THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 7 JULY 1975

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006014842
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: July 7, 1975

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/14 : CIA-RDP79T0066A01700010022-2
The President's Daily Brief
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July 7, 1975
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Exempt from general
declauification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category, 511( I MAO/
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
July 7, 1975
Table of Contents
Argentina: The resignation of the cabinet appears
designed to demonstrate that President Peron--
not Welfare Minister Lopez Rega--is in charge
of the government. (Page 1)
USSR-Somalia: Senator Bartlett and his tour group
have been able to substantiate
reports on the nature of the military facili-
ties at Berbera and their use by the Soviets.
(Page 2)
Lebanon: The organization that has threatened to
Ili Colonel Morgan is apparently the same
Lebanese radical group that has carried out
previous attacks and extortion attempts against
Americans. (Page 3)
Italy: Christian Democratic leader Fanfani suf-
fered a major setback last week at the hands
of his party; it now seems only a matter of
time before he resigns or is eased out of his
post. (Page 4)
Notes: Thailand - North Vietnam; Laos (Page 5
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ARGENTINA
The resignation of the cabinet--
announced last night--appears designed
to attenuate rising opposition to the
government by demonstrating that Presi-
dent Peron and not Welfare Minister Lopez
Rega, who also serves as her private sec-
retary, is in charge.
President Peron, in accepting the cabinet's
resignation, may merely be trying to create the im-
pression that she is lessening her reliance on
Lopez Rega. She probably hopes by this device to
ease her immediate problem with labor leaders, who
believe Lopez Rega was responsible for the govern-
ment's decision to annul wage hikes negotiated last
month and who have scheduled a two-day general strike
is to begin this morning. Some leaders of the
Peronist labor confederation reportedly feel that
Lopez Rega's ouster has become their most important
goal.
Opposition politicians have called openly for
the dismissal of Lopez Rega; members of the Peron-
ist party are also becoming anxious to see him de-
part. The military remain cautious in the matter,
but in a statement issued over the weekend, the
service chiefs--clearly referrring to Lopez Rega--
cited their concern that the President have "the
freedom of action to change the members of her
cabinet" during the current delicate situation.
The Buenos Aires press in recent days has
joined in the anti - Lopez Rega chorus. Items
on his possible departure have proliferated, de-
spite the risk of retaliation from the right-wing
terror squads he is said to control.
The alliance of politicians and military of-
ficers with organized labor to oppose Lopez Rega
is not necessarily a happy one. The politicians
and the officers realize that, if a change of
government is hastened by pressure from labor, the
increasingly undisciplined workers will be diffi-
cult to deal with. Even the labor leaders do not
wish to force the departure of the President whom,
as the legitimate successor of Juan Peron, they
consider essential to their efforts to retain con-
trol of the labor movement.
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USSR-SOMALIA
During a tour of Berbera on July 4,
Senator Bartlett and a group of US govern-
ment and news representatives were able
to substantiate reports on
the nature of the military facilities in
the area and their use by the Soviets.
The
language
idential
group found Soviet citizens and Russian-
material in the barracks buildings and res-
trailers in a compound
as a Soviet residential area. The
barracks and a repair ship in port were flying both
the Soviet flag and a Somali ensign.
The group was barred from both the transmitting
and receiving sites of the communications facility.
Although these sites were guarded by armed Somali
soldiers, the Somali escort said they were Soviet
facilities and that he could not give permission
for the group to enter. The US experts, however,
could confirm the capabilities of the antennas from
external examination.
The missile handling and support facility was
also guarded by Somalis. Only five members of the
Senator's group were permitted to enter. They were
escorted by the Somali commanding officer who was
unable to answer questions put to him. When mem-
bers of the inspection group identified a Styx mis-
sile crate, they were told that the Somalis have
Styx missiles but do not yet have the supporting
patrol boats on which to install them. US techni-
cians confirmed that the check-outbuilding is cap-
able of handling any missile in the Soviet inven-
tory and is larger than would be required for the
Styx missiles alone.
The tour also included petroleum facilities
and the recently identified large new airfield.
Both are still under construction and Soviet equip-
ment remains at the sites.
In.a meeting with President Siad on.July 51
Senator Bartlett commented that the group had been
admitted to all facilities to which the Somali gov-
ernment and their escort could obtain admittance..
The Senator quoted the escort's statement that', if
it were in his power, the group would have been.
permitted to enter Soviet facilities as well. Pres-.
ident Siad did not respond to the comment..
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LEBANON
The "Revolutionary Socialist Action
Organization" that abducted and has
threatened to kill US Army Colonel Ernest
Morgan apparently is the same Lebanese
radical group that has carried out a
series of attacks against American offi-
cial and private interests over the past
two years. The group uses leftist rhet-
oric and fedayeen tactics to cover what
are essentiall4 criminal activities
A spokesman for the Palestine
Liberation Organization last night denied that the
fedayeen were responsible for Morgan's abduction.
Major fedayeen leaders--including the head of the
terrorist Black September Organization--have con-
demned the recent spate of kidnapings in Lebanon
and have threatened to "execute any Palestinian"
who engages in such activities.
In a statement released to several Beirut news-
papers last night, the kidnapers said Morgan will
be released if, by Wednesday night, the US:
--Makes public the statement of the Revolu-
tionary Socialist Action Organization.
--Requests the Lebanese government to stop
searching for Morgan.
--Delivers to inhabitants of a poor section of
Beirut large quantities of food, clothing, and
building materials.
Such conditions are designed to improve the
group's image and elicit protection for it among
Beirut's poorer population.
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ITALY
Christian Democratic 'leader Fanfani
suffered a major setback last week- when
center and leftist factions of his
party's executive body joined in call-
ing for an early assessment of future
leadership and strategy.
The Christian Democratic left--about one fifth
of the party membership--has been calling for Fan-
fani's resignation and an immediate reassessment
of party policies following the Communist Party's
unprecedented gains in regional and local elections
three weeks ago.
Fanfani tried to?postpone a leadership and
policy review until the party's national congress
scheduled for the fall. During last week's execu-
tive meeting, however, representatives from the?
left were joined by the centrists in opposing Fan-
fani's delaying tactics. These groups agreed, in
fact, to begin the policy debate on July 19'at a
meeting of the party's national council.
The defection of the Christian Democratic
center factions means that Fanfani has lost his
majority in the' party. It is now probably only
a matter of time before he resigns or is eased
out of the top post. His fate may be determined
at the council meeting.
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NOTES
Thai leaders apparently have decided to de-
cline a North Vietnamese invitation to meet later
this month to continue discussions aimed at normal-
izing relations between the two countries.
The Thaisr excuse reportedly will be that For.-
eign Minister Chatchai is scheduled to travel to
Manila :aria Singapore during the time theAiorth
Vietnamese wanted to-have the talks. Bangkok has
not ruled out the possibility of a future meeting.
According to our embassy, the reason for the can?
callation of discussions is that the Thais want
all details of the agreement worked out beforea
delegation travels to Hanoi.
The Laotian communists have se-
lected pro-Hanoi hardliners as replacements for
three moderate Pathet Lao cabinet ministers.
General Phoune
Sipraseuth. will replace Phoumi Vongvichit as- deputy
prime minister and foreign minister; Khamphay
Boupha will replace Soth'Phetrasy as economics-
minister; and Thao Ma will replace Souk Vongsak
as information minister. We do not know if these
replacements are being made on a permanent or tem-
porary basis. It is entirely possible, however,
that .the Pathet Lao- Central Committee has decided
that the retention of political moderates in:-Vien-
tiane is--no longer useful or necessary to consol-
idate their control over the coalition government.
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