THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 29 MARCH 1973

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005993783
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: March 29, 1973

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
The President's Daily Brief
29 March 1973
45
Top Secrt25xi
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
Exempt from general
declassification scheduk of E.O. 1165?
exemption category 58 (11(21.13)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
w
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
EYES ONLY FOR THE PRESIDENT
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20505
(77- -
L. L...
March 29, 1973
EYES ONLY FOR THE PRESIDENT
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
2bAl
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14: CIA-RDP79T00936A0115-00010078-4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
29 March 1973
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
The South Vietnamese Government has taken a signifi-
cant step toward reconciliation with the An Quang
Buddhists, the country's most important non-Commu-
nist opposition group. (Page 1)
The political situation in Phnom Penh seems to have
stabilized for the time being. Sink Matak remains
under house arrest, but no new arrests have been
reported this week. (Page 2)
The Chinese have completed extensive parts of a
long, all-weather road from Kun-ming to Laos.
(Page 3)
In the Philippines, pro-Chinese Communists are
trying to establish links with Muslim dissidents
in the south. (Page 4)
Turkey still lacks an elected successor to President
Sunay. Tekin Ariburun, presiding officer of the
upper house, became acting president today. (Page 5)
Moscow's recent $190-million credit for Iran's
Isfahan steel mill and associated facilities raises
Soviet aid for the project to more than a half bil-
lion dollars. This is more than the USSR has ex-
tended for any other economic aid project. (Page 6)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14: CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
SOUTH VIETNAM
One of President Thieu's aides recently met
with Buddhist Senator Tran Quang Thuan to discuss
the possibility of putting up some Buddhist ?candi-
dates for the third segment of the Council of Na-
tional Reconciliation and Concord.
Thuan told the aide that An Quang's participa-
tion would be contingent on the Buddhists' having
a significant role in making the government "more
effective" for political competition with the Com-
munists. The two men discussed the names of sev-
eral possible candidates, but reached no decisions.
Although the government has not committed
itself to proposing any Buddhists for the
council, the action follows other recent
gestures toward reconciliation with the
An Quang movement, the country's most im-
portant non-Communist opposition group.
The move suggests that Saigon may intend
to propose some genuinely independent
anti-Communist candidates for the third
segment of the council0
the government might
put forth only its sympathizers, in the
expectation that the Communists would do
the same.
1
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
25X1
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CAMBODIA
There are signs that the government crackdown
on civilian opposition elements has run its course
for the time being. No new arrests have been re-
ported this week.
,Former Democratic Party leader In Tam has said
that he believes that for now the government's at-
tention will stay focused on Sink Matak, who is
still under house arrest, and on his Republican
Party associates. In Tam does not rule out the
possibility, however, that the regime may yet move
against himself and the Democratic Party. One of
his sources has told him that Lon Non plans to exile
or jail all prominent opposition figures, including
Sink Matak and In Tam,
Lon Nol--aware of his younger brother's un-
popularity--may at last be thinking of reducing
Lon Non's authority, at least in appearance. A
few days ago, the President told a Cambodian Army
general that he would do "what is necessary" to
remove Lon Non from the government. Lon Non, mean-
while, has been putting out the word that he would
leave the government if that is what Lon Nol wants.
Such a shift would be primarily cosmetic
and would not lessen Lon Non's political
influence. It would help to reduce po-
litical tensions, however.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
Chinese Improve Road Access to Laos
554265 3-73 CI
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
25X1
25X1
----- i ---
Declassified n Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14: CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
CHINA-LAOS
The Chinese have completed extensive parts of
an approximately 300-mile, all-weather road from
Kun-ming to Laos,
that the road runs due south from a major rail-to-
road transshipment point west of Kun-ming to Meng-la
near the Laos border.
Meng-la is the hub of the Chinese-built
roadnets that cross into extreme northern
and northwestern Laos. The Kun-ming to
Meng-la road system has been under con-
struction for over a year, The finished
parts of the system are dual Zane, with
permanent stream crossings and .oiled sur-
facing. Since 19653 the Chinese have
steadily improved almost all their roads
near their lengthy southwestern frontier.
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
25X1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14: CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
PHILIPPINES
The pro-Chinese Communist party has report-
edly ordered its Muslim members to return immedi-
ately to their home areas in the southern islands.
Some 35 have already left the Manila area with in-
structions to penetrate dissident groups or, fail-
ing this, to establish links with the Muslims.
Past attempts to cultivate the anti-gov-
ernment Muslims have foundered on tradi-
tional Muslim hostility toward the Commu-
nists. The recent fighting and the ap-
pearance of younger, more militant Muslim
leaders has apparently encouraged the Com-
munists to try again.
Acting independently, neither the Commu-
nist insurgent force in northern Luzon
nor the Muslims pose a major threat to
the government. The Communists may even-
tually be able to develop contacts with
the southern Muslims, however, and some
agreement might be reached on common anti-
government efforts. Coordinated action
could strain the Philippine Government's
ability to cope with widespread dissidence,
This possibility underlines the need for
Manila to defuse the Muslim problem as
soon as possible,
4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
TURKEY
Tekin Ariburun, Justice Party member and pre-
siding officer of the upper house, became acting
president today; he will serve until parliament
elects a successor to President Suhay. The next
round of voting is scheduled for March 30. ?Party
leaders reportedly are still far apart on how to
proceed.
The military will oppose any extended
term for Ariburun. Air force commander
at the time of the May. 1960 military
coup, Ariburun refused to join the junta
and was imprisoned for more than a year.
The military's dislike of Ariburun was
compounded by his outspoken criticism
of the military intervention in politics
in March 1971.
Air force jets made repeated flights
over the parliament building yesterday
while the legislators were meeting.
Such flights have been used in the past
to warn the politicians that the mili-
tary's patience was wearing thin.
5
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
Declassified in Pa-rt - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14: CIA-RDP79T00936-A011500010078-4
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
NOTE
USSR-Iran: Soviet agreement to provide an ad-
ditional $190 million for Iran's Isfahan steel mill
and associated facilities raises Soviet aid for the
project to more than a half billion dollars. This
is more than Moscow has extended for any other eco-
nomic aid project. With total Soviet aid commit-
ments of nearly $800 million, Iran ranks fourth
among less-developed countries receiving Soviet
economic aid. The new credit will help triple the
annual capacity of the Isfahan mill to almost 2 mil-
lion tons by 1975. Eventually the mill will pro-
duce 4 million tons annually. Iran pays for Soviet
aid chiefly through exports of natural gas.
6
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4
Top Secret
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/06/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011500010078-4