THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 19 AUGUST 1976

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006466743
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: August 19, 1976

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
The President's Daily Brief
I
August 19, 1976
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E 0 11652
exemption category 513(1).(2).(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
August 19, 1976
Table of Contents
25X1
25X1
Korea: Yesterday's
violence at Panmunjom seems designed to under-
North Korea's case that the US is the major source of
in Korea and to agitate US public opinion over the
of US troop presence. (Page 1)
25X1
25X1
score
tension
issue
Lebanon:
Greece
-Turkey:
Egypt
(Page
3)
25X1
25X1
-Libya:
Libya:
25X1
(Page 5)
Notes: USSR; Thailand (Page 6)
25X1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
JOINT SECURITY AREA
MILITARY ARMISTICE COM1vIISSION -1EADQUARTERS AREA
(At Pan?air:1,1cm 7 SCHEMATIC NOT TO SCALE
,.....Z
40/
+$# A
\
A.
,
KAONO /
a miLta /
/INCIDENT OF
, AUGUST 1? ic)
ItiN'
bill0F16 OP NO
szTURN
0
40?
10 00'
asee ?C.P.?
c.00
CP3
kk?C6 PEACE
PAGODA
NOfetH
W.K GUARD
t ICE CREAM
PARLOR
PRESS BUILDING
-kbrth
Korea
Panmunjom
Incident of August 5
South
Incident of August 18
Korea
Seoul
0 25 Miles
0 25 Kilometers
DMZ
(...ALATRINE
\
?i iff
10.0
0
0 0
A ?
-,a
CP5
NOTE: KPA/CPV BUILDINGS ARE
SHADED.
UNC BUILDINGS ARE NOT SHADED.
620309 8-76
TO USASG CAMP 4 MILES (O MIN)
SEOUL 42 MILES
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
?
KOREA: Yesterday's
violence at Panmunjom
seems designed to un-
derscore North Korea's
case that the US is
the major source of
tension in Korea and
to agitate US public
opinion over the issue
of the US troop pres-
ence in the context of
an election campaign.
Should Pyongyang per-
ceive the beginning of
a domestic debate over
the advisability of the
US troop presence in
Korea, further con-
trolled acts of violence
can be expected.
Beginning early this spring, North
Korean propaganda has charged al-
most daily that the US is under-
taking provocative measures in the
South. Since early June, North
Korean personnel in the Joint Se-
curity Area have engaged in minor
harassment of US personnel.
Pyongyang almost certainly intended
US casualties to result from the
incident at Panmunjom. A North
Korean radio broadcast termed the
incident_a US provocation and
warned that any such incidents in
the future would be met forcefully.
On August 5--only a few hours after
an exchange of fire on the DMZ--
a North Korean statement, issued at
a high level, alleged that the US
and South Korea have now "completed"
war preparations. The statement
was the first issued from this
level since 1969 that was directed
specifically at US actions in the
South.
North Korea is working hard to get
the nonaligned conference in Co-
lombo to issue a harsh anti-US
statement. Pyongyang's efforts in
Colombo are intended to affect the
prospects in the General Assembly
debate on the Korean issue this
fall. A resolution has already
been introduced which once again
calls for American withdrawal from
Korea.
President Kim Il-song is not likely,
however, to undertake high-risk
military provocations that might
result in serious clashes with
South Korean forces. Kim has ac-
knowledged publicly that he is re-
lying on trends in international
--continued
1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
MEDITERRANEAN
SEA
BEIRUT_
SYR I
loOlat.,
TI41 Isi
e4,1
A trt
s
..
a
4 if iz di r DAMASCUS
-4/0111411 . 4
/
/
I Gola
I Heigh
I
I o
)
ISRAEL
IA
MILES 20
0 KILOMETERS 20
620306 8-76 ,
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Pyongyang domestic
radio reported this
morning that all
Korean army person-
nel "and other units"
had been put on a
"war posture."
LEBANON: The Chris-
tians are continuing
to shell areas in the
mountains east of Bei-
rut, apparently as a
prelude to a full-scale
assault.
opinion and on developments in
South Korea to create opportunities
for advancing his goal of reunifi-
cation on North Korean terms.
25X1
There i25X1
other evidence of any unusual North
Korean military activity or deploy-
ments, although North Korean military
forces are in position to launch a
major assault across the DMZ with
little or no warning.
The North Koreans have agreed to
attend a meeting at the Military
Armistice Commission early this
morning Washington time.
The Bureau of Intelligence and Re-
search of the Department of State
does not believe current informa-
tion is sufficient to be certain
that yesterday's incident was
planned from Pyongyang. State/INR
believes the incident could have
resulted from local North Korean
action.
Shelling has centered around Kah-
halah, Alayh, and other villages
near the Beirut-Damascus highway.
Heavy firing also occurred in the
area of Aynturah and Mutayn.
25X1
25X1
--continued
2
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait
have been trying for
several days to gather
support for an Arab sum-
mit under the auspices
of the Arab League to
discuss again the Leba-
nese situation.
GREECE-TURKEY:
25X1
25X1
Egyptian President Sadat, who is
en route to Saudi Arabia for a
quick visit, yesterday approved
the idea. His move may be chiefly
intended to placate the Saudis who
have been annoyed by Egypt's anti-
Syrian activities in Lebanon.
Sadat's agreement to attend a
summit, combined with Saudi and
Kuwaiti pressure, will make it
more difficult for Syrian Presi-
dent Asad to resist approval of
the meeting.
* * *
25X1
25X1
--continued
3
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
EGYPT-LIBYA:
25X1
* * *
25X1
25X1
--continued
4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
25X1
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LIBYA:
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
--continued
5
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
1111 NI Ell ill OM al MI al IN OM MI iii OM
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
A new Soviet statute
defines, for the first
time, the rights of
the accused.
Former Thai military
ruler Praphat
has agreed
to se paced in the cus-
tody of the army.
NOTES
We do not know how seriously the
authorities will regard these
rights, but the new statute ap-
pears to be a move in the direc-
tion of controlling arbitrary ac-
tion of officials. General Secre-
tary Brezhnev heard harsh criti-
cism of the Soviet record on indi-
vidual rights and freedoms from
West European Communists at the
conference of European communist
parties in late June. This may
have had something to do with the
timing of the law.
Among other things, the legisla-
tion obliges authorities to submit
within 24 hours a written state-
ment of the circumstances of the
arrest to the public prosecutor.
He, in turn, must approve within
48 hours further detention or or-
der the release of the suspect.
The apprehended person, if not re-
leased, has the right to retain
personal documents related to the
case and to meet with his defense
attorney in private.
* * *
25X1
The Praphat episode could easily
precipitate a crisis situation for
the 4-month-old Seni Pramot govely5x1
ment which is already on a poten-
tial collision course with a newly
aroused student movement. Praphat's
determination to stay will proba-
bly prompt student leaders to be-25X1
gin mobilizing their forces for
large-scale demonstrations.
6
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200020003-1