THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 13 MAY 1974

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006007955
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: May 13, 1974

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012100010012-9
The President's Daily Brief
May ,13, 1974
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012100010012-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012100010012-9
Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 513(1),521.(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012100010012-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012100010012-9
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
May 13, 1974
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Laos
(Page 1)
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(Page 2)
Cam-
Fedayeen leaders are continuing the meetings begun
last week to complete agreement on settlement issues.
(Page 3)
The press of domestic business may have forced aging
Premier Chou En-lai to cut back on protocol duties.
(Page 4)
Fighting was light on the Golan front over the week-
end. (Page 5)
In Portugal, consultations between the ruling junta
and a wide range of political leaders have increased
as ?the junta prepares to name a provisional govern-
ment this week. (Page 5)
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LAOS
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VIETNAM-CAMBODIA
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FEDAYEEN
Fedayeen leaders are continuing the meetings
begun last week to complete agreement on settlement
issues. Significant differences apparently remain
over whether to attend the Geneva conference and
work for the establishment of a Palestinian state
made up of the West Bank and Gaza, despite a report
? late last week that agreement had been reached on
these issues. ? The meetings are being attended by
leaders of all fedayeen organizations except Ahmad
Jabril, head of the Popular Front for the Liberation
of Palestine-General Command, which carried out the
April massacre on the Israeli village of Qiryat
Shemona.
Agreement on going to Geneva and accepting a
truncated Palestinian state probably will hinge in
large measure on the success of current Syrian-
Israeli disengagement negotiations. Even if the
leaders unanimously acquiesce on those two points,
agreement by some of the radical fedayeen figures
will be largely tactical. Such individuals as George
Habbash of the Popular Front for the Liberation of
Palestine will not easily lower their sights from
the annihilation Of Israel. They probably would
agree to negotiate and to establish a Palestinian
state only as short-term measures designed to gain
time and avoid being left behind by more moderate
fedayeen leaders.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012100010012-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012100010012-9
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CHINA
The press of domestic business may have forced
aging Premier Chou En-lai to cut back on some of the
ceremonial aspects of his dealings with visiting
foreign dignitaries. A member
around Mao and Chou has suggested that the 76-year-
old Premier may pass up some purely protocol duties
to concentrate on more important matters.
These comments were
in explanation of Chou's failure to
attend a banquet on May 9 given by visiting Senegal-
ese President Senghor. The official explanation was
that Chou was feeling slightly indisposed, due prim-
arily-to old age.
There is no reason to believe that Chou intends
to ?pass up substantive discussions with foreign visi-
tors. Indeed, Chou met with Senghor for several
hours the afternoon before the banquet, at which
time he reportedly apologized in advance for having
to miss that evening's activity.
Domestic politics appear to be making greater
demands than before on Chou's time The
anti-Confucius campaign is now characterized in the
provinces by increasing factional strife that seems
to reflect serious differences at the top over rajor
policy and personnel issues. Judging from the more
moderate tone of the propaganda in recent weeks and
the steady flow of official instructions emphasizing
the orderly conduct of the campaign, Chou seems to
be devoting considerable time to this problem. If,
at the same time, he is beginning to feel his age,
a reduction in his ceremonial duties is not surpris-
ing.
The Chinese are anxious to make it clear that
Chou's lower public profile does not signal any
change in his political status. The official party
newspaper noted expressly that Bhutto was visiting
China at Chou's invitation, and Vice-Premier Li
Hsien-nien remarked at the Senghor banquet that he
was speaking on behalf of the Premier.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012100010012-9
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NOTES
Israel-Syria: Fighting was light on the Golan
front over the weekend. Only sporadic artillery fire
occurred in the Mount Hermon area and in other sectors
of the front. Israeli air activity was restricted to
defensive patrols and reconnaissance missions. No
Syrian air activity was detected.
Portugal: Consultations between the ruling
junta and a wide range of political leaders have
increased as the junta prepares to name a provisional
government this week. General ?Spinola is expected to
be sworn in as President early this week and the pro-
visional government will be named shortly thereafter.
There is no evidence of serious dissension between
the junta and the young officers who carried out the
coup and who are now organized as the "Movement of
the Armed Forces." For the time being the junta is
making the decisions, and members of the Movement
appear to be ensuring that no significant deviation
from the junta's program develops, a task they may
continue during the life of the provisional govern-
ment.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012100010012-9
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Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012100010012-9