THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 31 MAY 1975

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006014812
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: May 31, 1975

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The President's Daily Brief
May 31, 1975
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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
May 31, 1975
Table of Contents
Portugal:/
/In Lisbon, the Socialists and Armed
Forces Movement have reached a new agreement.
(Page 1)
Laos: Vientiane remains calm, at least on the sur-
face,, (Page 3)
Lebanon: There was some brief fighting yesterday,
but the joint Lebanese-Palestinian patrols
have been increasingly effective. (Page 4)
Italy:
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Notes: ILO-PLO; Panama; Australia (Page 6)
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PORTUGAL
In Lis-
bon, I I the Socialists and the
Armed Forces Movement have reached an
agreement that appears to ease tension
between them.
We have seen signs that separatist sentiment
is on the rise in the Azores.
3c3rtuguese army troops
nearly all
are Azorean
Of the approximately 1,000
stationed in the islands,
natives, these troops
might be joined by the
and Fiscal Guard forces.
roughly 600-man police
Opposition would likely come from navy and air
force units--numbering about 200 and 650, respec-
tively--which are principally composed of mainland
troops and officers. The air force contingent
could be especially critical, for it controls Lajes
airfield- --which
would be vital to reinforcing the islands quickly.
The sailing time from Lisbon to the Azores is 60
hours.
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The agreement between the Socialists and the
Armed Forces Movement was reached at a meeting in
Lisbon last night. A statement issued by the Revo-
lutionary Council said military leaders recognize
"distortions" in Portugal's political structure and
promise to correct them--a concession to the Social-
ists who have been demanding that the army curb the
disproportionate influence of the Communist Party.
The Socialists, in return, agreed to end their boy-
cott of cabinet sessions.
No mention was made in the Revolutionary Coun-
cil's statement of the closing of the Socialist
daily newspaper Republica, the issue that triggered
the Socialist boycott. Information Minister Jesuino
had previously stated that the paper will be opened
as soon as the Socialist management requests. Even
if the government allows the paper to reopen, its
editor is convinced Communist printers will forcibly
prevent its being published.
The Socialists should take heart from the open-
ing of the constituent assembly on Monday. The
Socialists control nearly half the seats, and their
candidate will probably be elected assembly presi-
dent. The assembly will provide a public forum for
the moderate political parties, even though the
Armed Forces Movement will make certain the assembly
stays well within acceptable limits.
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LAOS
Vientiane remains calm, at least
on the surface.
American officials are going about their normal
duties at the USAID and defense attache compound,
but--in contravention of the terms of an agreement
concluded with Pathet Lao ministers and leftist stu-
dent demonstrators earlier this week--some members
of the capital's joint police force remain on patrol
inside the compound. Most of these police are
Pathet Lao.
The evacuation of American dependents and other
nonessential personnel is continuing. As of May 30,
some 153 official and 109 nonofficial American per-
sonnel were still in Vientiane. The US mission
will be down to about 50 by the end of next week.
The Pathet Lao, meanwhile, are continuing to
strengthen their troop position
cording to officials of the
there may now be more than 5,000 Lao communist
troops in the capital, and their number appears to
be increasing daily. In addition, there are reports
that a Pathet Lao battalion, along with a dozen
light tanks, is located on the capital's northern
outskirts, and that still another battalion is
situated near Vientiane's southeastern suburbs.
in Vientiane. Ac-
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LEBANON
Fighting--apparently initiated by ex-
treme leftists--resumed briefly in Beirut
yesterday. Overall, however, the joint
Lebanese-Palestinian patrols have been in-
creasingly effective in separating Phalan-
gist and fedayeen forces.
Prime Minister - designate Karami, meanwhile,
completed his formal consultations with political
and religious leaders on Thursday. He is said to
favor a broadly representative government composed
of technocrats who are neither members of parliament
nor closely identified with the.country's major po-
litical parties. Such a group would enhance his
personal power.
President Franjiyah reportedly wants an en-
larged parliamentary cabinet drawn from all politi-
cal factions. Such a body would be more likely to
act as a check on Karami, thereby preserving greater
authority for Franjiyah.
Socialist leader Jumblatt insists that no rep-
resentatives of the Phalange be included in the new
cabinet. He will probably back down if his own
Progressive Socialist Party is offered strong rep-
resentation.
These differences may delay formation of a
government for several days.
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ITALY
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NOTES
The 60th conference of the International Labor
Organization opening next week in Geneva may grant
observer status to the Palestine Liberation Organi-
zation.
Much of the support for the Palestinians comes
from an agreement reached last year between the
Arab League and the Organization of African Unity
to back the demands of national liberation movements
for observer status in international organizations.
Government, employers, and workers are represented
separately within the national ILO delegations.
Foreign delegations will be especially concerned
over the reaction of the US workers' delegation--
made up of AFL-CIO members--inasmuch as the for-
eigners are aware that the AFL-CIO has strongly op-
posed any acceptance of the PLO.
Panamanian chief of state Torrijos has relieved
Juan Tack as foreign minister, but Tack is to con-
tinue full-time as chief Panamanian negotiator on
the canal treaty.
Top government officials have been apprehensive
about the prospects for an early conclusion to the
negotiations and the apparent strength of opposition
in the US Senate to a new treaty. Torrijos probably
acted to demonstrate the high priority his admin-
istration places on securing such a treaty and on
its strong desire for the talks to resume. Jaime
Arias, a prominent Panama City lawyer and canal
negotiator, is in line to become foreign minister.
The expected resignation of Australia's moderate
Defense Minister Lance Barnard will complicate the
Labor government's already difficult parliamentary
position.
The front-runner for the defense job appears to
be left-winger William Morrison, now science minis-
ter. Although Morrison has questioned Australia's
alliance with the US
Prime Min-
ister Whitlam has defended them and is expected to
assure their tenure.
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