THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 30 APRIL 1972

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993274
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: April 30, 1972

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The President's Daily Brief
ILLEGIB
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I.) c"A
SECRET
PDB BRIEF
30/4/72
WEST GERMANY
Leaders of three main political parties met for four
and a half hours on Friday night, but failed to resolve
the government crisis. Spokesmen for both the government
parties and the opposition characterized the talks as
"sensible and solid," but admitted that the two sides were
not,close to agreement. Discussions are scheduled to
resume again before noon on Wednesday.
-The talks apparently focused primarily on the
Moscow treaty, the crucial subjects of German
self-determination and reunification, and further
improvement of travel arrangements with the
East Germans.
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SECRET
There could be a third vote on the budget bill
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on 2 May when the parliament is scheduled to
reconvene. The government, however, most likely
will try to delay this to avoid a possible
defeat just prior to the voting on
the
Eastern
treaties.
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W. Germany-2
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PDB BRIEF
30/4/72
SOUTH VIETNAM - NORTH VIETNAM
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Government troops repulsed a North Vietnamese tank
and infantry attack from the southern outskirts of Quang
Tri City yesterday, but the situation theretxemains
critical. The city, now reported to be isolated, con-
tinues under artillery and rocket fire. The North
Vietnamese have tanks 25X1
in the surrounding area and may have brought in a third
tank regiment. Additional forces have been skirting the
provincial capital and heading south toward Hue. So far,
however, the Communists in Thua Thien Province have not
followed up their success at Fire Support Base Bastogne
by attacking farther east.
The Communists are continuing their pressure on the
provinces to the south along the central coast./
The Communists are now
reported to control substantial portions of districts in
Quang Tin Province to the west of Route 1, and they are
continuing to attack refugee centers in the eastern areas
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of adjacent Quang Ngai. With the fall of Bong Son this
weekend, the Communists'have gained control of almost all
of the northernmost district of Binh Dinh Province.
The Communists may have resumed their drive on
Kontum City in the central highlands. Enemy infantry
forces probed a South Vietnamese artillery support base
a few miles north of the city on 29 April and also
ambushed a government resupply convoy in the same area.
Several rocket rounds also hit the Kontum City airfield.
The South Vietnamese reportedly have abandoned
their defensive positions in the Vo Dinh area and are now
regrouping about six miles north of the city. A second
regiment of the Communist 320th Division has moved into
position about ten miles north of Kontum City and inter-
cepts suggest that other elements of the 320th are
deploying in preparation to attack the city.
The threat to An Loc north of Saigon continues to
ease, but the Communists appear to be taking advantage of
the government forces pinned down in that area to increase
action elsewhere. On the west, enemy forces launched a
number of ground probes yesterday near Tay Ninh City and
mounted an attack with tanks against a South Vietnamese
post on Route 1 at the Cambodian border. Radio direction
finding also shows that elements of the Communist 9th
Division have shifted from An Loc into Phuoc Long Province
Vietnam-2
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on the east and that 5th Division elements have moved
southward into Binh Duong Province.
Press reports state that North Vietnamese politburo
member Le Duc Tho arrived in Moscow yesterday from
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Peking, presumably for another two-day stopover en route
to Paris. The Soviets and North Vietnamese have also
announced that a Soviet delegation, headed by party
secretary Katushev and Deputy Foreign Minister Firyubin,
visited Hanoi from 26 to 29 April. Both announcements
describe the visit as an official one made "in accordance
with a previous arrangement," and report that cordial?
meetings were held with North Vietnamese leaders to discuss
"strengthening bilateral relations" and "questions of
mutual interest."
Vietnam-3
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PDB NOTE
30/4/72
NOTE
Laos: Government forces regained control of Skyline
Ridge overlooking Long Tieng on 29 April. About 100
irregulars with air support cleared the two positions
that had remained in enemy hands at the center of the
ridge. North Vietnamese opposition was relatively light,
strengthening indications in recent intercepts that the
Communists are withdrawing some of their forces in the
area in preparation for the coming rainy season. The
situation elsewhere in Laos remains relatively quiet, with
only scattered clashes being reported from points in the
panhandle.
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CONFIDENTIAL
PDB NOTE
30/4/72
NOTE
Turkey: Senator Suat Hayri Urgupulu, appointed
prime minister-designate on 29 April, is an independent
with former ties to the Republican Peoples Party. He
served for nine months as prime minister in 1965.
Urgupulu has announced that he intends to form an "above
parties" government of ministers chosen from the four
principal parties represented in parliament. His
attitude toward the US has been friendly although he was
critical in 1970 of what he termed unwarranted US pressure
to restrict opium poppy cultivation, a subject on which he
has since been silent.
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Top Secret
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