CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00975A013200010001-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 16
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 2, 2003
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: February 26, 1969
• Content Type: REPORT

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DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Central Intelligence Bulletin
Secret
26 February 1969
State Dept. review completed
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No. 0049/69
26 February 1969
Central Intelligence Bulletin
CONTENTS
South Vietnam: Situation report. (Page 1)
Berlin: West Berlin Senat representatives will meet
East German officials today to discuss the presiden-
tial election. (Page 2)
West Germany: The West Germans are seeking to keep
open the possibility of a European nuclear force.
(Page 3)
Yugoslavia-USSR: The upcoming Yugoslav party con-
gress may result in worsened relations between Bel-
grade and Moscow. (Page 4)
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Panama: There have been no significant reactions to
Monday's palace coup. (Page 6)
Congo (Brazzaville): President Ngouabi has lashed
out against local moderates. (Page 7)
Czechoslovakia: Labor is dissatisfied with its role
in enterprise management. (Page 8)
USSR-Japan: A new protocol will raise total trade to
a level of $700 million. (Page 9)
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Czechoslovakia: Self-immolation (Page 11)
Argentina: Purchase of Canberras (Page 11)
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SOUTH VIETNAM
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I South Vietnam: Sharp fighting was reported in
several important sectors of South Vietnam on 25-26
February, as the current Communist offensive en-
tered its fourth day.
North Vietnamese regulars, striking under cover
of heavy supporting fire, assaulted two US Marine
combat bases just south of the Demilitarized Zone
in northern Quang Tri Province. Thirty-six Marines
were killed and 97 wounded, while known enemy losses
included 56 killed.
Allied forces also fought heavy engagements
with Communist forces menacing the provincial cap-
itals of Tam Ky in southern I Corps and Chau Doc
city in the western delta. More than 300 enemy
troops were killed in these two battles. In the
highlands, however, enemy forces reportedly laid
siege to Gia Nghia, the capital of Quang Duc Prov-
ince, launching heavy ground attacks against it
from all directions. Saigon and Hue remained free
of enemy activity and, except for continuing re-
ports. of the infiltration of munitions and sapper
personnel into the city, Da Nang was relatively
quiet.
The over-all character of the enemy's current
operations remains basically unchanged after nearly
four days of stepped-up action. The Communists have
for the most part continued to emphasize widespread
but generally light rocket and mortar attacks--oc-
casionally accompanied by limited ground probes--
against province and district capitals and allied
military bases.
The actions have thus far been marked by the
conservation of both manpower and ammunition, sug-
gesting that the enemy may be carefully husbanding
resources either for a much heavier round of fighting
to come or t he present type of action for
some weeks . (Map) 3
26 Feb 69 Central Intelligence Bulletin
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Berlins Representatives of the West Berlin
Senat have agreed to meet with East German officials
today to discuss the presidential election scheduled
to be held in West Berlin next week.
The proposal for the meeting in East Berlin
was made orally to Senat officials yesterday by an
East German emissary. The messenger also delivered
East German Premier Stoph's reply to West Berlin
Mayor Schuetz' letter proposing immediate talks on
a pass agreement.
Stoph in his reply, as reported by the official
East German news agency, repeated Pankow's original
offer of 21 February to negotiate an Easter pass
agreement if the West Germans first found a new
site for their presidential election. This has been
unacceptable to both Chancellor Kiesinger and
Schuetz, who maintain that any pass agreement must
be good for at least a year, and presumably cover
all major holiday periods. In addition, they insist
there'must be firm agreement on passes prior to
switching the site of the election.
This latest East German move has met with some
skepticism in West Berlin. A high-ranking Senat
official told the US Mission that if the East Ger-
mans are not prepared to go beyond the offer of
wall passes at Easter there can be no basis for
serious negotiations.
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West Germany: The West Germans are apparently
still looking for an interpretation of the nonpro?-
liferation treaty which will keep open the possibil-
ity of a European nuclear force even prior to com-
plete European federation.
A spokesman for the Bonn foreign office told US
officials last weekend that the treaty should not
bar Europeans from establishing a regional nuclear
defense system, perhaps including ABMs and tactical
nuclear weapons. He said that the Germans had no
intention of proposing such a system, but observed
that Bonn does not consider the so-called European
option inconsistent with the treaty, despite the
fact that Article 1 binds the signatories not to
transfer nuclear weapons.
Most proponents of the treaty contend that
Article 1 rules out the creation of a "Euro" de-
terrent except in the context of a fully federated
Europe, whose military arms presumably would simply
inherit the weapons of the federation's member states
without violating the injunction against "transfer."
The German spokesman suggested, however, that
Article 10 might be used to justify a collective
European deterrent even under existing circumstances.
Article 10 recognizes that the signatories may in
"extraordinary circumstances affecting their secu--
rity" take actions otherwise prohibited by'the treaty.
Although the Germans apparently do not expect
to get US approval of this interpretation during
President Nixon's visit, they do look forward to
some clarification of the US I position.
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Yugoslavia-USSR: Next month's Yugoslav party
congress may bring a further deterioration in re-
lations between Moscow and Belgrade.
Mijalko Todorovic, secretary of the Yugoslav
party executive, has said that the congress, which
opens on 11 March, will include a stronger con-
demnation of the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia
than that set forth at the recent Italian party
congress. He intimated that the Brezhnev doctrine
of limited sovereignty will also come in for crit-
ical review.
Todorovic has invited New York Times corres-
pondent Tad Szulc to Belgrade a few days before
the congress to get a feel for "current trends in
Yugoslavia." This action by a high Yugoslav party
official is unusual. It suggests that Todorovic
expects some stormy sessions at, the congress and
wants to ensure well-balanced coverage.
Yugoslavia has invited 81 parties or Socialist
movements to send representatives to the congress;
41, the USSR not among them, have accepted to date.
Todorovic believes that the Soviets may decline
the invitation or that they may send a low-level
delegation with instructions to walk out if Soviet.
policy is censured.
In contrast with the practice at previous
congresses, foreign delegates will not be allowed
to speak from the dais. The Soviet representative,
if he wants to make a rebuttal, will be limited
to written messages, which all delegations will
be allowed to have published during the course of
the congress.
26 Feb 69 Central Intelligence Bulletin
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Panama: There have been no significant re-
actions to Monday's palace coup that expelled a
clique of dissident national guard officers headed
by military chief of staff Martinez.
Martinez and three of his key supporters ar-
rived in Miami early yesterday and promptly de-
clined assignments to the Inter-American Defense
Board--which they regard as a transparent form of
political exile. Although there is a possibility
that the disgruntled officers might attempt to
make their way back to Panama, their chances of
rallying military support for Martinez appear slim
at this juncture.
In the meantime, guard commander Torrijos lost
no time in telling the US ambassador that Martinez'
departure was for the good of all concerned, in-
cluding the US. Torrijos added that future re-
forms would not be "impetuous," and that some of
the exiled oligarchs would be allowed to return.
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Congo (Brazzaville): President Ngouabi has
broadened-his attack on local moderates.
For the first time in its periodic denuncia-
tions of supposed oppositionists, the government
radio has singled out individuals, naming a former
interior minister and a recently sacked editor of
the government news bulletin. Both have been ar-
rested. The President urged party militants to
increase the open surveillance of all "reactionary
elements," even to the extent of following them
into their homes.
Ngouabi also created a four-man army high
command, consisting of himself, the chief of staff,
and two political commissars, both of whom are
radical leftists. This move apparently is designed
to strengthen his control of the army, which has
been increasingly attacked by government media for
harboring "reactionaries."
Unverified press reports of a coup attempt
on 24 February appear to stem from the Brazzaville
leadership's efforts to whip up public concern and
support, as well as to bring further pressure on
moderate elements.
The inflammatory rhetoric used by the Presi-
dent and Radio Brazzaville could trigger renewed
vigilante excesses by youth and party radicals.
Such actions might ultimately get out of hand and
seriously weaken the stabilit of N ouabi"s mili-
tary-dominated government.
26 Feb 69 Central Intelligence Bulletin 7
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Czechoslovakia: Differences of opinion are
sharpening over the issue of management and con-
trol in Czechoslovak enterprises.
The trade unions are insisting that managers
should be appointed by the workers' councils,
which they claim should also have a greater role
in decision-making. They charge that the govern-
ment, in an effort to retain central authority,
is supporting manager-dominated industrial enter-
prises at the expense of workers' authority.
The struggle currently centers on a proposed
Enterprises Act, scheduled for enactment in April.
The labor unions have threatened to drop their
support of-the economic reform if an earlier, more
liberal version of this bill is not enacted.
Although this struggle obscures the fact.tha.t
enterprises would receive greater autonomy under
this act, labor dissatisfaction with the workers'
role in enterprise management may force the gov-
ernment to make additional changes before the draft
bill is enacted.
Some labor, unions are also calling for legis--
lation giving them the right to,strike. Since the
Soviet invasion, the unions have become increas-
ingly assertive.
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USSR-Japan: The USSR and Japan have concluded
a protocol this week calling for a modest increase
in the planned level of total trade this year to
$700 million.
Although the protocol again calls for balanced
trade, this is probably unrealistic inasmuch as the
Soviet failure to purchase sufficient Japanese goods
has resulted in an exchange heavily in favor of the
USSR. Japan presumably will continue its efforts
to narrow this imbalance, which amounted to $284
million last year.
The first exports of Japanese machinery for
the development of Siberian timber resources will
be made this year. Japan also is to purchase in-
creasing quantities of Soviet raw materials, such
as timber, coal, and metallic ores.
The USSR has remained Japan's principal Com-
munist trading partner since 1967, when it took
over Communist China's previously leading position.
Last year, trade with the USSR was less than three
percent of Japan's total trade.
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Czechoslovakia: Yesterday's suicide-by-fire
in Prague's Wenceslaus Square was said to be in
protest against political retrogression that has
followed the occupation. The act obviously was
committed for dramatic effect on the anniversary
of the 1948 Communist coup in Czechoslovakia. Al-
though this suicide is not likely to generate wide-
spread public disturbances or precipitate a politi-
cal crisis as did the Palach affair in mid-January,
it might hurt Dubcek's efforts to curb the conserv-
ative extremists. Czechoslovak security forces
probably will be alerted, but the population has
been more or less inured to such incidents by over
30 self-immolation attempts.
Argentina: President Ongania has authorized
the purchase of 12 Canberra light jet bombers from
Britain. Delivery will begin in mid-1970. This
purchase will be part of a modernization program
being conducted by all three Argentine services.
Argentina's acquisition of the Canberras is likely
to cause air force chiefs in Brazil and Chile to
Dress their governments for new aircraft.
26 Feb 69 Central Intelligence Bulletin
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