THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 21 AUGUST 1975

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006014881
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: August 21, 1975

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The President's Daily Brief
August 21, 1975
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 58(1).(2)(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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August 21
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
August 21, 1975
Table of Contents
Portugal: President Costa Gomes yesterday touched
off a wave of speculation that Prime Minister
Goncalves is on his way out with a statement
that the duration of the fifth provisional
government "can be expressed in days."
(Page 1)
USSR: The Soviet Union is picking up additional
grain in South America, Western Europe, and
Australia now that the North American markets
are temporarily closed to it. (Page 3)
Egypt-Libya: Egypt has taken some precautionary
measures against the alleged possibility of
an air attack by Libya. (Page 5)
Thailand: Civil unrest in Bangkok presents Thai
Prime Minister Khukrit with his first serious
political test since taking office five months
ago. (Page 6)
Note: Portuguese Timor (Page 7)
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
PORTUGAL
President Costa Gomes yesterday
touched off a wave of speculation that
Prime Minister Goncalves is on his way
out with a statement that the duration
of the fifth provisional government "can
be expressed in days."
Costa Gomes--who made his remarks at a swear-
ing-in ceremony for some second echelon government
officials--may have been referring to an earlier
statement that this government is transitional.
In the current unstable atmosphere in Lisbon, how-
ever, his comments are being widely interpreted as
giving substance to unconfirmed reports that
Goncalves' opponents in the military had threatened
a seizure of power by force if the pro-Communist
Prime Minister were not removed within a week.
This ultimatum, according to press reports
from Lisbon, was delivered to the President by
Melo Antunes, the leader of the anti-Communist
faction, who was accompanied by security chief
Otelo de Carvalho as well as by the army and air
force chiefs of staff and five other officers.
The move to oust Goncalves does appear to have
received the support of Army Chief of Staff Fabiao.
He is quoted as having said that the government
headed by Goncalves is ineffective and has little
chance of continuing to function. One unconfirmed
press report alleges that Costa Gomes has mentioned
his preference for Fabiao as a replacement for
Goncalves thereby signaling his acceptance of the
demand for the Prime Minister's ouster. Fabiao's
reluctance to enter the power struggle until the
last minute may in fact make him a good compromise
choice who would be seen as having a chance to
restore some unity to the fragmented armed forces.
Meanwhile, the failure of recent Communist
efforts to recapture the political initiative may
be prompting the party to put some distance between
itself and the Prime Minister. Goncalves' opponents
reportedly do not rule out Communist participation
in a new government as long as it is in proportion
to the party's limited popular support.
(continued)
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
After a wave of anti-Communist violence in the
Azores, the military governor there has ordered
several Communist leaders deported. A separatist
organization similar to the one already active in
the Azores has apparently now been established on
Madeira and a series of anti-Communist incidents
have been reported there.
2
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USSR
The Soviet Union is picking up addi-
tional grain in South America, Western
Europe, and Australia now that the North
American markets are temporarily closed
to it.
New purchases have been confirmed for 250,000
tons of Australian wheat and 200,000 tons of Argen-
tinian wheat.
Unconfirmed purchases have been reported for:
--400,000 tons of French wheat;
--300,000 tons of French barley;
--500,000 tons of German wheat;
--100,000 tons of Italian wheat and corn;
--60,000 tons of Canadian rye (private sale);
--an unspecified amount of Brazilian corn.
Confirmed purchases since mid-July total 14.9
million tons, including 9.8 million tons from the
US. If all the rumored purchases are confirmed,
total purchases will rise to about 16.5 million tons.
The Soviet Union apparently continues to search
for available grain and has commissioned one US-
based grain company "to corner" any non-US wheat,
corn, and barley.
It is estimated that only about 5 million tons
of grain are currently available from non-US sources.
If Canada and the US choose not to sell more grain,
the Soviets will have to make up more than half of
their shortfall by importing soybeans as a grain
substitute and taking such domestic measures as re-
ducing feed rations and herds.
(continued)
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Recent rains in most parts of the
USSR have partially revived badly burned
pasturelands and have brightened the out-
Zook for such non-grain crops as potatoes,
sugar beets, and sunflower seeds.
The improved weather will also serve to limit
the earlier severe drought damage to forage crops,
primarily hay, silage, and fodder roots. The pros-
pects for Soviet purchases of non-grain commodities
still are not clear, however. Moscow already has
purchased 300,000 tons of sugar on the world market
for delivery in fiscal 1976 and may have bought an
additional 300,000 tons in recent weeks. The pur-
chase of soybeans--a substitute for sunflower seeds--
is less certain and will depend not only on soybean
production, but also on the USSR's desire to stretch
its livestock feed supplies.
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EGYPT-LIBYA
Egypt has taken some precautionary
measures against the alleged possibility
of an air attack by Libya.
A Libyan air force unit 25X1
was placed on alert on Monday with instruc- 25X1
tions to "attack President Sadat" upon receipt of
orders from Tripoli. 25X1
On Tuesday night, the Egyptian naval base
to go on maximum alert
because Libya reportedly
out an air strike. Yesterday, an
and two patrol craft
to the Gulf of Sollum
intended to carry
Egyptian destroyer
prepare to move
We have no information to confirm
that
President Qadhafi would consider such a reckless
and foolhardy venture.
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IN_
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THAILAND
Civil unrest in Bangkok presents
Thai Prime Minister Khukrit with his
first serious political test since taking
office five months ago. Khukrit has de-
cided against declaring a state o emer-
gency for the time being, fear-
ing that such a step wouls provl
military an opportunity to interfere.
In the most serious incident, policemen
stormed and ransacked Khukrit's home to protest
the government's release of student and farmer
activists arrested last week. In another part of
the city, radical university students engaged in
armed encounters with vocational students.
The police protests reflect the bitterness of
conservative groups over the government's reluc-
tance to rein in student dissidents. Military
and other senior security officers have long main-
tained that civilian rule cannot provide Thailand
with civil order and political stability.
Efforts to defuse the situation could easily
backfire on Khukrit. A crackdown against the stu-
dents would likely spark a new wave of student
protests, whereas a move directed against the po-
lice would further alienate conservatives in both
the government and the military. It is possible
that the various protesters will themselves back
off to prevent forcing the government's hand.
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NOTE
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Top Secret
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