THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 29 JUNE 1976

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006015150
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: June 29, 1976

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010010-6
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The President's Daily Brief
June 29, 1976
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of ED. 11652
exemption category 58( I ).(2).(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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June 29, 1976
Table of Contents
Lebanon: Attacks by Christian forces on two refugee camps
on
a
from
a Soviet,
3)
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Beirut's eastern edge have stalled efforts to achieve
cease-fire. (Page 1)
Iraq-Syria: Iraqi forces show no signs of pulling back
their positions near the Syrian border. (Page 2)
Jordan-USSR: King Husayn evidently did not decide on
South
air defense system while he was in Moscow. (Page
Africa - Rhodesia:
(Page 4)
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Portugal: President-elect Eanes intends to centralize authority
in his own hands. (Page 4)
USSR-Europe: The conference of European communist parties will
probably be a noncontroversial gathering. (Page 5)
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559975 6-76
J0OMILES 20
0 Palestinian Refugee Comp
KILOMETERS 20
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LEBANON: Christian
forces regrouped yes-
terday and resumed their
assault on the Tall Za-
tar and Jisr al-Basha
refugee camps on the
eastern edge of Beirut.
The Christians' pros-
pects for a military
success in Beirut have
heightened Palestinian
frustration and despair.
The Christian siege of
the refugee camps has
stalled Libyan Prime
Minister Jallud's ef-
forts to achieve a
cease-fire.
The Christians expect the camps to
fall by the end of the week at the
latest. Muslim and Palestinian
forces, meanwhile, continued their
diversionary attacks in Beirut's
port area and the Christian sub-
urbs, possibly in preparation for
a direct attempt to break through
and lift the siege of the camps.
The Beirut airport remains closed,
but the small Sudanese contingent
and the balance of the Saudi con-
tingent of the Arab League force
are likely to arrive in Beirut to-
day, presumably overland from Da-
mascus.
Lebanese leftist and fedayeen lead-
ers lashed out at Damascus yester-
day in a statement accusing the
Syrians of conspiring with the
Christians to bring about the camps'
destruction and of deliberately de-
laying their withdrawal from the
outskirts of Beirut and Sidon.
A Palestinian spokesman also ac-
cused the Syrians of moving 4,000
additional troops, plus armor, into
northern Lebanon yesterday. Al-
though we have not yet confirmed
any such moves, Syrian forces have
tried to tighten their grip on the
northern part of the Bekaa Valley
over the past few days. Leftist
forces in Balabakk are on the verge
of giving up.
Jallud conferred with leftist and
Palestinian leaders in Beirut yes-
terday, but later canceled a sched-
uled meeting with Christian leaders
when they refused to break off
their attack on Tall Zatar. For
--continued
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IRAQ-SYRIA: There are
no signs that any of
the Iraqi forces in
western Iraq are pre-
paring to return to
their home garrisons.
their part, the Christians have be-
come more skeptical of Libyan medi-
ation. The Christians say they
have found several Libyan bodies
and taken a Libyan prisoner in re-
cent fighting in Beirut.
Baghdad still has at least 16 com-
bat brigades along key approaches
to Syria, and they could move to
the border with little or no warn-
ing. The Iraqis have stated that
unless Damascus permits their
troops to cross the border to form
a "northern front" against Israel,
they will hold training exercises--
before they eventually return to
their regular bases.
The Iraqis recognize that the
buildup on the border has not suc-
ceeded in reducing Syrian pressure
against the Palestinians and Leba-
nese leftists. Baghdad's actions,
however, have forced the Syrians
to move military units toward the
Iraqi border. The Iraqis also be-
lieve that the continuing threat
of a push into Syria will increase
domestic criticism of President
Asad's Lebanon policy.
--continued
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JORDAN-USSR: King Hu-
sayn may have run into
difficulties during his
visit to the USSR,
which ended yesterday.
Husayn apparently fol-
lowed through with his
plan to return home to
compare the Soviet pro-
posal with existing or
anticipated Western of-
fers.
General Secretary Brezhnev's appar-
ent failure to meet with Husayn
suggests that Moscow may have been
unhappy that the King was not pre-
pared to decide on a Soviet offer
of an air defense system. The
joint communique issued yesterday
obscures Soviet and Jordanian dif-
ferences on key Middle East issues
and gives no indication of the So-
viets' terms for such a system.
The Soviets, however, probably di125X1
make a serious offer.
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If the Saudis do provide $500 mil-
lion, Husayn would be able to pur-
chase the first part of a US Hawk
system or a joint US-UK system.
The US-UK package, however, would
provide significantly fewer bat-
teries than the minimum the Jor-
danians believe they need. In
addition, Husayn may consider
those systems inferior to the one
offered by the Soviets.
--continued
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SOUTH AFRICA - RHODE-
SIA:
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PORTUGAL: President-
elect Eanes yesterday
indicated an intention
to centralize power in
his own hands by hold-
ing the posts of both
president and armed
forces chief of staff
until the political
situation "stabilizes."
Eanes has promised that his first
priority as president will be to
establish a strong government that
would not be vulnerable to mili-
tant pressure groups. He reiter-
ated his campaign pledge to desig-
nate Socialist Party leader.Mario
Soares to form a government.
The candidate of the far left,
Otelo de Carvalho, who finished
second with 17 percent of the vote,
has announced the formation of a
congress of far left groups that
supported his campaign.
--continued
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USSR-EUROPE: Most
signs point to little
or no controversy at
the conference of Euro-
pean communist parties
in East Berlin today
and tomorrow.
The Communist Party--the principal
loser in the election with under
8 percent of the count--is likely
to maintain a low profile while
reviewing party strategy. The
Communists retain considerable
strength in the labor unions, how-
ever, and their losses to activ-
ists on the far left may prompt
the party to decide on a tough
line toward the new government.
General Secretary Brezhnev and
President Tito will join represen-
tatives of all European communist
parties except those of Iceland
and Albanfa. To assure the atten-
dance of independent-minded par-
ties like the Italian, Romanian,
Yugoslav, and French ones, the So-
viets apparently granted extensive
concessions.
the conterence document
will focus on such non-divisive
issues as peace, security, coopera-
tion and social progress in Europe.
the proceed-
ings and the document will strictly
observe the full independence and
autonomy of the participating par-
ties and call for sharply expanded
cooperation among communist par-
ties and all "progressive" forces
in Europe, including the Social
and Christian Democrats.
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Top Secret
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