THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 13 AUGUST 1971

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005992803
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: August 13, 1971

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 .? CIA-RDP79T00936A009800110001-7
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The President's Daily Brief
13 August 1971
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Top Secret
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THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
13 August 1971
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Border clashes have caused a rupture in Syria's
? relations with Jordan. (Page 1)
Syria is evidently attempting to play a mediatory
role between Sudan and the USSR. (Page 2)
/Soviets)
/- (Page _3)
South Korea(
iChinese Communists. (Page 4)
Mintoff is still not satisfied, but London's more
conciliatory approach may bring agreement. (Page 5)
Bahrain's ruler says he will end his special pro-
tected relationship with the UK tomorrow and seek
UN membership. (Page 5)
The Arab Federation planning meeting has been re-
scheduled for 18 August and may include Numayri.
(Page 5)
The recent burning of a major opium refinery in
Laos apparently was a ruse. (Page 5)
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SYRIA-JORDAN
Cross-border clashes have prompted Syria to
break relations with? Jordan and to close its air
space to Jordanian planes. The Syrians charge that
a small Jordanian patrol--two tracked vehicles and
one jeep--crossed less than a mile into Syrian ter-
ritory on Wednesday and killed a Syrian at an obser-
vation post. Troops also traded fire across the
border yesterday.
Incidents across the border are frequent.
Units of the Palestine Liberation Army are
regularly stationed near the Syrian border
town of Daraa, and some Syrian Army units
were moved to the border area last month,
possibly to keep the fedayeen troops under
control. On their side, the Jordanians
have concentrated troops as a defense
against fedayeen incursions. Fedayeen
firing across the border has been met by
Jordanian reprisal shellings and each side
has strayed into the other's territory on
occasion.
Syria's motives for publicizing the recent
incidents and citing them as a pretext for
stern measures against Jordan are unclear.
Damascus may be trying to refurbish its
pro-Palestinian-image., which has been tar-
nished by its quiet cooperation with Jor-
dan in restraining the fedayeen.
The Syrians may also be hoping to one-up
the Egyptians. An-Egyptian-Saudi nego-
tiating team is now in Amman with a peace
plan?blessed by Cairo--that would give
the fedayeen virtually nothing, although
paying Zip service to previous agreements
"guaranteeing" them some freedom of activ-
ity.
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SYRIA-USSR-SUDAN
The Syrian vice president and foreign minister ar-
rived in Khartoum on 11 August after spending two
days in the USSR. While in Moscow, the Syrians met
with Acting Foreign Minister Kuznetsov and with a
high-ranking Soviet party official responsible for
relations with the nonruling Communist parties abroad.
The timing of the visits strongly suggests that the
Syrians are trying--at Moscow's behest--to ease the
tensions that have disrupted Soviet-Sudanese rela-
tions and damaged the Soviet image throughout the
Middle East.
Sensitive about the Syrian visit, Numayri has'pub-
licly denied that it constitutes "mediation" between
his government and Moscow. After yesterday's dis-
cussions, however, the Sudanese deputy premier said
that Khartoum is "prepared to take positive steps"
to improve relations with the USSR and praised Soviet
support for the Arabs against Israel.
A Soviet Government minister in Moscow recently told
an Arab visitor that the USSR is also looking to
Egypt to help Moscow with its problem in the Sudan.
Apparently in response, the Egyptian press has put
emphasis on the theme that Soviet-Sudanese tensions
can only divide the Arab world and bring about a re-
duction of Soviet aid.
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USSR
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SOUTH KOREA - COMMUNIST CHINA
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Sheikhdom of BAHRAIN
Area: 230 sq. miles
plus group of smaller islands
Population: 210,000
Religion: Muslim
Language: Arabic
Government leader: Sheikh lsa
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MUSCAT AND
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GULF OF OMAN
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551767 8-71
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NOTES
Malta-UK: Mintoff is still not satisfied, but
London's more conciliatory approach and its offer of
an emergency cash payment tied only to a pledge to
negotiate "in good faith" may bring him around. An-
other factor favoring an agreement is Mintoff's lack
of a ready alternative., The Libyans have apparently
proved to be tough bargainers and the Soviets pre-
sumably would be reluctant to take on the large fi-
nancial commitment Malta is demanding from the West.
The Soviets, however, have made a friendly gesture
to Mintoff by offering to repair several merchant
ships in Maltese drydocks this year.
Bahrain: The ruler of Bahrain has informed
London that he intends to end his special protected
relationship with the UK tomorrow and to apply for
UN membership. Bahrain has been toying with a dec-
laration.of independence since June, but it-has hes-
itated to. take the plunge because of Saudi Arabia's
refusal to acquiesce. King Faysal-the patriarch of
the Arabian peninsular states--has no direct wayto
block-Bahraini-independence, but his indirect influ-
ence on the tiny sheikhdoms of the area is already
strong and. will become even more so after the British
withdrawal, which.is to.take place before the end of
this year. Concern over what- Faysal might do could
cause the Bahrainis to reverse or defer-their deci-,
sion.
Arab Federation: The planning meeting of the
proposed federation, which had been scheduled to
convene in Damascus yesterday, was put off at the
last minute until 18 August. Sadat, Qadhafi, and
Asad will lead their respective delegations. Con-
trary to earlier indications, it now appears that
Khartoum will send a high-level group to the plan-
ning meeting, possibly including Numayri.
Laos: That major. opium refinery 'deliberately
destroyed in. northwest Laos last month (see The Pres-
ident's Daily Brief of 27 July) was apparently burned
as a ruse by.. operators who, anticipated a Lao Govern-
ment crackdown. Opium operations have since begun
at- a new facility' nearby. Former. Lao armed forces
chief General:Ouan Rathikoun remains deeply involved
in the opium. operationsin this area. He is said to
have tipped off' smugglers to the government's sup-
pressive plans. Other Vientiane authorities seem to
be trying to gain greater controls over the ethnic
Chinese 'in. northwest. some of whom- are' engaged
in the narcotics trade.
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