THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 13 MARCH 1976

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006015054
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: March 13, 1976

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013200010019-0
The President's Daily Brief
March 13, 1976
2
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013200010019-0
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013200010019-0
Exempt from general
declassification uhedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B( I
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
? Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013200010019-0
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy ApprovedToTefe-a-s-e-261-6707/1-9-bIA--RDP79T00936A013200010019-0
March 13, 1976
Table of Contents
Lebanon: The country's military, political, and re-
ligious leaders are coming to a consensus that
President Franjiyah must step down. (Page 1)
France-Somalia-Ethiopia: President Giscard has de-
cided to move more quickly than had been antic-
ipated to grant independence to the French Ter-
ritory of the Afars and Issas. (Page 2)
Egypt-USSR: President Sadat has told our ambassador
that Secretary Brezhnev has flatly refused a
new request to replace Egyptian equipment lost
during the 1973 war. (Page 4)
Notes: Thailand; Nigeria (Page 5)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013200010019-0
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LEBANON
Most military, political, and relig-
ious leaders have tentatively agreed that
President Franjiyah must step down. Par-
liament is scheduled to meet today to ap-
prove a formula for a "'legal" resignation.
Brigadier Ahdab apparently has decided to allow
the politicians time to work out some face-saving
procedure in order to win the all-important support
of the right-wing Christian Phalanges Party.
The President apparently recognizes that his
support is eroding. At the same time, Christian po-
litical leaders are recognizing that Ahdab has the
cooperation of most Christian officers in the army
high command and is not proposing a revolutionary
program that would threaten Christian interests.
If parliament proves unable to agree on a po-
litical solution to the crisis, however, or if Fran?
jiyah balks, Ahdab will be likely to go ahead with
his announced plan to establish a "military command
council."
Israeli leaders met yesterday to evaluate the
situation. We believe they will remain passive
unless a change in Lebanon appears to affect the
security of Israel's border or the safety of Israeli
settlements.
For its part, Syria is likely to try to facili-
tate resolution of the political crisis in Beirut
and to keep order in southern Lebanon to deny Is-
rael an excuse to intervene. Damascus has adopted
a publicly neutral position in the Ahdab-Franjiyah
dispute, although Syrian officials hope to see Ahdab
succeed.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013200010019-0
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013200010019-0
The Horn of Africa
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