THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 1 MAY 1975

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006014786
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: May 1, 1975

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The President's Daily Brief
May 1, 1975
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Exempt from general
declassification scheduk of E.O. 11652
exemption category.5 13( 1),(2).(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
May 1, 1975
'Table ' of '' Contents
Vietnam: The communists have appealed to former
government troops to turn in their weapons and
have encouraged civil servants to stay at their
jobs. (Page 1)
Syria-Israel:
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(Page 2)
Turkey-Greece: The Turkish government has decided
on some basic objectives in view of the poten-
tial for confrontation with Greece. (Page 3)
Loas: The Lao communists are rolling out the red
carpet for King Savang, who is visiting the
communist-controlled zone. (Page 5)
Notes: Spain; USSR-PLO (Page 6)
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VIETNAM
The communists have appealed to
former government troops in Saigon to
turn in their weapons and have encour-
aged civil servants to stay at their
jobs. At the same time, the communists
have warned that looters found in posses-
sion of "state property" will be shot,
and they have imposed a six-to-six night-
time curfew.
Intercepted communist messages indicate that
South Vietnamese troops offered little last-minute
resistance following the official surrender announce-
ment yesterday. Large numbers of government sol-
diers waved white flags, and officers were waiting
at the entrances to military compounds for the ar-
rival of the North Vietnamese. There were also ref-
erences in the messages to government personnel
throwing down their weapons and removing their uni-
forms.
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SYRIA?ISRAEL
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TURKEY-GREECE
The Turkish government has report-
edly decided that, in view of the po-
tential for a confrontation with Greece
at some time, Turkey's basic objectives
should be:
--restoration of US military aid,
--stabilization of Turkey's in-
ternal political and economic
situation, and
--agreement with Greece on a bi-
regional system for Cyprus that
would stabilize the Turkish Cyp-
riot sector.
The Turkish government apparently has con-
cluded that the military buildup on the Greek is-
lands does not constitute a serious threat. The
Turks see the buildup as preparation for eventual
declaration of a 12-mile limit around the Aegean
islands, protection of the Greek claim to mineral
rights on the continental shelf, and possibly a
contingency move for the support of Greek Cypriots
in the eveAt of further Turkish military action
on Cyprus.
Turkey so far seems to have had fewer problems
in coping with the US aid cutoff than it had antic-
ipated.
that it was relatively easy to obtain
spare parts for naval equipment from third countries,
but that Turkey had to pay almost twice as much for
them as it had paid the US. The admiral said that
if aid should be restored before the end of June,
Ankara probably would not retaliate against US
facilities.
The problem of obtaining spare parts may ease
further. NATO representatives of Belgium, the
Netherlands, West Germany, and the United Kingdom
have tentatively expressed willingness to provide
them.
(continued)
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Greece is augmenting its armed forces by call-
ina uo reserves and increasing its draft call.
that the
armed forces are to be increased by 22,u0, bring-
ing Greek military strength by mid-May to about
180,000. The additional men will be used to fill
out mainland forces whose numbers have been reduced
by the transfer of personnel to the islands. We
estimate that some 16,000 troops have been sent to
eastern Aegean islands since last summer.
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LAOS
The Lao communists are rolling out the
red carpet for King Savang, who is making
an unprecedented week-long official visit
to Sam Neua and other areas in the commu-
nist-controlled zone. The King's 22-
member party includes the Queen, other
members of the royal family, and a number
of senior officials of the coalition gov-
ernment.
The most important figures in the Lao commu-
nist movement, including shadowy Central Committee
chairman Kaysone Phomvihan and his deputy, Nouhak
Phoumsavan, were on hand to greet the King on his
arrival in Sam Neua on Monday.
Prince Souphanouvong, who invited the King to
visit the area and who is in overall charge of fes-
tivities, delivered a welcoming address that was
reported to be strongly nationalistic and concili-
atory in tone. The speech apparently contained no
polemical tirades against non-communist Lao politi-
cians and military leaders. The communists are
giving widespread and highly favorable coverage to
the King's visit in their propaganda broadcasts.
The opening phase of the royal visit suggests
that both the King and his hosts are trying to make
this occasion a significant step toward national
reconciliation. While it is still too early to
tell if the visit will have any impact on the fes-
tering situation at Sala Phou Khoun, no significant
military action has been reported there since Mon-
day afternoon.
The major beneficiary of the King's visit will
almost certainly be Souphanouvong. By closely
identifying himself with the King, Souphanouvong
stands to strengthen his credentials as a Lao na-
tionalist and his claim to be Prime Minister Sou-
vanna Phouma's logical successor.
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NOTES
The Spanish government, although relieved by
the strong showing of the Portuguese moderates, re-
mains suspicious of Lisbon's policies. Madrid prob-
ably will not be much influenced by the Portuguese
election results as far as Spain's domestic situa-
tion is concerned.
Political commentators and opposition politi-
cians in Spain are arguing, however, that if "under-
developed Portugal" can have a non-violent, honest
election that resulted in a non-extremist majority,
then no one should fear free elections in Spain.
A high Spanish Foreign Ministry official told a US
embassy officer that the election outcome would
permit consideration of a number of Spanish-Portu-
guese issues that had been held up pending the elec-
tion. He even thought a meeting of the two foreign
ministers might be held in June.
The USSR gave the Palestine Liberation Organ-
ization delegation headed by Yasir Arafat a cool
welcome on Monday.
Arafat's arrival was not preceded by a press
buildup, and he was greeted by lower ranking of
than on his previous visit last November.
The Soviet attitude toward Palestinian representa-
tion at the Geneva peace conference, in fact, may
be at the root of Moscow's current troubles with
the Arabs.
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Soviets apparently would be willing to put Ott dis-
cussion of the Palestinian representation question
until after the conference begins.
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Top Secret
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