THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 10 NOVEMBER 1973

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993982
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: November 10, 1973

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011800030009-5
The President's Daily Brief
10 November 1973
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B( I
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
10 November 1973
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Egyptian forces shot down an Israeli plane yesterday,
but on the Syrian front cease-fire violations were
minor. Cairo and Tel Aviv continue to withhold final
acceptance of the US-backed cease-fire plan. (Page 1)
The EC Nine believe the pro-Arab tenor of the EC
declaration will facilitate procurement of Arab oil
and permit unpublicized distribution to the Dutch.
Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has told Rome that Italy is
impeding the Arab oil embargo against the US by fuel-
ing Sixth Fleet vessels. (Page 3)
The departure of Ieng Sary--the Khmer Communists'
"special envoy" in Peking--for Cambodia presumably
is related to Sihanouk's announcement yesterday that
all portfolios of his "government" would be trans-
ferred to cadre within Cambodia. (Page 5)
The French plan their initial deployment of the
Pluton tactical nuclear missile system next spring.
(Page 6)
Notes on USSR-China and Uganda appear on Page 7.
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ARAB STATES - ISRAEL
Cairo claims its surface-to-air missiles
brought down two Israeli aircraft yesterday and
that two pilots were captured, but Tel Aviv has
admitted the loss of only one plane. Israel con-
tinues to fly numerous reconnaissance missions on
both fronts, justifying the activity by its deter-
mination not to be taken by surprise should the
fighting resume. On the Syrian front there were
minor cease-fire violations with desultory firing
lasting about three hours.
Both Tel Aviv and Cairo continue to withhold
final acceptance of the US-backed cease-fire plan.
After a lengthy session last night, the Israeli
cabinet announced that Tel Aviv maintains its "posi-
tive position in principle" in favor of signing.
The cabinet will continue its deliberations this
morning, however, and has called for additional
consultations with the US.
Israel perceives three sticking points:
--the agreement provides no assurances that
Cairo will lift its naval blockade of Bab
al-Mandab;
--it calls for immediate discussions on a re-
turn to battlelines of October 22 that Tel
Aviv claims cannot be fixed; and
--it impairs Israel's ability to monitor the
flow of supplies along the Cairo-Suez road
that are going to Egypt's encircled Third
Army.
The agreement is further criticized for failing to
clarify the status of Israeli POWs held by Syria.
Egypt seems to have adopted a wait-and-see at-
titude while unofficially maintaining its insistence
on an Israeli return to the October 22 lines and
obscuring the status of the Bab al-Mandab blockade.
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Cairo's authoritative Middle East News Agency, after
initially broadcasting a seriously distorted version
of the cease-fire agreement, announced its provisions
accurately late last night.
By early this morning, the Soviet press had
not yet carried reports that Israel and Egypt were
close to signing a peace agreement. TASS charged
last night that Tel Aviv is continuing to sabotage
UN resolutions requiring the withdrawal of Israeli
troops to the cease-fire lines of October 22.
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EC - ARAB STATES
The EC member governments generally believe
that the pro-Arab tenor of the EC declaration will
facilitate procurement of Arab oil and permit un-
publicized distribution to the Dutch.
West German officials confirm that the Nine
reached an understanding at their meeting of Novem-
ber 6 to take care of Dutch oil requirements. This
understanding is clearly both temporary and fragile
as well as dependent on continuing events in the
Middle East. The idea would be to handle the prob-
lem, as necessary, "under the table."
? The Kuwait Minister for Oil, who reiterated on
November 6 that no Arab oil would be shipped to the
Netherlands, indirectly warned other EC members
against helping the Dutch. He pointed out that
overall supplies would be limited and implied that
the Arabs would react harshly toward those who pub-
licly defied the embargo. He said, however, that
he doubted the Arabs would investigate undercover
shipments.
The Saudis, meanwhile, have told Rome that
Italy is impeding the Arab oil embargo against the
United ?States by fueling Sixth Fleet vessels. Rome
interprets the Saudi demarche as a threat that Italy
is in danger of being added to the Arab oil embargo
list. While the Sixth Fleet has in fact been fueled
at sea since the Middle, East war began, the 'Saudis
could focus on refueling after the fleet returns to
port. ? This could raise the issue of a possible Arab
embargo on fuel for NATO forces. Fuel for the Sixth
Fleet is provided essentially under NATO agreements
and in one case actually comes from NATO stocks.
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PAKISTAN - NORTH KOREA - ARAB STATES
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CAMBODIA
? Ieng Sary, the Khmer Communists' "special envoy"
in Peking, who has kept close tabs on Sihanouk for
the Communists for the past two years, is returning
to Cambodia via Hanoi. Neither Sihanouk nor his
"prime minister," Penn Nouth, attended Sary's fare-
well banquet in Peking on November 8--another clear
sign of the tension between Sihanouk and the Khmer
Communists.
Sary's departure undoubtedly is related to Si-
hanouk's announcement yesterday that all of the port-
folios of his "government" will be transferred to
cadre within Cambodia. Sihanouk also indicated that
his in-country "defense minister," Khieu Samphan,
will serve as "acting prime minister" until Penn
Nouth returns to Cambodia. Sihanouk said that all
that will remain of his "government" in Peking will
be a small mission--presumably headed by himself--
to receive foreign diplomats.
Sihanouk first floated the idea of moving his
"government" to Cambodia last month, stating that
it would help remove the exile stigma from his Pe-
king-based operation. At the time, the Prince indi-
cated that the initiative had come from him rather
than from the Khmer Communists, and that it had been
accompanied by his offer to step aside in favor of
a Khmer Communist leader. Under the new arrangement,
however, Sihanouk is to remain as "chief of state."
Whether this means that the Prince has gained ground
with the Khmer Communists on the negotiations ques-
tion is still uncertain.
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FRANCE
The French plan their initial deployment of the
Pluton tactical nuclear missile system next spring.
According to press reports, an artillery regiment
of the Eighth Mechanized Division headquarters at
Compiegne will be the first French unit to be equipped
with the missile. This regiment now has the US-built
Honest John tactical nuclear weapon system.
The Pluton is designed to provide nuclear fire
support at the corps and division level. The missile
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NOTES
USSR-China: The Peking border talks have en-
tered their fifth year, but the chief Soviet nego-
tiator, Deputy Foreign Minister Ilichev, has been
back in Moscow since mid-July.
The Soviets may eventually name
a new delegation chief of lower rank.
Uganda: In an angry reaction to the announce-
.1-nent that the US Embassy in Kampala will close,
President Amin accused the approximately 200 Ameri-
cans still in Uganda of being spies and saboteurs
and said "the sooner they leave the country, the
better." Amin issued lists of remaining Americans
to the military and requested security officials to
watch them closely. While Amin's statement suggests
he will not cause trouble for any Americans who want
to leave, undisciplined Ugandan Army troops could
take some actions against them.
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Top Secret
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