THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 27 MAY 1974

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006007967
• 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 27, 1974

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012100010024-6
The President's Daily Brief
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May 27, 1974
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B( 1),(2).(3)
declanified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012100010024-6
? rUK 11-I1i I'KCJIIJEIN 1 UINILY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
May 27, 1974
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Fighting increased Sunday as the Israelis and
Syrians exchanged artillery fire along the Golan
front Syrian planes reportedly struck Israeli.
ground targets on the northern edge of the Israeli
.salient. The Soviets announced this morning that
Foreign Minister Gromyko will arrive in Damascus'
today. (Page 1)
President Thieu reportedly has approved plans for
a South Vietnamese initiative to resume discussions
with the Viet Cong .(Page 2)
The US consulate in the Azores reports the emergence
of a political group that will agitate for self-
determination. The group is small and poorly or.-
ganized but it may be able to rally wide support in
the islands. (Page 3)
The Egyptian press yesterday published the text of
a long letter from President Sadat to Libyan Presi-
dent Qadhafi. The letter criticized Qadhafi's
handling of the abortive merger of the two coun-
tries last year. (Page 4)
The East Germans, presumably with Soviet prompting,
are trying to repair relations with Bonn in the
aftermath of the Guillaume affair. (Page 5)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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PUK 11-LL 11K.L)11>hIN 1 UINLY
MIDDLE EAST
Fighting increased Sunday as the Israelis and
6yrians exchanged artillery fire along the Golan
front. In addition, Israeli planes carried out
defensive patrols and reconnaissance missions over
northern Israel and southern Lebanon.. Syrian air-
craft flew defensive patrols, probably in reaction
to Israeli activity over the Golan Heights. No
air-to-air combat was noted.
Syrian planes reportedly also struck Israeli
ground targets on the northern edge of the Israeli
salient. These were the first such strikes on
Israeli-held territory since May 10.
According to the Lebanese Defense Ministry,
Israeli and Lebanese troops exchanged artillery
fire yesterday as Israeli patrols attempted to take
up positions on the western side of Mt. Hermon. An
Israeli official acknowledged the shelling; he
claimed that Israeli fire was directed against
guerrilla bases in Lebanon.
On the political front, the Soviets announced
early this morning that Foreign Minister Gromyko
will arrive in Damascus today "at the invitation
of the Syrian leadership."
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SOUTH VIETNAM
President Thieu has approved in principle
plans for a South Vietnamese initiative to resume
discussions with the Viet Cong
The Paris political talks were suspended on
April 16 when the South Vietnamese walked out in
protest over Communist seizure of the Tonle Cham
ranger base northwest of Saigon. The Viet Cong
pulled out of the two-party military discussions
in Saigon on May 10, in response both to South
Vietnam's boycott in Paris and to suspension of
diplomatic privileges for their military delega-
tion in Saigon.
The plans currently being considered by.Thieu
call first for a resumption of the Saigon talks by
restoring Viet Cong privileges and immunities. If
this initiative proves :successful, efforts will be
made to renew contacts at the Paris level.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
AZORES
The US consulate in the Azores has reported
the emergence of a political group that intends
to agitate for self-determination. One of the
local leaders has already requested US support
?for independence for the islands. He stressed
Lisbon's long-standing neglect of the Azores and
expressed serious doubt that the new Portuguese
government would be any more attentive to the
islands' problems.
The consulate comments that, although the
group pushing for independence is small and poorly
organized, it will probably be able eventually to
rally wide support. This would create a new prob-
lem for the Spinola government, and could also in-
troduce complications into US-Portuguese negotia-
tions for renewal of the Azores base agreement,
which expires later this year.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
EGYPT LIBYA
Egyptian radiobroadcasts and newspapers yester-
day carried the full text of a long letter sent by
President Sadat to Libya's President Qadhafi early
this month. The bulk of the letter is a criticism
of Qadhafi's handling of the abortive merger of the
two states last year. Parts of the document that
were released late last week dealt with Libya's
criticism of Egypt's conduct of the October war and
Qadhafi's subsequent decision to cut off Libyan aid
to Egypt.
Sadat apparently has released the complete
text of his letter to inform all Arabs, and Egyp-
tians in particular, of the substance of his con-
tacts with Qadhafi. He hopes to convince the Arabs
that the severe strains in Egyptian-Libyan rela-
tions are the direct result of Qadhafi's wrongs and
not of Egypt's policies. ?Sadat may also be attempt-
ing to ensure that all members of the Libyan Govern-
ment do, in fact, have an accurate account of his
message to Qadhafi.
The Egyptians have let the letter speak for
itself. Editorial comment by Cairo newspapers,
which printed the text under banner headlines, has
been relatively restrained. The authoritative
Al-Ahram commented that Sadat's message points out
positive aspects of the Libyan "revolution" and
opens the way to "rectification" of past mistakes.
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PUK 111h PRLSID1N1 UNLY
NOTE
?. East Germany - West Germany: The East Germans, ,
presumably withSovietprompting, are trying to re-
pair relations with Bonn in the aftermath Of the ,
Guillaume affair. Party chief Honecker has publicly
stressed East Germany's continued Commitment to
detente, and has Sought to project a cOnciliatory,
stance on a number of minor issues. Pankow reacted
quickly to West German Chancellor Schmidt's state-
ment to the Bundestag that, despite strains in
relations, the treaty structure between East: and
West Germany should be further developed. The East
German newt agency, voiced agreement :with Schmidt,
and added that Pankow is, ready to consider broaden-
ing economic ties, modifying requirements for visi-
tors to East Germany, and cooperating on an energy
system to include West Berlin.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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Top Secret
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