THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 4 FEBRUARY 1971

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005992461
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: February 4, 1971

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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A009200040001-1
The President's Daily Brief
4 February 1971
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THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF'
4 February 1971
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
In Laos, the Communists have overrun several govern-
ment positions northeast of Luang Prabang in their
first significant actions since November. (Page 1)
A Soviet commentary on SALT marks a departure from
Moscow's normal public reticence on specific points
at issue. (Page 2)
The Egyptians, too, have departed from past practice
by telling us they are extending the cease-fire in
advance of the public announcement. (Page 3)
A new class of submarine of Chinese design has been
detected at a shipyard in northern China. (Page 4)
The Chinese have about completed preparations for
another nuclear test at Lop Nor. (Page 4)
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Communist Attacks in Northern Laos
102
CHINA
CHINA
NORTH
VIETNAM
THAILAND
CAMBODIA
"(Luang Prabang
t
Plaine
arres
Khang Khay
THAILAND
0 50
Statute Miles
550916 2-71 CIA102
THAILAND
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LAOS
The Communists overran several government posi-
tions,northeast of Luang Prabang on 2 February, with
the brunt of the enemy effort falling on. Lao Army
units about 10 to 15 miles from the royal. capital
where the Nam Ou and Nam Suong rivers join the.Me-
kong. One Communist unit raided a village about
five miles from Luang Prabang, but failed to hold
it.
These are the first significant enemy ac-
tions in the Luang Prabang area since last
November, when the North Vietnamese and
Pathet Lao Zaunched a series of unexpect-
edly sharp attacks along the lower Nam Qu.
The November attacks were viewed as a pos-
sible reaction to a government effort to
stop the Communists from moving supplies
along the river rather than as a serious
threat to Luang Prabang itself.
The latest attacks may indicate, however,
that the royal capital, long assumed. to
be immune from Communist attack because
of the Pathet Lao's professed allegiance
to the King, is in some danger. Lao mil-
itary leaders are now expressing some
doubts about their earlier assumption,
and King Savang recently expressed a be-
lief that the North Vietnamese intend to
occupy the capital with Pathet Lao troops
in order to bring down the government in
Vientiane.
as many as five North Vietnamese
. .
battal f Luang Pra-
bang. there are
actual y six battalions--four North Vietnamese, one
Pathet Lao, and one mixed--located north, east, and
south of the town.
.Such a force is far in excess of what the
Communists have heretofore maintained in
this area.
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USSR-SALT
A Soviet commentary issued yesterday marks
a departure from Moscow's normal public
reticence toward contentious SALT issues,
and may be an initial maneuver prior to
the renewal of talks in Vienna on 15 March.
An article in Pravda by V. Shustov, a disarma-
ment expert in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, charged
that US "militarists" ordered the American press to.
stress that the talks should not be concerned with
"nuclear facilities advanced to the frontiers of the
USSR and other socialist countries." This viewpoint
is said to "deliberately disregard" the fact that a
mutually acceptable agreement must yield no unilat-
eral military advantages to either side. The arti-
cle also stated that the strengthening of US military
forces over the past year is incompatible with efforts
to reach an agreement.
These views are consistent with private So-
viet statements at the arms talks, and
amplify Defense Minister Grechko's comment
in Finland Friday that the US "wants to
take advantage" of the talks. Previously
in public, however, Moscow took the posi-
tion between sessions that it remained com-
mitted to seeking an agreement and that it
would be self-defeating for Washington to
try and negotiate from a "position of
Strength." In calling attention for the
first time to one of the fundamental dif-
ferences of the negotiations, the Soviets
presumably have tailored their cautiously
worded statement directly for consumption
in Washington. In stressing Moscow's con-
cern with the specific. issue of forward-
based systems, the statement seems in-
tended to increase pressure for further
US movement before the Vienna round begins.
The Soviets' decision to plead their case
in public was forecast in comments to Gov-
ernor Harriman in Moscow last month.
Pravda commentator Yury Zhukov told him
that the Soviets were irritated by US
press leaks on SALT, and would be respond-
ing in their Own way.
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EGYPT
Cairo's decision to extend the cease-fire for another
month, communicated in advance to the US, will be
formally announced by Sadat later today. The Egyp-
tian move to advise the US of its decision is in
marked contrast to Nasir's practice, which was to
make full use of suspense and surprise in an effort
?to achieve maximum impact at home and abroad. The
Egyptians no doubt count on favorable world reaction
to their decision. They apparently regard the exten-
sion as of short enough duration to insure continuing
pressures for substantive movement in the diplomatic
arena.
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New Chinese Attack Submarine
591g 2-71 CIA
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NOTES
Communist China: Satellite photography
January shows an attack submarine, which is a new
class of Chinese design, in the launch basin at Hu-
lu-tao shipyard in northern China.
The submarine is a modern, high-speed
type, about 310 feet long with a 33-foot beam. It
cannot be determined yet whether it has a nuclear
or diesel propulsion system.
Communist China: Satellite photography of
late January shows that preparations are nearing
completion for a nuclear test at the new ground
zero at Lop Nor, first identified last November.
The type and location of structures in the test
area indicate that the Chinese will detonate the
nuclear device from a platform, or possibly a bal-
loon, and that it will be of relatively low yield.
China's last test
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occurred on 14 October 1970. 50X1
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Top Secret
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