THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 8 SEPTEMBER 1975

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006014896
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: September 8, 1975

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The President's Daily Brief
September 8, 1975
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B1 1)125(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
September 8, 1975
Table of Contents
Portugal: President Costa Gomes and Prime Minister
designate Azevedo this weekend discussed for-
mation of a government with leaders of six
political parties. (Page 1)
USSR: The latest issue of the Soviet weekly New
Times presents the most detailed Soviet criti-
cism of the Sinai accord published to date.
(Page 3)
Cuba: A three-day conference focusing on Puerto
Rican independence, which convened in Havana
on Friday, was a high point in Cuba's propa-
ganda drive on that theme. (Page 4)
Note: Cambodia (Page 6)
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PORTUGAL
President Costa Gomes and Prime
Minister - designate Azevedo discussed
formation of a new government this week-
end with representatives of six of the
country's political parties. According
to Lisbon radio, present speculation is
that a coalition comprising the QiaL
ists the center-left Pop.u2all_ae_mocrats,
and the Communists will be ,axpan.ae.d_tzL
7Aclude members of the anti,Communist
Ma-lo Antunes faction.
In addition to these parties, talks have also
been held with the hard-line pro-Communist Movement
of the Socialist Left, the Communist front Popular
Democratic Movement, and the center-right Social
?Democratic Center. It is believed these parties
will not participate in the government, but have
only been consulted to secure multiparty support.
There has been very little reaction to Friday's
rump session of the Armed Forces General Assembly
and the ouster of former prime minister Goncalves.
Goncalves' supporters appear to feel that they have
suffered a reversal. On Saturday evening his entire
pro-Communist cabinet resigned, stating that it
could no longer continue because Friday's events
had fundamentally altered the political situation.
The resignations came despite an appeal by Costa
Gomes to stay on until the new cabinet is formed.
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The first reaction from the parties came from
a leading Popular Democrat who demanded that the
ruling Armed Forces Movement be dissolved, that the
(continued)
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Revolutionary Council be scrapped, and that the mil-
itary be subordinated to a democratic, civilian
administration. He was probably seeking to gain a
strong position for his party in the new government.
Army Chief of Staff Fabiao said yesterday that
the parties are incapable of leading Portugal out
of its present crisis/
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USSR
The Soviet weekly New Times of Septem-
ber 5 presents the most detailed Soviet
criticism of the Sinai accord published
to date.
The article raises the following objections
to the agreement:
--Israeli withdrawal in Sinai is meaningless
because 87.5 percent of the area remains under
Israeli occupation.
--The ,introduction of US technicians is an
effort by Tel Aviv to involve the US in Is-
raeli "adventures."
--The agreement has no connection with a gen-
eral settlement in the Middle East and, in
fact, aggravates the basic problem by prolong-
ing Israeli occupation of Arab lands.
The article suggests that the accord tends to
divide the Arab cause, one of several implicit digs
at Egypt.
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CUBA
A three-day conference focusing on
Puerto Rican independence, which convened
in Havana on Friday, was a high point in
Cuba's propaganda drive on that theme.
The meeting was held under the auspices
of the Moscow-backed World Peace Confer-
ence, but Cuba was the major impetus
behind organizing the gathering.
At first glance, the meeting--designated the
International Conference of Solidarity with Puerto
Rican Independence--appears to run counter to
Cuba's pursuit of detente with the US. Actually,
the conference complements rather than conflicts
with current Cuban foreign policy objectives.
--Prime Minister Castro needs a device to off-
set the sense of betrayal among Third World
countries and international revolutionary
movements that a reconciliation with the US
would engender. The Puerto Rican issue lends
itself particularly to international forums,
such as the UN, where Cuba can continue to
display its revolutionary credentials.
--Castro apparently believes that, as he sheds
his independent policies and moves closer to
the Soviet line on detente, he must boost his
image at home. It is significant that the
Puerto Rican campaign is being pressed by those
Cubans who have the closest links to Moscow
rather than by Castro's own ex-guerrilla com-
rades.
--The Cubans see Puerto Rican independence as
an issue that has significant appeal in Latin
America, yet is a safe one that will cost
Havana little as long as it stops short of
paramilitary involvement.
--The conference can also be read as a signal
from Castro that detente is not synonymous
with amity. Castro is convinced that not only
Cuba but all of Latin America can gain more
from the US if association is governed by con-
frontation rather than cooperation.
(continued)
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Puerto Rican independence has been a recurring
theme in Cuban propaganda, but it is now being given
greater emphasis than heretofore. Castro may choose
to soften the campaign from time to time as develop-
ments--such as negotiations with Washington--seem
to warrant.
He is unlikely, however, to abandon what ap-
pears to be an integral part of a revised Cuban pol-
icy on Latin America. A central committee decision
of last fall calls for Havana's concentration on
countries in or bordering on the Caribbean basin
instead of diffusing its political resources through-
out Latin America.
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NOTE
Prince Sihanouk apparently will leave Peking
this week for Cambodia.
He is expected to depart for Phnom Penh on
Tuesday or Wednesday, accompanied by his wife, two
sons, Prime Minister Penn Nouth, and a few aides
and older members of his entourage. The rest of
Sihanouk's people in Peking fear that if they re-
turn to Cambodia they will be sent to the country-
side to work in the fields.
/ Most of
his followers have applied for French visas. The
Chinese are taking the line, however, that the de-
parture of these people is an internal Cambodian
matter and have refused to grant them visas unless
they receive approval from the Khmer communists.
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Top Secret
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