THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 13 OCTOBER 1975

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006014926
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: October 13, 1975

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/14 : C-IA-RDP79T00936A012800010037-5
The President's Daily Brief
October 13, 1975
5
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012800010037-5
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Exempt from general
declassification uhedule of E.O. I 102
exemption category 5B( I
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
Declassified in Part - S-anitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/14 : JA-RDP.79T00936A012800010037-5
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012800010037-5
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
October 13, 1975
Table of Contents
Lebanon: The situation is relatively quiet as im-
plementation of the cease-fire moves slowly
forward. (Page 1)
Portugal: Prime Minister Azevedo is expected to an-
nounce today new measures to restore public or-
der and military discipline. (Page 2)
Notes: Morocco; Indonesia - Portuguese Timor
(Page 3)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
LEBANON
The situation in Lebanon is
relatively quiet as implementation
of the cease-fire moves slowly for-
ward. Efforts to remove private
militiamen from barricades appar-
ently are making some progress, but
snipers are still active in several
Beirut suburbs. The killing of a
Christian Phalangist leader by
snipers on Saturday marred a recon-
ciliation meeting between Muslim
and Christian groups, but has not,
as feared, triggered a new round of
fighting.
The uneasy cease-fire has allowed political
attention to focus on the efforts of Lebanese and
Arab leaders to deal with the crisis. Prime Minis-
ter Karami told Ambassador Godley that the Syrians,
during the Damascus conference, persuaded Palestine
Liberation Organization chief Yasir Arafat and
Saiqa leader Zuhayr Muhsin to agree to dampen the
fighting and to remove the barricades, if Interior
Minister Shamun could persuade the Phalangists to
do likewise.
Karami told Godley that the next step to a
peaceful solution was to arrange a private meeting
between Phalangist leader Pierre Jumayyil and left-
ist leader Kamal Jumblatt. The prime minister said
that he was attempting to arrange such a meeting.
Karami denied that he had discussed with Pres-
ident Asad the possibility of using the army more
overtly to maintain law and order. As of late yes-
terday, however, there were indications that the
army had begun to assume some functions from the
security forces in Beirut.
In his discussions with Godley, Karami was
uncharacteristically critical of both President
Franjiyah and Jumblatt. According to the prime
minister, Franjiyah is totally ineffective and is
concerned only with what he considers to be es-
sential Christian rights. Karami described Jumblatt
as acting in a totally irresponsible manner and as
contributing nearly as much as Franjiyah to the
demise of Lebanon.
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PORTUGAL
Prime Minister Azevedo is expected
to announce today new measures to re-
store public order and military discip-
line.
The cabinet decided last Thursday to take tough
measures to restore order, but Azevedo had to wait
to get backing from top military leaders of the
Revolutionary Council. The Cabinet and the Council
met in a marathon session Friday night and Saturday
morning and issued a communiqug expressing complete
support for Azevedo.
Speculation in Lisbon on the measures Azevedo
will announce today, center on rumors that President
Costa Gomes will give up his post of Armed Forces
Chief of Staff to an advocate of stern discipline--
a move called for earlier by Popular Democratic
Party leader Sa Carneiro. Central military region
commander General Charais--an original member of the
"Antunes nine" which led the anti-Goncalves move in
August--is being touted for the job. Such a move
would reduce the influence of Costa Gomes)
It would also side-
step Army chief Fabiao, who is viewed as lacking the
necessary decisiveness to restore discipline in the
military.
?Azevedo's hand should also be strengthened by
progress in the formation of the military interven-
tion force. The new unit reportedly will be made
up of the crack commando unit stationed just out-
side Lisbon, as well as elements from the marines
and paratroopers. The commando unit is being aug-
mented by calling some former members back into
service, a procedure that should deepen the conserv-
ative orientation of the intervention force.
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25X1
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NOTES
Moroccan King Hassan arrived in Marrakech on
Thursday for what the press has described as a
week's visit.
The King's trip to the southern city probably
is related to Mauritanian President Ould Dada's
visit this week for discussions on Spanish Sahara.
Our embassy in Rabat believes, however, that the
King's conversations with the Mauritanians in
Marrakech may be part of his strategy to couple a
reasonable public posture with preparations for
military action. The embassy points out that Mar-
rakech was the King's military headquarters during
the war in 1963 against Algeria.
Indonesian President Suharto has ordered the
reinforcement of positions along the Portuguese
Timor border, following reversals last week at the
hands of Fretilin troops.
Early in the week, Fretilin forces pushed
Indonesian special forces troops out of Batugade,
the last Indonesian stronghold on the Portuguese
side of the border. As a result of this setback,
Suharto ordered his troops patrolling the border
to pursue any Fretilin forces intruding into
Indonesian territory back into Portuguese Timor.
Late last week after several more border clashes,
Indonesian troops launched an attack against Fret-
ilin positions near the border and retook Batugade.
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Top Secret
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