THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 31 JULY 1968

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976279
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: July 31, 1968

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The President's Daily Brief
ret 31 July 1968
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THE PRESIDENT'S
DAILY BRIEF
31 JULY 1968
1. Czechoslovakia -
Soviet Union
2. Mexico
There is still nothing substan-
tive out of the meeting in Cierna.
Both sides say the talks have been
"frank and comradely," which is the
Communist way of saying that disagree-
ment is serious but not total. The
Soviet military build-up opposite
Czechoslovakia continues relentlessly
Student demonstrations continued
into the evening yesterday. 50X1
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severe countermeasures have united the
student body behind the demonstrators.
The students are likely to become even
more bitter when they learn that sev-
eral demonstrators were killed. The
government has so far managed to sup-
press this information.
We see little chance that the gov-
ernment will modify its tough line. It
continues to charge that Communists are
at the root of the troubles(
The government closed the univer-
sity yesterday, but university offi-
cials--many of whom seem to sympathize
with the students--plan to reopen it
today.
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3. Bolivia
4. Algeria-Israel
In a characteristically headlong
reaction to his current troubles, Bar-
rientos ?has named a largely military
cabinet whose members are distinguished
by their loyalty to him and by little
else. The make-up of the new team has
angered his civilian supporters; his
failure to consult the high command has
alienated the military as well. Some
military officers have begun talking
about a coup, and civilian opposition
groups are trying to rally antigovern-
ment sentiment.
Barrientos is still ahead of his
slow-moving critics, and our embassy
believes he has begun to get his emo-
tions back under control. It thinks
he will be able to re-establish his
dialogue with the principal power cen-
ters in Bolivia and find a way out of
the present crisis. He is by no means
out of the woods yet, however.
The Algerians apparently are in a
real dilemma over the hijacked Israeli
airliner. They probably would prefer
to let the plane and its remaining pas-
sengers go away quietly, but the Pales-
tinian exile groups are pressing them
to insist on some kind of concession
from Israel. Moreover,
believe that as soon as the
plane is safe the Israelis will take
retaliatory, action against Egypt, the
most prominent backer of the Palistin-
ians.
The cabinet will meet in Algiers
tomorrow. Current indications are
that the Algerians may risk the criti-
cism of their fellow Arabs and come out
with a somewhat less intransigent line.
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5. Southern Yemen
. World Youth
Festival
Anti-American feeling is being
whipped up in Aden by inflammatory
broadcasts as the leftist government
thrashes about for a scapegoat for the
current unrest. The city is calm but
tense, with a risk of demonstrations.
The small US mission cannot expect
strong protection from local security
forces, which themselves are divided
in their support of the government.
The Youth Festival is proving a
handful for the hosts. When Bulgarian
officials confiscated a truckload of
Czech stationery and press handouts,
the inventive Czechs began sending
?press invitations on Bulgarian toilet
paper. At the opening parade on Sun-
day, a Czechoslovak group stopped in
front of the reviewing stand and chanted
"Our democracy is our affair" in Bulgar-
ian at the assembled dignitaries.
Arab delegations chanted anti-
Israeli. slogans, and some Arab groups
have not turned Up at all, apparently
because an Israeli delegation is pres-
ent. The Israelis, the Czechs, and the
Yugoslays got a cool reception inside
the stadium, but streetside spectators
in Sofia greeted the Czechs warmly.
Strong-arm methods may be'neces-
sary if the Bulgarians are to keep even
a semblance of order and unanimity, par-
ticularly if touchy questions of youth-
ful restlessness in and out of the Com-
munist world come to the surface.
The Bulgarians even got themselves
in a box on the supposedly noncontrover-
sial issue of Vietnam. They used the
militia to turn back a group of West Eu-
ropean "new leftists" who wanted to
stage an antiwar rally in front of the
US Embassy on Monday. For their trouble
they heard the group's leader say the
demonstration was also a protest against
the lack of free discussion at the fes-
tival.
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Top Secret
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_
Top Secret
FOR THE PRESIDENT'S EYES ONLY
1.) Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
.) North Vietnamese Reflections of U S
Political Attitudes
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16
31 July 1968
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Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
for the President's Eyes Only
31 July 1968
I. NOTES ON THE SITUATION
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* * *
Indian Team to Vietnam: A six-man team of
Indian officials from the ministries of External
Affairs, Defense, and Finance is scheduled to ar-
rive in Saigon this week on an inspection mission
to North and South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Two
members, including External Affairs Secretary T. N.
Kaul, have obtained visas for Hanoi.
The Indian "inspection" is apparently a check
into the administration of International Control
Commission activities. Kaul's trip to Hanoi, how-
ever, could be of additional significance. As
India's senior official supervising Indian policy
for Southeast Asia, Kaul has been actively promoting
plans for a behind-the-scenes Indian effort aimed at
mediating a settlement of the Vietnam conflict.
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II. NORTH VIETNAMESE REFLECTIONS OF US POLITICAL
_ATTITUDES ON THE WAR
There is nothing of significance to report
today.
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Top Secret
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