THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 6 MAY 1976

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006015101
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: May 6, 1976

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013300010032-4
The President's Daily Brief
May 6, 1976
2
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013300010032-4
Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5 13( 1),(2),(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013300010032-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013300010032-4
May 6, 1976
Table of Contents
Lebanon: Politicians are increasingly pessimistic about the pros-
pects for a presidential election by parliament this weekend.
(Page 1)
Portugal: Agreement may be near on a consensus presidential can-
didate. The Socialist Party's plan to form a minority gov-
ernment seems to be picking up support. (Page 1)
Rhodesia: The Smith government is making new efforts against the
country's guerrillas and their Mozambican allies. (Page 2)
Notes: China; Panama; USSR-China; Ghana; USSR-Turkey (Pages 4 and 5)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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LEBANON: Lebanese pol-
iticians are increas-
ingly pessimistic about
the prospects for a
presidential election
by parliament this
weekend.
PORTUGAL: Agreement
may be near on a con-
sensus presidential
candidate. The Social-
ist Party's plan to
form a minority govern-
ment seems to be pick-
ing up support.
The delegation of uncommitted par-
liamentary deputies that went to
Damascus earlier this week appar-
ently was not able to persuade
Syria to shift its support from 25X1
Ilyas Sarkis to a compromise can-
didate.
no word on the re-
sult of Yasir Arafat's efforts to
resolve the dispute between Leba-
nese leftist leader Jumblatt and
the Syrians over the presidential
succession. If Arafat fails to
persuade Jumblatt to accept Sarkis
and to withdraw his demand for im-
mediate Syrian military withdrawal
from Lebanon, there is little chance
that the election will be held on 25)0
schedule.
Speculation on a consensus candi-
date increasingly centers on Army
Chief of Staff General Ramalho
Eanes.
1
25X1
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RHODESIA: Me Smith
government's recent an-
nouncement of military
mobilization measures
has been accompanied by
new efforts by Rhodesian
security forces against
the country's guerrillas
and their Mozambican
allies.
The 41-year-old infantry officer
was one of the key organizers of
the coup in April 1974 that over-
threw Gaetano. He also master-
minded the military's successful
riposte to the leftist paratrooper
rebellion. Since his appointment
to the army's top post last Novem-
ber, he has worked to depolitic-'25x1
the army and restore military dis-
cipline.
Both military and party leaders
appear more receptive to the So-
cialists' proposal to form a gov-
ernment after the presidential
election of June 27. Last week
Revolutionary Council spokesman
Captain Sousa e Castro endorsed
the plan, arguing that it had
sound constitutional grounds and
was consistent with the assembly
election results, which gave the
Socialists a plurality.
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since late last month Rhodesian
forces have made several forays
across the border into Mozambique.
Such Rhodesian operations are not
uncommon, although attacks across
the border apparently had been
suspended for several weeks.
Mozambican President Machel de-
nounced earlier Rhodesian forays
into Mozambique when he announced
2
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the closure of his country's border
with Rhodesia in early March. The
renewed attacks almost certainly
will influence Machel's discussions
in Moscow later this month.
Mozambique needs conventional mili-
tary equipment and training to up-
grade its armed forces. If the
Rhodesian attacks continue, Machel's
concern could lead to a sizable
Soviet involvement with the Mozam-
bican military--involvement that
could be used to aid the Rhodesian
insurgents.
The insurgents, meanwhile, con-
tinue to be beset by tribal and
personal rivalries, in some cases
violent. The persistence of these
frictions among the Rhodesian black
nationalists could hamper their
efforts to expand the insurgency
against the Smith government.
3
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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?
r
120:
150 Pacific
Approximate'location of
Chinese reselkch ships
Hawaiian ?
Islands
0 ,
Gilbertr',
--- Islands )
Islands
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The two Chinese oceano-
graphic research ships
in the South Pacific
have moved east of the
Gilbert Islands and
will probably conduct
additional survey work
before going home.
Panama has apparently
backed away from its
plan to impose the max-
imum fine of $100,000
on boats charged with
illegal fishing. Two
US tuna vessels that
have been charged with
fishing illegally are
still in the Canal
Zone.
The USSR has made little
comment about the ex-
plosion last week out-
side the gates of the
Soviet embassy in China.
NOTES
The ships had previously spent
approximately a week north of the
Fiji Islands, apparently doing
scientific research .id su ve in
the ocean bottom.
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Government chief Torrijos now ap-
pears willing to allow such boats
to purchase retroactive licenses
based on tonnage for about $20,000
each. This solution may avoid the
automatic reduction of US aid or
cutoff of US military assistance.
Although the USSR lodged a protest
immediately after the incident,
Soviet officials in Peking now say
that the Chinese government was
not directly involved.
The Soviets have not hinted that
the explosion could have been
prompted by factional infighting
in Peking over policy toward the
USSR. That possibility, however,
is probably one reason they are
playing the incident in relatively
low key.
4
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U.K 111i rIcE3ILJelV CIIV La 1
Ghanaian
USSR
T1717173,
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Top Secret
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