THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 8 NOVEMBER 1975

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006014949
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: November 8, 1975

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The President's Daily Brief
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November 8, 1975
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B(1),(2),(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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November 8, 1975
Table of Contents
Portugal: The cabinet, with strong backing from
the ruling Revolutionary Council, has announced
a crackdown on civil disturbances by the far
left. (Page 1)
Spanish Sahara: Morocco is sending two infantry
battalions into border areas recently abandoned
by Spanish troops, and skirmishing is under way
with pro-Algerian Saharans. (Page 3)
Spain: The Sahara problem has given Prince Juan
Carlos an opportunity to create an initial im-
pression of energetic leadership, and fragmen-
tation within the Spanish opposition so far
has averted any serious challenge to his lead-
ership. (Page 4)
India-Bangladesh: India is examining its options
in Bangladesh, and military intervention is
one of them. (Page 5)
Angola: A last-ditch effort to patch together a
coalition government before independence day
on Tuesday seems doomed, and the Portuguese
are likely simply to withdraw without turning
over sovereignty to any group. (Page 6)
China: In its first official reaction to personnel
changes in Washington, Peking yesterday ex-
pressed unhappiness over the departure of Sec-
retary Schlesinger. (Page 7)
Notes: USSR; Lebanon; Turkey; USSR-Zaire; South
Vietnam (Pages 8 and 9)
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PORTUGAL
The Portuguese cabinet has warned
the left that it will no longer toler-
ate breaches of public order and will
take whatever measures are necessary
to enforce its authority and ensure
civil peace. The government statement
was released Thursday evening after a
joint session of the cabinet and the
Revolutionary Council and following
several days of leftist disturbances.
The Council subsequently issued its own en-
dorsement of the cabinet's position. It also cau-
tioned unspecified groups to refrain from exploiting
discontent among the 200,000 refugees who have re-
cently returned from Angola.
Underlining its support for the government's
new policy toward the left, the Council yesterday
authorized paratroopers to seize and destroy a
leftist-occupied radio transmitter outside Lisbon.
Leftists had used the radio to urge leftist demon-
strators to lay siege to the information ministry.
The government's position contrasts sharply
with previous indications that the cabinet would
assert its authority gradually and in areas where
there is little organized opposition. Direct con-
frontation with militant leftists had been regarded
as a risky policy that might make martyrs out of
the dissidents.
The government has been encouraged in recent
weeks by the failure of the far left to mount ef-
fective anti-government demonstrations and the im-
pressive support given the Azevedo government in
the provinces. Provincial support has been care-
fully stage-managed by the military's government
partners--the Socialists and the Popular Democrats.
(continued)
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the government will soon launch military
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_ _ .
The danger in a crackdown is that the govern-
ment may not have had time to put together the se-
curity force necessary to enforce its will upon a
well-armed, recalcitrant left.
maneuvers involving units throughout the country.
One of the purposes of the exercises will be to
test the responsiveness of these units to the gov-
ernment's directives.
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Atlantic Ocean
Tarfaya
Proposed limit
of march area
Tan- tan
Morocco
El Aaiun
Spanish
558785 11-75 CIA
aouza
Sahara
0 50
MILES
Algeria
Mauri-
tania
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SPANISH SAHARA
Morocco is sending two infantry
battalions with supporting artillery
into Spanish Sahara to reinforce the
regular and irregular forces that have
been skirmishing with the pro-Algerian
Polisario Front during the past few
days along the central and eastern
border.
The Spanish have been shifting their forces
for the past two weeks toward the coast. They re-
cently abandoned eight posts near the central and
eastern border to avoid attacks on their more iso-
lated positions. Moroccan irregulars and Polisario
guerrillas have clashed as each has tried to take
the abandoned Spanish posts.
The Algerians are still reinforcing their units
around Tindouf. Press reports from Algiers say there
has been a "total mobilization" of troops on the
southeastern border.
The Moroccan information minister, meanwhile,
says King Hassan has halted any further advance of
his marchers for 24 hours to permit bilateral dip-
lomatic efforts to move forward. Press reports,
however, assert a second column of marchers crossed
the border late yesterday at a point 120 miles east
of Tarfaya.
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_ _ _ _
SPAIN
The Sahara problem has given Prince
Juan Carlos an opportunity to create an
initial impression of energetic leader-
ship. His surprise visit to Spanish Sa-
hara last weekend boosted his public im-
age; even the illegal opposition has
praised it. Perhaps even more important,
the visit strengthened his political base
with the military, whose support will be
crucial during the transition period.
As long as Franco lives, however, the Prince
probably does not feel free to begin policy in-
novations on internal issues. Meanwhile, the left
is stepping up its demands for liberalization.
So far, fragmentation and bickering within
the Spanish opposition have averted any serious
challenge to Juan Carlos' leadership. The joint
communique issued recently by the two loose
coalitions of the left--the Communist-dominated
Democratic Junta and the Socialist-dominated Plat-
form of Democratic Convergence--lacked teeth and
required over two weeks of arduous negotiations.
The recent rash of arrests and detentions of
students and non-extremist opponents of the regime--
should they continue--will make it more difficult
for the opposition to give Juan Carlos a "period of
grace" in which to move toward liberalization.
Labor Minister Suarez told Ambassador Stabler
that the arrests did not reflect a hard-line atti-
tude at the upper levels of government. He at-
tributed the actions to the "policeman in the
street" who has been used to having his own way
for the past 35 years.
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INDIA-BANGLADESH
India is examining its options in
Bangladesh, and early military inter-
vention is one of them.
In discussions yesterday, an Indian foreign
ministry official painted a dark picture of the
Bangladesh situation and implied that New Delhi
cannot live indefinitely with the new leaders there.
He described them as unprincipled, unpopular, and
interested only in staying in power. He declared
India would consider its own security interests to
be threatened if the government in Dacca were to
grant military facilities to China or declare
Bangladesh an Islamic state and move against the
Hindu minority.
The Bengalee government that took over in Au-
gust made initial moves to designate the country
an "Islamic republic," but dropped the idea because
of concern over India's reaction.
New Delhi's views of the situation probably
were colored by demonstrations in Dacca yesterday.
Reports that two Indian army officers were killed
during the demonstrations will inflame Indian opin-
ion, already stimulated by emotional stories in the
press.
The Indian foreign ministry's view of a lack
of popular support for the new regime in Dacca
appears overdrawn. The seizure of power by Major
General Zia ur-Rahman yesterday seems to have gen-
erated considerable enthusiasm among the citizens
of Bangladesh. Zia enjoys the backing of key units
in Dacca and other cities. Calm appears to be
returning to Bangladesh, and Zia has ordered army
and police units to return to their barracks. He
will probably try to reassure the Indians.
Zia's regime, like its predecessors, will
probably be preoccupied with staying in power and
have little success in dealing with the country's
massive problems. As a result, public support for
the new government is likely to be short-lived.
Zia's ability to survive may also be limited by
his lack of experience in politics.
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ANGOLA
The Organization of African
Unity's last-ditch effort to patch
together a coalition government for
Angola in time for independence day
next Tuesday seems doomed to failure,
and the Portuguese are likely just
to withdraw without turning sover-
eignty over to any of the three na-
tionalist groups.
The final 2,000 Portuguese troops will depart
Angola on Monday night. The Portuguese high com-
missioner in Luanda remarked recently that, if he
must, he will simply "take down the flag and sail
away."
The Angolan nationalist groups, meanwhile,
are preparing for the Portuguese departure. The
Popular Movement on the one side and the National
Front and the National Union on the other will
probably declare rival "governments" and intensify
the civil war as they compete for international
recognition. The Popular Movement seems to have
a leg up in this department; according to one of
its spokesmen, some 80 communist, third-world, and
African states will recognize a Popular Movement
"government" on Tuesday.
Heavy fighting continues in the territory, and
Portuguese officials in Luanda expect an attack on
the capital by the National Front at any time.
Fighting also continues in Cabinda, probably in-
volving Zairian and Congolese troops as well as the
Angolan nationalists each supports.
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CHINA
In its first official reaction to
the personnel changes in your adminis-
tration, Peking yesterday expressed un-
happiness over the departure of Secre-
tary Schlesinger.
A New China News Agency article asserts the
changes have touched off "strong repercussions" in
the US and abroad. The article replays comments
by Senators Jackson and Goldwater as well as others
who reacted negatively. Senator Jackson is quoted
as saying that Secretary Schlesinger's departure
was due to his differences with Secretary of State
Kissinger.
The Chinese apparently considered Secretary
Schlesinger to be the member of your administration
whose views are closest to their own. Peking has
long given approving treatment in the press to
his positions on detente, defense spending, and
NATO.
The Chinese press handling of the personnel
changes clearly indicates the Chinese are appre-
hensive that Secretary Schlesinger's replacement
will mean that US-Soviet detente will move forward
more easily and that Washington is more likely to
make concessions to Moscow in Europe. The news
agency cites a statement by a Soviet commentator
welcoming the change.
It is extremely rare for the Chinese to take
a public position on high-level personnel appoint-
ments in the US, and their decision to do so is a
clear indication of their deep concern.
The Chinese article mentions in passing the
other personnel changes but gives little hint as
to how the Chinese regard them.
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V-class Submarine
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NOTES
What probably is a Soviet v-cZass, nuclear-
powered attack submarine has been identified some
120 nautical miles off the coast of North Carolina.
No submarine of this type has previously been
spotted closer than about 300 miles from the US
coast.
it presumably is attempting to gauge our
navy's response to Soviet submarine operations in
waters near the US coast.
Lebanon
The Turks are still holding to their decision
not to allow evena partial reactivation of US
facilities until major progress
has been made in the negotiations on anew defense
relationship with the US.
General Staff Chief
Sancar, the most influential military man, recently
told a senior US military official that he agrees
with the need for an early reactivation of the
facilities and is working hard to bring this about.
He noted, however, that he needs more time to out-
maneuver those who are opposed.
(continued)
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Relations between Zaire and the USSR are seri-
ously strained over their supportof TiTTa groups
in Angola's civil war.
The Soviet charge in Kinshasa presented a
demarche to the Zairian government concerning
Angola late last month. The Zairians immediately
and publicly rejected it. Since then, the Zairian
media and President Mobutu's party have kept up a
steady barrage of attacks on the Soviet Union. So
far, Soviet officials in Kinshasa have remained
silent. In Moscow, Soviet media have emphasized
foreign intervention in Angola, with specific ref-
erences to Zaire's support for the National Front.
The militant resistance of anti-communist
groups in South Vietnam has forced the communist
regime to maintain large security forces and may
have hampered efforts to reconstruct the South
Vietnamese economy.
Elements of at least four North Vietnamese
divisions have been dispatched to the central high-
lands, the Mekong Delta, and areas north of Saigon
to oppose the dissident groups. The resistance
forces do not pose a serious threat to the govern-
ment, but their disruptive activities have delayed
the regime's efforts to resettle people in rural
areas and restore agricultural production.
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Top Secret
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