THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 13 SEPTEMBER 1975

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006014901
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: September 13, 1975

Declassified in 'Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012800010012-2
The President's Daily Brief
September 13, 1975
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of ED. 11652
exemption category 513( 1
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
*) . r ,r
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
September 13, 1975
Table of Contents
West Germany -
/ (Page 1)
Persian Gulf: The new Egyptian-Israeli disengagement
agreement is getting a mixed reception from
the Arab states of the Persian Gulf. (Page 2)
Syria-Israel:
(Page 3)
Portugal: Progress seems to have been made toward
formation of a new cabinet. (Page 4)
Cyprus-UN: The Greek Cypriots are taking their
case to the UN General Assembly. (Page 5)
Notes: Ethiopia; Syria; Philippines-SEATO (Page 6)
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WEST GERMANY ? US
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PERSIAN GULF
The new Egyptian-Israeli dis-
engagement agreement is getting a
cool reception from the Arab states
of the Persian Gulf.
Despite Saudi Arabia's supportive public com-
ments on the accord, some Saudi officials are pri-
vately discouraged about future prospects for peace
in the area and are chiding the US about the limited
nature of the agreement. In separate conversations
with Ambassador Akins last week, both royal adviser
Rashid Pharaon and Foreign Minister Saud Ibn Faysal
took the line that another war is inevitable, their
argument being that the US will not put enough pres-
sure on Israel to bring about withdrawals from the
West Bank or the Golan Heights.
Pharaon asserted the US has armed Tel Aviv so
heavily since 1973 that Israel's victory would be
overwhelming in any war fought today. The interim
agreement, he said, has bought time for the Arabs,
and they must use the next few years to prepare
for war; Saudi Arabia will foot the bill for Egypt
and will assist Syria and Jordan to rearm. If war
breaks out between Syria and Israel in the meantime,
Pharaon stressed, no one should doubt that Saudi
Arabia will help Syria "with all of its capabili-
ties"--and Egypt will have no choice but to follow.
While the governments of the small Gulf states
are carefully avoiding taking sides, a coalition of
Palestinian and leftist organizations in Kuwait is
trying to whip up sentiment against the disengage-
ment agreement. Critics of the accord drew 10,000
people to a rally this week, during which speakers
called on Arab masses to join in a general strike
on September 15. The Kuwaiti press, heavily staffed
with Palestinians, is predictably coming down
strongly against the agreement.
Baghdad aimed its heaviest
propaganda volleys at the Syrians. The Iraqi press
equated Damascus' position with that of Cairo and
charged that the "devious" Syrians, in spite of their
criticism of President Sadat, are themselves con-
spiring to entangle the Palestinians in the step-by-
step approach to a settlement.
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SYRIA?ISRAEL
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PORTUGAL
Progress seems to have been made
toward the formation of a new cabinet.
The politicians appear to have been
spurred to greater cooperation in part
by what they regard as a threat from
the political right.
The Revolutionary Council issued a communique
yesterday expressing approval of Admiral Azevedo's
efforts to put together a cabinet of military of-
ficers, Popular Democrats, Socialists, and Commu-
nists. After balking for some days, the Communists
are now said to have agreed to let members of their
party join the cabinet. Announcement of the cabinet
could come as early as today.
Concern in Lisbon about a threat from the
right is sparked mainly by the recent activities
of former president Spinola. He arrived in Paris
from Brazil last week and has reportedly been meet-
ing with other exiles to discuss the situation in
Portugal and to assess strategy.
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Northern Portugal is fertile ground for anti-
government activity. Months of political and eco-
nomic turmoil have left the public restive. Dis-
gruntled refugees from Angola are adding to the
potential for active opposition to the government.
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CYPRUS-UN
The failure of the intercommunal
talks in New York this week has Zed the
Greek Cypriots to take their case to
the UN General Assembly.
The Greek Cypriots have been encouraged to take
this step by the strong support they received at the
recent Nonaligned Conference in Lima.
President Makarios will come to the US later
this month to lead the Greek Cypriot delegation, al-
though Greek Cypriot negotiator Clerides told one of
our officials this week that a UN debate on Cyprus
would probably not take place until after the Turk-
ish Senate election on October 12. This would give
the Turks time to submit proposals on the territor-
ial question. Clerides cautioned that a mere prom-
ise by the Turks to discuss territory would not
suffice for the Greek Cypriot side to agree to an-
other round of talks.
The impasse in the talks may prompt the EC
Nine, which earlier this summer offered to mediate
the dispute, to take the initiative in trying to
avert an acrimonious debate in the UN. The Turks
generally have been cool to an EC role in the dis-
pute, but the prospect of heading off a debate in
the General Assembly could make them more recep-
tive.
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NOTES
Two American servicemen are reported missing
in Ethiopia after an attack early this morning on
a US communications facility near Asmara, presum-
ably by Eritrean insurgents.
Asmara has been tense in anticipation of at-
tempts by the insurgents to disrupt the observances
-today marking the first anniversary of Haile
Selassie's ouster. The insurgents still hold two
US civilians captured in Asmara last July.
Recent satellite photography of Syria shows
a Scud surface-to-surface missile exercise in
progress at a training area some 20 miles north-
east of Damascus. This is the first time a Scud
exercise has been observed in the country.
Scuds were first reported in Syria nearly two
years ago, but photographic confirmation of their
presence was not obtained until late May. Syria
is believed to have received enough equipment from
the USSR to organize at least one Scud brigade of
nine missile launchers. The Scud has a range of
about 160 nautical miles and could cover virtually
all of Israel from southern Syria.
A Philippine bid to abolish not only the
Southeast Asian Treaty Organization but also the
underlying Manila Pact of 1954 has complicated
planning for the organization's annual council
meeting to be held in New York on September 24.
In the working group preparing for the coun-
cil session, the Philippines has proposed termina-
tion of the Manila Pact when SEATO is phased out
as a formal organization in two years. Thailand,
however, wishes to retain the Manila Pact because,
unlike the Philippines, Bangkok has no bilateral
security treaty with the US.
Phil-
ippine Foreign Secretary Romulo appears to be be-
hind the change in the Philippine position, argu-
ing that the pact is outdated and a gratuitous
provocation to Asian communists. The Thai will
take the lead in trying to get Manila to moderate
its stand before the New York meeting.
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