THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 17 NOVEMBER 1975

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006014956
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: November 17, 1975

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The President's Daily Brief
November 17, 1975
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declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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November 17, 1975
Table of Contents
Portugal: The Communists continue trying to regain
an influential role in government; yesterday,
they managed to muster more than 20,000 demon-
strators in Lisbon. (Page 1)
Spanish Sahara: Algeria is opposed to the agree-
ment on the disputed territory worked out last
week between Spain, Morocco, and Mauritania.
(Page 2)
Ethiopia: A power struggle in the ruling military
council has culminated in increased influence
for the chairman, who had previously played a
figurehead role. (Page 3)
Notes: Rhodesia; USSR-Angola (Page 4)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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PORTUGAL
The Portuguese Communist Party is
continuing its efforts to regain an in-
fluential role in government. Yesterday,
the party managed to muster more than
20,000 demonstrators to march through
Lisbon. The crowd dispersed peacefully.
The latest surge of Communist pressure in the
streets of Lisbon has been largely through manipu-
lation of the construction workers, who have been
demanding wage increases and other concessions.
The government granted the workers a temporary
raise last week--an average increase of 28 percent--
but a statement by Labor Minister Tomas Rosa yester-
day suggests Lisbon may not grant all the workers'
demands. The labor minister told an anti-Communist
rally in the northern town of Viseu that the gov-
ernment will not give way to the workers who, he
charged, are being used by "politically motivated
leaders."
The government's effort to restore discipline
in the armed forces is still being undercut by
General Otelo de Carvalho. His replacement by an
anti-Communist officer was reportedly discussed by
the Revolutionary Council on Saturday. President
Costa Gomes may be reluctant to fire Carvalho but
might approve a plan that would kick the general
upstairs to the post of vice chief of staff of the
armed forces, a job that at least would remove him
from direct contact with radical troops.
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SPANISH SAHARA
Spanish efforts over the weekend ap-
parently did nothing to overcome Algerian
opposition to the agreement between Spain,
Morocco, and Mauritania on Spanish Sahara.
Neither the Spanish nor the Algerians have com-
mented on the talks held Saturday in Algiers be-
tween Madrid's special envoy and Algerian officials.
This suggests the discussions did not go well. Yes-
terday, an Algerian government press statement
strongly denounced the Spanish Sahara agreement as
a callous move to divide the territory's mineral
riches and to deny its inhabitants the right to de-
cide on their own future.
Algiers will probably launch a campaign this
week to enlist support in the UN to reverse the
agreement. Algeria is reported already threatening
to request a special Security Council session to
take up the matter as soon as the terms of the
agreement are made public. This is expected once
the Spanish parliament completes the process--sched-
uled to start tomorrow--of formally decolonizing
the territory.
Both sides will lobby vigorously in the UN.
Algerian Foreign Minister Bouteflika has already
been at the UN for several weeks, arguing the Al-
gerian case for a self-determination referendum
under UN auspices for Spanish Sahara. Moroccan
Foreign Minister Laraki arrived in New York yes-
terday and, together with his Mauritanian counter-
part who is expected to arrive shortly, will or-
chestrate efforts to neutralize the Algerian cam-
paign.
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I. A .1- V I. 'I 1_4 1_
ETHIOPIA
A power struggle in the ruling mili-
tary council has culminated in increased
influence for the chairman, General Teferi
Benti, who had previously played a figure-
head role. Teferi and his supporters will
probably moderate some of the council's
policies and try to reach an accommodation
with its military and civilian opponents.
A number of council members have been aware
during the past year of declining support for the
government in the armed forces and among the public.
Key military units have frequently criticized the
council's radical socialist policies and its re-
pressive rule. They have also expressed doubt
about the qualifications of council members for
leadership and have called for more civilian
representation in government or even a return to
civilian rule.
The emergence of the Teferi group in the
council may not end maneuvering within the mili-
tary. Teferi's own survival will probably depend
on his success as arbiter among competing factions
within the council and the armed forces.
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NOTES
Joshua Nkomo, Leader of one faction of Rhode-
sian nationalists, has talked several times -1,11
Salisbury with Prime Minister Ian Smith during the
past few weeks concerning a resumption of settle-
ment talks.
Nkomo, who is backed by Zambian President
Kaunda, hopes to gain support also from Tanzanian
President Nyerere and Mozambican President Machel.
His prospects may depend on whether Smith shows any
signs of compromise. The Prime Minister recently
told the South Africans, who have been pressing him
to reach a settlement with the Rhodesian national-
ists, that he wants to conclude talks with Nkomo by
next March. Smith gave no indication that he is
ready to agree to an arrangement that would lead to
early black rule, and he may be talking with Nkomo
only to keep the blacks divided and to try to stave
off a resumption of guerrilla warfare.
Soviet/
Angola.
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