THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 14 NOVEMBER 1973

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993985
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: November 14, 1973

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The President's Daily Brief
14 November 1973
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B( 0,121.(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
14 November 1973
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Tel Aviv has agreed to the reestablishment of a UN
checkpoint at Kilometer 119 at the eastern end of
the Cairo-Suez road. Minor violations were reported
on both sides of the Suez Canal and at the northern
end of the Syrian cease-fire line. (Page 1)
The Communists have strengthened their logistical
network in southern Laos and northern South Vietnam
and appear ready to start their dry-season resupply
effort through Laos. (Page 3)
It is as yet unclear whether or not the Communists
will mount a major offensive in South Vietnam; in
any case, if the new South Vietnamese commander for
Military Region 3 moves as forcefully as he is now
suggesting, he is likely to stimulate an equally
forceful Communist response. (Page 4)
Representatives of some 20 American states begin
discussions today in Bogota to coordinate their
policies before talks on US-Latin American relations
are held with Secretary Kissinger. (Page 5)
The yen declined another 2 percent against the dol-
lar yesterday. (Page 6)
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ARAB STATES - ISRAEL
Tel Aviv has agreed to the reestablishment of
a UN checkpoint at Kilometer 119 at the eastern end
of the Cairo-Suez road. The Israeli decision re-
versed a tough posture adopted earlier yesterday
when Defense Minister Dayan told General Siilasvuo,
United Nations Emergency Force commander, that Tel
Aviv would not accept a UN checkpoint at Kilometer
119 since it could block supply of Israeli forces.
According to the US Mission at the UN, General
Siilasvuo expects the UN contingent to take a posi-
tion east of the Israeli checkpoint this morning.
The UN checkpoint at Kilometer 101--at the west-
ern edge of the Israeli line along the Cairo-Suez
-road--was reported in operation yesterday. An Is-
raeli post was nearby, and Israeli soldiers were
clearly in control of the highway. Egyptian and
Israeli representatives are scheduled to continue
their discussions today about implementation of the
six-point cease-fire agreement.
Minor cease-fire violations on both sides of
the Suez Canal were generally limited to small arms
fire. On the northern end of the Syrian cease-fire
line, sporadic shelling continued for about three
hours.
In her address to the Knesset yesterday, Prime
Minister Meir declared that the so-called cease-
fire lines of October 22 are nonexistent. She said
no one can determine the positions of the opposing
forces, since Israel was engaged that day in a run-
ning battle with the Egyptians, and no UN observers
were in the area. Mrs. Meir stated that the effec-
tiveness of the six-point agreement signed by Egypt
and Israel depends on reciprocal observance of all
its provisions, and noted that Tel Aviv has been
"apprehensive from the beginning." She emphasized
that without the return of Israeli prisoners, there
can be no cease-fire, and the flow of food to Suez
City and the Egyptian Third Army will stop. She
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stated, however, that Israel has no intention of
holding the territory it occupies on the west bank
of the Suez Canal and that she has already proposed
a mutual pullback of both Egyptian and Israeli forces
to opposite sides of the Canal.
Contrary to earlier reports, Yasir Arafat and
other fedayeen leaders did not arrive in Moscow on
November 12 but may have arrived yesterday. It is
now uncertain whether George Habbash, head of the
radical Popular Front for the Liberation of Pales-
tine, will participate in the Moscow talks.
The Soviet Mediterranean Squadron now comprises
84 units: 28 surface warships, 22 submarines, and
34 support ships. The bulk of the Mediterranean
Squadron is at anchorage or in port at Kithera,
Sollum, or Alexandria.
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INDOCHINA
The Communists have strengthened their logisti-
cal network in southern Laos and northern South Viet-
nam and appear ready to start their dry-season re-
supply effort through Laos.
Since early September, Hanoi has infiltrated
nearly 23,000 troops into southern Laos and contigu-
ous areas of South Vietnam. This is the largest
number of infiltrators to go to this region for sev-
eral years. Many of these troops have been assigned
to logistical units along the road networks, and
others have been used to strengthen North Vietnamese
combat units in Laos. The Communists have been im-
proving and expanding their road network through
this region, and the reinforcements should enable
them to accelerate this activity.
North Vietnamese logistical units in southern
Laos now are preparing for a resumption of supply
shipments, which had been sharply reduced in recent
months because of heavy rains. Units have been
directed to have roads ready for use by November 15.
A recent intercept disclosed that some 1,400 trucks--
the greatest number through this area since last
spring--would be moving south through the central
Laos panhandle between November 12 and 30. Logisti-
cal units north of the Demilitarized Zone have re-
ceived orders to mount a "large transportation ef-
fort."
The Communists have already built up large
stockpiles of military equipment and munitions in
South Vietnam and adjacent areas. Some shortages
of foodstuffs, especially rice, exist in parts of
South Vietnam, and the Communists will be using the
next few weeks to alleviate these deficiencies and
to augment their ordnance stocks.
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SOUTH VIETNAM
General Thuan, the new South Vietnamese commander
for Military Region 3, which includes Saigon, told
President Thieu last week that he expects the Commu-
nists to launch a major offensive against the capital
after the rice harvest but before the end of the year.
He intends to make an effort to seize the initiative
from the Communists.
his subordinates that he had ordered:
Thuan informed
--refitting and strengthening of all government
main and territorial forces in the region;
--surprise ground attacks against Communist po-
sitions;
--maximum use of air and artillery strikes, es-
pecially against Communist rear-service areas;
--an increase in the number of fighter aircraft
on strip alert and observation aircraft over
enemy-held areas;
--removal of all restrictions on bombing and
shelling Communist-held areas;
--construction of tank barricades in high-threat
areas and a general improvement in armored
tactics.
There are no reliable indications that the Com-
munists are readying a major attack against Saigon
itself, but heavier attacks in the regions surround-
ing the city are anticipated. There has been in-
creased fighting in the region during the past few
weeks, precipitated by the "rice war" over the cur-
rent harvest and by the efforts of each side to im-
prove its tactical position. This kind of action is
likely to continue and may become fairly extensive.
It is as yet unclear whether or not the Communists
will mount a major offensive. In any case, if Thuan
moves as forcefully as he is suggesting, he is likely
to stimulate an equally forceful Communist response.
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WESTERN HEMISPHERE
Representatives of more than 20 American states
begin discussions in Bogota today to coordinate their
policies before talks on US-Latin American relations
are held with Secretary Kissinger. Some Latin Amer-
ican leaders hope the current meeting will lead to
the development of a consultative mechanism outside
the OAS and without US participation. A few of the
representatives may also plan to promote positions
critical of the US.
Prospects for developing common positions on
contentious issues are not good. The organizers of
the conference intend to avoid serious controversy,
and they probably have enough support to pass general
resolutions designed to open a constructive dialogue
with the US. A number of governments, however, have
reservations about the timing and goals of the con-
ference. At least six countries, including Argentina
and Brazil, are represented by lower ranking officials.
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NOTE
Japan: The yen was allowed to decline another
2 percent against the dollar yesterday, dropping to
5 percent below its level at the end of October. The
present exchange rate is 280 yen to the dollar, but
contracts for future delivery of dollars specify a
rate of 293 yen. The prospect of large balance-of-
payments deficits both this year and in 1974, com-
bined with the expectation of serious economic prob-
lems stemming from oil shortages, underlie the weak-
ness of the yen.
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Top Secret
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