THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 20 MARCH 1974

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006007702
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: March 20, 1974

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010036-4
The President's Daily Brief
March 20, 1974
4
--__Top_ster_t?v5L__(1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010036-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010036-4
Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B( I
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
-)r
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010036-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010036-4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
March 20, 1974
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The reaction in South Asia to plans for expansion of
the US naval facility on the British island of Diego
Garcia and to movements of US warships into the In-
dian Ocean area has been generally unfavorable.
(Page 1)
UK renegotiation of terms of the EC accession treaty
will focus on the common agricultural policy, British
contributions to the EC budget, and the opening of
the EC market to raw materials produced by Common-
wealth countries. (Page 2)
Tokyo is moving cautiously in oil discussions with
the Arabs because it believes the long-term outlook
is for a decline in oil prices. (Page 3)
Prince Sihanouk, who returned to Canton yesterday
from Laos and North Vietnam, has underscored the
Khmer Communists' position against negotiations.
(Page 4)
A note. on USSR-Cuba appears on Page 5.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010036-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010036-4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SOUTH ASIA
The reaction in South Asia to plans for expan-
sion of the US naval facility on the British island
of Diego Garcia and to movements of US warships into
the Indian Ocean area has been generally unfavorable.
Pakistan alone has informed Washington that it will
not voice objection to the US decision on Diego
Garcia.
India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Maldives, and
Nepal are opposed to the US plans.
A British Foreign Office spokesman said yester-
day that no ministerial decision has yet been made
? on proceeding with plans for Diego Garcia. Lower
level defense and Foreign Office officials still say
they expect the project to be approved.
1
25X1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010036-4
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A-012000010036-4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
UNITED KINGDOM
A British Foreign Office official has stated
that UK renegotiation of terms of the EC accession
treaty will focus on three points:
--the common agricultural policy, which is
raising prices for the British consumer;
--British contributions to the EC budget, which
now are $190 million a year larger than the
amount the UK receives from the EC;
--the opening of the EC market to raw materials
produced by Commonwealth countries.
Prime Minister Wilson alone will decide what
must be done to fulfill Labor's election pledge to
renegotiate. Foreign Secretary Callaghan is ex-
pected to explain general British expectations at
a meeting of EC foreign ministers on April 1-2.
2
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010036-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T009364012000010036-4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
JAPAN - MIDDLE EAST
Tokyo is now moving cautiously in oil discus-
sions with the Arabs because it believes that the
long-term outlook is for a decline in oil prices.
Although the Japanese discussed economic cooperation
with-Saudi Arabia earlier this' year, serious follow-
up talks are not likely to take place until at least
next month. Tokyo probably will try to avoid sign-
ing'any long-term bilateral oil deals with the Saudis.
A proposal to barter crude oil for $1 billion in
credits for industrial projects in Iraq may fall
through unless agreement can be reached on the price
of the oil. Negotiations with Iran for construction
of An oil, refinery there also have stalled. The
Japanese want naptha produced at the refinery for
use in Japan, but Tehran wants the Japanese to help
finance construction of a petrochemical complex
that would use the naptha locally.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010036-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010036-4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CAMBODIA
Prince Sihanouk, who yesterday returned to Can-
ton from Laos and North Vietnam, has underscored the
Khmer Communists' position against negotiations. In
a delayed broadcast of a speech delivered in Sam Neua
on March 12, Sihanouk rejected the possibility of any
talks with the Lon Nol government and again said that
any negotiations would have to be between representa-
tives of his "government" and Washington. The Prince
also lashed out at "bigger and stronger" countries--
almost certainly China and the USSR--which "prefer to
compromise with American imperialism...if not liter-
ally throwing themselves into its arms."
Sihanouk's tough line jibes with recent state-
ments by Khmer Communist official
This official indicated that the Communists were wor-
ried that "certain great powers" were waiting until
the end of the dry season to exert pressure for talks.
225X1
4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010036-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010036-4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NOTE
25X1
5
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010036-4
Declassified in Part- Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T0093-6A012000010036-4
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012000010036-4