THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 29 JANUARY 1973

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993728
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: January 29, 1973

Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010024-3
The President's Daily Brief
29 January 1973
45
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
29 January 1973
:PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Sharp fighting persists in South Vietnam as both
sides maneuver to improve their holdings. (Page 1)
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Moscow and its Warsaw Pact allies state that they
plan to send delegations to Vienna on Wednesday for
preparatory talks on force reductions, and that they
would defer until then the question of inviting
other nations. (Page 3)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
VIETNAM
Sharp fighting continues throughout the country-
side as both government and Communist forces maneuver
to improve their territorial holdings. Most action
since the official cease-fire has resulted from South
Vietnamese efforts to roll back enemy gains made just
before the deadline.
Some of the heaviest fighting centers on the
provincial capital of Tay Ninh, where Communist
forces apparently control portions of the city as
well as stretches of the roads linking it with Saigon.
Government defenders, with the help of reinforcements
and substantial South Vietnamese air and artillery
support, have recaptured several nearby hamlets that
were lost on Saturday.
Government forces in the Saigon area have made
some "progress retaking hamlets and villages. The
main highway connecting the capital with the populous
delta region has been reopened. In Chuong Thien Prov-
ince, where portions of two district capitals appar-
ently were overrun early in the weekend, all five
capitals are now in government hands.
In the northern half of the country, fighting
'has been heaviest along coastal Route 1, notably in
Binh. Dinh and Quang Ngai provinces. Several district
capitals were shelled, and Communist and government
forces are still battling for control of Sa Huynh.
In the central highlands street fighting was reported
in Da Lat, and some Viet Cong flags were observed
in Pleiku City. Kontum City remains isolated and
several provincial and district centers are cut off
by Communist roadblocks. On the government side,
South Vietnamese Marines apparently recaptured a
navy base at the mouth of the Cua Viet River in
Quang Tri Province just prior to the cease-fire
hour, despite a heavy North Vietnamese artillery
barrage.
Much of the current fighting on the part
of the South Vietnamese appears aimed at
countering moves by Communist local forces
to seize key road junctions and bridges
that can be used to stop movement between
government-held areas.
South
Vietnamese forces had been ordered to re-
claim such areas even if it required
fighting after the cease-fire deadline.
Intercepts show that the Communists are
similarly under orders to resist govern-
ment efforts to reoccupy lost ground or
encroach on formerly "liberated" areas.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CHINA-JAPAN
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
FORCE REDUCTION TALKS
Moscow and its Warsaw Pact allies have replied
to NATO that they plan to send delegations to Vienna
on 31. January for preparatory talks on mutual force
reductions. .The Pact reply proposes that the ques-.
tion.of inviting other states to participate be de-
cided at these discussions. The note specified,
however, thatactual reductions be negotiated only
by states whose territory and forces are directly
involved.
The Soviets added orally that Romania and Bul-
garia would be coming to the preparatory talks but
would revert to observer status if it is decided
that the area for reduction should not include these
two states. Moscow reiterated its view that neutrals
who so desire should eventually be permitted to par-
ticipate in some capacity.
The Pact proposal to include neutrals in
the force reduction talks has had the un-
intended effect of increasing support
among neutral and Western countries for
dealing with broad military issues at the
Conference on Security and Cooperation in
Europe. Most neutral states think that
if there is to be a general discussion of
force reduction issues, it might as well
take place at the CSCE while actual troop
cuts ar negotiated in the other conference.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010024-3
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-R-DP79T00936A011500010024-3
I
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010024-3