THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 4 DECEMBER 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993659
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: December 4, 1972

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/22 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011400030001-7
The President's Daily Brief
4 December 1972
45
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5130 1.(2).131
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/22 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011400030001-7
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
4 December 1972
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Gough Whitlam,.leader of Australia's newly elected
Labor Party government, has reaffirmed the key role'
of the US alliance, but a review of US military and
scientific installations is promised. (Page 1)
General Secretary Brezhnev's visit to Hungary showed
none of the discord that surfaced some months ago in
Soviet-Hungarian relations. (Page 3)
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AUSTRALIA
Prime Minister-elect Whitlam made it clear over
the weekend that the alliance with the US-will re-
main the cornerstone of Australian foreign policy,
but Labor Party spokesmen have promised to re-exam-
ine the agreements permitting US military and scien-
tific installations in Australia.
It is clear that some party leaders, in-
cluding prospective defense minister
Barnard, are not we'll versed on the US
facilities. Once they become fully in-
formed on the benefits Australia derives
from the installations, we believe the
new government will conclude that they
fit within the framework of the ANZUS
treaty, the formal basis of the US alli-
ance. Whitlam may seek a more independ-
ent position within the alliance, however.
The new administration will make some
changes in the previous government's
"forward defense" doctrine. Most immedi-
ately, it is likely to bring home ?the
small training contingent left in Vietnam
after the withdrawal of Australian combat
forces last year. Whitlam has said that
Australia will honor its commitments to
Malaysia and Singapore under the five-
power agreement with the US and New Zea-
land, but wants eventually to reduce the
Australian military presence in Malaysia
and Singapore to training and assistance
missions arranged bilaterally.
1
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USSR
2
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102
? aklay
18
ph6ng
LAOS
Ngum
Vientiane
Nong Kha.
Udon Thani
(Udor(n)
Churn Phae_
--16
Nakhon Ratchasima
(Khorat) ?
Khon Kaen?
Ban-Phai.
104
Paksane
urgeht-atta6k
_)
Sakon Nakhon.
f-fis
TILIAILAND
?c,
Va", Mu n
Samrong.
6re:Ipi?
Nakh
ON(
VNIA
rz.
7
n Phanom.
Na Kae'
NAKHON
PHAN011.4
Vinh
NORTH
VIETNAM
se Bang Fai
LAOS
Savannakhet
Khemmarat
non Ratcha ha i.
CAM BOD
A
Ts.
e Narn Man
16---
14
50
MILES
:s.
553882 12-72 CIA
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NOTES
USSR-Hungary: General Secretary Brezhnev's
visit to Hungary last week appears to have gone
according to expectations with no signs of sig-
nificant differences. With a bow to Hungary's
special approach to some economic matters, such
as its departures from centralized planning, the
communique asserted the need for continued "re-
ciprocal study and sharing of experiences." The
absence of the discord that surfaced earlier in
the year undoubtedly reflected Moscow's wish to
avoid tensions in Eastern Europe when broader
European negotiations are beginning. Romania is
already asserting its independent role in the
Helsinki talks.
Jordan: Foreign Minister Zayd hopes to ex-
ploit Syria's reopening of its borders with Jordan
last Friday with quick moves to end Amman's dip-
lomatic isolation in the Arab 'world. He intends
to go to Damascus to urge restoration of diplomatic
ties before the Arab defense ministers meet early
next week,-and plans to urge Cairo to do likewise.
He:also hopes that Kuwait will quickly agree to
resume the subsidy cut off after Jordan expelled
the fedayeen. The fedayeen, for their part, have
remained notably silent_on Syria's action, but
however much they are hurt they will find it dif-
ficult.to criticize their strongest supporter.
Thailand: Early yesterday morning Communists
directed some small arms fire against Nakhon Phanom
air base but caused no damage to US facilities or
aircraft.. This was the fifth such incident at US-
tenanted air bases in Thailand this year, and the
first at Nakhon Phanom. The action came on the
heels of the first insurgent attack on a government
district headquarter S at Na Kae, some 30 miles to
the south
The Communists presumably hope to disrupt the gov-
ernment's three-battalion counterinsurgency campaign
launched in the province on Friday.
(continued)
3
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12
akhe
Ma Gia
Pass
r""'? Se ang r
Quang Khe
RTH
Ban Karai
ass
23\
Demilitarized Zone
Dong
Hen
Quangqi
closing in
Se Bong lelieng
Continu
heavy fighti
so poo
Da Nang
an Bac
THAILAND
Pakse
OUTH
.1?
VIETNAM
1941 Se
SO
? CAM B. DIA
553884 12-72 CIA
Miles
Kratie
eGovernment-held location
? Communist-held location
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Laos: Heavy fighting continued over the week-
end in the panhandle. Government irregulars moved
closer to Muong Phalane, but another government
unit, situated along the western edge of the town,
has been unable to move against the well-entrenched
enemy in the center. Farther south, Communist
forces maintained their hold on the northern part
of Saravane, which they re-entered late lastS week.
4
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Top Secret
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