THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 10 MAY 1976

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006015104
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: May 10, 1976

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013300010035-1
The President's Daily Brief
May 10, 1976
2
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013300010035-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013300010035-1
Exempt from general
declaullication schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B( I
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013300010035-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized ZOPY-Api3r7oVed-f-o714-;1;L-;; -2-61e7-07/16 bii-RDP79T00936A013300010035-1
?May 10, 1976
Table of Contents
Lebanon: Ilyas Sarkis' near unanimous endorsement as president
on Saturday was a major political setback for leftist leader
Kamal Jumblatt. (Page 1)
Namibia: South Africa is establishing a security buffer zone
along the Namibia-Angola border. (Page 2)
Italy: Party leaders are beginning to plot campaign strategy for
the coming election. (Page 3)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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559740 5-76
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LEBANON: Ilyas Sarkis'
near unanimous endorse-
ment as president on
Saturday was a major
political setback for
leftist leader Kamal
Jumblatt, who attempted
to impede the vote.
Fierce fighting in Beirut on Sat-
urday near Sarkis' hotel and par-
liament's temporary headquarters
has died down. Our embassy in
Beirut has expressed concern, how-
ever, that Jumblatt is becoming
increasingly irrational in his
campaign to thwart Syrian influ-
ence in Lebanon and may be pre-
pared to press his fight.
Sarkis' victory, on the other
hand, has given a much-needed
boost to Syrian policy in Lebanon
and should strengthen Damascus'
hand in dealing with Jumblatt.
The Syrians recently have become
frustrated by the elusiveness of
a political settlement. The suc-
cess of the election should ease
their frustration and give fresh
momentum to their recent efforts
to isolate Jumblatt politically.
There are tentative indications
that at least a battalion of Syr-
ian regular troops began moving
toward Beirut yesterday. It is
not clear whether these forces
crossed into Lebanon over the week-
end or are a contingent from the
Syrian force that has been based
in eastern Lebanon since April 9.
The Syrian battalion reportedly
has taken a southerly route through
Mashgharah and Jazzin rather than
the Beirut-Damascus highway. Al-
though the Syrians generally have
avoided using the southern access
to Beirut in order not to raise Is-
raeli suspicions, they have decided
to take the risk this time to
avoid fighting in the mountains be-
tween Christian and leftist forces.
The Syrians have been reluctant
to use their regular forces in a
blatant way that would increase
1
--continued
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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NAMIBIA
(SOUTH-WEST AFRICA)
ANGOLA
?Oshikango
Ovamboland
? Ctosha Pan
WALVIS BAY,
(SOUTH AFRICA)
South
Atlantic
Ocean
Windhoek
alvis Bay
250 Miles
250 Kilometers
0,
Vaputu
'dal baba e
SWAZILAND
SOUTH
AFRICA
Maseru
LESOTHO
Indian Ocean
559738 5-76
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? ,?-?
NAMIBIA: South Africa
has announced that it
is establishing a secu-
rity buffer zone along
the Namibia-Angola bor-
der. The buffer zone
will be one kilometer
wide and is intended to
prevent guerrilla incur-
sions by the South-West
African People's Organi-
zation that operates
out of Angola.
animosity toward their presence
in Lebanon. Damascus may now feel,
however, that an open show of force
is necessary not only to ensure
Sarkis' installation in office but
also to intimidate Jumblatt's
forces.
If Sarkis is able to assume office
without the cease-fire collapsing,
his leadership could provide sig-
nificant new impetus to a politi-
cal solution. He is respected in
broader Christian circles, and un-
like most Lebanese politicians, he
has few enemies within either the
Christian or Muslim establishments.
Sarkis also has had frequent per-
sonal contact with Jumblatt over
the past several weeks and appar-
ently is trying to arrange further
dialogue. His understanding of
Jumblatt's position and willing-
ness to deal with him directly
could be important ingredients for
future reconciliation.
According to Pretoria, all tribes-
men living in the buffer zone will
be resettled. Border crossings
from Namibia to Angola will be re-
stricted to Oshikango and two other
locations for personnel working on
the Cunene River project.
South Africa reportedly first con-
sidered establishing the security
zone last fall but decided against
it. Since September, however,
there have been a series of small
scale attacks in northern Namibia
that South Africa blames on intrud-
ers from Angola.
2
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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_/IV I II 1-1 A 1N. A-I I-, A- 'IVA A
ITALY: Party leaders
are beginning to plot
campaign strategy fol-
lowing the collapse of
the Moro government
and President Leone's
decision to hold an
election on June 20-21.
The Christian Democrats are divided
and disoriented on the eve of the
campaign. They continue to dis-
agree among themselves on the ques-
tion that will be at the center of
campaign debate: the future role
of the Communist Party. In addi-
tion, the Lockheed scandal has be-
come a problem of major proportions
for the party.
The campaigns of the Communists
and Socialists, by contrast, have
already begun to take shape.
While they will be competing with
each other, both are likely to em-
phasize that the Christian Demo-
crats are worn out, corrupt, and
unresponsive to the country's needs
after 30 years in power.
Three of the smaller parties--the
Social Democratic, Republican, and
Liberal--have taken tentative steps
toward presenting joint lists of
candidates. Fundamental differ-
ences between them, however, will
make maintaining a united front
through the campaign difficult.
The campaign is almost certain to
produce further politically moti-
vated violence by left and right
extremists who operate outside
the regular political parties.
The Communists, who seem to be
viewed by an increasing number of
Italians as the only party capable
of restoring order, appear best
positioned to benefit politically
from an upsurge of violence during
the campaign.
3
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Top Secret
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