THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 30 DECEMBER 1975

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006014991
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: December 30, 1975

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The President's Daily Brief
December 30, 1975
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category., 513(1),(2)(3)
declassified ontsi on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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aammemmi I
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December 30, 1975
? Table ' of ' Contents 25X1
USSR-An ola -Cuba:
(Page
Spanish Sahara: Morocco is continuing to extend
and consolidate its control of northern Span-
ish Sahara. (Page 3)
Notes: Indonesia - Portuguese Timor; USSR-China;
USSR-Turkey; India (Pages 5 and 6)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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USSR-ANGOLA-CUBA
The Popular Movement may be using
Soviet-made jet aircraft in a combat
role. Because of the recent stalemate
in the fighting, the introduction of
modern combat aircraft could have a
substantial impact on the course of
the conflict.
Since the Soviet airlift to
Angola began on October 29, there have been
persistent rumors that Moscow
had delivered jet fighters to the Popular Movement.
(continued)
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SPANISH SAHARA
Morocco is continuing to extend and
consolidate its control of northern Span-
ish Sahara.
On December 28, a radio broadcast from Rabat
announced that Spain has transferred the military
air base and civilian airport at El Aaiun, the ter-
ritorial capital, to the Moroccan armed forces.
Madrid has virtually completed its withdrawal of
military and civilian personnel. The few remaining
troops will depart by mid-January, leaving behind a
diplomatic mission in El Aaiun and a small number
of "private policemen" to protect the mission.
Moroccan troops also control most of the towns
in the northern part of the disputed territory.
Last week the Moroccans took a group of journalists
and embassy press attaches on a tour of El Aaiun
and two northern towns to demonstrate their control
and to deflate the claims made by the Polisario
Front, the Saharan independence movement backed by
Algeria.
So far the Moroccans have avoided contesting
the Front's control of Mahbes, a town in the sensi-
tive northeastern tri-border area. Rabat probably
wants to consolidate its grip elsewhere before risk-
ing Algerian military intervention by conducting.
operations so close to the border.
In the southern border area of the disputed
territory, Mauritanian troops, aided by a Moroccan
unit, have made some headway against Polisario
guerrillas. After a week of fighting, the Front
was finally dislodged on December 19 from the Sa-
haran border town of Guera. The Mauritanians are
concerned about protecting a vital railroad that
runs parallel to the southern Saharan border.
Although unsuccessful in conventional fighting
with Moroccan and Mauritanian forces, the Polisario
guerrillas are capable of carrying out various har-
assin o erations.
Front guerrillas recently conducted mine-
aying operations in southern Morocco in an attempt
to disrupt Moroccan supply lines.
(continued)
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Morocco apparently is trying to prevent a fur-
ther deterioration of relations with Algeria over
Spanish Sahara. A senior Moroccan Foreign Ministry
official arrived in Algiers yesterday for talks with
Algerian President Boumediene. He is the second
Moroccan emissary in as many weeks to travel there.
Rabat's conciliatory efforts are unlikely to make
any headway, however, given Algeria's continuing
opposition to a Moroccan takeover in the Sahara and
its strong support of the Polisario Front.
The Algerians reportedly are reinforcing Tin-
douf, their major military base in the tri-border
area with Morocco and Sahara. Air travel into
southern Algeria has been restricted, especially
for foreigners. Despite this activity and the ac-
quisition of arms abroad, we doubt that Algeria is
preparing for a direct assault on Morocco or an in-
cursion into Spanish Sahara. Algiers' efforts prob-
ably are intended, for now at least, to exert psy-
chological pressure on Rabat and to give a lift to
the Polisario Front.
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_ _ _
NOTES
Indonesian troops began moving into the inte-
rior of Portuguese Timor last week.
Air and ground attacks have been launched
against Fretilin positions south of Dili and Baucau.
Rainy weather and stiff Fretilin resistance are
slowing the advance. The Indonesians have not been
able to take the Fretilin headquarters at Aileu,
Viqueque, or the coastal city of Suai. Meanwhile,
Jakarta is continuing to pour in large quantities
of supplies and reinforcements. Troop strength has
swelled to well over 25,000
The USSR thus far has reacted cautiously to
China's decision to release the three helicopter
crewmen.
Soviet media have carried only brief reports
on Peking's move and the arrival of the crew in
Moscow. Soviet embassy officials in Peking, how-
ever, are obviously pleased about the release, pro-
fessing to see in China's behavior a major concilia-
tory gesture. They told US officials that they were
surprised by the Chinese action and were particularly
struck by what they saw as an apologetic tone in the
announcement.
Soviet Premier Kosygin's good-will visit to
Turkey was short on substance, but it did improve the
atmosphere between Moscow and Ankara.
In the communique issued at the end of the
visit, the USSR and Turkey said they intend to pre-
pare a "political document" on friendly relations
and cooperation. This appears to be an attempt by
the Turks to sidestep Moscow's oft-made proposal
for a treaty of friendship and cooperation. It may
involve no more than a reiteration of the declara-
tion of principles the two sides signed during So-
viet President Podgorny's visit in 1972.
(continued)
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Indian Prime Minister Gandhi's Congress Party
has unanimously approved a resolution she endorsed
calling for an indefinite extension of the six-
month-old state of emergency and a one-year post-
ponement of parliamentary elections that were due
next March.
The party's two-thirds majority in parliament
ensures quick extension of the state of emergency
shortly after the next legislative session begins
on January 5. As long as the emergency remains in
effect, the present parliament can extend its own
life for successive one-year periods by a majority
vote.
The party also has called for a "thorough re-
examination" of the constitution to determine whether
it is responsive to "the needs of the people." This
proposal suggests that Gandhi next may push for con-
stitutional revisions aimed at permanently strengthen-
ing the powers of the executive branch at the expense
of the courts.
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Top Secret
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