CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00975A022400020001-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 16, 2003
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: July 22, 1972
• Content Type: REPORT

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DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Central Intelligence Bulletin
Secret
N2 042
22 July 1972
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No. 0175/72
22 July 1972
Central Intelligence Bulletin
SOUTH VIETNAM: Situation report. (Page 1)
CUBA: The leadership is dissatisfied with the re-
sults of Castro's Soviet trip. (Page 2)
USSR: Better space suits. (Page 4)
THAILAND: Thanom stays on as head of the armed
forces. (Page 6)
UN - SOUTH AFRICA: Pretoria accepts a UN repre-
sentative. Page 8)
LAOS: No new peace proposals (Page 10)
CHILE-USSR: Copper exports (Page 10)
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C SOUTH VIETNAM: Fighting around Quang Tri City
remains relatively light, although the Communists
are continuing intensive shelling of government
forces and appear to be trying to step up activity
on the government's western flank.
Government positions along Route 1 just below
the My Chanh River are still being attacked. Two
enemy prisoners captured just before the attacks
started claim to be from units of the North Vietnam-
ese 304th NVA Division that have been assigned
the mission of interdicting Route I along the Quang
Tri - Thua Thien province border. Other elements
of the 304th Division have been putting pressure
on government troops near Fire Support Base Nancy
west of Route 1 and just north of the My Chanh.
In coastal Binh Dinh Province, South Vietnam-
ese troops recaptured Hoai Nhon distri.et.town yes-
terday after meeting only light enemy resistance.
The government's drive to retake the northern three
districts of Binh Dinh may soon face more determined
enemy opposition.
In Military Region 3, Route 13 south of An Loc
is secured, but is not yet open to traffic because
of mines and heavily damaged sections of the road-
bed. Some Vietnamese civilians, however have al-
ready begun to use the highway, and
a convoy of armored ve,ic es is
ein readied to carry supplies into An Loc.
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CUBA: A carefully worded resolution concerning
Fidel Castro's recent trip issued by the Communist
Party central committee indicates that the Cuban
leadership is less than satisfied with certain key
aspects of Soviet policy.
Havana's major problem is with Moscow's policy
of detente with the US. The resolution states that
the "struggle against imperialism" must be "based
upon the full awareness that imperialism's apparent
cooperation with any truly revolutionary process is
deceptive and false in the long run."
Havana's displeasure is primarily linked to
what it views as a lack of Soviet support for North
Vietnam. The resolution declares that victory in
Vietnam requires "international solidarity" and
points to statements made by Fidel during his trip.
One of the strongest was made in Poland when he af-
firmed that "today Vietnam is the supreme test of
proletarian internationalism...the supreme test of
the principles of Marxism-Leninism."
Although the Cuban leader may be genuinely con-
cerned with the fate of Vietnam, he is even more con-
cerned over its possible implications for Cuba's se-
curity. He knows that Cuba cannot count on the un-
conditional support of the Soviet Union.
The resolution also hints that Cuba is upset
with Soviet attempts to press for more orthodox
economic policies in return for increased economic
assistance. It asserts that assistance from social-
ist countries is a "moral right" of nations "where
truly revolutionary changes are being made."
The vehicle chosen for the statement--a rare
meeting of the central committee--is significant.
By calling such a meeting now, Fidel Castro appar-
ently wishes to emphasize the unity of the Cuban
leadership as well as the importance of this state-
ment. (continued)
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Although the resolution signals a degree of
pleasure with the Soviets, Castro has few alterna-
tives to continued close cooperation with Moscow.
Cuba is economically and militarily dependent on the
Soviet Union, and Fidel is unlikely to attempt any
major alternation of this relationship at this time.
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USSR: The Soviets apparently are trying to im-
prove their space suit technology in anticipation of
future manned space requirements.
At a recent meeting of the joint US-USSR work-
ing group in space biology and medicine, Soviet par-
ticipants showed great interest in the space suits
used in the Apollo lunar landings. They mentioned
a pending Soviet request to the National Aeronautical
and Space Administration to buy several space suits
from the US manufacturer.
The Soviets have not used pressurized space
suits on manned flights since 1969, apparently be-
lieving them unnecessary for missions that do not
involve activity outside their spacecraft. The
Soyuz 11 cosmonauts who died during re-entry last
year probably would have survived the sudden de-
pressurization of their capsule if they had been
wearing pressurized suits. The couches in the Soyuz
re-entry capsule, however, could not have accommo-
dated the three cosmonauts wearing the bulky Soviet
suits.
Soviet development of space suits has lagged
considerably behind US efforts. Those used by the
US on Apollo flights are more compact and flexible
than Soviet versions, allowing astronauts consider-
able freedom of movement. The advanced technology
of US suits would help the Soviets in designing
space suits for future Soyuz missions. A US-type
suit also would be essential for a Soviet lunar
landing where mobility would be a critical factor,
although such a landing attempt is not likely for
several years.
Changes in the Soyuz spacecraft probably were
made as a result of the Soyuz 11 accident and were
tested earlier this month during the flight of
Cosmos 496--an unmanned Soyuz vehicle. As a safety
precaution, the Soviets may also introduce a new
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space suit or a modified version of an older model
during the next space mission. There are indications
that the Soviets are planning a manned space flight
within
volve
the next few weeks, and it probably will
another extended stay by cosmonauts aboard
_
in-
a
Salyut
space station.
I
F
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THAILAND: Field Marshal Thanom's extension as
supreme commander of the armed forces will probably
delay other changes in the top leadership and post-
pone significant changes in Thai internal and for-
eign policies.
The extension, the second granted Thanom since
he reached the retirement age of 60 last year, in-
dicates that the deputy chairman of the ruling Na-
tional Executive Council (NEC), General Praphat,
still lacks sufficient popular support to move into
the number one spot. Praphat, who has been Thanom's
deputy for almost nine years, has been increasing
his power at Thanom's expense in recent years, par-
ticularly since the constitution was abolished last
November, and was seriously considering making his
move for the top position this year.
Thanom presumably will also continue as chair-
man of the NEC, although the fate of the organiza-
tion itself may still be unsettled. Thanom has
been urging that the extra-constitutional NEC be
abolished and the country returned to cabinet rule
under a new provisional constitution. Praphat has
successfully opposed such a changeover, presumably
because his supporters now have the upper hand in
the NEC bureaucracy. In announcing Thanom's exten-
sion, Praphat parried reporter's questions about
returning to cabinet government.
The intense rivalry between Thanom and Praphat's
supporters, which tends to have an immobilizing ef-
fect on government operations, is likely to continue.
Military officers are also likely to be unhappy about
the possibility that Thanom's extension will limit
promotion opportunities. The government may allevi-
ate some of the pressure from this quarter through
the scheduled retirement of 25 general grade offi-
cers, although the top military leaders like Deputy
Army Chief Krit will still find the path to promo-
tion blocked for another year. Thanom's extension
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is also likely to increase frustration among less
conservative elements in the army and the bureauc-
racy who believe that Thailand has failed to come
to grips with its problems under Thanom's benign
but unimaginative direction.
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UN - SOUTH AFRICA: Pretoria's acceptance of
a UN representative who will concern himself with
South-West Africa (Namibia) does not resolve the
conflict over self-determination for that South
African - administered territory.
In response to Secretary-General Waldheim's
report to the Security Council on South-West Africa,
South African Prime Minister Vorster said he would
meet with Waldheim's personal representative.
Vorster said that the UN representative will be al-
lowed to travel in South-West Africa "as may be nec-
essary" and to meet all sections of the population,
but he insisted that these visits must take place
by mutual agreement.
UN officials hope that this agreement will give
the UN a foot in the door to help nudge South-West
Africa toward independence on a territory-wide basis.
The South African Government, however, plans to ad-
vance each of the territory's 11 tribal homelands
toward independence individually. The government
has promised to introduce legislation next year to
raise the Ovambo people--the territory's largest
ethnic group--to "self-governing" status. This is
the last stage before eventual independence under
South Africa's apartheid policy. The Kavongo home-
land administration announced earlier this week
that it will ask the government for similar action.
There is no established timetable for the homelands
to become independent, and after reaching this
status they will remain almost totally dependent on
South Africa for their survival. Although Vorster
stated that implementation of his government's home-
land policy is not "irrevocable," South Africa
clearly intends to pursue apartheid, hoping at the
same time to deflect international criticism by con-
tinuing a dialogue with the UN.
The Security Council probably will meet early
next week on Waldheim's report. The result is un-
certain, because Communist and African members of
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the Council might take the position that South
African moves in South--West Africa make f rther ef-
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LAOS: Lao Communist leader Souphanouvong's
latest message to Prime Minister Souvanna contains
no new proposals for settling the war in Laos. The
letter refers to earlier Communist proposals and
repeats the Communist line that any progress toward
a settlement depends on a US bombing halt through-
out the country. It does not rule out, however, ad-
ditional preliminary contacts between Souvanna and
Souk Von sak the Communists' envoy.
CHILE-USSR: Moscow has offered to provide
plants and technical assistance to expand Chile's
copper products industry. The USSR also agreed to
purchase $87-million worth of finished and semi-
finished copper products during 1973-75. Despite
earlier efforts by Chile to develop its copper manu-
facturing industry, its sales of manufactured cop-
per goods this year are expected to be only $13
million. Moscow also will buy some 130,000 metric
tons of primary copper, currently valued at 134
million, during the same three-year period.
Central Intelligence Bulletin 10
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Secret
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