THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 18 OCTOBER 1969

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0005977045
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: October 18, 1969

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/04/27 : CIA-RDP79T00936A007600160001-6
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The President's Daily Brief
18 October 1969
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF
18 October 1969
PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS
A member of the Soviet disarmament delegation in
Geneva has asked for the US delegation's assistance
in persuading Ambassador Roshchin to recommend joint
US-Soviet ratification of the NPT. (Page 1)
The Chinese Communists have issued their first com-
prehensive economic statement in three years. (Page 2)
The head of the Libyan junta has called for the evac-
uation of US and British bases. (Page 3)
The Ovando government nationalized Bolivian Gulf Oil 50X1
yesterday. (Page 5)
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The Soviets are improving their early warning radar
coverage of the Mediterranean. (Page 7)
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SOVIET AFFAIRS
The Soviet delegation to the Geneva disarmament
talks is urging Ambassador Roshchin to recommend to
Moscow that the US and the Soviets jointly ratify
the NPT "very soon," according to Timerbaev, the
number two man in the delegation. Timerbaev said
last Tuesday that it would be "extremely helpful"
if the US delegation could make its own pitch for
joint ratification, and if in addition the delega-
tion could explain that Soviet ratification would
be encouraging to the new West German government.
Timerbaev claimed that failure of the treaty
would be used by the Soviet military to justify more
effort against the West Germans. He said last week,
in fact, that failure 'would give powerful ammunition
to those Soviets who were not interested in joint
arms control efforts and would thereby reduce the
chances-for meaningful cooperation in other areas
of disarmament, including SALT.
Timerbaev strongly implied that he and he
delegation had developed this initiative
themselves, but there is little doubt that
a good many Soviets are concerned about
the NPT's prospects. The Soviets have
two inter-related worries: first, that
the West Germans (who in Soviet eyes have
always been the most important people to
be brought into the fold) will continue
to withhold their agreement; and second,
that the US is no longer pushing the
treaty as hard as Moscow would like.
Timerbaev seems to be trying to get some
movement in both these areas, and he is
holding out the possibility of earlier
Soviet ratification in order to do it.
We have no way of knowing whether any such
recommendation from Roshchin would get
very far in Moscow, but it is hard to be-
lieve that the Soviets would ratify the
treaty before Bonn even signed it. The
new West German Government is almost cer-
tain to sign the NPT in relatively short
order; formal ratification will take a
bit longer, however.
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COMMUNIST CHINA
The first comprehensive statement on the Chinese
economy in three years, broadcast on 13 October, urged
the simultaneous development of heavy industry, light
industry, and agriculture. There is no suggestion
of any change in the emphasis now being given to de-
velopment of modern weapons.
The statement is essentially pragmatic in
? tone. Private plots and other material
incentives are not condemned, for example,
and the continuation of the 1969 small-
plant construction program is stressed.
The promulgation of the statement--it was
also published in the theoretical journal
Red Flag--suggests the national leaders
believe the domestic situation has quieted
down enough to permit the resumption of
systematic economic planning.
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LIBYA
Junta leader Lt. Col. Qaddafi, in his first
public speech on 16 October, called for the evacua-
tion of UK and US military bases. The colonel's
speech was highly emotional, including a threat to
use force to "liberate" the bases if they were not
evacuated voluntarily.
Qaddafi's fiery speech may only have been
a ploy to generate popular support--de-
nouncing foreign bases is a time-honored
, crowd pleaser in the Middle East. The
omission of a time limit seems to fit such
a pattern. The junta's control of the
public is not very firm, however, and
Qaddafi may discover his rhetoric coming
back to haunt him. If the pressure be-
comes great enough, the Revolutionary
Council may be forced to renege on its
previously announced intention to allow
the US to remain at WheeZus until the ex-
piration of the base agreement in 1971.
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AUSTRALIA
Prime Minister Gorton's coalition has been
losing ground in public opinion'polls since August,
and next Saturday's election could go either way.
Gorton, however, has resumed the outspoken, no-holds-
barred political style that has served him so well
,during most of the past twenty years. As always,
local issues and personalities will affect the out-
come--factors that are generally unpredictable.
The continuation of Australia's present
foreign policy is perhaps the major issue
in the campaign. Gorton is forcefully
defending the allied presence in Vietnam
and the "forward defense" policy in Ma-
laysia and Singapore. If the Labor Party
takes over we can expect a reduction--if
not the complete withdrawal?of Australia's
contribution ?to the defense of Southeast
Asia. We can also expect a more querulous
approach to US-Australian relations and a
more questioning attitude toward US activ-
ities that affect Australia.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
BOLIVIA
The military seized the offices, installations,
and local manager of Bolivian Gulf yesterday after-
noon, and Ovando issued a decree nationalizing the
company, last night. The action followed a statement
issued earlier by Minister of Mines Marcelo Quiroga
which showed him to be incensed by the aovernment's
indecisiveness on the issue.
Quiroga had said,
"The government must decide between proving its na-
tionalist essence or being forced to retreat."
Quiroga is one of the cabinet's most vehe-
ment nationalists. When he went over
Ovando's head and appealed to popular sen-
timent,on the issue, Ovando apparently
lost whatever remained of his reluctance
to go ahead with nationalization.
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FRANCE
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NOTES
USSR: The Soviets are expanding their early
-warning radar system to cover the Polaris threat
from the Mediterranean. Satellite photography shows
a new "Hen House" radar under construction. near SI-
vaatopol in the Crimea. The control building ap-
pears complete, and construction has begun on the
antennas. The radar probably will be operational.
by1972, about the same time as the new Hen House
radars at Sary Shagan and Mishelevka, which are
located in the central end Far Eastern USSR respec-
tively.
Jordan:
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Top Secret
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