THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 23 DECEMBER 1974

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006007900
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: December 23, 1974

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The President's Daily Brief
December 23, 1974
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ToL Secret 25X1
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Exempt from general
declassification uhedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5111(1)(2),(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/15 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012400010018-0
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
? December 23, 1974
Table of Contents
Cuba-,US: Cubans reportedly rethinking tactics to-
ward the US. (Page 1)
Portugal - Western Europa: West Europeans looking
for ways to demonstrate support for provisional
. government in Lisbon and for Portuguese Social-
ists. (Page 2)
USSR - European Communism: Soviets make particu-
larly strong defense of detente at meeting of
European Communists. (Page 3)
Turkey: Sentiment in armed forces growing, that
military may have to force a solution to gov-
ernment stalemate. (Page 4)
Notes: South Vietnam; Greece; Canada-USSR (Page 5)
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CUBA-US
A high Cuban official, who knew that
his comments would reach the US govern-
ment, has suggested that Cuban leaders
are looking for ways to facilitate recon-
ciliation talks with the US. He contended
that some Cuban officials are considering
alternatives to Havana's insistence that
the US unilaterally end the economic
"blockade" before negotiations can begin.
The Cubans expected the foreign ministers'
meeting in Quito last month to lift OAS sanctions
against Cuba. They may also have thought the US
would then fall in line and terminate the economic
denial program. The outcome of the OAS session may
have persuaded the Cubans that a review of their
own tactics toward the US is in order.
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PORTUGAL - WESTERN EUROPE
West European countries, spurred by
the recent US offer of aid to Portugal,
are looking for ways to demonstrate sup-
port for the provisional government in
Lisbon and for the Portuguese Socialist
Party before the Portuguese election
expected next spring.
The EC, as a whole, is taking a close look at
economic relations with Portugal. For their part,
the Portuguese want to expand economic cooperation
within the framework of the preferential agreement
they signed with the EC in January 1973.
An EC-Portugal joint committee established to
study Portuguese requests met last week to discuss
Lisbon's desire to improve conditions for Portuguese
workers in EC countries. The committee is to con-
vene again next year.
Bonn would like to move quickly to give as-
sistance to Lisbon, despite obstacles that stand
in the way. Since Portugal is not listed as a de-
veloping country by the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development, the Portuguese are
technically ineligible to receive aid. There is
strong pressure within the organization, however,
to put Portugal on the list, and a decision to do
this is likely soon.
The OECD itself, at the suggestion of the US,
West Germany, and the Netherlands, has begun a
study of technical, agricultural, and managerial
assistance that might be offered to Portugal. The
organization is sending a delegation to Lisbon
next month to look into how such aid might be co-
ordinated.
The British minister of overseas development
will also be in Portugal in January for a meeting
of the Socialist International. European social
democratic leaders are sure to use the occasion to
voicer their support for the Portuguese Socialists.
The Portuguese Socialist Party lacks the organ-
izational expertise of the Communists, but it is
thought to have the best chance of competing suc-
cessfully with them in the coming election.
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USSR - EUROPEAN COMMUNISM
Boris Ponomarev, Soviet party secre-
tary in charge of relations with nonrul-
ing Communist parties, made a particularly
strong defense of detente at the meeting
of European Communist parties in Budapest.
Ponomarev tackled head-on the arguments of
those, including some Western Communists, who be-
lieve that Moscow's policy toward the West damages
their own interests. He implied that Soviet pur-
suit of detente takes precedence over the aspira-
tions of Western Communist parties.
The three-day meeting, which ended on Saturday,
was attended by representatives of 28 parties.
They agreed to set up a drafting committee to pre-
pare documents for a subsequent European Communist
conference. This is to be held in Berlin, but no
precise date has been set. The Soviets apparently
want to wait until after the European security con-
ference, which is not likely to conclude before
next spring at the earliest.
The communique from the meeting makes no men-
tion of a future world Communist conference. Non-
theless, the Soviets are presumably still interested
in using the European conference as a stepping-
stone toward a world gathering.
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TURKEY
Justice Party leader Demirel is still
trying to form a center-right coalition,
but has run into more trouble. If he
does not succeed in the next day or so,
he may well abandon the effort entirely.
Meanwhile, sentiment in the armed forces
is growing that the military may have to
force a solution on the politicians.
? The military may insist on the installation
of former prime minister Ecevit as head of a minor-
ity or a coalition government to lead the country
toward a new election. Ecevit emerged with more
Strength from a convention of his Republican Peo-
ple's Party earlier this month. He may make yet
another effort to form a government after the hol-
iday period in Turkey ends early next month.
Now that Turkey has been given a reprieve un-
til February 5 on the cutoff of US military assist-
ance, there is likely to be increased pressure on
- the politicians to form a government that can make
substantial progress in the Cyprus negotiations
and avoid the halt in aid.
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Tonle
Sop
THAILARQ
CAM BOD
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Gulf of
Thailand
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5570.15 12-74
106
ORT
VIETI4A
-?4
IA
MR 4
106
Os
108
110
Demilitarized Zone
GON
Pleiku
CENTRAL
HIGHLANDS
R3
MR I
Capital Special Zone
MR 2
South
-
China
Sea
SOUTH VIETNAM
MILES
16-
14-
12-
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NOTES
South Vietnam: Fighting has died down in the
southern part of the country as communist forces
regroup before mounting fresh attacks in their win-
ter-spring campaign. There has been sporadic fight-
ing in the area over recent days, but the commu-
nists are mainly refitting and consolidating new
gains. Heavy rains continue to hamper military ac-
tivity in the northernmost provinces. Government
operations now under way in northern Quang Ngai
Province and near Pleiku in the central highlands,
however, could bring more intense fighting in those
areas.
Greece:
Canada-USSR: Ottawa reportedly has assigned
12 destroyers to patrol fisheries because of per-
sistent difficulties with Soviet fishing boats.
The Soviets are said to be taking double their
quota of smelt off Newfoundland. The new Canadian
patrols will carry inspectors with instructions
to board foreign vessels suspected of overfishing.
Moscow is also under increasing pressure from Ot-
tawa to pay compensation for damage caused by So-
viet trawlers to Canadian lobster traps.
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