THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 30 MAY 1975

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006014811
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: May 30, 1975

Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/15 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012600010048-5
The President's Daily Brief
May 30, 1975
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Exempt from general
declauilication schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B( I
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
It I 0,
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
May 30, 1975
Table of Contents,
Egypt: Our latest judgment is that President Sadat
still is determined to demand clarification of
US views on an Arab-Israeli settlement when
he meets with you on Sunday. (Page 1)
Canada - South Korea: Ottawa has announced that it
has given a loan to South Korea to finance the
sale of a Canadian-produced nuclear reactor.
(Page 2)
Notes: Egypt; Laos; Portugal; North Vietnam - Thai-
land; Lebanon; Ethiopia (Pages 3 and 4)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
EGYPT
Our 'latest judgment is that President
Sadat still is determined to demand clari-
fication of US views on an Arab-Israeli
settlement when he meets with you on Sun-
day. He is of course worried that the
recent expression of support for Israel
by 76 Senators might tie the administra-
tion's hands.
Sadat has said repeatedly that he is going to
Salzburg to listen rather than to offer ideas of
his own. His public position is that Egypt's stand
is already on record and that the US, having under-
taken a reassessment of its Middle East policy, must
now enunciate an unambiguous position. Sadat is
specifically seeking a clear statement of whether
the US commitment to Israel is confined to protect-
ing it within its 1967 borders or also extends to
the occupied Arab territories.
Sadat's public utterances have become increas-
ingly more demanding as the Salzburg meeting has
neared. In an interview with an Austrian corre-
spondent early this week, he specifically tied, for
the first time, his willingness to enter another
round of disengagement talks to the demand for a
definitive statement of US policy. Asked if he
would consent to another effort by Secretary Kissin-
ger to mediate an interim agreement with Israel,
Sadat replied that he would, if the US first made
an "unequivocal statement, openly and before the
world," on the shape of a final settlement.
Egyptian officials, probably including Sadat
himself, were angered and disheartened by the letter
sent to you last week by the Senators urging strong
support and aid for Israel. Many Egyptians, par-
ticularly legislators who recently visited the US
for extensive discussions with Congressmen, inter-
pret the letter as totally negating their efforts
to expand ties with the US and to present a moderate
image of Egypt./
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CANADA - SOUTH KOREA
Ottawa announced on May 28 that it
had granted South Korea a loan of $380
million to finance the sale of a Cana-
dian-produced nuclear power reactor. The
sale, however, is still contingent upon
agreement between the countries on bilat-
eral safeguards arrangements.
There is little disagreement among Canadians
on the purely commercial aspects of the reactor
sale. Domestic opinion, however, has been uneasy
about the possibility that Canada might be contrib-
uting to the proliferation of nuclear weapons, es-
pecially since India exploded a nuclear device last
year using material from a Canadian-supplied reactor.
Ottawa has insisted that future prospective pur-
chasers must ratify the Non-Proliferation Treaty
and accept bilateral safeguards arrangements cover-
ing materials produced by the reactor as well as
the technology provided by Canada.
Although South Korea has now ratified the Non-
Proliferation Treaty, finalization of the sale still
depends on agreement covering bilateral safeguards,
especially on the touchy issue of restricting the
transfer of Canadian nuclear technology. The tenor
of Ottawa's announcement concerning the loan to
South Korea may mean that the Canadians feel such
an agreement is near.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NOTES
Egyptian army, commando, air defense, and air
force units have been involved this week in a field
exercise some 20 miles west of the Great Bitter Lake.
The 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division evidently
was pulled back some 25 miles from its positions on
the Suez front to take part in the exercise. Other
elements of the Third Army--the 3rd Division's parent
organization--also are involved. Air defense is be-
ing provided by an SA-6 brigade, and air support by
planes from at least three airfields. The desert
road from Cairo to Suez has been closed since May 24,
probably to provide security for Egyptian troop move-
ments related both to the exercise and to the reopen-
ing of the Suez Canal on June 5.
Tension in Laos has eased somewhat following
the return of Americans to the AID and defense at-
tache compound.
Payment has been made to Lao employees of AID
and the 900-man civilian guard force, which until
recently had provided security for the US mission.
Americans are being permitted to enter and leave
the compound, but all US vehicles--even with dip-
lomatic plates--are being stopped and searched.
Lao Communists are turning their attention to nego-
tiating future aid from the US, which they want to
come unconditionally and directly to the coalition
government they now dominate.
Political activity in Portugal came to a stand-
still today as the population celebrated a religious
holiday.
On Wednesday night, internal security troops
cracked down on the extreme left-wing Reorganizing
Movement of the Proletariat Party, closing party
headquarters throughout the country and arresting
at least 200 people. The Reorganizing Movement was
officially banned by the government last month, but
until now there had been no effort made to prevent
party members from organizing demonstrations.
(continued)
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A joint communique' yesterday concluding dis-
cussions in Bangkok between North Vietnam and Thai-
land indicates that several problems must still be
ironed out before diplomatic relations between the
two countries can be established.
The communique states that the Thai delega-
tion has accepted an invitation to resume negotia-
tions in Hanoi, but that a date has not yet been
set. At the airport before his departure, North
Vietnam's chief delegate would not elaborate on the
details of the talks. He indicated, however, that
formal relations with Bangkok might be established
sometime within the next three months. His remarks
suggest that the US military presence is still the
main stumbling block to normal relations with Bang-
kok, but his reference to a three-month time frame
indicates that the problem is not insurmountable.
Lebanon's premier-designate Rashid Karami
spent yesterday talking to political leaders about
the formation of his cabinet.
According to late press reports, he will see
President Franjiyah today to discuss his choices.
The strong measures he has ordered against snipers
have had some effect--Beirut yesterday had its
quietest day in many weeks.
Ethiopian government forces in recent weeks
have stepped up pressure against the rebels in
Eritrea Province, raising the level of fighting
there higher than it was in April.
Last week, government troops supported by air
strikes launched a brigade-size operation north of
Asmara that has resulted in heavy casualties on
both sides. The sweep is designed to blunt a rebel
offensive reportedly planned for June or July. Se-
rious unrest continues in at least nine of Ethio-
pia's thirteen other provinces. None of this un-
rest--much of it led by local landlords opposed to
land reform--is a direct threat to the military
council, but security forces have in some instances
suffered numerous casualties in fights with dissi-
dents.
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