THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 7 SEPTEMBER 1976

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006466833
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: September 7, 1976

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200030006-1
The President's Daily Brief
I
September 7, 1976
2
Top Secret 50X1
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E 0 11652
cxfitfitton .legerY 5E(1).(2).(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200030006-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/05 : CIA-RDP79T00024A000200030006-1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
September 7, 1976
Table of Contents
Lebanon: PLO leader Arafat sent three of his closest aides to
Damascus to convey his views on Lebanon to the Syrians.
(Page 1)
Libya-Egypt: There have been no significant military develop-
ments detected along Egypt's border with Libya for the past
several days. Egyptian officials have made no public com-
ments about President Qadhafi's relatively conciliatory
speech last week, but one Egyptian official stationed in
Tripoli privately characterized it as a clever move.
(Page 1)
Southern Africa: The summit meeting in Dar es Salaam of five
southern African presidents and leaders of Rhodesian na-
tionalist groups apparently is exploring ways to enhance
the military strength of the nationalists. (Page 3)
Notes: USSR - US - South Africa; USSR-Japan (Page 4)
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LEBANON: PLO leader
Yasir Arafat sent three
of his closest aides to
Damascus over the week-
end to convey his views
on Lebanon to the Syr-
ians.
We have seen no evi-
dence to confirm press
accounts of a major
escalation of the fight-
ing in Lebanon last
weekend.
LIBYA-EGYPT: There
have been no signifi-
cant military develop-
ments detected along
Egypt's border with
Libya for the past
several days.
Arafat reportedly is willing to
accept Syria's continued military
presence in Lebanon and its formula
for an overall settlement in that
troubled country. Fatah militants
headed by Salah Khalaf still have
not approved these new proposals.
The Syrians, who almost certainly
are aware of the deep split in
Fatah ranks, may not take Arafat's
latest entreaties seriously. Syr-
ian President Asad--who has an
abiding personal distrust of Ara-
fat--may believe that it is in
Syria's interest to encourage the
divisions among Arafat and his
colleagues and that by shunning
the PLO leader's initiatives he
can further chip away at Arafat's
credibility as Palestinian leader.
Limited clashes continued yester-
day at various points, but there
was no activity that would suggest
that any of the combatants has
launched a major new offensive.
The Christians have made no new
gains on the ground and seem only
to have intensified their artil-
lery fire in the Mount Lebanon
area.
* * *
Egyptian naval units on alert at
Sollum and Matruh since August 31
reduced their readiness posture
late last week. Libyan forces in
the border area lowered their
--continued
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Egyptian officials con-
tinue to withhold pub-
lic comment on Libyan
President Qadhafi's
relatively conciliatory
speech last week, but
the head of the Egyp-
tian Relations Office
in Tripoli privately
characterized the speech
as a clever move.
Qadhafi seems to be-
lieve that the "reason-
able" approach is his
best course at this
point and has offered
to meet with Egyptian
President Sadat without
mediators in a neutral
country to resolve
their differences.
alert status over the weekend.
The alerts in both countries ap-
parently were precautionary meas-
ures aimed at maintaining security
during the Libyan national holiday
period.
50X1
The Egyptian official said that
Qadhafi's speech has left Egypt
in a position of being "damned if
it does and damned if it does not"
attack Libya.
In an apparent effort to make Sa-
dat uncomfortable and to suggest
that Sadat has had little control
over events, Qadhafi blamed Egyp-
tian Foreign Minister Fahmi and
Egyptian and US intelligence for
fomenting tensions between the two
countries.
In an interview published over the
weekend, Qadhafi repeated a prom-
ise that in the interest of Arab
unity he would not use Libyan
forces even to repel an Egyptian
attack.
* * *
--continued
2
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50X1
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SOUTHERN AFRICA: The
summit meeting in Dar
es Salaam of five
southern African presi-
dents and leaders of
Rhodesian nationalist
groups apparently is
exploring ways to en-
hance the military
strength of the nation-
alists.
The presence of Angolan
President Neto and Sam
Nujoma, leader of the
South-West Africa Peo-
ple's Organization,
clearly indicates that
the situation in Nami-
bia is also being ad-
dressed.
50X1
--continued
)
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
The Soviet press has
criticized sharply Sec-
retary Kissinger's
talks with South Afri-
can Prime Minister Vor-
ster as a futile at-
tempt aimed at preserv-
ing colonial rule on
the continent.
The Soviets have de-
manded that Japan re-
turn the MIG-25 air-
craft that landed in
Japan yesterday and
its pilot.
NOTES
The Soviets say that Secretary
Kissinger is trying to persuade
Vorster to offer "dubious half
measures" and "minor concessions"
to black leaders in an effort to
create the "semblance of a solu-
tion." US economic and strategic
interests dictate Washington's
support for the "Pretoria racists,"
according to the Soviets.
Moscow clearly is warning black
African leaders to be wary and to
adopt a tough position. The So-
viets have been concerned about
the possible success of Secretary
Kissinger's efforts since his
meeting with Vorster was announced.
* * *
The Japanese have sent a technical
team of experts to examine the
aircraft, the fastest and most ad-
vanced interceptor in the Soviet
inventory, which has never been ob-
served outside the USSR. Tokyo
probably will allow US authorities
to examine the aircraft. We do
not know whether the Japanese have
decided to return the aircraft to
the Soviets. The pilot has asked
for and will receive asylum in the
US.
The Soviets flew several intelli-
gence collection missions over the
Sea of Japan yesterday, but we can-
not determine if these flights
were related to the defection be-
cause the Soviets periodically fly
such missions over the area.
4
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