THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 21 SEPTEMBER 1971

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005992872
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: September 21, 1971

Declassified in 'Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A009900190001-8
The President's Daily Brief
21 September 1971
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Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A009900190001-8
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A009900190001-8
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
21 September 1971
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Chinese Communists( //
i (Page 1)
Further steps by Islamabad toward increasing civilian
influence in the government are unlikely to appease
the East Pakistanis. (Page 2)
Ky and Big Minh may try to form an antigovernment
front in South Vietnam. (Page 3)
// (Page 4)
Heath and Mintoff have agreed on the procedures and
timing for negotiating a new British defense arrange-
ment with Malta. (Page 5)
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COMMUNIST CHINA
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PAKISTAN
The government has announced that by-elections
will be held from 25 November through 9 December to
fill East Pakistan's vacant seats in the national
and provincial assemblies.
The seats to be filled in the by-elections
became vacant last month when Pakistan's
military rulers disqualified 79 of the 167
Awami League members elected to the Na-
tional Assembly and 195 of the League's
288 provincial assembly members.
President Yahya has also agreed to submit the
new constitution to be drawn up by the government to
the National Assembly for its consideration instead
of simply proclaiming it. The new procedures for
the constitution leave Yahya with a veto power over
changes recommended by the assembly. Also, if the
assembly fails to make its suggestions within 90
days, the government's draft automatically becomes
final.
These new measures follow Yahya's amnesty
for most insurgents and the appointment of
a civilian governor and cabinet. There is
little chance that any of these gestures
will make much of an impression on either
the East Pakistani populace or the leader-
ship of the Awami League. A large number
of potential legislators have already been
disqualified and many of the "acceptable"
candidates would probably refuse to take
up their legislative duties under these
arrangements.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SOUTH VIETNAM
Big Minh met with Ky last weekend and expressed
interest in Ky's plan for a "United National Front"
of all opposition groups,
Minh refused to give .a firm
commitment of support, but he said he was ready to
oppose Thieu actively and to work with Ky.- The im-
mediate.goal of Ky'$ :new. front will be to force,can-
cellation of the presidential election: on 3 October
through large-scale demonstrations.
Minh has been politically quiet since he
withdrew from the presidential election
last month, but he may have decided that
with overt opposition to Thieu growing,
he should try to play d more active'role
as an antigovernment leader-0. Personal
rivalries have blocked the creation of
similar coalitions in-the past, and could
hamper cooperation between Minh and Ky
now, but Minh could bring with him ele-
ments that probably would not join with
Ky by themselves.
Ky has been discussing his plans with
other antigovernment groups, and he hopes
his front cancoordinate the activities
of all groups opposed to Thieu.
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JAPAN
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MALTA-UK
In their talks on 18-19 September in London,
Heath and Mintoff agreed that financial terms of a
new defense arrangement are to be Worked out within
three months. Mintoff implied his acceptance of the
NATO cash aid offer--which the British hope can be
increased to $24 million--provided that. additional
bilateral aid from individual NATO countries is,ne
gotiated promptly. LondOn promised to pay half of
the annual UK-NATO package by 30 September-, subject
to NATO approval of these arrangements..
Mintoff agreed to renew distribution of duty-
free fuel to British forces on Malta and to restore
London's veto over third country military use of
Malta's airfields and harbors.
Mintoff told Heath that" regularvisits of the
US-Sixth Fleet, suspended in June, will be permitted,
but added that "very occasional" courtesy visits by
Soviet naval forces'wOuld be required to maintain
the island's neutrality. Hesaid that major serv-
icing of US combat vessels will not be possible be-
cause Malta's drydocks are being altered to handle
only commercial vessels
Mintoff apparently has decided that fur-
ther tough bargaining would not produce
abetter Western offer. In addition, his
concern over the quid pro quo that Libya
or the USSR might extract in return for
substantial aid could have inclined him
toward a settlement, with London. He will
very likely concentrate now on striking
the best possible bargain in bilateral
aid negotiations with NATO countries.
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T009-36A009900190001-8
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/18 : CIA-RDP79T00936A009900190001-8