THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 11 FEBRUARY 1970

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977293
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: February 11, 1970

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The President's Daily Brief
II February 1970
46
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THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
11 February 1970
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Chinese road builders in Laos are putting the fin-
ishing touches on past projects. (Page 2)
The fedayeen are upset by the tighter controls
placed on their activity by the Jordanian cabinet.
(Page 3)
Former British Foreign Secretary Brown's views on
the Middle East are noted on Page 4.
Bangkok is withdrawing some privileges that had
been extended to US business interests in Thailand.
(Page 6)
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USSR
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BURMA
AREA CHINA
OF
MAP
NORTH
VIETNAM
THAILAND
CAMBODIA
SO.
VIET
NAM
Communist Chinese Road Construction in Northern Laos
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Contested territory
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LAOS - COMMUNIST CHINA
Chinese road construction in the Nam Beng Valley
has slowed considerably. Construction could be ob-
served about one mile north of Muong Houn, but
no further indication of prepara-
extend the road to Pak Beng.
tions to
This seeming Zack of activity south of
Muong Houn suggests that the Chinese may
have decided to concentrate on finishing
projects now under way before launching
new ventures. They may also be biding
their time while the Pathet Lao complete
a drive to clean out government forces
from the southern end of the valley. On
8 February the government lost an outlying
defensive position near its sole remaining
outpost in the valley. It appears to be
only a matter of time before this outpost
becomes untenable.
The Chinese are more active on the leg northeast
of Muong La, which apparently will connect Muong Sal
with Route 19. Despite the rugged terrain, construc-
tion activity could be observed for some 14 miles
from Muong La. the
framework for a large ,bridge was in place.
2
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JORDAN
The cabinet yesterday issued a new 11-point set
of internal security restrictions that provides a
framework for greater control over the Arab fedayeen.
The new regulations prohibit unauthorized meetings
and demonstrations, ban the private storing of ex-
plosives and the carrying of arms, and forbid the
firing of guns in Amman. A two-week grace period is
permitted for compliance.
King Husayn has done this before but has
never made any consistent effort to follow
through. The reason behind the timing of
this latest order is not clear, although
Husayn has said from time to time that he
intends to reassert his authority over the
fedayeen
It is doubtful that the King or the
fedayeen are prepared for or intent on any
full-scale showdown.. In.the past, Husayn
has taken only small, careful steps and
has attempted to play one guerrilla group
against another.
The various fedayeen organizations quickly re-
sponded to the cabinet's decision in a broadcast
?yesterday over Cairo's Voice of Fatah. The joint
statement condemned the restrictions and accused the
Jordanian Government of trying to "drag the country
into civil war."
Currently there are rumors of increased
dissension within Fatah, the major fedayeen
organization, and Fatah leader Yasir Arafat
is visiting Moscow. Husayn may therefore
be attempting once again to exploit inter-
fedayeen dissensions. In any event, the
new orders seem certain to increase feda-
yeen-government tensions and a minor in-
cident could lead to a serious confronta-
tion.
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MIDDLE EAST
Former British Foreign Secretary George Brown
argued these points to Ambassador Annenberg Monday
about his recent trip to the Middle East:
--Policy on the Middle East can be realistic
only if it is recognized that there is no single
Arab or Israeli point of view. Israelis range from
doves to hawks, holding every shade of opinion on
such vital issues as retaining or giving up occupied
territories. As for the Arabs, we must deal with
not one nation but many, and with many differing
factions within each.
--The four-power effort is at an end. The four
have left out the Palestinians, and yet it is abun-
dantly clear that Palestinian opinion must be weighed
in any final settlement. Rather than relaunching
Jarring, the four would be better advised to intro-
duce a new personality.
-7-Neither the Russians nor the French have any
real desire to push for peace. The Soviets want only
to retain or spread their own influence in the area,
and the French are cynically doing the same thing.
Brown Claims he told Arab leaders he thought
that the American ideas for a settlement were remark-
ably good and urged them to negotiate on that basis.
The Arab reaction was positive" right after
Secretary Rogers' speech in December. Unfortunately,
he said, the Arabs did nothing and since then there
have been new developments which are restricting
flexibility.
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97560 2-70
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CAMBODIA
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THAILAND
US business interests in Thailand are being sub-
jected to new restrictions. Bangkok has imposed visa
'requirements on US citizens for the first time in 45
years. The government has also announced its inten-
tion to restrict the services of US-airlines on routes
that are competitive with the Thai airline in an ob-
vious effort to gain additional air rights to the US.
Moreover, government leaders are talking about revis-
ing Thai investment and foreign employment laws,
steps which would have considerable impact on the
sizable US business community.
Bangkok's new-found interest.in economic
nationalism is a clear'sign that.the.Thai
leadership thinks some aspects of its close
relationship with the US are overdue for
modification. The Thai have long chafed
under what they have viewed, as inequities
in their economic dealings with the US
but have put up with this problem in view
of.the Vietnam war and its more immediate
economic rewards. We expect the Thai to
drive a hard bargain in the current eco-
nomic negotiations' but they cannot realis-
tically ignore the substantial benefits' now
accruing from the US economic presence.
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NOTE
North Vietnam:
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Top Secret
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