated,
he has been quick to restore the balance. His fear
is that Moscow will slap him down and then keep him
on a short tether.
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Ceausescu has not yet made major concessions
to atone for siding against the Soviets during the
October war, and he may feel that none are necessary.
Romania did succumb to Soviet pressure to withdraw
its offer of troops to the UNEF, and he may believe
that this was enough. The Soviets, for their part,
may feel that no further pressure is needed. Ro-
manian initiatives were irritating, but they were
ineffective.
The Mideast experience has nevertheless left
Ceausescu perhaps suffer-
ing from a sense of isolation. He particularly
resents that Tito, his fellow maverick, committed
Yugoslavia so heavily to the Arab, and thus to the
Soviet, side. Also,Tito's recent talks with Brezh-
nev in Kiev have caused him to worry that he can
no longer look to Belgrade for support in time of
trouble with Moscow.
Ceausescu hopes his visit to Washington will serve
as a counterweight to growing Soviet influence in
Yugoslavia.
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NOTES
South Vietnam: Communist rocket fire de-
stroyed the Shell petroleum depot southeast of Sai-
gon early this morning Saigon time. Most of the
600,000 barrels of POL stored there were destined
for civilian use, but some was diesel fuel stored
there for the South Vietnamese armed forces and
aviation fuel earmarked for Cambodia.
about half the country's POL
handling capacity has been destroyed, and that the
tank farm will be out of operation for at least a
year.
Australia-Cambodia: Canberra may be considering
recognition of the Sihanouk "government." Ambassador
Green believes Prime Minister Whitlam will take this
step if the Sihanouk "government" is accredited at
the current session of the UN General Assembly. In
recent months, Australia has had increasing doubts
about the durability of the Lon Nol regime. Whitlam
apparently also believes that the US, in letting
Southeast Asian countries and Japan take the lead
in defending the Lon Nol government at the UN, has
signaled its own decreasing support for Phnom Penh.
European Communities: EC finance ministers are
likely to approve a relatively mild anti-inflation
proposal at meetings today and tomorrow if differ-
ences over energy policy can be overcome. They will
probably also agree--largely out of concern over the
possibility of recession--to expand consultation on
economic policy. A separate foreign ministers' coun-
cil probably will move toward approval of a Regional
Development Fund. The French are no longer insisting
that establishment of a Fund be postponed until the
UK and Italy join the EC currency float. The energy
crisis will overshadow the meetings; the Dutch, in
particular, continue to demand that oil supplies be
shared and could block other progress if they are
not satisfied.
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