THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 28 JULY 1969

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005976903
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: July 28, 1969

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007300250001-9
The President's Daily Brief
28 July 1969
19
50X1
/
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007300250001-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08: CIA-RDP79T00936A007300250001-9
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
MAJOR PROBLEMS
MIDDLE EAST
The Israelis have followed up last week's military
activity with a pitch for calm along the Suez Canal.
Gideon Rafael of the Foreign Office told a US Embassy
officer on Sunday that the pronouncements of Mrs. Meir
and others had been carefully worded to avoid the kind of
extreme language that might "drive Nasir to excesses."
In what seems sanctimonious double-talk to us, he claimed
that the Israeli air strikes were essentially defensive
actions to support the Israeli ground position.
Rafael went on to suggest that the Soviets should be
asked to demonstrate their desire for calm by weighing in
with Nasir. (We had, in fact, been wondering whether one
aim of last week's raids was to soften up the Soviets for
just such an approach by destroying large quantities of
Soviet materiel in Egypt.) Whether Moscow will be in a
mood to oblige the Israelis is a moot point. In a protest
delivered in Tel Aviv on Sunday, the Soviets claimed that
"Soviet navy vessels" had been "attacked" in a bombardment
of Port Said on 20 July.
50X1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007300250001-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007300250001-9
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
II. OTHER IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS
LAOS
Communist forces continue to press governmerit outposts
near the Plaine des Jarres, but there have been no new
major attacks recently. To the west, along the Vientiane
Luang Prabang road, the enemy is probing shaky government
defenses; it is unclear whether these small-scale attacks
are designed to nudge government morale still lower or are
tile prelude to a more concerted effort to moveS into north-
ern Vientiane Province.
Souvanna will be listening in Vientiane to many di-
verse recommendations on how best to deal with the Commu-
nist military pressure. However, there seems to be a grow-
ing consensus among the Lao that further Communist ad-
vances will have to be dealt with by diplomatic, not mili-
tary, initiatives.
2
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007300250001-9
50X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007300250001-9
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
PAKISTAN
In a major speech on Monday, President Yahya Khan
made it clear he is in no hurry to end martial law. Al- ?
though he announced the setting up of certain machinery
to prepare for elections, he warned that such controversial
issues as a new constitution and autonomy for East Pakis-
tan should be resolved before elections. This could take
years.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08: CIA-RDP79T00936A007300250001-9
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007300250001-9
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007300250001-9