THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 27 MARCH 1974

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006007708
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: March 27, 1974

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
The President's Daily Brief
March 27, 1974
4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. I 1652
exemption category 513(1),(2),(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
March 27, 1974
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
about to begin exporting MIG-23
Moscow may be
aircraft to the
Middle East, probably to Egypt. (Page 1)
Indonesian President Suharto seems to have persuaded
his military colleagues to suppress their differences
in order to present a united front to civilian crit-
ics. (Page 2)
Substantial segments within the Portuguese military
are still dissatisfied with the government's conduct
of the African war and its treatment of military
dissenters. (Page 3)
The Ethiopian military is increasingly restive over
the government's failure to dismiss discredited sen-
ior officers and prosecute corrupt officials.
(Page 4)
Notes on Syria-USSR, Libya-Egypt, Hungary, Romania,
and the USSR appear on -Pages 5 and 6.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
5 .1.-140 ,1/.1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
USSR-EGYPT
Moscow may be about to begin exporting the MIG-
23 to the Middle East, probably to Egypt.
1
25X1
25X1
2bAl
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY .
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
25X1
2t25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
INDONESIA
President Suharto, concerned by serious youth
rioting in January and by the appearance of army
factionalism, seems to have persuaded his military
colleagues to suppress their differences. Top com-
manders, who met recently in Jakarta, apparently ac-
cepted without debate the official government posi-
tion that recent student turmoil and army rivalries
were primarily the work of political provocateurs
and could be ended by tightening internal security.
Neither did the military leaders object to Suharto's
moves to take greater personal control of the mili-
tary and civilian bureaucracy.
The military was deeply shaken by the January
riots and probably still has doubts about Suharto's
style of government, which seems to them to swing
abruptly from liberal to authoritarian. His recent
moves will not resolve the underlying social and
economic issues that fueled the unrest. Any renewed
signs of social tension will undoubtedly revive dis-
cussion within military circles about Suharto's
leadership.
2
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
PORTUGAL
Substantial segments of the Portuguese Army
are still dissatisfied with the government's policy
in the African territories and its treatment of
military dissenters. Petitions have been circulated
which call for a solution to the African problem
similar to that advocated by the ousted General
Spinola. Another document protests the arrest of
officers involved in the short-lived revolt earlier
this month.
Some members of the military are said to be
drafting a petition calling for the removal of the
army and defense ministers because they did not give
Spinola their full support once the dispute became
public.
Rumors still persist about a major shake-up in
the government. There is no indication that the
cabinet held its regular meeting last week.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
ETHIOPIA
The military is growing increasingly impatient
over the government's failure to dismiss discredited
senior officers and prosecute corrupt officials.
Dissident police and army units, although still ap-
parently loyal to the government, arrested several
of their senior officers yesterday and broadcast
demands for speedy judicial action against officials
charged with corruption.
Such legal proceedings pose serious risks for
Haile Selassie and Prime Minister Endalkatchew; the
Emperor's prestige will suffer if widespread corrup-
tion is uncovered, and Endalkatchew, a minister in
the former cabinet, is believed to have used his of-
ficial position for personal gain. Officials in the
new government may also be involved.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
25
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NOTES
Syria-USSR: President Asad has accepted a Soviet
invitation to visit Moscow during the first half, of
April, according to Radio Damascus. He will certainly
confer with Soviet leaders about Syrian-Israeli disen-
gagement negotiations, and he may well press Moscow
for still more arms. Asad is likely to resist what-
ever attempts the Soviets may make to persuade him to
soften Syria's terms for attending the Geneva peace
talks. Asad's trip nevertheless will help satisfy
Soviet demands that the Arabs consult more fully with
the USSR on the Middle East situation and thereby give
Moscow a more prominent role in the negotiations.
Hungary: Soviet pressure was apparently an im-
portant element in the shake-up of the Hungarian
leadership last week.
the Hungarians, in response to Moscow's prompt-
ing, will conduct an exchange of party membership
cards by this time next year rather than in 1980,
when such an exchange was routinely scheduled. During
the current Soviet-sponsored drive for orthodoxy in
Eastern Europe, the exchange could be used by conserv-
atives to thin out the Hungarian party's ranks, remov-
ing nationalists and economic "liberals." Both of
these groups are important sources of support for
party First Secretary Kadar, who has hitherto maneu-
vered deftly in pursuing relatively liberal policies.
(continued)
5
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
RoMania: Personnel shifts announced at the Cen-
tral Committee plenum yesterday are in line with
Ceausescu's frequent shifting of party and state
leaders to maintain a balance of loyalty and expert-
ise. They do not indicate major changes in foreign
or domestic policy. Premier Maurer has been replaced
by Manea Manescu, a leading economist of proven loy-
alty, in a move that tightens Ceausescu's control of
the bureaucracy. Others promoted were younger and
better-educated than their predecessors and demon-
strably loyal to Ceausescu; their past experience
suggests an emphasis on increased efficiency in the
domestic economy and in foreign trade.
USSR: The Soviets placed a satellite in a geo-
stationary orbit for the first time yesterday/
Although the satellite's mission is unclear,
it may be the first step in a program to develop a
geo-stationary communications satellite; Soviet
scientists have talked about such a satellite--
Statsionar--on several occasions in the past five
years. The orbit of the satellite launched yesterday
would enable it to be used by ground stations in the
Soviet Union 24 hours a day. It could also be used
for gaining strategic early warning or gathering in-
telligence.
6
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
25X1
Declassified in Part- Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010042-7