THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 18 APRIL 1973

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993800
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: April 18, 1973

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The President's Daily Brief
18April 1973
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011600010014-3
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 58(
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20505
April 18, 1973
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LATE ITEM
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THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
18 April 1973
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The Soviets are m4ging considerable progress in
helping Iraq develop facilities at the port of Umm
Qasr. (Page 1)
The new India-Bangladesh proposal on POW repatria-
tion is an important gesture, but Pakistan will find
some provisions hard to accept. (Page 3)
President Qadhafi's speeches this week calling for
a "new revolution" appear to be primarily aimed at
combating domestic opposition to the proposed union
with Egypt. (Page 4)
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So far this year, the Soviets are reported to have
contracted to buy nearly eight million tons of
grain, mostly from the US and Canada. (Page 6)
Yesterday's Security Council meeting on the Lebanese
complaint made no progress, and chances for agree-
ment on a balanced resolution are slim. (Page 6)
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AFGHANISTAN
NEUTRAL
ZONE
SAUDI ARABIA'
554321 4-73
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USSR-IRAQ
The Soviets are making considerable progress in
helping Iraq develop facilities at Umm Qasr, the
port near the site of Iraq's recent incursion into
territory disputed with Kuwait. At this time the
facility includes:
--Concrete docks with electric
ing crane, and tugs;
--Oil storage and warehousing;
is underway.
cranes, a float-
major expansion
--A railroad and highway linking Umm Qasr with
Al Basrah, Iraq's main port and naval base.
Although the Soviets have been involved in the
development of Umm Qasr since 1959, the current ex-
pansion has been under way since 1971.
The Soviets can use Umm Qasr, like the
larger scale facilities in Syria and Egypt,
as a point of transshipment, crew exchange,
and ship repair. The port's usefulness is
limited, however, by the control that
other, less friendly, states could exer-
cise over entry to the Gulf.
Umm Qasr presumably attracts Moscow for
broader politico-strategic reasons. The
presence of Admiral Gorshkov, commander
in chief of the Soviet Navy, together with
a Soviet cruiser, in Umm Qasr last week on
the first anniversary of the Soviet-Iraqi
friendship treaty underlined Moscow's in-
terest. With such displays, Moscow hopes
to influence:
--the US, reminding Washington that Umm
Qasr stands as a counter to the US naval
facility at Bahrain.
(continued)
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--the oil states of the Arabian shore, es-
pecially Kuwait, reminding them that the
US and Britain, to whom they normally turn
in time of trouble, are not the only major
powers involved in the Gulf.
--Iran, which Moscow is trying to impress
but not to alarm--a delicate task.
As Soviet use of Umm Qasr increases, the
Shah, the Saudis, and the Arab Gulf rulers
will be watching and pressing for evidence
of US concern and response.
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SOUTH ASIA
India and Bangladesh have offered to repatriate
the 90,000 Pakistani prisoners of war held in India
in return for Pakistan's release of Bengalis detained
there. The offer, however, contains two provisions
that Islamabad will find hard to accept:
--several hundred thousand impoverished Biharis
(non-Bengali Muslims) who want to leave Bangla-
desh are to be included in the exchange. The
Pakistanis do not want them.
--195 Pakistani POWs would still be tried for
war crimes in Bangladesh.
The offer does not require that Pakistan recog-
nize Bangladesh, but does make it clear that Bangla-
desh will not negotiate directly with Pakistan be-
fore recognition. The International Red Cross or
the Swiss could, however, act as intermediaries as
they have done in the past.
Although this new initiative does not
break the impasse, it is an important
gesture and highlights New Delhi's grow-
ing impatience for a formula to permit
the release of the POWs. Prime Minister
Gandhi is concerned over mounting foreign
and domestic criticism that India is hold-
ing them illegally.
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LIBYA
President Qadhafi's speeches this week calling for
a "new revolution" appear to be primarily aimed at
combating domestic opposition to the proposed union
with Egypt. Members of the ruling Revolutionary
Command Council have been advising against the merger,
and some military officers have been arrested, pre-
sumably for plotting to block it. Qadhafi avoided
the union issue in his speeches, but they serve as
a sharp warning that he intends to get tough.
Although his main concern was the domestic situation,
Qadhafi could not pass up the opportunity to warn
other Arab governments against seeking regional set-
tlements with Israel. He did state, however, that
he has no personal differences with Presidents Sadat
and Asad and that he believes in their patriotism.
This is probably a bit of fence-mending as well as
an effort to underscore his commitment to union with
Egypt.
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FEDAYEEN
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NOTES
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USSR: So far this year, the Soviets are re-
ported to have contracted to buy nearly 8 million
tons of grain worth some $600 million, mostly from
the US and Canada. By this time last year, they
had purchased 3.5 million tons of the total of 28
million tons ($1.7 billion) that they bought in 1972.
All of the new purchases are for delivery by October
this year, implying that the Soviets have not yet
received adequate imports to tide them over to their
next harvest in the fall. Most of the contracts are
for feed grain, reflecting the USSR's continuing
need to support its livestock program.
UN: Yesterday's Security Council meeting on
the Lebanese complaint made no progress. Moreover,
behind-the-scenes negotiations indicate there is
little chance for agreement on a balanced resolu-
tion. Egypt reportedly is urging Lebanon to present
a strong resolution condemning Israel on grounds
that a US veto is inevitable. The Council will meet
again this morning, and the debate will probably
continue for several more days.
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Top Secret
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