THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 20 MARCH 1970

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977358
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: March 20, 1970

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A008100170001-9
The President's Daily Brief
20 March 1970
48
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
.20 March 1970
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The new Cambodian regime is consolidating its posi-
tion and has launched a free-swinging campaign to
discredit Sihanouk. (Page 1)
In Laos, the Communists have resumed their offensive
against government forces blocking the approaches
to Long Tieng. ?The government, for its part, is,
bringing in reinforcements to Long Tieng itself.
(Page 2)
Israeli aircraft meanwhile continue to bomb Egyptian?
targets elsewhere almost daily, but they have avoided
strikes close to Cairo for over a month now. (Page 4)
The Greek Government is going to considerable lengths
to squash allegations that it was involved in the as-
sassination of the former Cypriot interior minister.
(Page 6)
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CAMBODIA
The new regime is moving quickly to consolidate
its position. Yesterday the National Assembly granted
"full power" to Prime Minister Lon Nol, declared a
national emergency, and suspended a number of consti-
tutional articles for six months. These last actions
give the government broad powers of arrest and pro-
hibit public assemblies. One of the few remaining
pro-Sihanouk ministers in the cabinet has resigned;
the foreign minister, who also is held to be a Siha-
nouk man, has been replaced as well.
The government also has launched a public cam-
paign, led by Acting Chief of State Cheng Heng, to
denigrate Sihanouk. The Prince has been charged with
supplying arms to Cambodia's enemies and his entou-
rage has been criticized for corruption. The armed
forces have been notified that Sihanouk has been
dismissed as commander in chief for betraying the
constitution and the nation. The army was ordered
to crush any possible subsequent action by Sihanouk
to resume power.
The country is generallyquiet, although demon-
strations'against Vietnamese and Chinese communities
have been reported in some provincial towns; Pro-
vincial officials are climbing on the bandwagon and
sending in pledges of loyalty to the government,.
No significant military clashes have been reported
between Cambodian and Vietnamese Communist units
along the eastern border, nor is there any evidence
of major, withdrawals of Communist units.
Sihanouk remains in Peking, where he is being
accorded full diplomatic honors as a chief of state.
He still has made no comment on his ouster.
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AREA OF
MAIN MAP
Government Consolidates Position
,?
-
Vientiane
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,ii ? - 6r-
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? Government-strengthe ing
Tha Tam position
Bleung
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20 Kilometers
97967 3-70 CIA
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LAOS
The enemy has renewed its attempts to sweep
government forces from areas blocking the approaches
to Long Tieng. Late on 19 March the enemy launched
a heavy attack south of Tha Tam Bleung, forcing gov-
ernment troops to withdraw from the area. Govern-
ment forces have also evacuated Ban Na to the north.
At the same time, the government is attempting
to strengthen its position in the immediate Long
Tieng area. The airlift of three guerrilla battal-
ions from south Laos is under way and advance ele-
ments have already taken up defensive positions mid-
way between Sam Thong and Long Tieng. In addition,
newly arrived long-range artillery pieces have been
deployed in positions to destroy enemy rocket launch-
ing sites in the hills immediately north of the base.
The deteriorating military situation and Prime
Minister Souvanna's apparent willingness to pursue
the Communists' peace proposal of 6 March are con-
tributing to political unrest in south Laos. (
These rightist malcontents seem to be ma-
neuvering for the return of Phoumi Nosavan,
who has been in Thai exile since an abor-
tive coup in 1965. Discredited in most
areas of the country, Phoumi's support ap-
pears to be- limited to the south. Phoumi
is anathema to the Vientiane-based Sanan-
ikone clan and the rightist military lead-
ers in the capital.
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USSR-EGYPT
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ISRAEL - ARAB STATES
Israeli aircraft continue to bomb Egyptian tar-
gets elsewhere almost daily, but. they have avoided .
strikes close to Cairo for over a month now. The
last strike near Cairo was the misdirected attack
on a civilian factory on 12 February. The closest
the Israelis have come since then was an attack on
an SA-2 site 20 miles west of Cairo on 26 February,
Israel's reasons for shying away from the
Cairo area are not entirely, clear. The
repercussions from the bombing error may
be a. factor, and weather conditions have
occasionally been poor. The Israelis
could'also be trying to coneerve their
aircraft and may be marking time pending
a US decision on further sales.
These latter considerations may help explain
why the Israelis are not using their aircraft on
the other cease-fire lines. In response to.in-
creaSed.Syrian harassment in the Golan Heights area,
Israel is using helicopter-borne commando raids
rather than air strikes. In Jordan and Lebanon it
is retaliating for fedayeen attacks with artillery
and cross-border ground raids.
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EAST GERMANY - WEST GERMANY
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NOTES
Greece-Cyprus: Prime Minister Papadopoulos is
going to considerable lengths to squash allegations
that he and his government are involved in the assas-
sination of former minister Georkatzis. Among other
things, he is sending high-ranking army officers to
Cyprus to assist in the investigation of the attempted
murder of President Makarios and the death of Geor-
katzis. Also, he issued a public statement in the
name of his government condemning violence in general
and that in Cyprus in particular. It demanded that
the criminals be caught and punished "in an exemplary
way."
Libya: the
Grand Mufti of Libya, the most important religious
leader in the country, has been under house arrest
since 12 March. The Grand Mufti is one of the clos-
est advisers to Prime Minister Qaddafi, and his de-
tention may be part of a move by dissenters in the
Revolutionary Command Council to curb addafi par-
ticularl his ?ro-E. .tian ?olicies.
Italy: Former premier Fanfani threw in the
sponge yesterday, and now President Saragat may ask
caretaker Premier Rumor to make another try at put-
ting together 4 new coalition government.
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