THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 5 MARCH 1973

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993762
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: March 5, 1973

Declassified inPart - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
The President's Daily Brief
5 March 1973
To
L5
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. I 1652
exemption category 5B( I
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
CENTRALiN'iL?L'a.,LNCE. AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20505
5 March 1973
EYES ONLY FOR THE PRESIDENT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
25X1
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
2
EYES ONLY FOR THE PRESIDENT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
5 March 1973
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Arab reactions to the tragedy in Khartoum range
from attempts to justify the terrorist actions to
Jordan's forthright condemnation. (Page 1)
Military action in Vietnam has picked up somewhat
amid further indications that the Communists are
strengthening some of their military units. (Page 2)
The EC finance ministers have put off any decision
on the monetary crisis until next weekend. (Page 3)
Almost complete results of first round voting in
the French legislative elections Sunday show Pres-
ident Pompidou's coalition trailing the leftist
alliance in the popular vote, but well ahead in the
number of seats won. (Page 4)
President Allende is claiming that the gains scored
by government parties in the Chilean congressional
elections yesterday signify growing public approval
of his socialization program. (Page 5)
The Soviets probably have completed preparations
for a countrywide military exercise that will in-
clude the major components of their armed forces.
(Page 6)
In Laos, the joint political commission reportedly
has reached preliminary agreement on the functions
of the Joint National Political Council. (Page 7)
Brezhnev has accepted Chancellor Brandt's long-
standing invitation to visit West Germany. (Page 7)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
FEDAYEEN - ARAB STATES
Arab reactions to the tragedy in Khartoum
range from attempts to justify the terrorists' ac-
tions to Jordan's forthright condemnation. The
Sudanese appear undecided on how to deal with the
Black September terrorists. A government statement
yesterday said merely that Sudan would weigh its
"international obligations" before deciding What
to do. It reaffirmed support for the Palestinian
cause potwithstanding the incident, reflecting
Khartoum's awareness of the widespread sympathy
in the Arab world for fedayeen terrorism. Although
President Numayri said
he was determined to deal firmly with the terror-
ists, Deputy Undersecretary Macomber cautions that
these assurances are given under the immediate im-
pact of events and that this resolve may well
weaken with the passage of time.
Many Arab leaders, while privately expressing
condolences, refuse to denounce the terrorist action
publicly. Lebanon's Prime Minister Salam called
upon the international community to find a solution
to the Middle East problem that "prompts" certain '
Palestinians to resort to terrorism.
The Saudi reaction has been strongly critical.
The Saudi foreign minister said his government would
not intercede on behalf of the "killers for whom
the lightest possible punishment was death."
The Saudis view the occupation of their
Khartoum Embassy and detention of their
ambassador as a grievous affront. We
expect them to take a hard Zook at their
financial support for the fedayeen as
?
well as the status of some, 10,000 Pales-
tinians employed in Saudi Arabia.
Jordan is the only Arab government thus far
to have denounced the terrorists categorically.
There are further indications, meanwhile, that the
Black September Organization is undertaking new
operations aimed at seizing Jordanian officials
and diplomats to serve as hostages for guerrillas
held in Jordan. The announcement yesterday in Jor-
dan of King Husayn's approval of death sentences
against senior BSO official Muhammad Awadh and
"several" other fedayeen will arouse the Black Sep-
tember still more.
1
25X1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
SOUTH VIETNAM
DEMILITARIZED ZONE
tch8po e
Quang TH
108
0 50
MILES
Nang
e Son Valley
MR 1
ang Ngai
Kontum
?.4.
1 *De Gi
PliE?1 K U
Qui N hon
CAMBODIA)(
\
DARLAC
/-
7/luois ?it
..2S.'?4!,.iilichIVIR 3 .
554200 3-73 .
ANG
P H
MR 2
NY E
L\
. 1, ' ? ;?-':b
Nt.
\K -AN H
HOA
. ?
! ? \
44, T.IU. YEN DUC
D lq\ C
11
sk ? ras
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SOUTH VIETNAM
Military action has picked up somewhat. North
and South Vietnamese units in northern Quang Tri
Province exchanged heavy artillery fire during the
weekend. the Communists
have sent additional personnel and weapons, including
more tanks, into Thua Thien Province./
Farther south in MR-1, the Communists are main-
taining pressure around FSB West in the Que Son
Valley and have resumed harassing attacks along
Route 1 in southern Quang Ngai. Increased road
harassment was reported in scattered provinces of
MR-2, and sharp fighting continued near the gov-
ernment's coastal radar facility at De Gi in Binh
Dinh Province.
There are indications that the Communists have
strengthened their artillery units north of Saigon.
Three Communist ralliers claimed on 27 February that
they had recently seen twelve 130-mm. field guns
being towed from Snuol, Cambodia to Loc Ninh District
in northwestern Binh Long Province, according to the
South Vietnamese National Police.
This is the first reported sighting of
130-mm, artillery in the southern half
of the country, although intercepts had
indicated that an artillery group would
arrive in late February.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY DEVELOPMENTS
The EC finance ministers have put off any de-
cision on the monetary crisis until next weekend.
The ministers feel that the crisis is not of their
making and that existing exchange rate relationships
are sound. At French urging, the EC plans to invite
the US and Japan to a conference in Paris on Friday.
Although the finance ministers have agreed that
proposals for a joint float, pooling of reserves,
and EC-wide capital controls form "an adequate
basis for defining a common position," wide dif-
ferences remain. British Chancellor of the Exchequer
Barber, for example, demanded stringent preconditions
before taking part in a joint float, i.e., before
repegging sterling. London also wants permission to
readjust its exchange rate if the repegging proves
unrealistic.
French Finance Minister Giscard D'Estaing last
night publicly came out against any float.
Paris fears a loss Of its
trade competitiveness if, as seems likely, a joint
float portends a revaluation of its franc. In any
.event, postponement of the problem gives Paris and
London time to deal with their respective election
and budget problems. Bonn remains the chief pro-
ponent of the joint float, and Finance Minister
Schmidt has stated that the mark would be floated
separately if agreement on a joint float is not
possible. Tokyo has sent a representative to the
US to discus's the situation. Meanwhile, major- for-
eign exchange markets will remain closed, and Euro-
pean 'leaders will have an opportunity to see how
free market forces operate on exchange rates in
interbank trading. In early interbank trading to-
day, in London, sterling weakened sharply, probably
in anticipation of a lower dollar rate if and when
a joint float is realized. The dollar was generally
firm against European currencies.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
25X1
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
FRANCE
Almost complete results of first round voting
in the legislative elections Sunday show President
Pompidou's coalition trailing the Socialist-Commu-
nist alliance by 2.4 percent in the popular vote,
but well ahead in the number of seats won (48 for
the coalition to the left's nine).
The sharp discrepancy between the popular
vote and the number of seats won is pri-
marily the result of gerrymandering favor-
able to non-urban areas where the govern-
ment parties are strongest. This, along
with a strong lingering fear of the Commu-
nists, may give the government the edge in
the decisive runoff voting next Sunday.
4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CHILE
Although they won a majority of the votes, Pres-
ident Allende's opponents will have trouble refuting
his claim of victory, in congressional elections held
yesterday. Final results are not confirmed, but can-
didates of the Popular Unity coalition apparently won
more than the 40 percent that Allende had said would
constitute an "absolute victory." Last night Allende
compared this outcome with the 36.3 percent he won in
1970 and contended that his gains signified growing
public approval of his socialization program. The op-
position parties retained a majority in both congres-
sional houses, but the fact that the margin of seats
in excess of Popular Unity legislators decreased, will
also be hailed as a show of strength for Allende.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
USSR
The Soviets probably have completed prepara-
tions for a countrywide military exercise that will
include the major components of their armed forces.
Preparations and rehearsals may have been under way
for the last month.'
These preparations have
involved military units throughout the USSR, but
much of the activity of the ground forces and long-
range aviation has been in the Sino-Soviet border.
area./
Past exercises of this type have involved
launches of strategic missiles, simulated
strikes by long-range bombers, naval de-
ployments, and extensive field training
by the ground forces. The last was held
about a year ago.
6
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
25X1
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NOTES
Laos: As the military action continues to
wane, the joint political commission has reached
preliminary agreement on the functions of the
Joint National Political Council
Its primary role will be to prepare
for new National Assembly elections. The Communist
delegates indicated, however, that all arrangements
worked out so far are subject to final review by
their chief negotiator, Phoumi Vongvichit, when he
returns from consultations in Hanoi and Sam Neua.
USSR - West Germany: Brezhnev has accepted
Chancellor Brandt's long-standing invitation to
visit West Germany. No specific date has been set
for the visit--the first by a top-ranking Soviet
official--but it is expected to occur before summer.
Despite occasional frictions, Soviet - West German
relations remain generally good and the Brezhnev
trip is intended as a further demonstration of Mos-
cow's desire for a reconciliation with Bonn.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T009-36A011500010057-7
,
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010057-7