WEEKLY SUMMARY

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CIA-RDP79-00927A006900040001-4
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March 13, 2006
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1
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Publication Date: 
February 20, 1969
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SUMMARY
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Approved For Release 2007/02/07 : CIA-RDP79-00927A00690004eCret DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE WEEKLY SUMMARY Secret 41 State Department review completed 20 February 1969 No. 0358/69 Approved For Release 2007/02/07 : CIA-RDP79-00927A006900040001-4 25X1 Approved For Release 2007/02/07 : CIA-RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 Approved For Release 2007/02/07 : CIA-RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 Approved For Release 2007/02/c ECRK&79-00927AO06900040001-4 (Information as of noon EST, 19 February 1969) Far East VIETNAM The Communists have now focused on US troop with- drawal as the first order of business in the Paris talks, while the Saigon government is apparently trying to develop a more positive line to counter local Communist peace propaganda and agitation. Military action was generally light over the Tet holiday, and the sustained pressure of allied opera- tions continues to thwart Communist attack prepara- tions. THAI GOVERNMENT PARTY WINS NO MANDATE IN ELECTIONS The government's failure to win a majority in the lower house elections is!embarrassing for the mili- tary leadership, but it will not result in any drama- tic changes in the way Thailand is ruled. Page 1 Europe THE WEEK IN PERSPECTIVE 5 TENSION RISES OVER BERLIN The Soviets have contributed to the increase in ten- sions surrounding the West German presidential elec- tion in West Berlin on 5 March, but they have of- fered private assurances that Allied rights in the city will be safeguarded. CZECHOSLOVAKIA IMPROVES RELATIONS WITH INVADING POWERS There has been a discernible effort on the part of the Dubcek regime to improve relations with the states that invaded Czechoslovakia in August. These gestures have been partially reciprocated, probably because most of the governments involved want at least the appearance of "normalization" in hopes that the reality will follow in due course. SECRET Approved For Reel fie 2007MMf%15i 809-00 7AM960040001-4 Approved For Release 2007/0:8%?C- RfA- DP79-00927A006900040001-4 ITALIAN COMMUNISTS DEFY MOSCOW At last week's 12th party congress, the Italian Com- munists reiterated their condemnation of the inter- vention in Czechoslovakia, thus taking another step toward establishing themselves as a normal democratic party in Italian eyes. 25X1 SOVIET OIL SALES DECLINE EAST OF SUEZ Soviet exports of oil to free world Asian markets are declining primarily because of high transport costs arising from. the closing of the Suez Canal. USSR MAY SEEK AFFILIATION WITH INTELSAT Soviet attendance as an observer at the International Telecommunications Satellite Consortium's conference next week may indicate an interest on Moscow's part in joining the consortium. EUROPEAN CENTRIFUGE PROJECT SHOWS PROGRESS Britain, the Netherlands, and West Germany appear to be making progress toward an agreement for construct- ing a gas centrifuge to produce enriched uranium, but they have substantial problems to solve before they can reach final agreement. SEC:--.RE'T Approved Fors Id'a'se 20'WYM7SfA'-79-0' 32?/O0t@00040001-4 Approved For Release 2007/0:FIiJtJADP79-00927A006900040001-4 Middle East-Africa THE WEEK IN PERSPECTIVE 15 INDIA'S RULING PARTY SUFFERS REVERSALS IN STATE ELECTIONS 16 The term Congress Party suffered a severe setback in mid- elections in West Bengal and did not do as well as Congress leaders had anticipated in three other states in north India, making continued instabil- ity likely in this politically important and heavily populated area. Mrs. Gandhi, meanwhile, appears to have strengthened her hand by reshuffling the central government cabinet. PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT-OPPOSITION TALKS POSTPONED The long-awaited government-opposition talks, sched- uled to open on 19 February, were postponed at the last minute after six important opposition leaders refused to attend. If the negotiations ever do get under way, they are unlikely to end public disorders, nor will they produce a satisfactory compromise. JORDAN AND EGYPT STILL FACE PROBLEMS WITH TERRORISTS The Jordanians are probably encouraged by private Egyptian assurances of cooperation and assistance in containing Palestinian terrorism, but popular support for the movement in both.countries remains a major bar to effective government action. SECRET Pa e iii WEEKLY SUMMARY 20 Feb 69 Approved For Release 2007/02/07 : CIA-RDP79-00927A006900040001-4 Approved For Release 2007/RWQ7RRDP79-00927A006900040001-4 SOUTH AFRICA MOVING TO INCORPOPU%TE SOUTH-WEST AFRICA Despite anticipated world criticism, the South Afri- can parliament is about to adopt new legislation that will convert the mandated territory of South- West Africa into a virtual -province of South Africa. Western ]Hemisphere PERUVIAN-US TENSIONS AGGRAVATED Peru's seizure of a US tuna boat has compounded the strains caused by the controversy over expropriation of a US oil company. COLOMBIAN CHURCH DISSENSION POSES GC)VERNMENT DILEMMA A revolt by socially conscious priests against a re- actionary church hierarchy that is closely identi- fied with elements of the country's governing elite is becoming a national issue that raises serious problems for President Lleras. CARIBBEAN ECONOMIC COOPERATION (HINGES ON JAMAICA Leaders of the Commonwealth Caribbean have apparent- ly again failed to secure Jamaican participation in a regional development bank, which may mean the end of the Caribbean free trade association. SEC--ARE'T Approved For' era%e 2Ob' M~ WK$P79- 92$A)006@00040001-4 Approved For Release 20071G , RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 There was no forward movement in the Paris talks again this week. Communist negotiators and propaganda concentrated on the Communists' demand that US troops withdraw immediately and unconditionally from Vietnam. They also continued to insist that military questions cannot be resolved without a political settlement. In several key sectors of South Vietnam, the sustained pressure of allied operations continues to thwart Communist attack preparations. Saigon and a number of provincial capitals continue, however, to face a substantial threat from possible Communist artillery and mortar attacks, as well as limited ground probes. The Thai government party's failure to win a majority in the lower house elections on 10 February is embarrassing for the military leadership, but it will not result in any dramatic changes in the way the country is ruled. The government party won a slim plurality that presumably will provide enough justification for the present cabinet to be reconstituted, possibly with some changes, as the new government. Without a clear mandate from the electorate, however, the country's leadership will be more solicitous of opposition views than they would have been otherwise. The Communist Chinese have indefinitely deferred meeting with the US in Warsaw. The decision, announced on 18 February, to call off a scheduled meeting appears to have been a sudden one and may reflect new disagree- ment among the leadership in Peking. The Chinese used the defection of the former Chinese charge in The Hague as a pretext for not meeting with the US. Recent Chinese actions have suggested that Pekin is not interested in any significant improvement in Sino-US relations. SECRET tip; WEEKLY SUMMARY 0 F b g Approved For a eases12007/02/07 : CIA-RDP79-0092 A00%90&040001-4 Approved For Release 2007/0~V7,RC RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 VI ETNAM The Communists have now focused on US troop withdrawal as the first order of business in the Paris talks. Their negotiators and propaganda last week described withdrawal of US forces and re- moval of US military bases as "fundamental" to an over-all settlement. The Communists, how- ever, have not abandoned their position that military and polit- ical issues must be treated to- gether, but they may hope to use the withdrawal question as a way to get into broader issues. Hanoi's view of the with- drawal question was expressed most authoritatively in a Nhan Dan commentary on 12 February which demanded an immediate and "unconditional" withdrawal of US forces. This presumably means that the Communists will try for a while to avoid discussing mutual withdrawals. The Front's radio, in its usual hard-line manner, explicitly stated that there is "no question of mutual withdrawal," This propaganda position clearly is for the record as Ha- noi is well aware that any US com- mitment to withdraw will only re- sult from bargaining and that the Communists will have to recipro- cate by pulling out North Viet- namese forces. They probably hope that this reciprocity can remain undeclared, as it was on the bombing halt. They even- tual=_y may try to use unacknowl- edged, unilateral withdrawals of some North Vietnamese units as an incentive for movement on this issue. Political Developments in South Vietnam The Saigon government is apparently trying to develop a more positive line to counter Communist peace propaganda and agitation by such groups as the militant Buddhists. In his Tet message to the nation on 16 February, President Thieu empha- sized his own desire for peace and pledged his determination to see it achieved as soon as pos- sible. He stressed, however, that the people's sacrifices could not be wasted by allowing a Communist political victory. He appealed to the people not to be gulled by "a minority of Com- munist lackeys" who advocate coalition with the Communists and thereby betray the nation. The government has accepted some criticism by the press and has adopted a softer tone in its warnings to the Buddhists. Thieu has said that he will reconsider the ban on a popular songwriter's antiwar compositions after the ban aroused considerable protest in the local press. Moreover, as a follow-up to its earlier public warning to Buddhist leader Thich Thien Minh for his antigov- ernment peace campaign statements, SECRET Approved Fo%;Reledse 2'0OW1L2/lO75U]OA ?P79-00S9A%6900040001-4 Approved For Release 2007/02/07 : CIA-RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 SECRET the government on 14 February issued a communique merely "urging" rather than demanding that religious leaders limit their ceremonies in order to prevent Communist exploitation of them. Although the govern- ment is taking a less heavy- handed approach, it neverthe- less is keeping the Buddhists on notice that their activities are being watched. Military Developments In several key sectors of the country, the sustained pres- sure of allied operations con- tinues to thwart Communist at- tack preparations. The capture of large quantities of enemy munitions and food stores, coupled with intensive bombing of known troop concentrations, has presumably upset the enemy's plans and in some cases may have actually prevented attacks. Meanwhile, military action throughout most of South Vietnam was generally light just prior to and during the three day Tet holiday (17-19 February). For the most part, the majority of the Communist forces heeded at least the opening days of their seven-day cease-fire period that began on 15 February. Eight Americans were killed and another 84 wounded during the 24-hour allied standdown on 16-17 Feb- ruary. Most casualties resulted from scattered clashes between allied reconnaissance patrols and small enemy forces. Communist actions during the Tet holiday included a ground as- sault on a US Marine artillery base in the A Shau Valley area. Other incidents included attacks in northern Tay Ninh Province and the downing of three US heli- copters in the same area.A 7~ 5X1 SECRET Approved For Release 2007/02/07 : CIA-RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 Page 3 WEEKLY SUMMARY 20 Feb 69 Approved For Release 20~7LO7E fIA-RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 THAI GOVERNMENT PARTY WINS NO MANDATE IN ELECTIONS The government's failure to win a majority in the lower house elections on 10 February is em- barrassing for the military lead- ership, but it will not result in any dramatic changes in the way Thailand is ruled. The government's Saha Pracha Thai Party won only some 35 per- cent of the seats in the lower house. Independent candidates, many of whom have ties with the government party, took about 32 percent. The opposition Democratic Party won 26 percent, and the re- mainder went to splinter parties. There were no major surprises in the voting. The government fared less well in isolated areas than had been anticipated, how- ever, and two leading leftists were beaten in their northeast baliwicks. The number of new- comers elected over well-known old-time politicians suggests that the sentiment for change among the electorate was fairly strong. The voting itself went smoothly, with no significant in- cidents or irregularities re- ported. The government party's slim plurality presumably will pro- vide enough justification for the present cabinet to be recon- stituted, possibly with some minor changes, as the new gov- ernment when parliament convenes next month. The government should have little difficulty bringing into line enough independents to form a working majority in the lower house. Thailand's military- dominated leadership had made it clear, however, that it will re- sist opposition efforts to amend those sections of the constitu- tion that severely limit the powers of the lower house. The senate, whose members are picked by the government, has virtual veto power over important legis- lation. The election will, however, influence to some extent both the future policies and make-up of the military leadership. Al- though they will have to tread lightly, opposition elements for the first time in over ten years have a legitimate forum in which to express political dissent. Without a clear mandate from the electorate, the country's leadership will be more solici- tous of such views than they would have been otherwise. The gov- ernment party's poor showing, particularly in Bangkok where it won no seats, may also aggravate factional disputes within the SECRET Approvedl'Fpr F4eleasWi2DIDM2A0YtMGIA RDP79e0 A,@96900040001-4 Approved For Release 2007/0?Rb* RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 The East Germans with Moscow's backing have begun to put the heat on West Germany by interfering with passenger and vehicle traffic on the land routes to Berlin. Although the Soviets have contributed to the buildup of tensions surrounding the West German presidential election in Berlin on 5 March, they have given assurances that allied rights will not be jeopardized and give no sign of wanting a crisis. In Czechoslovakia, a new confidence-well-founded or not-seems to pervade the atmosphere. Typical perhaps of the mood of the times was the arrest by Czechoslovak police of a Czechoslovak news vendor for peddling the Soviet's Czechoslovak-language occupation newspaper Zpravy. There has, however, been a clear effort on the part of the Dubcek regime to improve relations with those states whose forces invaded only six months ago. Soviet Marshal Yakubovsky, commander in chief of the Warsaw Pact, arrived in Rumania this week, presumably for final review of plans for Rumanian participation in Warsaw Pact training exercises this year. Yaku- bovsky, who had just chaired a major Warsaw Pact planning session in East Berlin, was accompanied by Soviet trouble shooter Deputy Foreign Minister Kuznetsov. In Western Europe, as preparations neared completion for President Nixon's visit, the political rivalry between France and Britain came to the forefront. France, objecting to British efforts to establish political consulta- tion with the Five in the framework of the Western European Union (WEU), announced that it would boycott WEU council meetings until further notice. The Italian Communist Party made progress last week toward establish- ing itself as democratic in the eyes of the electorate. At its 12th congress, it defied Moscow's threats of retribution and reiterated its condemnation of the invasion of Czechoslovakia. The party is now preparing for a cut of about $1.5 million in the annual Soviet subsidy. SECRET Approved For F e~Was~ 200Y/f /b~'Y 6YA-RDP79-00927A006900040001-4 Approved For Release 2007/02/g7. -6 P79-00927A006900040001-4 TENSION RISES OVER BERLIN The Soviets have contributed to the increase in tensions sur- rounding the West German presi- dential election in West Berlin on 5 March, but they have offered private assurances that Allied rights in the city will be safe- guarded. These assurances do not go so far as to exclude steps be- yond those already -taken by the East Germans to harass West Ger- man access to the city or some form of Soviet - East. German mil- itary display. The Russians have given no sign of wanting a crisis, but they are undoubtedly under pressure from Pankow to demon- strate their support of East Ger- many's claim to sovereignty. The Soviets have strongly backed the East German ban on the travel of West German officials to Berlin and have condemned Bonn's decision to hold the elec- tion in the divided city. The Soviets also appear to be behind stories from various sources over the past week that severe harass- ment measures were __n the offing, Most of Moscow's fire has been concentrated directly on the Bonn government, which was given a protest note on 13 February that was considerably harsher in tone than those presented to the Al- lies last December. On the other hand, Moscow has taken a rather moderate ap- proach when discussing the matter with Western officials. Ambassa- dor Dobrynin said privately on 13 February that the USSR would do nothing to jeopardize Soviet relations with the new adminis- tration. He specifically as- serted that no measures would be directed against President Nixon during his stay in Berlin. This Soviet posture leaves the way open for the East Germans to instigate "traffic control" measures to harass the West Ger- mans. Such actions began on 18 February when East German check- point officials delayed the proc- essing of vehicles leaving West Berlin on the major access route, the Berlin-Helmstedt autobahn. This slowdown was in effect for about 12 hours. Pankow probably will resort to similar and per- 25X1 haps stronger measures as the date for the election draws nearer. SECRET.' * 25X1 Approved For Ref sb 2007VM1O7LYCiI4 O-0092)7 909040001-4 Approved For Release 2007/ 7Ri4-RDP79-00927A006900040001-4 CZECHOSLOVAKIA IMPROVES RELATIONS WITH INVADING POWERS There has been a discernible effort on the part of the Dubcek regime to improve relations with the states that invaded Czecho- slovakia in August. These ges- tures have been partially recip- rocated, probably because most of the governments involved want at least the appearance of "normali- zation" in hopes that the reality will follow in due course. Contacts on the diplomatic, party, military, economic, and cultural levels have steadily in- creased since December. Last week, Prague began to cast its re- lations with its socialist "al- lies" in a more favorable light. The improved atmosphere apparently stems from recent visits to the Soviet Union by Czechoslovak party presidium member Evzen Erban and Foreign Minister Jan Marko, who were given red carpet treatment and accorded favorable commentary in the Russian press. Their vis- its also appear to have set the stage for substantive talks. In a televised report on his trip last week, Marko advanced the old Soviet line that the world is divided into capitalist and socialist camps, and that Czecho- slovakia has no choice but to ad- here to the socialist system and to strengthen bilateral coopera- tion within it. This is a sig- nificant retreat from last year's view that a reformed Czechoslo- vakia could bridge the gap between the contending forces. The lead- ership probably hopes that this concession will be a quid pro quo for less Soviet and Eastern Euro- pean interference in domestic af- fairs. Marko also said that the for- eign ministers of the Soviet bloc countries would soon be coming to Prague. On 19 February, Polish Foreign Minister Jedrychowski ar- rived there to discuss bilateral cooperation. The Soviet bloc press appears to have toned down its anti-Czech- oslovak bias in recent weeks, in part to convey the impression to domestic audiences that the situ- ation is under control and that the intervention was correct and successful. Soviet commentary also contained a minimum of anti- "progressive" material last week, but this may at least partially reflect Moscow's preoccupation with the Berlin problem. On 13 February, Radio Vltava, the Soviet-backed station that had beamed propaganda into Czechoslo- vakia from East Germany since shortly after the invasion, ceased broadcasting. This was a double- edged gesture by Moscow. Although it could not help but better rela- tions a bit with the Czechoslovaks, it also enabled Czechoslovak pro- Soviet conservatives to claim credit for the move. They say one of their leaders, party secretary Vasil Bilak, negotiated Vltava's demise during a recent visit to East Berlin. Moreover, the fre- quency that Vltava used was turned back to the East Germans--whose propaganda against Czechoslovak reforms is still tough and uncom- promising--for their Radio Berlin International program, which in- cludes broadcasts in Czech and Slovak. SECRET e UMMARY 20 Feb 69 Approved For Rs e72007/oz/07 : Y 8IA-RDP79-00927A006900040001-4 Approved For Release 2007/g;4@7p cl4LRDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 Italian Communist Leader Luigi Longo Condemns Soviet Action in Czechoslovakia SECRET Approved For Release 2007/02/07 : CIA-RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 Approved For Release 2007/02/07 : CIA-RDP79-00927A006900040001-4 SECRET ITALIAN COMMUNISTS DEFY MOSCOW At its 12th party congress last week, the Italian Communist Party defied Soviet threats of retribution and reiterated its condemnation of the intervention in Czechoslovakia, thus taking another step toward establish- ing itself as a normal democratic party in Italian eyes. The disunity in Eastern Europe stemming from the inva- sion of Czechoslovakia was further exposed at the congress. Yugoslav and Rumanian speakers drew enthusiastic applause for restating their opposition and for rejecting Moscow's doctrine of "limited sovereignty." The speeches of the other Eastern European representatives varied from Bulgaria's clear-cut de- fense of the intervention to Hungary's vaguely expressed for- mulation about the need to "guard against. counter.-revolution." An additional setback for the Soviets occurred when 46-year-old Enrico Berlinguer was confirmed as secretary general Luigi Long's heir-apparent. Berlinguer has been one of the foremost critics of the Soviet intervention. In his ad- dress to the congress, however, he said, "Anyone who expects us to break with the Soviet Union has al- 25X1 ways been and will be disappointed." Although the USSR's chief delegate to the congress asserted that the Soviet duty was to help defend Socialist victories and that the Warsaw Five had helped Czechoslovakia, Moscow's public reaction to the criticism has been restrained and the Soviet press has focused on the more agreeable aspects of the meet- ing. The Soviet response was probably tempered by the Italians' willingness to attend the World Communist Conference next May and by Moscow's desire not to disrupt preparations for the conference by a shouting match. Over all, the 12th congress was a distinct success for the Italian Communists in their ef- fort to persuade the Italian pub- lic that theirs is a normal po- litical party fit to play a gov- erning role. Even Adolfo Battaglia, a leader of the Republican Party, the smallest but most strongly anti-Communist partner in the gov- ernment coalition, was moved to offer his personal impression that "the Communist Party has made enormous and perhaps conclusive steps forward toward its estab- lishment as a democratic Dart v." 25X1 SECRET Approved Foreage 204-/PJ[07 gRZpp79-009%7f(9b09040001-4 Approved For Release 2007/02/07 : CIA-RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 SECRET 2jX1 SECRET Approved For Release 2007/02/07 : CIA-RDP79-0092T~096%000#0001-4 E'a2e 10 WEEKLY SUMMARY Approved For Release 2007/02/07 :5 t p,I,9-00927AO06900040001-4 SOVIET OIL SALES DECLINE EAST OF SUEZ Soviet exports of oil to free world Asian markets are de- clining primarily because of high transport costs arising from the closing of the Suez Canal during the Arab-Israeli war of June 1967. Moscow's petroleum sales to its major Asian customers--Japan, India, and Ceylon--totaled less than $50 million last year, a decline of more than one third compared with 1966, the last full year the canal was in op- eration. Sales to these three countries are expected to decline still further this year even though Moscow has arranged with several Western firms to swap some Black Sea oil for delivery to their European customers in return for equivalent deliveries from the Persian Gulf to Soviet customers in Asia. Three swap deals were ar- ranged with Western firms last year for the delivery of about 2 million tons of Middle East crude to Japan in 1968-69; 800,- 000 tons were reported delivered in 1968. DECLINE IN SOVIET PETROLEUM EXPORTS TO THE FAR EAST, 1966 and 1968 Million Metric Tons Dollar values in Millions 3.17 ($33.61; 1.4 ($17.2) ($2,41 1.2 ($22.1) 1.6 (06.4) 1966 1968 1966 4 ($8.01 Ceylon .6 ($10.2) .3 ($5.4) 1968 1966 1968 SECRET Approved For Rele"ge2OiOl7/O2W8 9,0927 QQ 80f 0001-4 Approved For Release 2007/02/07 : CIA-RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 SECRET Even if these swap deals should take place, however, Japa- nese officials predict a further decline in their imports of So- viet petroleum this year because of higher transport and crude oil prices. Soviet sales to In- dia and Ceylon in 1968, consist- ing wholly of petroleum products originating from the Black Sea dropped by almost two-thirds and one half respectively, compared with 1966. Prospects remain dim that the Suez Canal, which provides the only economic route for the move- ment of Soviet oil from the Black Sea to Asia in the relatively small tankers required by Soviet port facilities, will be reopened SECRET Approved For Rypasel4007(Qg/gL ,~J?ig-009,qApg?9%4fi40001-4 Approved For Release 2007/pV/t7RPI -RDP79-00927A006900040001-4 USSR MAY SEEK AFFILIATION WITH INTELSAT Soviet attendance as an ob- server at the International Tele- communications Satellite Consor- tium (Intelsat) conference, which opens on 24 February, may indi- cate an interest on Moscow's part in joining the consortium. Until recently, the USSR has been hostile toward the US-dominated Intelsat, and in August 1968 it announced an intention to form a competing organization, Intersput- nik. The 64 member nations of In- telsat are meeting to draw up a permanent charter for the organi- zation, which has been operating under an interim arrangement since 1964. Ownership and voting strength are based upon a mem- ber's share of international com- munications traffic with the re- sult that the US holds the con- trolling interest. The "one nation-one vote" provision of Intersputnik was de- signed to appeal to all nations, including members of Intelsat. Only eight countries--all Commu- nist--have approved the Soviet proposal, however, and it remains an essentially paper organiza- tion. The Soviets have only two full-range ground stations, but have installed more than 20 other stations that receive only TV. The Soviet program has proven to be expensive, mainly because their satellites have a short lifetime. Moreover, the Soviet satellite's highly elliptical orbit is ill-suited for coverage of Africa, Latin America, and much of Asia. In contrast, Intelsat now operates 23 ground stations in 15 countries, with about 70 ground stations in over 50 countries sched- uled for operation by 1972. The consortium's satellites, moreover, are long-lived and move in an orbit well-adapted for global coverage. Although the realization that Intersputnik does not pose a real threat to Intelsat probably moti- vated the USSR to seek some sort of accommodation, the existence of even a faltering separate or- ganization improves the Soviet bargaining position. Moscow must be aware that its voting formula is impractical, but it probably be- lieves that a compromise can be reached that would result in some reduction in US hegemony. Also, the Soviets are expected to favor the inclusion of a provision for regional systems in the Intelsat charter, a position already favored by the French and Japanese. The Soviets have much to gain from affiliation with Intelsat's viable, high-performance interna- tional network. Benefits would include access to advanced tech- nology and the experience of par- ticipating in a global system based on uniform technical and operating standards. Aware of this, almost all of the members of Intersputnik will attend the conference. SECRET Approved For ltd~@a 20ftWiW:WPA 79-00gOAB&k9 40001-4 Approved For Release 2007/02/p7RDP79-00927A006900040001-4 25X1 EUROPEAN CENTRIFUGE PROJECT SHOWS PROGRESS Britain, the Netherlands, and West Germany appear to be making progress toward an agree- ment for tripartite cooperation in the production of enriched uranium by the gas centrifuge (ultracentrifuge) method. Several substantial problems have yet to be .solved, but if the project is successful, the three countries could manufacture enriched ura- nium by a method potentially cheaper than the gaseous diffu- sion process the US,. UK, and France now use. Moreover, it cou.Ld have important. implications for future political., as well as technological, relations between London and the continent. Ministers of the three na- tions met recently in Bonn and agreed in principle to establish tripartite organizations to con- struct and manage centrifuge plants, to integrate all research. and development on enrichment processes, and to create a cen- tral. political body to make all essential administrative deci- sions for the three governments. At least in concept, it appears that the association would be more genuinely integrated than previous Western European scientific organ- izations and consequently more immt.ne from the usual political obstacles. There has been no agreement, however, on the size, site, or timing of construction of the first plants, precise organiza- tional structure and financing, or the imposition of safeguards. F__ I Ministers of the three gov- ernments will meet again on 11 March to discuss these problems. There is no assurance that they can be solved soon, but the Brit- 25X1 ish hope for an agreement by sum- mer. ua y, the French are probably less afraid of German possession of nuclear materials--they earlier sought German cooperation for French nuclear production--than they are of being shut out of the rapidly growing European uranium market. If the new partnership can produce enriched uranium by the centrifuge process at a cost significantly below that produced by gaseous diffusion, France will find it impossible to.attract for- eign investment for a new gaseous diffusion plant. Moreover, the French are aware that the new partnership would significantly increase British industrial co- o eration with EC members. SECRET Approved Fo ledse 2 6MM07S! I04 P79-00 9 969040001-4 Approved For Release 2007/Og f; .j jRDP79-00927A006900040001-4 The Israelis have publicly named both Lebanon and Jordan as possible staging points for the terrorist squad that shot up an El Al airliner in Zurich on 18 February. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine has claimed credit for the incident-as it did for the December 1968 attack on an El Al plane in Athens. The Front maintains its military headquarters in Amman but uses Beirut as a headquarters for its public utterances. A reprisal against almost any Arab capital or installation is nevertheless possible. The sudden arrival in Guinea on 15 February of four Soviet naval ships for an official visit is without precedent in West Africa and may presage calls at other West African ports. This "show of the flag" by the Soviets may also be related to Ghana's stubborn refusal to release the two Soviet trawlers and their 52-man crews detained since October for suspected "subversive activi- ties. " In the Nigerian civil war, fighting has intensified with the Biafrans on the attack on the southern front and the federal forces keeping up pressure in the north. Neither side has yet scored any major gains, however. Rhodesian Prime Minister Smith has won overwhelming party support for a constitution intended to satisfy many party regulars who insist on "separate development" and want to push on with a new constitution. Smith, however, still hopes for a favorable settlement with the UK. Tanzania's President Nyererc informed Ottawa on 17 February that its military training programs for the Tanzanian Army and Air Force will be terminated in 1970. The timing of Nyerere's decision-following a Commu- nist Chinese survey of local airfields-suggests strongly that he expects Peking to fill the vacuum. Internal disturbances continue to wrack Pakistan. As of 19 February, President Ayub's recent concessions to his opposition had failed to elicit their participation in his proposed conference to resolve the present crisis. In India, Congress Party leaders are trying to reassess the political scene in the north following the party's poor showing there in last week's election. The outlook is for more political instability in the area. Meanwhile, Mrs. Gandhi's cabinet reshuffle appears to have strengthened her position in the SECRET Approved Foral el "se 2007/OZ/0PVea P79-00UZ'7Ab~9&9040001-4 Approved For Release 2007/~RCDP79-00927A006900040001-4 INDIA'S RULING PARTY SUFFERS REVERSALS IN STATE ELECTIONS India's ruling Congress Party suffered an unexpectedly harsh setback in the West Bengal mid-term election, and emerged with reduced representation in two of the other three state as- sembly elections held last week in north India. Congress could take some satisfaction from un- official returns indicating that the party slightly increased its popular support in at least two states, but its failure to gain assembly, majorities probably presages another period of polit.- ical instability across India's northern tier of states. For two decades prior to the fourth general elections of 1967, Congress was able to translate popular vote pluralities into sweeping majorities in state as- semblies because of the multi- plicity of opposition parties. In 1967, however, and to an even greater degree in the recent elec- tion in West Bengal, disparate opposition parties were able to form electoral coalitions that limited the number of contestants and drastically reduced the num- ber of Congress winners. In West Bengal, the Left Communist - dom- inated coalition won 214 out of 280 seats. Although Congress in- creased its popular vote by more than one percent over the 41 per- cent obtained in 1957, its repre- sentation in the West Bengal as- sembly plummeted from 127 to 55. In the Punjab, where Congress won a plurality of seats in 1967, it has now slipped to second place. A new government has been formed by a Sikh communal party in col- latoration with the right-wing Hindu nationalist party, Jan Sangh. In Bihar, Congress won a few seats less than in 1967 but re- mains the largest single party in the legislature. Only in Uttar Pradesh did Congress increase its representation; it may have a paper-thin majority when all votes are counted. The results of the elections in the Punjab, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh indicate the likelihood of more governmental instability,, not unlike that which plagued these states after the elections of 1967. In West Bengal, the ruling United Front coalition, dominated by the Left Communists,, would appear to have sufficient seats to remain in power even if some of the parties in the coali- tion should defect. The assump- tion of power by the United Front could lead to new economic and political turbulence in Calcutta and the rest of West Bengal, com- parable to that which developed during the previous period of coalition rule in 1967. Mean- while, Congress politicians in New Delhi reportedly are examin- ing possible ways to bring down the United Front and reimpose direct central government rule on West Bengal. Mrs. Gandhi, in the midst of the election post-mortems, sud- denly announced a major cabinet reshuffle. No new faces were added and no members were dropped, but the over-all result of the changes appears to strengthen the prime minister's position in the cabinet. One of her closest friends, Dinesh Singh, has be- come minister of external affairs. Singh has a reputation of being sympathetic to Soviet policies and frequently has been difficult in his dealings with Westerners. F__ I SECRET Approved For l ease 200 , X=7Y:,MAg DR79-00927ADQB900040001-4 Approved For Release 2007SQMRIA-RDP79-00927A006900040001-4 PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT-OPPOSITION TALKS POSTPONED The long-awaited government- opposition talks, scheduled to open on 19 February in Rawalpindi, were postponed at the last min- ute after six important opposi- tion leaders declared their inten- tions to boycott the meeting. The postponement was re- quested by the moderate opposi- tion coalition which had finally agreed last Sunday to meet Presi- dent Ayub after major government concessions that met virtually all the coalition's pre-condi- tions for talks. Ayub had re- leased several hundred political prisoners, including fiery ex - foreign minister Z.A. Bhutto, and had lifted the controversial three-year-old state of emergency. In other conciliatory gestures, Ayub had invited non-coalition opposition leaders to participate in the talks and had paroled popular East Pakistani opposi- tion leader Mujibur Rahman--on trial for treason--so that he too might attend. The stumbling block arose when Mujibur announced on 18 Feb- ruary that he would go only if he were freed unconditionally and the entire conspiracy case with- drawn. Other leaders of Mujibur's party--the largest and most im- portant component of the coali- tion--refused to attend without him. Pro-Peking leftist Maulana Bhashani, Bhutto, and three in- dependents including ex - air force chief Asghar Khan also de- clined Ayub's invitation. After much deliberation, the remaining members of the coalition decided they could not negotiate without Mujibur and his party and re- quested the postponement. Continuing violence and army- imposed curfews following a 24-hour nationwide strike on 14 February also figured in the postponement. Bhutto declared that there could 'tee no talks under such conditions. If the talks are rescheduled and do get under way, it is un- likely that they will end all dis- orders or result in a satisfactory compromise. Student demonstrators, for instance, are continuing to denounce all plans for opposition- government negotiations. As the price'for his participation in talks, Bhutto has enunciated ten "suggestions" for gover ment ac- tion and he is also - )sing that Ayub step down in favu, of an in- terim government. Ayub is apparently anxious for discussions but, although he is probably willing to make im- portant constitutional changes with some curtailment of execu- tive powers, he seems sure to in- sist on retention of the indirect system of presidential election. Because this arrangement would almost certainly be unacceptable to the leftists, Ayub's strategy may be to try to split the opposi- tion and work something out with the moderates and conservatives. The antigovernment cause has gained such widespread support in recent weeks that a return to the pre-November 1968 system dom- inated by Ayub is now impossible. Ayub appears aware of this and has probably made contingency plans in case discussions--if they ever come about--reach an impasse and security forces are unable to quell the increasingly serious disturb- SECRET E~{ y M~i 20 Feb 69 Approved For P. ?letale V~2007/02~07U1v~A-RDP79-00927A006900040001-4 Approved For Release 2007/02/07 : CIA-RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 SE(:~RE,r JORDAN AND EGYPT STILL FACE PROBLEMS WITH TERRORISTS King Husayn's fears that Egyptian President Nasir had jet-? tisoned Jordan's interests have probably been allayed as a re- sult of a recent visit to Cairo by Prime Minister Talhouni and Foreign Minister Rifai. Nasir apparently reaffirmed his adher- ence to the mutual defense pact concluded between the two coun- tries shortly before the June 1967 war. The Jordanians,, vitally af- fected by Nasir's positions vis- a-vis Palestinian terrorism and the over-all issue of a peaceful settlement with Israel, had ear- lier become suspicious that Cairo was undercutting their efforts to restrict terrorist activity out of Jordan while working to- ward a Soviet-model peace settle- ment without first consulting Amman. Leaders in both Jordan and Egypt are still under obvious pressure to support the terror- ist movement in public, however. Pre- sumably in deference to popular feelings, the Jordanian prime minister issued a strong state- ment of support for the movement only a few days after his return from Cairo this week, pledging that Jordan will continue to sup- port Palestinian resistance against Israel even if a settlement with the Israelis is achieved. Enthusiastic Egyptian state- ments of support for the terror- ists are probably almost as hol- low. Nasir is susceptible to the pressures of domestic public opin- ion, but Husayn is considerably more vulnerable to Israeli re- prisals against terrorist activ- ity. Should he finally decide to clamp down on the terrorists for good, he faces the twofold problem of convincing Israel of his sincerity without bringing upon himself the active hostility of his own people. He will cer- tainly chart a careful course and would probably try to move slowly, picking off the various terrorist organizations one by one. Whether or not he can manage this, how- ever, is still highly uncertain. SECRET Approved For Release 2007/02/07 : CIA-RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 Page 18 WEEKLY SUMMARY 20 Feb 69 Approved For Release 2007/%2 RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 SOUTH AFRICA MOVING TO INCORPORATE SOUTH-WEST AFRICA South Africa is about to complete passage of new legis- lation that will formally sub- ordinate the South-West Africa mandated territory to almost to- tal South African control. The promulgation of this legislation will undoubtedly provoke vehement criticism at the United Nations and throughout the world, partic- ularly by those who contend that South Africa's authority under the mandate has been revoked. This criticism will not impede Pretoria's action, however. Since 1963, when South Af- rica's intentions toward South- West Africa were made clear in the so-called "Odendaal Report," Pretoria has been moving warily but steadily toward "administra- tive rearrangements" that will in essence reduce the trust ter- ritory to provincial status. The South Africans justify their ac- tions by the terms of the League of Nations mandate, which gave them authority to administer the former German colony as though it were an integral part of South Africa. Strong external pres- sures from other countries--in- cluding the US and the UK--de- layed implementation of South Af- rican plans for several years, however, while an appeal for revo- cation of the mandate was under review by the International Court of Justice. The court dismissed the case in mid-1966 on the grounds that the plaintiffs--Ethiopia and Liberia--had no legal right to bring suit in the matter. Within South-West Africa, the effect of South Africa's formal take-over of authority will not be great, because South African of- ficials in advisory roles have long controlled all important gov- ernmental functions. The dominant white minority in the territory generally accept the inevitabil- ity of the take-over as a quid pro quo for Pretoria's protection against the external forces that might threaten their privileged position. The non-whites, what- ever their views, have been given no opportunity to express their opinions except through their tribal chiefs' organization, which is little more than a tool of South African officials. The most vociferous complaints about South Africa's formaliza- tion of its control will almost certainly occur at the United Na- tions and in the meetings of the Organization of African Unity. The pending legislation will give further impetus to efforts al- ready begun by the African states to raise the issue in the Secu- rity Council in the very near future. Regardless of any pressures generated at the UN or elsewhere by opponents of South Africa's racist policies in South-West Africa, there is little likeli- hood that any practical means can be found that would deter Pretoria from its stated pur- poses. Despite their recogni- tion of South-West Africa's "spe- cial international status," the South Africans do not intend to relinquish control over the ter- ritory. SECRET Approved ForlPae:kge 20IMMF 1R P79-009Q7AOO69040001-4 Approved For Release 2007gML , C1~4-RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 SECRET Approved F iiRel2gse 8M1 tWA 4RDP79-00.927AQft6 040001-4 Approved For Release 2007 $.RBA-RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 Relations between Peru and the United States became even more strained this week following Peru's seizure on 14 February of a US tuna boat that was allegedly fishing illegally within Peru's 200-mile territorial sea. Another boat was fired upon but escaped, only to be accused later by Ecuadorean authorities of illegally fishing in its waters last November. A number of other Latin American countries also claim a 200-mile limit either of the territorial sea or of fishing rights. Peru and Ecuador, however, have enforced their claim more vigorously than the others because some of the best tuna fishing in the world is off their coasts. Peru's expropriation of the International Petroleum Company has drawn considerable comment throughout the hemisphere. For the most part, the news media and the general public believe that the expropriation is justified and defensible. Nearly all government officials, on the other hand, have taken a neutral or generally noncommittal attitude on the subject. Some governments-notably Argentina and Brazil-have discreetly indi- cated their willingness either to mediate the dispute or to help work toward a solution of the problem through "diplomatic conversations." Elsewhere in Latin America, there were no developments of significance SECRET Page 21 WEEKLY SUMMARY 20 Feb 69 Approved For Release 2007/02/07 : CIA-RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 Approved For Release 2007/ 7,Rg1['RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 PERUVIAN-US TENSIONS AGGRAVATED Peru's actions against US fishing vessels last week, in which one ship was seized and an- other damaged by machine-gun fire, have added to the strains in re- .ations resulting from the con- troversy over Peru's expropria- tion of a US oil company. The latest incident has produced a new wave of nationalistic reac- tion against the US, although the. Peruvian Government has tried to play it down. The attack on t:he small US tuna fleet on 14 February is be- lieved to have resulted from a Peruvian Navy lieutenant's over- reaction to the US boats' delay in answering a request for in- spection of documents. The lieu- tenant had apparently been over- heard saying that he was "fed up" with seeing the large number of foreign ships in "Peruvian waters" with the navy's acgt,iescence. UE officials in Peru expect further trouble if disciplinary action is not taken against. the responsi- ble officer. This is only the most recent of a long list of such incidents in which US fishing boats have been seized by both Peru and Ecua.- dor for fishing within the 200- milEe limit claimed by several Latin American countries. Peru first claimed that its territory extended 200 miles out to sea in 1947 and since than has sought. to exert its sovereignty over the "natural resources" off its coast. The issue has now become emotional and nationalistic, and no Peruvian or Ecuadorean govern- ment could afford any action that. could open it to charges that it was not protecting national sov- ereignty in this matter. Meanwhile, the political sit.- uation inside Peru is heating up. Haya de la Torre, founder and chief of APRA, the country's larg- est political party, is expected to return from voluntary exile in. Europe for the celebration of his 74th birthday on 21 February. Haya is a long-time enemy of the military and there is widespread speculation that the public cele- bration of his birthday will not be allowed. The government has also come under attack in the Lima press for its expulsion from the country of a well-known news commentator and a political leader, both of whom had criticized the govern- ment publicly. The increasing unrest in Peru could be made to order for Prime Minister Montagne and his moderate backers in the government and military, if he is doing anything more than talk- ing about ousting President Velasco. 25X1 SECRET Approved Foh l se 2& /Ft /67SU X-` P79-009~9A666 Approved For Release 2007/04.QC RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 COLOMBIAN CHURCH DISSENSION POSES GOVERNMENT DILEMMA Growing dissension within the Roman Catholic Church in Colombia. is becoming a national issue that poses a serious di- lemma for President Lleras. The heart of the problem is a revolt by socially conscious priests against a reactionary church hierarchy that is closely iden- tified with elements of the coun- try's governing elite. President Lleras, anxious to avoid public disorders as well as trouble with the politically potent hierarchy, has criticized priests who sup- ported strikes last month, and has apparently not interfered with security action to curb "Com- munist" priests. Continuation of this attitude risks further al- ienation of restive lower classes whose grievances are being ef- fectively articulated by the dis- sident priests. The revolt became public last December when fifty activ- ist priests led by Colombia's most forward-looking prelate, the archbishop of Buenaventura, is- sued a declaration calling for a militant effort to change the socioeconomic and political structure of Colombia. The dec- laration urged the clergy to ally itself with all those who fight for such a change. It also criticized the two governing political parties and described the military as repressive. The activist clergy have gained wide support in western Colombian cities among the ur- ban poor whose economic situation is particularly bad. Thousands of followers who rallied behind a parish priest ousted by his superior on charges of Communist activity reportedly have been threatened with excommunication. Other charges by conservative prelates and politicians of Com- munist influence among the clergy have raised strong public reac- tion. The attacks are given some substance by the fact that ex- treme leftists are exploiting the efforts of priests who are increasingly defying the church hierarchy and the government on behalf of the lower classes. The acting primate of Colom- bia has announced that he has no proof of the charges of Communist infiltration and has called for an "objective study" to distin- guish between priestly activities on behalf of social justice and Communist efforts. Unless Presi- dent Lleras seeks the same dif- ferentiation and directs Colom- bian security forces to do the same, the activist priests may conclude that they have no choice but extremism to prove their point. _I- I SECRET Approved For l$hA4 20( :S&1 79-0692-Y b6 0040001-4 Approved For Release 2007/024jjCR)kFIDP79-00927A006900040001-4 CARIBBEAN ECONOMIC COOPERATION HINGES ON JAMAICA Leaders of the Commonwealth Caribbean, meeting in Port of Spain from 3 to 7 February, apparently again failed to remove the major obstacle to further economic in- tegration. Despite the creation of a Caribbean free trade area (CARIFTA) almost a year ago, ef- forts to establish a regional de- velopment bank have been thwarted by Jamaica's reluctance to par- ticipate. Jamaica did not join CARIF'PA until last August, and it is still undecided about joining the pro- posed Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). As the most economically advanced of the Caribbean states, Jamaica apparently fears that its development would be hampered by involvement in a cooperative eco- nomic endeavor with its poorer neighbors. During the conference, several Jamaican Government of- ficials stated that the main ob- stacle to Jamaica's participation in the bank is the lack of avail- able financial resources. This factor has not been raised in previous Caribbean meetings and probably constitutes a new delay- ing tactic. If Jamaica does not agree to participation before 31 May, a deadline set by the recent con- ference, it may mean the end of CARIFTA. Several leaders have complained about the delays en- countered in establishing the bank, which they believe is the only CARIFTA entity that would benefit their economic development. Britain, Canada, and the US have indicated they will support the CDB with or without Jamaican participation. Nevertheless, they have favored Jamaican entry because this would facilitate the bank's acquisition of $65 million in capital assets, the amount rec- ommended by the charter meeting in March 1968. Jamaica would also serve as a drawing card for other Caribbean islands that are now outside the free trade area. Prime Minister Pindling of the Bahamas has said that he will join the bank if Jamaica does, and officials in Haiti and the Dominican Republic are expressing interest. Puerto Rican officials had said last year that they would like to par- ticipate, if legal arrangements could be made with the US, but the government elected in Novem- ber has taken no position on the question. SECRET Approved For ~fflba&6 20 2 by 5 P79-0092WAOUGOOI40001-4 a7Ccrove rel For Release 2007/02/07 : CIA-RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4 Secret Approved For Release 2007/02/07 : CIA-RDP79-00927AO06900040001-4