THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 21 MAY 1975

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006014803
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 17
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: May 21, 1975

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The President's Daily Brief
May 21, 1975
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 58(1
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
of -a
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
May 21, 1975
Table of Contents ?
Laos: Communist-inspired demonstrations against
the US erupted in Vientiane again last night.
Elsewhere, the Pathet Lao continue to move
rapidly to establish control over non-communist
areas. (Page 1)
Arab States - Israel: Syria and Jordan have shifted
some forces to improve their military posture
at the southern end of the Golan Heights.
(Page 5)
Thailand-Vietnam: A North Vietnamese delegation
arrives in Bangkok today for talks on normaliz-
ing relations. (Page 7)
Israel:
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(Page 8) 25X1
Notes: Recession; Portugal; Chile; Peru-Chile
(Pages 9 and 10)
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LAOS
Communist-inspired demonstrations
against the US erupted in Vientiane again
last night. About 200 demonstrators en-
tered the main AID and defense attache
compound before dawn today and sealed it
off.
As of mid-morning in Vientiane, the demonstra-
tors had also broken into the commissary and the US
community center; some looting had occurred and
several vehicles were damaged. The demonstrators
had not entered the main offices where three US
personnel--two Marines and a civilian--were holed
up. Units of the capital's joint police force--
consisting mostly of Pathet Lao--were outside the
compound but made no effort to interfere.
The demonstrators' demands include:
--Abrogation of all "unequal" US-Lao agree-
ments, particularly the 1951 aid agreement.
--Dissolution of the USAID organization.
--Departure of all American. USAID employees
within three days.
--Transfer of all USAID facilities and equip-
ment-to the coalition government.
Demonstrators also seized the USAID warehouse
just outside the capital and some protesters sta-
tioned themselves at the entrance to the nearby
American housing area. Americans were being allowed
to enter and leave the housing area but vehicles
were being checked. Police units were present but
were not interfering. So far, there have been no
incidents at the US embassy.
Senior Lao officials, in response to demarches
by the US charge, made no promises to halt the dem-
onstrations but did offer assurances for the safety
of US personnel.
Foreign Minister Lioumi Vongvichit and Minister of
Economy Soth Phetrasy knew the demonstrations were
planned but were caught off guard by their scope.
(continued)
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The Pathet Lao continue to move rapidly to es-
tablish control over non-communist areas, despite
their apparent willingness to maintain, at least
for the time being, the trappings of a center-left
coalition government in Vientiane.
Communist combat troops have now occupied vir-
tually every important former rightist stronghold
in central and southern Laos. No resistance from
non-communist forces has been reported.
The North Vietnamese evidently will provide
the Pathet Lao with whatever logistic support they
need to consolidate military control. According
to a message intercepted on May 19, the commander
of Military Region 559--the senior North Vietnamese -
headquarters responsible for the movement of per-
sonnel and supplies to South Vietnam and Laos--
directed one of his principal subordinate units op-
erating along the infiltration corridor to furnish
"unrestricted" assistance in transporting "supplies,
weapons, and personnel" to the Pathet Lao in order
to enable them to "strike in a timely manner" and
"gain the advantage."
North Vietnamese helicopters made their first
known flights to Saravane airfield in the southern
Lao panhandle on May 19 and 20. The flights origi-
nated in North Vietnam (Hanoi and Dong Hoi) and may
have carried high-level logistic officers into Laos.
A North Vietnamese infantry battalion has also
been ordered to shift from the western highlands of
South Vietnam into eastern Laos. There is no evi-
dence that this or any other North Vietnamese com-
bat force will be committed in support of the Lao
communists. Indeed, the absence of any non-commu-
nist resistance suggests that such support will not
be required.
At least 1,000 communist soldiers, accompanied
by tanks and artillery, have reportedly moved into
the city of Pakse. Farther north along the Mekong,
an estimated three-to-four communist battalions yes-
terday occupied Savannakhet. Activist students and
other communist-inspired demonstrators marshaled a
large crowd to cheer the Pathet Lao's "triumphant"
entry.
(continued)
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I\
GULF
OF
TONIC] V
EMARCATION
LINE
HA
IE-TNAM
I - Predominantly Comm nist-controlled area,
L... February February 1973 ceasefire
0 MILES 1 100
557919 5-75
MBODIA
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The fate of the two American USAID employees
seized by Savannakhet demonstrators yesterday is un-
known. The ten other Americans in the city are ap-
parently safe but still under "voluntary" house
arrest. Prime Minister Souvanna Phouma yesterday
assured the US charge that neutralist Interior Min-
ister Pheng Phongsavan and his communist deputy,
Deuane Sonnarath, would definitely go to Savannakhet
today, now that "our troops" have secured the city.
In the charge's view, this slip of the tongue by
Souvanna is the clearest evidence to date of his
endorsement of recent communist actions. Pheng and
Deuane's presence in Savannakhet should help appease
the demonstrators and secure the release of all
Americans.
Elsewhere in the Savannakhet area, Pathet Lao
battalions have reportedly moved into the towns of
Seno, Keng Kok, and Dong Hene. Lao communist forces
are also said to have occupied the city of Thakhek,
some 60 miles north of Savannakhet.
In northern Laos, communist and pro-communist
neutralist forces are consolidating their control
over virtually all key positions defended until re-
cently by General yang Pao and his Meo tribesmen.
Communist forces apparently have entered yang Pao's
headquarters complex at Long Tieng, his enclave at
Bouam Long northeast of the Plaine des Jarres, Sam
Thong, and Phou Long Mat.
On the political scene in Vientiane, Prime
Minister Souvanna convened an emergency meeting of
the coalition cabinet earlier this week to select
replacements for recently ousted rightists? In a
surprise announcement, Souvanna named neutralist
Interior Minister Pheng Phongsavan to replace Sisouk
na Champassak as minister of defense. This presum-
ably means that "acting" communist Defense Minister
Khammouane Boupha will return to his old number two
spot at the ministry.
Noncontroversial non-communists were also named
to replace Pheng at interior and to fill the remain-
ing vacancies at finance, foreign affairs, and pub-
lic works. Souvanna has, in addition, selected his
nephew and personal physician as a tentative replace-
ment for the rightist health minister, who is in
Geneva.
(continued)
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Communist Deputy Prime Minister Phoumi Vong-
vichit, whom Souvanna claims approved all of his
selections, apparently made no effort to have Pathet
Lao officials fill the vacant posts--all of which
were allocated to the non-communists under the terms
of the 1973 peace accords. This would appear to be
another indication that the Pathet Lao are prepared,
for now, to maintain the coalition facade.
Souvanna also announced at the cabinet meeting
that he had reached agreement with Phoumi to expand
the membership of the coalition's Joint National Po-
litical Council from 42 to 72 delegates and to con-
vert that body into a legislative replacement for
the recently dissolved, rightist-dominated National
Assembly. The additional delegates, according to
the Prime Minister, will be evenly divided between
the non-communists, the communists, and the so-
called "qualified neutralists."
Transformation of the political council, which
is chaired and dominated by communist leader Sou-
phanouvong, into a legislative assembly has been a
major goal of the Pathet Lao ever since they joined
the coalition. With Souphanouvong riding herd over
all delegates, the council will almost certainly
become a rubber stamp Pathet Lao law-making body.
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*Damascus
?AI Kiswah
GOLAN
HEIGHTS
" ?Para
Gulf
of
Aqaba
557917 5-75
SAUDI ARABIA
9 190
Nautical Miles
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ARAB STATES ISRAEL
Syria and Jordan have recently
shifted some forces to improve their
military posture at the southern end
of the Golan Heights.
Syria's 1st Armored Division may have been
shifted from its reserve area just south of Damascus
to positions closer to the border with Jordan.
the Damascus-Dara road was
closed to civilian traffic for at least 24 hours to
permit the movement of troops southward. During an
observation of the 1st Division's armor camps near
Al Kiswah
Syrian combat units present.
The Jordanians also appear to have strengthened
their position opposite Israel in the critical north-
ern border area.
no
armored and in-
fantry forces into the Jordan Valley area and
new defensive positions An
armored battalion has been added to each
of the two Jordanian infantry divisions normally
stationed along the occupied West Bank and along the
northern sector of its border with Israel.
Jordan had reoriented forces
away from Syria, stationed armor in the Jordan Valley
for the first time in five years, and dispersed re-
serve units in the rear. Jordan's
forces--like those of Egypt and Syria are now in a
position to launch an offensive without any signifi-
cant further movement of forces.
Some Israeli reservists
were recalled to active duty earlier this
month, but this action may have been a precaution
against possible terrorist actions during indepen-
dence celebrations last week.
(continued)
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Syria also may have taken steps to strengthen
its forces facing Iraq. 25X1
200 Syrian tank transporters carrying 25X1
mostly tanks, but also some surface-to-air missile
equipment on the Hims-Palmyra road 25X1
The equipment may have been from the Syr- 25X1
ian 3rd Armored Division normally stationed in the
Damascus area. A shift of major elements of this
unit to the north would significantly reduce Syria's
only major armored reserve formation along the front
with Israel.
The Egyptians, meanwhile, are conducting a joint
service exercise involving the air defense and air
force, and probably army and commando units as well.
The exercise began May 18 and should run through the
22nd.
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held a major, service-wide communications exercise
in late March and early April.
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THAILAND-VIETNAM
A North Vietnamese delegation,
headed by Vice Minister for Foreign
Affairs Pham Hien, arrives in Bangkok
today to hold talks on normalizing re-
lations. A South Vietnamese communist
delegation left Bangkok empty-handed
yesterday after three days of talks.
Foreign Minister Chatchai apparently believes
that the South Vietnamese were sent merely to assess
the mood of the Thai government for the North Viet-
namese.
The North Vietnamese, anxious to exploit the
recent strains in Thai-US relations, may arrive in
Bangkok with unrealistically high expectations.
Despite the Thai foreign ministry's strong desire to
improve relations with North Vietnam, prospects for
significant progress, ?such as the establishment of
diplomatic relations, do not appear good now.
Perhaps with an eye toward North Vietnamese
pressure on the US troop presence, Prime Minister
Khukrit said in a press conference yesterday that a
speed-up in the withdrawal of US forces from Thailand
would pose more problems for Thailand than, for the
US. The Thai also expect that Hanoi will press hard
for the return of all South Vietnamese aircraft and
ships. Chatchai initially favored meeting this de-
mand, but has been overruled by Prime Minister Khukrit
and the senior military, leadership..
Another obstacle, to normalization of relations
is that the Thai insist on repatriating Vietnamese
refugees who have been living in northeast Thailand
for some 30 years. An outbreak of anti-Vietnamese
demonstrations in the northeast this past week was
almost certainly inspired by government officials,
who are determined to remind Hanoi of Bangkok's own
conditions for improved relations.
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ISRAEL
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NOTES
Although the worst of the recession is almost
certainly over, we expect some further decline in
production in the six major foreign economies.
Japan, France, and West Germany appear to be
closest to bottoming out. At the other extreme, the
British economy threatens to get worse before it
gets better. Canada is still suffering from spill-
over effects of the US downturn. Italy's prospects
are the most uncertain: we expect a further mod-
erate decline, but a steep dip is possible.
The Portuguese Armed Forces Movement--faced
with mounting political problems?yesterday warned
all parties, including the Communists, that they
should align themselves with the Movement's policies.
Emphasizing its disapproval of continuing dissen-
sion between the Communists and the Socialists, the
government yesterday closed down the Socialist paper
which Communist printers had seized on Monday. Pend-
ing a decision by a special press tribunal, the paper
will not resume publication. The armed forces gen-
eral assembly has attributed civil unrest in Portugal
to both "the forces of reaction and groups of leftist
provocateurs." The general assembly also approved a
statement deploring the "divisionist and counterrevo-
lutionary nature" of the outlawed Reorganizing Move-
ment of the Proletariat Party. On Monday night, mem-
bers of the Reorganizing Movement reportedly beat up
two Marine guards assigned to the US embassy.
Chile.
(continued)
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Peru continues to build up its military forces
near the Chilean border,
continued
construction of barracks, vehicle 'storage 'sheds,-and
other military support structures close to the border.
Earlier this Month, large numbers of trucks, armored
personnel carriers, and Frendh-made AMX tanks were
18 nautical miles from Chilean territory.
Also for the first time, Soviet-build T-55 tanks
in southern Peru. Two T-55 tanks and
the gun barrels of 18 others protruding from a storage
shed were noted. There is no other indication, how-
ever, that. Peru might be planning military action
against Chile 'in the immediate future. Chile, too,
has been gradually augmenting its own military forces
near the Peruvian border;
increased numbers of
armored personnel carriers stationed at facilities
in the area0
aircraft, tanks, and
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Top Secret
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