THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 2 DECEMBER 1975

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006014969
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: December 2, 1975

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The President's Daily Brief
December 2, 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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_ _ . _ _ _
December 2, 1975
Table of Contents
Portugal: Factionalism is surfacing again within
the military as the relatively conservative
officers seek to sustain the momentum gained
in putting down the leftist rebellion last
week. (Page 1)
USSR-PLO: Yasir Arafat appears to have broken lit-
tle new ground during his visit to Moscow last
week. (Page 2)
Angola: Growing publicity over South African mili-
tary support for two Angolan nationalist groups
is proving a political liability for those or-
ganizations. (Page 3)
Notes: Israel-Fedayeen-Lebanon; Spain; Saudi Ara-
bia - North Yemen - USSR; Saudi Arabia; Rhode-
sia; Somalia (Pages 4, 5, and 6)
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PORTUGAL
Factionalism is surfacing again
within the Portuguese military as rel-
atively conservative officers seek to
sustain the momentum gained in putting
down the leftist rebellion last week.
a
group of conservative officers--reportedly includ-
ing some who played a key role in suppressing last
week's rebellion--met on Saturday outside of Lisbon
to discuss Portugal's political future. These
officers advocate a strict division between polit-
ical and military affairs, and want the other mili-
tary officers to make a choice between the two.
Many of those present also reportedly oppose
the policy of "forcing" socialism on the Portuguese
people. This sentiment puts them in opposition to
both the Antunes faction, which dominates the mili-
tary's Revolutionary Council, and the Socialists,
who have the largest party representation in the
cabinet. Antunes and the Socialists have declared
socialism to be their goal for the country.
The strength of the conservative officer fac-
tion is unknown, but it did insist on the crack-
down on the left. The group aims at replacing
President Costa Gomes and members of the Antunes
faction before the election scheduled for next
spring. The officers suspect that the Antunes fac-
tion may try to sidestep the election out of fear
that the more conservative Popular Democratic Party
and the Social Democratic Center will win a major-
ity rather than the Socialists. There is little
evidence at present, however, that the conserva-
tive officers have sufficient strength to pull this
maneuver off.
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USSR-PLO
PLO chief Yasir Arafat appears to
have broken little new ground during his
visit to Moscow last week. The communi?
qug issued at the end of the visit indi?
cates that Arafat gave no more than Zip
service to the idea, advanced by Moscow
early in November, of reconvening the
Geneva conference. The Soviets continue
to withhold formal endorsement of the
PLO as sole legitimate representative of
the Palestinians.
The Palestinians seem to be looking to the UN
to develop new momentum for their cause, while Mos-
cow remains cool to the pursuit of Middle East is-
sues in a forum where its influence will be diluted.
The Soviets apparently again pressed Arafat
to move toward an affirmation of Israel's right to
exist, but again were unsuccessful. The communique
did say that a Middle East settlement should be
achieved on the basis of UN resolutions and the UN
charter. Although the Soviets can take this as im-
plicit acknowledgment of Israel's existence, the
wording is ambiguous and leaves Arafat much room
for maneuver.
The communique criticized the second Sinai ac-
cord and castigated "certain quarters" for under-
mining Arab unity, but it did not mention either
Sadat or the US by name.
Arafat's reception in Moscow was generally
similar to that given him last spring. He did not
talk with officials higher than Foreign Minister
Gromyko and party secretary Ponomarev. During his
previous visit, Arafat had a brief, ceremonial en-
counter with Brezhnev.
The situation in Lebanon and Soviet arms sup-
plies to the fedayeen were not mentioned in the
communique, but must have been dicussed. Three
fedayeen leaders with military responsibilities
went to Moscow with Arafat, suggesting that the
Palestinians pressed for additional arms supplies
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ANGOLA
Growing publicity over South African
military support for the National Front
for the Liberation of Angola and the Na-
tional Union for the Total Independence
of Angola is proving a political liabil-
ity for those two organizations.
The attention being paid Pretoria's involve-
ment in Angola already has caused Nigeria and Da-
homey to abandon the neutrality they had assumed
toward the civil conflict. Both countries have
now recognized the regime established by the Pop-
ular Movement for the Liberation of Angola.
Many African nations are seriously concerned
about Soviet involvement in Angola but this uneas-
iness is outweighed by antipathy toward South
Africa.
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NOTES
The Israeli aircraft bombings of fedayeen
camps in northern and southern Lebanon on Decem-
ber 2 were the first such air strikes in about
three months.
The strikes probably were largely in response
to a fedayeen attack launched from Syria in late
November. They presumably also reflect Israel's
unhappiness over the action by the Security Coun-
cil president inviting PLO participation in the
Middle East debate in January.
Spanish King Juan Carlos appears to have won
his first battle to get his own men into the gov-
ernment.
He is expected to name Torcuato Fernandez-
Miranda as President of the Cortes--the Spanish
parliament--and as president of the powerful ad-
visory body, the Council of State. Fernandez-
Miranda was Franco's choice as tutor to the King
and is expected to be responsive to what Juan
Carlos wants. In his new offices he will play an
important role in promoting the King's choice for
prime minister should Juan Carlos decide to re-
place Carlos Arias. Fernandez-Miranda also will
be in a position to sign a number of executive
decisions which may permit the King to sidestep
some of the constitutional restraints on his free-
dom of action.
(continued)
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Saudi Arabia's initial reaction to a reported
North Yemeni - Soviet arms deal has been predict-
ably harsh.
Ambassador Akins has suggested that the arms
deal might still be reversible, and that Fahd may
yet move to conclude the long-delayed agreement
with North Yemen to provide Saudi financial assist-
ance for the purchase of US and other western arms.
Hamdi repeatedly has stated that, given a choice,
he prefers to have Western arms and the good will
of the Saudis.
Saudi Arabia has refused an International
Monetary Fund request to commit an additional $480
million to the Fund's oil facility, which provides
loans to oil importers facing financing problems.
Jidda made an initial commitment of $1.2 bil-
lion in June and agreed in October to contribute
$300 million more. Saudi Arabia is already sup-
plying 35 percent of the facility's funds this
year, but its failure to go beyond $1.5 billion
could make the fund less able to ease balance-of-
payments problems among oil importers early next
year. The Saudis' decision is a product of their
displeasure with the operations of the facility
since its inception in 1974. They would like a
greater voice in the administration of the fund.
(continued)
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Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith and Joshua
Nkomo, leader of a major faction of the country's
black nationalists, signed a joint "declaration of
intent" on December 1 to begin negotiations for a
constitutional settlement of their dispute.
The final details for the conference, including
the date that talks will begin, are to be worked
out next week. The declaration assures Nkomo's team
of negotiators immunity from arrest and freedom to
enter and leave Rhodesia. Two of Nkomo's leading
rivals, Bishop Muzorewa and Ndabaningi Sithole,
will doubtless be excluded from the talks and are
likely to denounce the declaration.
Nkomo can apparently count on the support of
Zambian President Kaunda and Botswanan President
Khama. Tanzanian President Nyerere may take a
neutral position toward the dissident factions.
Nkomo hopes to obtain the support of Mozambican
President Machel, who currently favors Muzorewa
and Sithole.
a
The Somali armed forces last week carried out
combined land, sea, and air exercise
; the exercise simu-
French Territory of the
lated operations in the
Afars and Issas.
Somali President Siad has publicly stated--
most recently to a visiting French journalist?,
that he would accept an independent territory of
Afars and Issas as long as it is neither pro-
Ethiopian nor anti-Somali. According to an Arab
military attache in Mogadiscio, Soviet advisers
in Somalia have warned Siad not to move militarily
against the French territory until its independence
is proclaimed. They have advised him that once
the proclamation is made, he can press the Issas,
who are a Somali tribe, to call for Somalia's in-
tervention on the ground that the Issas must be
protected from their traditional enemies, the
Afars.
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