THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 12 JUNE 1971

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005992693
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: June 12, 1971

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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A009600110001-9
The President's Daily Brief
12 June 1971
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A009600110001-9
Declassified in Part -.Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A0096001-10001-9
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
12 June 1971
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
North Vietnamese Army units are continuing to at-
tack the Laotian Government task force on the west-
ern edge of the Bolovens Plateau. (Page 1)
In Cambodia, the Communists have inflicted reverses
on government forces south of Phnom Penh, while
keeping the pressure on government positions north-
east of the capital. (Page 2)
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Thailand //(Page 3)
Brezhnev has indicated that the USSR would welcome'
discussions aimed at restraining great power naval
deployments. (Page 5)
The Soviets have again spoken out critically: about'
West Pakistan's handling of the situation in the
East wing. (Page 7)
Japan
(Page 8)
Yesterday's attacks on two Israeli-chartered ships
at the southern entrance to the Red Sea apparently
were carried out by fedayeen terrorists. (Page 9)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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LAOS: Bo!ovens Plateau Area
BURMA
V TNAM
aravane
A RC
THAILAND mVp
Thateng
overnment
forming
defensive
position
Paksong
Bo/ovens
Plateau
an Houei
Kong
551 538 671 CIA
50 miles
? Communist-held location
? Government-held location
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY.
LAOS
Yesterday morning North Vietnamese Army units
supported by four tanks overran the Lap Army task
force command post on Route 23 at the western edge
of the Bolovens Plateau. Four. government battalions
?that had been in positions to the east of the corn-.
mand post were scattered and apparently suffered
heavy casualties. By noon yesterday, the most for-
ward army position along Route 23 was about 15 miles
east of Pakse. It was manned by one. irregular com-
pany, which was encircled and under attack. Tacti-
cal air support for the task force, previously lint-
ited by bad weather, relieved some of the pressure
on government units later in the day.. Air strikes
reportedly caused substantial North Vietnamese casu-
alties and damaged at least two tanks.
The government is trying to form new defensive
positions along Route 23 and at the junction of
Routes 23 and 231, just west of the plateau. Two
regular army battalions and two battalions of irregu-
lars have been brought in as reinforcements and to
try to locate and relieve the cut-off units.
All of the government's mobile reserve
force in Military Region 4 has now been
committed. Government forces could prob-
ably do little more than slow a North
Vietnamese advance westward off the Bol-
ovens Plateau, if the North Vietnamese
choose to move in that direction. Prior
to the current government operation, the
North Vietnamese had seemed content to
consolidate their recent gains on the
Bolovens.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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551539
Pursat
Prek
Tamea
PHNOM PENH
7? CIA
tune Chine/
ang Kouk
7
Kompong Cham
Kompong
.Chamlang
ear ?Kompong Ampil
or
ram nar
4 ,
Go ernment
ar g operation
BA1E DE
KOMPONC SOM
ngpong Som
OUTH ET
MILES 25
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CAMBODIA
Cambodian Army units have been under strong
enemy pressure in an area some 30 miles southwest
of Phnom Penh. A government battalion defending
Srang withdrew temporarily to Tram Khnar, on Route
3, but later reoccupied the town without serious
opposition. At last report the three army battal-
ions in Slap Leng had retreated to the north. In-
itial reports indicate that government losses total
40 killed, 41 wounded, and almost 600 missing.
The next Communist target could be Cambo-
dian forces trying to clear a section of
nearby Route 3. These Cambodian forces
are reported to have been weakened by re-
cent large-scale desertions and the trans-
fer of several battalions to positions
northeast of Phnom Penh.
The Cambodians apparently are planning to send
several battalions assigned to the Mekong Defense
Command up the river to help relieve enemy pressure
on Kompong Chamlang and Kompong Ampil. Two or three
battalions are to make a diversionary move south
from the Tang Kouk area on Route 6 toward the Mekong.
These moves are said to stem from the or-
ders of Lon Nol, who appears to have cut
short his convalescence to take personal
command of the government's campaign
against the Communists in the area north-
east of the capital.
FOR? THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THAI LAND
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
USSR-US
According to a TASS summary of Brezhnev's speech
yesterday in Moscow, the Soviet leader indicated that
the USSR would welcome discussions aimed at restrain-
ing great power naval deployments "at the other end
of the world, away from native coasts." He alluded
to US naval deployments in the Mediterranean and in
the Far. East, and he complained that, although the
US contends these are "normal and natural," the US
has launched a propaganda campaign against Soviet
naval activity "in the Mediterranean, the Indian
Ocean, and other seas." Brezhnev professed Moscow's
readiness to "solve" this problem by making an "equal
bargain," and offered to discuss any proposals.
Brezhnev's comments seem aimed, in part, at
putting the US on the defensive, while main-
taining the momentum of Moscow's "peace of-
fensive" with yet another gesture to be por-
trayed as a new Russian initiative aimed at
reducing East-West tension. The remarks
also reflect Soviet sensitivity to accusa-
tions that Moscow's increasing naval activ-
ity points to expansionist aims.
The Soviets, however, are probably moti-
vated by more than a mere tactical desire
to engage in grandstanding. Moscow had
earlier probed US willingness to consider
limiting great power competition in the
Indian Ocean, and this may be the area of
primary concern to them. In a conversa-
tion with Secretary Rogers on 26 March,
Soviet Ambassador Dobrynin asked "inform-
ally" for US reaction to the idea of 'a
"declaration" that the Indian Ocean should
be "free of military bases and fleet con-
centrations."
The Soviets are aware of press speculation
that the US may propose some kind of re-
gional arms control arrangement for the
Indian Ocean. Brezhnev's remarks, there-
fore, may have been timed in part to pre-
empt and upstage any such US initiative,
and at the same time to increase pressures
against possible US plans to strengthen
its naval presence in the area. Moscow
seems particularly sensitive to the possi-
bility that the US might be considering de-
ploying ballistic missile submarines on
regular patrol in the Indian Ocean.
(continued)
5
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
In view of Moscow's genuine concern on this
score, Brezhnev's unusually explicit sug-
gestion that an "equal bargain" might be
struck is particularly intriguing. The
Soviet leaders may possibly wish to float
the idea of some kind of trade-off, whereby
the USSR would undertake to exercise some
restraint with respect to Soviet naval ac-
tivity close to US shores in return for
limitations on US deployments in the Indian
Ocean.
6
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
USSR-INDIA-PAKISTAN
The Soviets have expressed their concern about
the 'grave situation" resulting from the flow of
millions of East Pakistani refugees into India. Both
the joint communiqug issued at the end of Indian For-
eign Minister Singh's visit to the USSR and Premier
Kosygin's election speech on 9 June called for prompt
measures to stop the flow of refugees and expedite
their safe return home.
Moscow,'s declarations seem based on con-
cern that the situation could deteriorate
rapidly. The Soviets evidently see dan-
ger that India might follow through on
its threats to take drastic action if it
is unable to cope with the refugee prob-
lem. Moscow probably hopes that its pub-
lic criticism of Pakistani policy will
build pressure on Yahya to move toward
some form of accommodation with the East
wing.
Soviet assistance to India includes the
promise of an initial contribution of
503000 tons of rice and 100 million doses
of smallpox vaccine.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
JAPAN
8
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Israeli-owned vessels
attacked near Perim Island
551537 6-71 CIA
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A
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
ISRAEL
Two Israeli-chartered ships were attacked yes-
terday by "pleasure-type" boats near Perim Island
' at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. (
There were no casualties although the attack started
fires that apparently were later extinguished.
The attacks apparently were the work of
fedayeen terrorists. The Popular Front
for the Liberation of Palestine has ,
threatened on a number of occasions to
strike at international shipping as a
means of deterring trade with Israel.
Yesterday 's action was typical of the
spectacular tactics favored by the Front.
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Top Secret
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