THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 28 MAY 1975

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006014809
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: May 28, 1975

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The President's Daily Brief
May 28, 1975
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 511(1),(2),(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
May 28, 1975
Table. of. Contents
Laos: Agreement has been reached to end the week-
long occupation of US facilities in Vientiane.
(Page 1)
China-US-USSR: Peking is stressing that
the US is the most important strategic counter-
weight to Soviet power in Europe and Asia.
(Page 3)
Portugal: The Socialists are under pressure to
back away from their challenge to the ruling
Armed Forces Movement. (Page 4)
Syria-Israel-Egypt:
? Egypt,:
(Page 8)
Lebanon: President Franjiyah may designate his
next choice for prime minister today. (Page 9)
Notes: Zaire-Tanzania; Thailand - North Vietnam
(Page 10)
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LAOS
The US charge has reached an agree-
ment with the communists to end the week-
long occupation of the AID and defense
attache compound in Vientiane. US offi-
cials hope to reoccupy the compound today
and release the two US marine guards and
one American civilian who have been barri-
caded inside.
The official text of the agreement provides
--Withdrawal of most demonstrators from inside
the compound, except for a small "protest com-
mittee"--ostensibly composed of Lao employees
of AID--who are to continue "working in a
normal manner."
--Stationing of students and "mixed police"
outside the entrances to the compound to main-
tain "security" and to "observe."
--"Guarantees" by the "protesting group" not
to threaten or physically harm Americans or
other AID employees, regardless of nationality.
--Re-entry of essential American and third
country national AID officials and employees
into the compound to begin the termination of
AID operations.
--Payment by Americans of the back wages of
Lao employees of AID and agreement to keep them
on the payroll until operations cease.
The agreement also formalizes the previously
announced US intention to dissolve AID, to withdraw
all of its American personnel, and to turn over all
AID equipment and facilities to the Lao government
(consistent with the terms of past assistance pacts)
no later than June 30, 1975.
The charge negotiated the agreement at consid-
erable personal risk. He was forced to shuttle be-
tween the US embassy and the coalition's Economics
Ministry for eleventh-hour dealings with Chief Min-
ister Soth Phetrasy--a communist and the principal
go-between with the demonstrators. Approximately
150 to 200 unruly student demonstrators, including
a student "commando" unit, gathered outside the min-
istry and threatened that if no agreement on the AID
(continued)
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compound was reached, they would destroy the charge's
car, hold him hostage, and move on to "destroy" an-
other US government installation in Vientiane. Even
after the agreement was concluded, student protesters
threatened to kill the charge and other US officials
in the event that it subsequently unravels.
Looters remained on the rampage at the large
US residential housing complex in the capital's
northern suburbs and at Wattay airport, where the
household effects of many departing Americans are
stored temporarily. Communist "security guards"
made no effort to intervene. The last Americans
left the housing compound this morning.
The communists have strengthened their mili-
tary contingents at both installations. At least
one combat battalion is reported to be camped along
the main runway at Wattay, and a number of 23-mm.
and 37-mm. anti-aircraft artillery pieces now ring
the airfield.
The local diplomatic corps in Vientiane has
finally bestirred itself and joined the embassy in
trying to pressure Lao communist Deputy Prime Min-
ister Phoumi Vongvichit to call off, or at least
moderate, the anti-American demonstrations. During
the past few days, the Soviet, French, British,
Australian, and Indian ambassadors have made repre-
sentations to Phoumi.
According to several of his Western colleagues,
Soviet Ambassador Vdovine cautioned Phoumi that the
communist-dominated coalition was playing a danger-
ous game and that its actions were risking a break
in relations with the US and every other Western
country with an embassy in Vientiane.
The Chinese, apparently on their own initiative,
have also made known their concern.
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CHINA-US-USSR
Peking is stressing that
the US is the most important strategic
counterweight to Soviet power in Europe
and Asia,
Senior Chinese officials have asserted that the
US was overextended in Indochina and that its power
to influence ?events elsewhere was thus diluted.
Vice Premier Teng Hsiao-ping and Foreign Minister
Chiao Kuan-hua have told Westerners that the US,
freed from its Indochina burden, can now concentrate
on more fundamental commitments in Europe and Japan.
During his mid-May visit to France, Teng
stressed US-European partnership in countering Mos-
cow's ?strategic aims in Europe. ?he called in
public for increased European economic and politi-
cal unity
The Chinese have been equally insistent on a
continued strong US presence in Asia, especially be-
cause of their growing concern over the potential
for Soviet gains in the region. The deadlock in
Sino-Japanese negotiations over the hegemony clause
of a peace treaty, which in part resulted from So-
viet pressure on Tokyo, has fueled Peking's concern.
The Chinese also have expressed concern that
Moscow's friendship with Hanoi, the death of Chiang
Kai-shek, and the early withdrawal of remaining US
forces from Taiwan might result in increased Soviet
influence in the region.
Within days of the fall of Saigon, Chiao im-
plied to a group of British journalists that Wash-
ington should play a more active role in East Asia
as a counter to the Soviets. Senior Chinese spokes-
men have subsequently reaffirmed this theme. In
addition, a People's Daily editorial last week com-
menting on Mao's statement of May 20, 1970, which
criticized US intervention in Cambodia, depicted
problems stemming from US intervention in Asia as a
matter of history and pointed to the USSR as a pres-
ent source of regional trouble.
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PORTUGAL
The armed forces general assembly's
announcement on Monday that it will seek
links with "popular organizations" is
bringing increased pressure on the Social-
ists to back down from their challenge to
the ruling Armed Forces Movement.
The details of the assembly proposal were to
be ironed out by a working group, and debate within
the military on this issue is probably not over; in
any case, it will take considerable time to put the
proposal into effect.
The Socialists, who are using the issue of the
seizure of their newspaper, Republica, to test the
Movement's commitment to democratic forms, may have
overestimated the leverage they gained from their
election victory last month. Even moderate officers
appear to have gone along with blaming the Social-
ists for the current political situation. For some
moderates such a position may be self-serving, but
many probably genuinely believe the Socialists have
pushed too fast and too hard.
The Socialists evidently do not like their
choices--either back down, encouraging the Commu-
nists, or quit the government, leaving the field
to the Communists. No decision, they said, will
be made until another round of discussions is held
with leading military men later this week. On the
other hand, a favorable decision on the Republica
issue may give them a way out.
Socialist leader Soares, meanwhile, has been
in Paris seeking support from several West European
Socialist parties. In an interview with Le Monde,
Soares pointed to the contradiction between
Brezhnev's policy of detente and the Stalinist atti-
tude of the Portuguese Communists.
(continued)
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Soares confirmed that he had met with Spanish
Communist leader Carrillo to discuss the "common
problems of socialism and democracy." The Spanish
Communists, along with the Italian Communists, have
found that events in Portugal are hurting their own
efforts to pose as responsible parties that can work
within a democratic framework.
The Portuguese Communists have paid little
heed to the problems they are causing other European
Communists. The communists are saying they are the
vital link between the Armed Forces Movement and the
people. They have called for a demonstration, which
they describe as being in support of the Movement.
The demonstration, set for today, will coincide with
the beginning of shore leave in Lisbon for US and
other NATO ship crews who have been on maneuvers off
the Portuguese coast.
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SYRIA-ISRAEL-EGYPT
(continued)
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EGYPT
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LEBANON
President Franjiyah yesterday com-
pleted consultations with leaders of
the country's several political and re-
ligious factions in preparation for
designating a new prime minister. Ac-
cording to press reports from Beirut,
he may announce his choice this morning.
The new government may largely exclude members
of parliament, according to the US embassy. Repre-
sentatives of extremist right- and left-wing polit-
ical parties presumably will be omitted in order to
reduce partisan criticism.
The Phalangists would probably tolerate such
a cabinet, pending evidence of its ability to re-
store civil order. Phalangist leaders are in a
weak position to demand more; their preferred solu-
tion--the military cabinet--met with overwhelming
opposition from all Muslim and even some Christian
groups.
Lebanese leftists and the fedayeen would en-
dorse such a cabinet if it were headed by a prime
minister acceptable to them and to Syria. Sunni
Muslim leader Rashid Karami, who is scheduled to
meet with President Franjiyah today, is still the
front runner and would meet these requirements.
Scattered small-arms fire continued in several
parts of Beirut yesterday, but the city was quieter
than at any time in the past week. Authorities
claim to have arrested a number of snipers from
far-left groups attempting to spark new violence,
and have called on all government employees to re-
turn to work this morning. The general strike pro-
claimed by leftist groups last Saturday has been
suspended.
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NOTES
The Zaire-based Popular Revolutionary Party,
which was responsible for kidnaping three American
students and a Dutch student in Tanzania last week,
is one of several rebel groups oFFT,FiTTWF in the
rugged mountainous area of eastern Zaire bordering
Lake Tanganyika.
The rebels are remnants of a variety of pri-
vate armies, regional political organizations, and
secessionist movements that flourished in the early
years of Zaire's independence; some of them received
some support from China, but none is believed to be
so supported now. The kidnaping of the students
is the first operation of its kind by the party or
by any of these eastern rebel groups. The party's
present leader is one Laurent Kabila/
/The Zairian
government's counterinsurgency capability in this
area is poor.
ter Chatchai
nam have agreed
7TTations.
Thai Foreign Minis-
that Thailand and North Viet-
in principle to establish diplomatic
The North Vietnamese are reportedly ready to
take the step if Chatchai goes to Hanoi for the
signing and announcement. The Thai cabinet report-
edly has agreed to Chatchai's trip, perhaps as early
as next month.
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