THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 7 JANUARY 1969

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1961-1969
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976549
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: September 16, 2015
• Document Release Date: September 16, 2015
• Publication Date: January 7, 1969

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The President's Daily Brief
----TOrSec-Fel-- 7 January 1969
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_THE PRESIDENT'S
DAILY BRIEF
7 JANUARY 1969
1. Israel-Lebanon
2, Syria-Egypt
3, Cuba
Eshkol has written ..a letter to
Lebanese President Hilu which could be
part of an effort to lay the ground-
work for further action against Lebanon.
The letter asserts that Israel feels
threatened by "terrorist gangs" operat-
ing out of Lebanon. It concludes in
fairly explicit terms that Lebanon can
expect more trouble unless the terror-
ist activities are stopped.
Since the Israelis realize Lebanon
cannot control the terrorists, Eshkol's
letter could be justification for mili-
tary action which Tel Aviv has already
decided upon.
We have seen.no indication that
the Israelis are getting ready fora
major military effort. They could, of
course, mount a moderately large retali-
atory raid with no warning.
The Syrian foreign minister has
turned up in Cairo on a hastily arranged
visit. The Egyptians say they will be
trying--without Much hope, we suspect--
to persuade the minister to modify
Syria's rigidly uncompromising position
on the Arab-Israel dispute.
More than 100 Cubans attempted a
mass escape into the Guantanamo base
yesterday--the largest single attempt
ever. Eighty-six of them made it.
The number of "fence jumpers" has
increased steadily over the years as
Cuba's economic situation worsened.
There were over 1,000 escapees last year.
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4. South Vietnam
5. Soviet Union -
Communist China-
One of Ky's aides
that Ky would definitely be
going back to Paris. Although no firm
date has been set, the aide doubted Ky
would return until after Tet (17 Febru-
ary). The aide noted, however, that
Ky's travel plans would change on short
notice if there was any significant new
development in Paris.
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Moscow's ambassador in Vientiane
made a special point on Saturday of
lecturing Ambassador Sullivan on the
dangers of dealing with Peking. After
noting that the US and Chinese ambas-
sadors are scheduled to meet in Warsaw
on 20 February, he asserted there are
"good possibilities" of reaching a
viable settlement in Southeast Asia if
the US deals with Hanoi. He said he
hoped Washington did not think it could
make a better deal by talking to men
"without principles" in Peking.
? Soviet fear of Sino-American col-
lusion is never far below the surface.
It often finds expression in ways such
as this when another Warsaw meeting ?is
in the offing. ?
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6. Australia
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FOR THE PRESIDENT'S EYES ONLY
1.) Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
2.) North Vietnamese Reflections of US
Political Attitudes
Top Secret
_ 16
7 January 1969
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Special Daily Report on North Vietnam
for the President's Eyes Only
7 January 1969
. NOTES ON THE SITUATION
More on Reconstruction: Hanoi evidently is pre-
paring its allies for sizable postwar economic aid
requests. In a pep talk last month to the foreign
press corps (composed almost entirely of Communist
correspondents), a North Vietnamese Ministry of Con-
struction official said expenditures on reconstruc-
tion are expected to be "enormous," and, while Hanoi
hopes to get some aid from non-Communist countries,
it will rely on Communist aid for the bulk of re-
construction assistance.
The official said direct aid from the United
States is "not being counted on," but he mentioned
Japan and France as possible contributors. He in-
dicated that French aid would be especially welcome,
doubtless in part because he probably had a French
news agency representative in his audience.
Hanoi has attempted to increase economic con-
tacts with both France and Japan during the past
year. Trade with both countries has fallen since
1965 and in 1968 totaled approximately $1.2 million
with France and $7.6 million with Japan. French
businessmen have shown little interest in reviving
trade, largely because of North Vietnam's lack of
enough salable products./
For the moment, North Vietnam's plans for post-
war foreign economic relations are still in the
formative stages. Reconstruction planning, however,
seems to be moving ahead rapidly, largely. on the
basis of Communist aid. In,large part, these plans
May reflect the JIRW aid agreement concluded with the
Soviet Union in' November,
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* * *
Soviet Tug to Vietnam: The Soviet salvage tug
Gelios appears to be en route to North Vietnam, The
Gelios may be going to replace the salvage tug Argus
which has been stationed in Haiphong since October
1967. While the exact duties of the Argus are not
known, it has been used as a communications center,
and has lent assistance to damaged ships.
* * *
II. NORTH VIETNAMESE REFLECTIONS OF US POLITICAL
ATTITUDES ON THE WAR
There is nothing of significance to report to?
day.
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