THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 26 MARCH 1971

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005992549
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 16
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: March 26, 1971

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The President's Daily Brief
26 March 1971
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THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
26 March 1971
pRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The military is attempting to reassert its authority
in East Pakistan. (Page 1)
Communist forces in Cambodia appear to be increasing
the tempo of their modest dry season military cam-
paign. (Page 2)
/Cambodia
South Vietnam (Page 3)
South Vietnam
I (Page 4)
On Page 5 we review the military situation around
the Laotian royal capital of Luang Prabang.
The Soviet reaction to Mexico's expulsion last week 50X1
of five Soviet diplomats is discussed on Page 6.
n Egypt, a press feud
(Page 7)
Sudan
Israeli-
Congo. (Page 8)
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PAKISTAN
The military is attempting to reassert its au-
thority in East Pakistan. Citing the "deteriorating
situation" arising from "unbridled political activi-
ties," the martial law administration has issued a
series of orders banning political activity of any
kind, outlawing the three-week old boycott ?of central
government activities, and making the carrying of
weapons illegal.
Before issuing the orders, the army moved to
take control of Dacca, East Pakistan's capital.
?The US consulate-general reported that firing and
explosions began about midnight Dacca time (2 p.m.
Thursday EST) and army patrols and fixed sentries
could be seen from the consulate firing at civil-
ians. A curfew is in effect, and Dacca radio--which
had been under local control--has been taken over by
the military.
So far, there are no reports from other parts
of the province. There have, however, been serious
clashes between the army and East Pakistanis at the
southern port ?of Chittagong and in the far north-
western part of East Pakistan in the past two days.
According to unconfirmed press reports from
India, fighting has broken out between West Paki-
stani troops and East Pakistani police and para-
military forces. East Pakistani leader Mujibur
Rahman has reportedly called for resistance to "the
enemy forces at any cost." Another unconfirmed
report that six ships landed troops at Chit-
tagong and another port yesterday may well be ex-
aggerated, but could have some basis. Four C-130s,
loaded with troops, have left Karachi for Dacca.
Yesterday, leaders ?of Mujib's Awami League
presented their final position to President Yahya.
Apparently they asked for the immediate establish-
ment of a civilian provincial government and as-
surance that any constitution to be written would
limit the central government to control of defense
and foreign affairs.
Initial indications had been that Yahya would
agree to their demands, but the recent reports from
Dacca seem to indicate that a decision has instead
been made to try to hold the country together by
throe. Yahya--who returned to West Pakistan from
Dacca late yesterday--is scheduled to make a public
announcement presumably explaining the situation
this morning.
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Current Situation
?THAILAND
Battamiacii4? ,
4118\
Recent enemy-1,--
' ? attack
:SOU.T H
8th Regt.
Saigon
VIETNAM
? THAILAND
En-
Cambodia
Principal city (10,000 or over)
Population over 125 per sq. mi.
Communist-controlled area
SOUTH
CHINA SEA
MILES,
0 3-71 CIA
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CAMBODIA
Communist forces appear to be increasing
the tempo of their modest dry season mil-
itary campaign.
The Communists staged a prolonged attack yes-
terday against the two poorly prepared Cambodian
Army battalions holding the Pich Nil pass on Route
4, and also ambushed an eight-truck government mu-
nitions convoy near the pass. Communist attacks
were also reported further south on Route 4, where
enemy forces apparently have gained control over a
section of the highway by overrunning three villages
between the seaport of Kompong Som and the town of
Veal Renh.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Communists carried
out their first significant action in the Phnom
Penh region in several weeks when they fired five
122-mm. rockets into the Pochentong airfield area.
No damage was reported.
Communist operations in Svav
also appear to be on the rise.
the failure of government troops to man
some of the positions recently vacated by South
Vietnamese troops along Route 1 has permitted the
enemy, possibly elements from the 88th Communist
Regiment, to interfere with the movement of sup-
plies from villages along that highway to Svay
Rieng city. In the northwest, Communist leaflets
spread during last week's attack on a sugar factory
in Battambang Province have threatened enemy attacks
closer to Battambang city.
During most of the dry season, the Com-
munists have concentrated on keeping a
fairly steady level of pressure against
the government's main lines of communica-
tion; this, in most cases, has caused
only temporary disruptions. In the coun-
tryside, Communist activities have been
limited mainly to small-scale harassment.
Rieng Province
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.Dambe Snuol
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SOUTH VIETNAM - CAMBODIA
General Minh, who replaced the late Gen-
eral Do Cao Tri several weeks ago, pulled
South Vietnamese forces back from Commu-
nist strongholds near Chup and Dambe north
of Route 7 early this month to regroup and
refit. Since then, he has mounted a num-
ber of forays on roads north of Route 7
but the fighting has been considerably
less intense than that seen earlier. The
generally lighter action seems to result
in part from the more conservative ap-
proach of the South Vietnamese, but also
in part from the enemy's unwillingness to
stand and fight. In several instances
the Communists have moved out of the path
of the South Vietnamese probes.
Current South Vietnamese tactics in Cam-
bodia also are in line with the general
views expressed by President Thieu last
year.r,
//further large expenditures
of men and materiel in Cambodia might put
unnecessary burdens on the army, run the
risk of a major military setback, and
thus undercut his chances for re-election.
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GULF OF TONKIN
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551 21 2 3-71
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SOUTH VIETNAM
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LAOS
For the second straight day, elements ?of the
North Vietnamese 335th Regiment on Wednesday turned
back Laotian troops attempting to advance northeast
of Luang Prabang. Heavy mortar fire and sharp
ground fighting stopped the government forces about
a mile and a half short of their objective.
small enemy units are making a number of offensive.
jabs, keeping government forces off balance and fur-
ther constricting the capital's defense perimeter.
Government officials in Vientiane are increas-
ingly restive over continuing enemy pressure on.
Luang Prabang and are especially concerned for the
safety of the King. The Permanent Committee of the
National Assembly voted on Wednesday to recommend
that Souvanna urge the King to come to Vientiane,
despite his oft-repeated intention to remain in
Luang Prabang./
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USSR-MEXICO
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A Soviet Foreign Ministry statement handed to
the Mexican Government on Wednesday termed the ex-
pulsion of the five Soviet diplomats "totally ground-
less" and "an unfriendly act." It charged that the
move helps "elements" interested in disrupting So-
viet-Mexican relations. Moscow tempered the tone of
the statement somewhat by saying that it is working
for normal, friendly relations with Mexico.
Moscow professes to be "astonished" by the
embarrassing turn of events. There is, in
fact, no evidence of direct Soviet support
for the Mexican terrorists--the Revolu-
tionary Action Group--and the Kremlin prob-
ably views itself as the victim of circum-
stances. Thus far, the Mexican Government
has only circumstantially implicated the
Soviets with the terrorists by citing the
presence of some of the guerrillas at Lu-
mumba University in Moscow several years
ago, and the fact that some of them trans-
ited the USSR using North Korean passports.
Moscow's policy has been to cultivate
friendly relations with all Latin American
states, and it particularly values Mexico
as a base for intelligence activities. It
has on occasion actively discouraged forma-
tion of terrorist organizations and has
generally urged pro-Moscow Communist par-
ties to follow the example of the Chilean
party by working for the formation of pop-
ular front governments. I
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EGYPT
The chief editor of the semiofficial newspaper
al-Ahram, Muhammad Haykal, has been accused in re-
cent weeks of writing articles that are "defeatist"?
in nature and unmindful of Egypt's determination to
liberate the occupied territory. The charges against
Haykal have appeared in some of Egypt's less pres-
tigious newspapers, and most of the criticism has
been levied by members of Egypt's sole legal politi-
cal organization, the Arab Socialist Union.
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CONGO (KINSHASA) - ISRAEL - SUDAN
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NOTE
Libya: Signature of an agreement with the oil
companies has been delayed--and perhaps jeopardized--
by further Libyan demands. Preliminary reports in-
dicate that the Revolutionary Command Council insists
on certain changes in the draft settlement that rep-
resentatives of Libya and the oil companies had
agreed to last Sunday, including still higher prices.
Moreover, Tripoli refuses to consent to a five-year
agreement, which the oil companies consider an essen-
tial point. No further meetings are scheduled to
take place before Saturday.
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Top Secret
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