THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 14 FEBRUARY 1976

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006015030
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: February 14, 1976

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The President's Daily Brief
February 14, 1976
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 511(11,12),(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
?;1.
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L L I. LL.jL J.'Li J Lf
February 14, 1976
Table of Contents
USSR-China: Moscow has proposed to the Chinese
that the annual Sino-Soviet river negotiation
talks reconvene next month. (Page 1)
USSR: Moscow has broken its public silence on re-
cent developments in the French Territory of
the Afars and Issas. (Page 2)
France:
(Page 3)
Nigeria: The head of state may have been killed
in yesterday's coup attempt. The ruling
Supreme Military Council was meeting last
night, presumably to pick a successor.
(Page 4)
Note: Syria-Lebanon (Page 5)
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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USSR-CHINA
Moscow has proposed to the Chinese
that the annual Sino-Soviet river navi-
gation talks reconvene next month.
The joint Sino-Soviet navigation committee had
met annually since 1956--alternately in China and
the USSR--to discuss routine matters of navigation
along the riverine border during the May-October
shipping season. Last year it was China's turn to
be host to the talks, but they were not held because
of Soviet objections to Chinese attempts to broaden
the agenda to include territorial problems.
The failure of the committee to meet last year
did not seem to have any significant impact on riv-
erine traffic. China continued to press its claim
to the important islands opposite Khabarovsk and
other disputed islands, and there were the usual
protests back and forth about changing navigational
markers and dredging operations.
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\ 1 J. \ _1 I 1__) .1?.1_,J 1-".1_,./ '4 I_ V./ L
USSR
Moscow has broken its public si-
lence on recent developments in the
French Territory of the Afars and Issas.
Several articles in the Soviet central press
on Thursday replayed Mogadiscio's version of the
confrontation early this month between French forces
and Somali border insurgents in the territory.
Pravda noted Somali President Siad's call for the
complete withdrawal of French forces from the ter-
ritory and the liquidation of all military bases
there.
Moscow's press treatment is restrained and is
careful not to commit the Soviets to any particular
outcome, but it is nonetheless a clear sign that
the Soviets will support the essentials of Siad's
policy.
The Soviet ambassador in Somalia said as much
to a US diplomat earlier this month. He indicated
that Moscow would support a "liberation struggle"
in the territory if the French tried to transfer
power to a government under the control of Ali
Aref. The Soviets also said that the USSR hoped
Paris would act in a way which would assure "peace
and stability" in the African horn; this may boil
down to giving Siad what he wants.
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FRANCE
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(s. Al.)
Angola
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Swaziland
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NIGERIA
The US embassy believes General
Murtala Muhammed, the head of state,
was killed in yesterday's coup at-
tempt, but this has not yet been con-
firmed by the government.
A meeting of the ruling Supreme Military Coun-
cil was under way last night, presumably to pick a
new head of state. The second- and third-ranking
members of the regime--armed forces chief Obasanjo
and army chief of staff Danjuma--were also targeted
for assassination but apparently are still alive.
One or the other will probably emerge as Nigeria's
new leader.
Both men played leading roles in the Muhammed
government, and it is unlikely that Nigeria's for-
eign or domestic policies would change significantly
under either man.
The strong support Lagos has given the Popular
Movement in Angola may lead anti-US forces in Africa
and elsewhere to accuse the US of complicity in the
plot.
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NOTE
Syrian Foreign Minister Khaddam will return to
Lebanon this weekend to try to arrange a final agree-
ment among Christians and Muslims on a political
settlement.
Prime Minister Karami told reporters earlier
this week that a settlement would be announced to-
day following a special cabinet meeting. President
Franjiyah, however, has been noncommittal on the
timing of an announcement. Some conservative Maron-
ite Christians apparently still are insisting on a
written guarantee of their exclusive control of the
presidency. Regional committees supervising the
truce have been able to contain the violence per-
petrated by Lebanese and Palestinian extremists at-
tempting to derail the political negotiations.
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Top Secret
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