THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 26 JULY 1974

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006007775
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: July 26, 1974

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The President's Daily Brief
July 26, 1974
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declassification schedule of E.O. I 1652
exemption category 5B( I
declassified only on approval of
Me Director of Central Intelligence
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
July 26, 1974
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
Libya
USSR. (Page 1)
Cyprus was relatively quiet yesterday, although the
Turks continued to bring in reinforcements. The
Geneva talks on the Cyprus issue began last night
as scheduled. (Page 2)
France is engaged in a thorough review of defense
policy, which could lead to "certain changes in di-
rection," according to Defense Minister Souff let.
/ (Page 3)
The British Labor government's political commitment
to re-examine Britain's participation in the EC ap-
parently was behind London's opposition this week
to anew EC common energy policy. (Page 4)
Soviet President Podgorny, during his recent visit
to Mogadiscio, reportedly offered Somalia some aid
to reduce the burden of high petroleum prices.
(Page 5)
In Ethiopia, the military is still moving gradually
to circumscribe Haile Selassie's power. The army is
also taking care to prevent widespread reverence for
the Emperor from interfering with the military's
plans. (Page 6)
A note on Laos appears on Page 7.
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LIBYA-USSR
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CYPRUS
Cyprus was relatively quiet yesterday.
Turkish armored columns also moved out to as-
sist the inhabitants of some Turkish Cypriot villages
northeast of Nicosia that had been abandoned or had
surrendered to Greek Cypriot forces over the past
few days.
In a call to the US ambassador, the senior UN
representative on Cyprus asked for "Great Power" help
in halting the Turkish advance. The UN has been un-
able to establish liaison with Turkish army forces
on the island.
Greek, Turkish, and British representatives met
in Geneva last night. Their initial talks were de-
voted largely to procedural matters, although the
Greeks and Turks traded accusations of cease-fire
violations. The Greek foreign minister insisted that
the Geneva conference should be strictly limited to
implementation of the Security Council cease-fire
resolution. His Turkish counterpart advocated broad-
ening its scope to encompass questions of the future
political organization of Cyprus.
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FRANCE
Paris is engaged in a thorough review of its
defense policy, which could lead to "certain changes
in direction," according to Defense Minister Souf-
flet. In a recent conversation with Ambassador
Irwin, Soufflet said France's economic problems
may make it necessary to reduce defense expenditures.
The government, he said, may be forced to set new
priorities among France's ambitious technological
programs in both military and civilian fields--in-
cluding nuclear weapons, missiles, and the Concorde
aircraft.
According to an:Elysee -press announcement, Pres-
ident-Giscard will devote all next week to the re-
view; Soufflet suggested that the review may go on
for several months.
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EUROPEAN COMMUNITY
The British Labor government's political commit-
ment to re-examine Britain's participation in the EC
apparently was behind London's opposition this week
to anew EC common energy policy. The British may
block progress by the community in other new areas
as well.
The Labor government probably also opposed the
EC energy policy because many voters fear Britain
would be deprived of control over its North Sea oil
resources as a result of a joint energy strategy.
Although British officials emphasize that London
remains committed to the work of the Energy Coordi-
nating Group established last February in Washington,
the British action was a setback.
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USSR-SOMALIA
Soviet President Podgorny, during his recent
visit to Mogadiscio, reportedly offered Somalia aid
to reduce the burden of high petroleum prices. So-
malia would use the proceeds from the sale of $4
million of Soviet commodities, made available under
a new agreement, to subsidize domestic oil prices.
Moscow will also provide the country's military es-
tablishment with 50,000 tons of oil during the next
three years as grant aid.
Nevertheless, the USSR, which supplies 75 per-
cent of Somalia's total oil imports of about 2,000
barrels per day, refused to lower the prices of So-
viet oil products. At current prices, Soviet oil
will cost Mogadiscio about $8 million this year,
compared with only $2.6 million in 1973. Most of
this difference will be covered by the Soviet sub-
sidy, placing Moscow in the position of giving with
one hand but taking away with the other.
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ETHIOPIA
The Armed Forces Coordinating Committee, the
politically dominant force in Ethiopia, continues to
move to circumscribe Haile Selassie's power. At the
same time, the military is trying to prevent wide-
spread reverence for the Emperor from interfering
with the military's plans.
Meanwhile, the armed forces committee has taken
steps to assure the rural population that the mili-
tary has no designs against the Emperor himself.
Thus far, the committee has been successful in coun-
tering attempts by provincial aristocrats to stir up
the peasants. For his part, the 82-year-old Emperor
appears willing to accept figurehead status.
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ROTE
Laos: Yesterday's cabinet meeting, which fo-
cused on the country's deteriorating financial con-
dition, was the first since Prime Minister Souvanna's
heart attack on July 12. The meeting was chaired
jointly by non-Communist Deputy Prime Minister Leuam
Insisiengmay and Pathet Lao counterpart Phoumi Vong-
vichit.
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