THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 28 JULY 1976

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006015175
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: July 28, 1976

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
The President's Daily Brief
1
July 28, 1976
2
To cret 25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category, 58( I
declassified ?MY on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
i.e.? Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
L.
_
-
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
1' L./ V _I 11 Li L L L- v v A
July 28, 1976
Table of Contents
Italy: The Christian Democrats have authorized the creation of
a temporary minority government that would depend for its
survival on Communist abstention in parliamentary confidence
votes. (Page 1)
USSR - Middle East: The Soviets' first authoritative Pravda edi-
torial in many weeks on the Middle East situation puts the
blame for developments in Lebanon and elsewhere in the area
directly on the US. (Page 2)
Lebanon: PLO representative Qaddumi returned to Beirut yesterday
from Damascus to confer about terms of a draft agreement
worked out with the Syrians. (Page 3)
Egypt-Libya-Tunisia: Egypt continues to bolster its military
strength on the Libyan border, as Tunisia prepares for a
possible Libyan attack. (Page 4)
Kenya-Uganda-UK: Kenya's foreign minister stated yesterday that
Nairobi is prepared to receive missions from both the UN and
the OAU to investigate the dispute with Uganda. The UK will
announce today its decision to break relations with Uganda.
(Page 5)
Rhodesia: Fighting, reported as heavy, occurred in northwestern
Mozambique last week when Rhodesian troops with air support
crossed the border. (Page 5)
Japanj
Poland-Italy: Dissident Polish intellectuals last week induced
the Italian Communist Party to intercede on behalf of Polish
workers convicted for participation in the June riots in
Poland. (Page 7)
Note: USSR-US (Page 9)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
25X1
I
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
.1.11_i I AVA-41...1.1.1-.0 Li V A V -I. V A
ITALY: Italy's Chris-
tian Democrats yester-
day authorized prime
minister - designate
Andreotti to form a tem-
porary minority govern-
ment, the survival of
which would depend on
Communist abstention in
parliamentary confidence
votes. The Communists
have not held such a
pivotal role since their
ejection from the gov-
ernment in 1947, and
have always voted
against the government
in confidence votes.
Given the absence of
realistic alternatives,
Christian Democratic
leader Zaccagnini sought
yesterday to paper over
differences in his party
with a formulation that
meets the Communists
halfway.
Andreotti needs Communist absten-
tion because of his failure during
consultations on a new government
to win parliamentary support from
the Christian Democrats' three
traditional government partners.
The Socialists, Social Democrats,
and Republicans have all told An-
dreotti that the most he can ex-
pect from them is abstention in a
confidence vote. Given the in-
creased Communist strength in the
new parliament, the Christian Dem-
ocrats could not command the req-
uisite majority of those voting un-
less the Communists also abstained.
While giving Andreotti the go-
ahead, however, the Christian Dem-
ocratic leadership stopped just
short of issuing the explicit ap-
peal for Communist assistance that
the Communists had demanded as a
condition for their abstention.
What the Communists want, in effect,
is a formal admission by the Chris-
tian Democrats that Italy cannot
be governed without Communist co-
operation. Influential right-wing
Christian Democrats opposed such
an appeal to the Communists on the
grounds that it would blur the dis-
tinction between the opposition
and the government.
Rather than appealing to the Commu-
nists alone, he called on all par-
ties consulted by Andreotti to
"perform a service" by abstaining
in a vote of confidence. The Com-
munists will now have to decide
whether Zaccagnini has gone far
enough toward meeting their de-
mand. They will probably be per-
suaded to go along by the increased
1
--continued
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
__-
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
1.11:i 1 .1k LI LI ! LJLi1 V .1 VL
USSR - MIDDLE EAST:
The Soviets yesterday
published in Pravda
their first authorita-
tive editorial on the
Middle East situation
in many weeks.
influence they would acquire and
by the Christian Democrats' recent
willingness to yield major parlia-
mentary posts to them.
Andreotti is drawing up a cabinet
and will reportedly by ready to
face a confidence vote next week.
According to an embassy summary,
the editorial reflected continued
Soviet frustration over develop-
ments in Lebanon and elsewhere in
the Middle East and put the blame
for them squarely on the US. Is-
rael, as well as the US, was
sharply criticized for pursuing
"divide-and conquer" tactics de-
signed to set Arabs against one
another and to "artifically delay"
an overall Middle East settlement.
In contrast to other recent Soviet
propaganda statements, Pravda did
not explicitly criticize Syria for
its intervention in Lebanon. It
lacked any new ideas for resolving
the Lebanese crisis or for rescu-
ing the beleaguered Palestinians.
Pravda repeated the standard So-
viet call to reconvene the Geneva
conference to resolve the Middle
East impasse, but the appeal was
cast in restrained and moderate
terms. For example, the editorial
omitted the formulation that the
PLO should participate at Geneva
"from the very beginning." It also
included Soviet endorsement of the
"inviolability of borders" of all
states in the Middle East.
Izvestia also attempted to blame
the US for Soviet troubles in the
Middle East in a lengthy article
published on Monday. The article
portrays Washington's step-by-step
diplomacy as designed to isolate
2
--continued
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19: CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
r (J I\ .1 11 L FIX LJIL/Ld V .1 / 1V 1_J
LEBANON: Palestine
Liberation Organization
representative Qaddumi
returned to Beirut yes-
terday from Damascus to
confer with other PLO
officials and Lebanese
leftist leaders about
terms of a draft agree-
ment worked out with
the Syrians.
More volunteers, based
in Libya, will appar-
ently soon be heading
for Lebanon to fight
with Lebanese leftist
and Palestinian forces.
and, ultimately, to destroy the
Palestinian resistance movement--
the only "cement" that holds to-
gether the Arabs' "anti-imperialist
unity."
The leftists predictably have crit-
icized the accord for failing to
include a provision for the with-
drawal of Syrian forces from Leba-
non. PLO leaders appear split
over whether to accept the terms,
which clearly favor Syria.
The Christians
25X1
25X1
have yet to25X1
indicate whether they would accept
the agreement.
25X1 25X1
We have previously had reports of
groups of about 100 transiting
Egypt en route to Lebanon.
Fatah is said to be handling the
recruits, who have just completed
training at a camp in Libya. The
volunteers are primarily Palestin-
ians; a small number are Lebanese.
The Palestinian and leftist forces
are apparently still experiencing
3
--continued
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
`
ALBANIA
C,I\GREECE\
::.--, C).)-.? , ?.72
leu\ ' cZA TrIKEY
P ------J-7
...1CRETE
,fl
BULGARIA
Black Sea
Mediterranean Sea
LIBYA
Matruh; JORDAN
[.."-'
--,..........
Alexanda N i
\ i
\ I
? i
Red
Se
CY"-?
LEBANO/N
BEIRUT/
ISRAEL
EGYPT
0 Miles 400
0 400
Kilometers
SYRIA
IRAQ
SAUDI ARABIA
620174 7-76.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
LD-
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
run inr, E IX E. / 12.1v .1 1./ /
EGYPT-LIBYA-TUNISIA:
Egypt continues to bol-
ster its military
strength on the Libyan
border.
severe shortages despite the ship-
ment of food and arms to them by
Egypt and Libya. \
\that large convoys
of troops, without armor, were
headed west on the Cairo-Alexandria
road on Sunday and Monday.
We are still uncertain about the
extent of the Egyptian buildup.
In addition to the latest deploy-
ments, Cairo has sent two surface-
to-air missile brigades, one MIG-
21 squadron, and at least one bat-
talion-size ground force unit to
the border area over the past two
weeks.
Additional ground forces apparently
have been moved to the area, but
we are unable to confirm their
presence.
that a newly formed
armored division is taking up posi-
tions in the Matruh area.
Tunisia, meanwhile, has taken pre-
cautions against any Libyan mili-
tary moves in its direction.
Tunisian
army units have increased their
readiness and that some units along
the main coastal highway from Trip-
oli to Tunis have been reinforced.
4
--continued
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
Southwest
Africa INa mi
Zambia
Victoria
Falls
Botswana
Road
Railroad
0 200 MILES
0
200 KILOMETERS
\fc
Lilougw
.'1111111410b d:th Ndr
Lusaka
Rhodoersi r c Mat WI
ALISBUFK
:
Channo
Rho Mozambi ue
41?zambique
7.117
South fri:414C\
ca
(
620125 7.76 CIA
?...t?????-"t...is??????? Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19: CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
POR 1 ILE l'EL311JLIV 1 VIVL
KENYA-UGANDA-UK: Ken-
ya's foreign minister
announced yesterday
that Nairobi is pre-
pared to receive a UN
fact-finding mission
on the Kenyan-Ugandan
dispute and has invited
the secretary general
of the Organization of
African Unity to inves-
tigate as well.
The UK will announce
today its decision to
break relations with
Uganda.
RHODESIA: Fighting,
reported as heavy, oc-
curred in northwestern
Mozambique last week
when Rhodesian troops
with air support crossed
the border.
The Kenyan foreign minister also
said he would welcome a meeting be-
tween Kenyan and Ugandan officials.
Ugandan President Amin last week
called for UN and OAU investiga-
tions of the dispute.
The Kenyan foreign minister spelled
out to a meeting of foreign diplo-
mats in Nairobi measures that Amin
must take if he wants to relieve
tension between the two countries:
withdraw troops from the border,
withdraw claims to Kenyan terri-
tory, and guarantee the safety of
Kenyans living in Uganda.
The Callaghan government, which
has been under pressure to take
some form of action, has postponed
the break for two weeks out of con-
cern for some 500 British citizens
remaining in Uganda. About half
of these nationals have now left
the country; the others apparently
intend to stay.
The French embassy in Kampala will
represent UK interests in Uganda
after the break.
Increasing military manpower re-
quirements have prompted the Smith
regime to introduce legislation
that for the first time would per-
mit drafting blacks into the security
forces. Blacks subject to the draft
will not necessarily be used to fight
the guerrillas but may be assigned
to clerical and other non-combat
duties in order to release more
whites for combat.
5
--continued
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
-
Z. A
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
CIA 1 fl1 IIKEL311J.GIV I VI VL
JAPAN:
Rapidly rising military costs have
compelled the government to take
strict measures to ease the grow-
ing economic burden of the guer-
rilla war. According to the Rho-
desian finance minister, funds
will be diverted to the military
from government services affecting
transportation, housing, and local
government.
In an effort to stop the growing
exodus of whites from Rhodesia and
to preserve foreign currency re-
serves, the government has reduced
by almost 80 percent the amount of
money emigrants can take out of
the country.' 25X1
25X1 25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
6
--continued
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
CIA .1 I1E 1-1(E0111.CIV .1 11.1V L. 1
POLAND-ITALY: Dissi-
dent Polish intellec-
tuals last week induced
the Italian Communist
Party and trade union
movement to intercede
on behalf of 13 Polish
workers convicted for
participation in the
June riots in Poland.
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
An open letter to Italian Commu-
nist Party leader Berlinguer given
to foreign journalists in Poland
stimulated the Italian response.
The letter criticized the closed
trials of the Polish workers and
asked the Italian party to protest
the "harsh and unjust treatment"
accorded convicted strikers.
7
--continued
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
25X1,
1.1=7--) -1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
UK 11E 1-1(ELI1IJEIV 1 CJIV L. I
The Italian Communist daily re-
ported last week that the party
secretariat had expressed to the
Polish party Italian "concern"
over the trials, particularly be-
cause of the paucity of informa-
tion about them and the refusal to
allow foreign journalists to at-
tend.
The Italian party urged the Poles
to exercise "moderation and even
clemency" in dealing with the con-
victed. Italy's major trade union
federation followed with a "decla-
ration of protest" expressing "pro-
found concern" over numerous ar-
rests and trials.
There has been no public reaction
from Polish officials. Contacts
of the US embassy in Warsaw indi-
cate that there is a "very strong"
division of opinion within the Po-
lish leadership over how best to
handle the matter.
--continued
8
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONL Y
Several leading offi-
cials of the Soviet In-
stitute of the USA and
Canada will visit the
US this summer. They
have been separately
invited by various or-
ganizations.
NOTE
The institute is now preparing a
"profile" of Governor Carter and
presumably will do a forecast of
the election results and the pos-
sible effects on US policy.
Among those officials who are com-
ing to the US are Institute Direc-
tor Georgy Arbatov; Valentin Be-
rezhkov, chief editor of the insti-
tute's journal; and Georgy Svyatov,
chief of the institute's military-
technical policy section.
9
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013500010035-9