THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 18 JUNE 1976

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006015139
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: June 18, 1976

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The President's Daily Brief
June 18, 1976
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of ED. 11652
exemption category 513( I
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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June 18, 1976
Table of Contents
Lebanon: The suspected assassins of Ambassador Meloy and Coun-
selor Waring have been arrested, presumably by Palestinian
security forces. (Page 1)
Syrian Chief of Staff Shihabi has expressed confidence to
US officials in Damascus' control over the military situa-
tion in Lebanon. (Page 1)
Iraq-Syria: Iraq continues to move forces to the western part of
the country. (Page 2)
Philippines-US: Manila's opening proposals for renegotiating US
use of military bases are highly restrictive. (Page 3)
Notes: Poland; Cuba; Greece-Turkey; Portugal; OPEC (Pages 5,
and 7)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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LEBANON: The suspected
assassins of Ambassador
Meloy and Counselor
Waring have been ar-
rested, presumably by
Palestinian security
forces, according to an
announcement issued by
the joint leadership of
the major Palestinian
and Lebanese leftist
groups.
Syrian Chief of Staff
Shihabi recently ex-
pressed confidence in
Syria's control over
the military situation.
The statement did not identify the
killers but said they would be
turned over to the joint Arab se-
curity force that the Arab League
decided to create to help police a
cease-fire in Lebanon.
Several reports have suggested that
the assassins may have been members
of the extreme leftist Lebanese
Revolutionary Socialist Organiza-
tion. We believe this group has
worked with the radical fedayeen
Popular Front for the Liberation
of Palestine and with small Leba-
nese communist groups in mounting
criminal and terrorist operations.
These groups have on several oc-
casions attacked US installations
and personnel in Beirut and Damas-
cus. They are rabid opponents of
Syria, and they operate outside
the control and often against the
interests of the major Palestinian
and leftist organizations.
Because these extremists are at
odds with Palestinian and leftist
groups willing to negotiate a set-
tlement of the Lebanese crisis,
they are eager to derail even the
limited progress that has been made
toward ending the current Palestin-
ian-Syrian confrontation.
He confirmed to US officials that
Syrian troops have secured virtu-
ally the entire Bekaa Valley, and
that Syrian and Christian forces
have surrounded Tripoli. The Syr?
ian blockade of Sidon is apparently
not complete, but Syrian troops can
interdict movement in the port and
control traffic along the coastal
road. Shihabi said there are no
plans to move any closer to Beirut.
--continued
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? _
We have no clear reading
on the intentions of the
Palestinians and left-
ists.
The Arab League has
reached no decisions on
the composition, mission,
and command structure
of the proposed security
force
IRAQ-SYRIA: Baghdad
continues to move forces
to the western part of
the country,
Yasir Arafat has not been in Lebanon
since late May. He is seeking aid
from a number of Arab governments
and will probably not decide on
further moves until he determines
the amount of outside assistance
he can muster. His subordinates
have been generally more eager tha25X1
he to confront the Syrians.
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We estimate that there are more
than 40,000 Iraqi troops in western
Iraq, and we believe other combat 25X1
and support units ?continue to move
westward.
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--continued
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? Mediterranean
Sea
Tripoli
I/1
LEBNpN
BEIRUT 4.3?1
Sidon
DAMASCUS
ISRAL?i
WEST
Tel Aviv
Yafo \ BANK,
AMMAN
/1) r JORDAN
Deud
Sea
GOLAN
HEIGHTS
rTURKEY
SYRIA
SAUDI ARABIA
100 Miles
100 nometets
559933 6-76
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It is possible, but we believe less
likely, that Iraq is planning im-
minent military action against
Syria.
Approximate Strength of Major Troop Deployments
Syrian
PLA/Saiqa Iraqi
Lebanon
12,000
8,000*
Lebanon border area
5,000
Syrian-Iraqi border area
12,000
45,000
Golan Heights
75,000
*An unknown number of troops have been withdrawn to Syria in recent days.
(CIA estimates)
PHILIPPINES-US: Ma-
nila's opening pro-
posals in renegotiat-
ing US use of military
bases reflect President
Marcos' more national-
istic posture in for-
eign policy.
The Philippine draft agreement pre-
sented on June 14 would impose
highly restrictive limitations. It
would confine US forces to the use
of Clark Air Base and Subic Bay na-
val station and require the US to
relinquish all other installations.
Prior approval of Philippine base
commanders would be required for
most US flights, routine exercises,
and port calls.
US combat operations also would
need prior approval, and nuclear
and toxic chemical warfare weapons
would be prohibited. Moreover, the
draft agreement circumscribes the
authority of US commanders over
American military and civilian
--continued
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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personnel and equipment by requir-
ing that US activities conform to
Philippine laws and regulations.
Philippine negotiators have not
yet specified the total amount of
US security assistance they will
demand, but the draft agreement
calls for defense support to be
distributed over five years--in-
cluding an unprecedented cash pay-
ment. In addition, the Philippine
proposals would limit the new base
agreement to a five-year term, with
provision for extension for only
one additional term of five years.
Either party could terminate the
agreement upon written notice of
one year.
Some of the limitations undoubtedly
were inserted for bargaining pur-
poses. Marcos probably will be
prepared eventually to ease some
of his tougher demands in exchange
for a higher level of US defense
support. He is likely to insist,
however, that the final agreement
contain language that will vali-
date his claim to complete sover-
eignty and jurisdiction over mili-
tary bases used by US forces.
--continued
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The Polish parliamentary
delegation that will
visit the White House
on Monday will be Zed
by Ryszard Frelek, one
of party chief Gierek's
closest advisers. He
is the highest ranking
figure Warsaw will send
to the US during the bi-
centennial year.
Cuba plans to begin
regular air service be-
tween Havana and Luanda
on June 29. Intermedi-
ate stops will be Bar-
bados, Guinea, and Si-
erra Leone.
NOTES
Frelek, aged 47, is the party sec-
retary for foreign affairs and
chairman of the parliamentary com-
mission on foreign relations. He
is probably Gierek's right-hand
man in foreign policy matters.
Frelek often has acted as the ad-
vance man for Gierek's trips, in-
cluding the Polish leader's visit
to the US in October 1974.
Frelek has demonstrated on fre-
quent occasions his willingness to
talk candidly and factually with
Americans about Polish domestic
and foreign policies. He does not
take a doctrinaire position on is-
sues.
According to a recent Barbados
press account, Cuba will run two
flights per week. These may re-
place the unscheduled flights now
being made by Aeroflot IL-62s
twice weekly, although there has
been no official announcement to
that effect.
We do not know Prime Minister Errol
Barrow's reasons for permitting
use of Barbados as a stopover.
Barrow came under opposition criti-
cism last year when Cuba's use of
Barbados as a refueling stop for
flights carrying troops to Angola
became public. This latest ar-
rangement will give the Prime Min-
ister and his party additional
problems later this year when they
face a national election.
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--continued
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YUGOS AVIA
2'14 BULGARIA
BLACK
SEA
Lake
Pampa