THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 31 MARCH 1971

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005992559
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: March 31, 1971

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The President's Daily Brief
31 March 1971
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THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
31 March 1971
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The. situation in Pakistan
Page 1.
appears on
South Vietnamese attitudes toward the Laotian opera-
tion are viewed on Page 3.
/Soviet
Egypt. (Page 5)
Foreign policy aspects of Brezhnev's party congress
speech are analyzed on Page 6.
Egypt-Jordanian relations have worsened over the past
several days. (Page 7)
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PAKISTAN
East Pakistani claims that a major battle is
under way in Dacca have no basis. The city remains
relatively calm with the army in complete control.
In other places, such as the southern port of Chit-
tagong, however, both sides agree that fighting con-
tinues, although their accounts differ widely. The
military situation appears serious enough to require
the government to use air strikes by-F-86 jet
fighters and to have additional army reinforcements
flown in.
The army may originally have hoped that a ruth-
less campaign would quell the Bengalis quickly. Al-
though it is still possible that resistance might-
collapse in the next few days, fighting may already
have lasted longer than some military men expected.
Evacuation of foreign nationals from East Pak-
istan continues, with a large contingent of Yugo-
slays leaving yesterday. When asked by the US de-
fense attache, on a contingency basis, the senior
air force officer in East Pakistan expressed the-
view that Dacca airport could handle no more than
two evacuation flights a day. The attache thinks
that six a day would be technically feasible. The-
Pakistanis claim there is no fuel, service, or con-
troller at Chittagong, where over 100 Americans are
located, and suggested that in case of necessity it
might be best to have them flown to Dacca in Paki-
stani aircraft.
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SOUTH VIETNAM
Not surprisingly the Laotian operation has added to
the political ferment of an election year.
Many independent and progovernment politicians have
publicly praised the operation. One moderate oppo-
nent of the government told
that the operation achieved its objective of dis-
rupting Communist supply routes. He thinks this
will relieve Communist pressure on the northern
provinces, and that as a result the people there
feel more secure. A prominent progovernment senator
described the operation as a necessary measure, but
he argues that the government failed to explain it
adequately, and that the population was alarmed by
news accounts reporting South Vietnamese forces were
in trouble.
Public criticism of the operation has been muted,
but, opponents of
the government ctaim that President Thieu's position
has been weakened. One of Big Minh's advisers argues
that losses suffered by South Vietnamese forces were
too great to justify the operation. Minh and his
entourage believe that popular reaction to events
in Laos will work to their advantage, and they are
now more hopeful of being able to win the presiden-
tial election next fall.
Some outspoken opposition figures privately describe
Lam Son 719 as a failure. Even a relatively moder-
ate opposition leader thinks that, whatever the
facts, the South Vietnamese people believe the op-
eration failed and will blame Thieu. The same pol-
itician believes that at least in psychological
terms the Communists have come out on top and he
fears that this will lead to a resurgence of Viet
Cong terrorist activity, even in Saigon.
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EGYPT-USSR
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USSR
Brezhnev's foreign policy statement at the opening
Session of the party congress alternated"betwe02
firmness and flexibility. He defended Moscow's past
policy toward' both the 'Communist movement and the
West in terms suggesting there is little prospect
for any major changes in the near future. Though
sharply critical of US poll.cies, he took. pains to
re-endorse the principle of "peaceful coexistence. I'
Brezhnev served.up a.potpourri of proposals on.dis-
armament, including a call for a conference of the
five nuclear powers on nuclear disarmament. Although
thismarks the first time the USSR has broached this
concept on its own. initiative, Moscow has given sup-
port to a similar French proposal along these lines.
Brezhnev reiterated the Soviet desire to see SALT
producepositive results," while stressing that the
talks can only be successful if "no one seeks unilat-
eral advantage"
His remarks on:China routinely combined a firm re- .
jection of Peking's "anti-Soviet line" 'with a pledge
to continue to seek better state relations The
party chief.took note of China's territorial claims
and the border clashes in 1969 but carefully avoided
any hint of saber rattling. He specified the -useful
steps- that recently have been taken to improve'state
ties, but could only offer his audience a hope that
a restoration of friendly relations would be achieved
in '"the long run"-i.e., after Mao.
Brezhnev duly noted a 4'substantial shift" in rela-
tions with West Germany. He contended that the
treaties signed by Bonn with the USSR and Poland'
-confirmed with all precision" the inviolability of
postwar,borders'in.Europe and thus contributed to a
stable peace. He,repeatedZy called upon Bonn to
ratify the treaties.
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EGYPT-JORDAN
In recent days Cairo has shown its pique over
events in Jordan in several ways. Last week it re-
called its chairman of the joint Arab committee in
Amman which was trying to ease disputes between the
government and fedayeen, and last night it announced
that all other Egyptian members of the committee
were also being withdrawn. Over the weekend Sadat
publicly deplored the outbreak of fighting in Jordan
and vowed that the Palestinian resistance would not
die. On Monday broadcast facilities in Cairo were
restored for the Palestinian guerrilla program, the
Voice of Fatah--suspended last summer after the Pal-
estinians criticized Nasir's acceptance of the US
peace initiative. The program immediately renewed
its attacks on the Jordanian Government.
During the past week the Jordanian Govern-
ment's continuing efforts to clear cities
of armed fedayeen resulted in several
clashes in Irbid and some firing incidents
in Amman. Cairo views the fedayeen move-
ment as an important element in its effort
to apply pressure on Israel to withdraw
from occupied territories. Sadat may also
believe that a show of support for the
guerrillas will improve his own position
within Egypt during the current diplomatic
maneuvering.
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