THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 25 AUGUST 1975

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006014884
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: August 25, 1975

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The President's Daily Brief
August 25, 1975
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Exempt from general
declassification schedule of E.O. 11652
exemption category 5B(11.(21.(3)
declassified only on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
v.
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/14 : CIA-RDP79T00936A012700010064-6
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
August 25, 1975
Table of Contents
Portugal: President Costa Gomes last night dis-
avowed two presidential communiqugs issued
earlier in the day that had made it seem he
was backing Prime Minister Goncalves. The re-
versal has probably strengthened anti-commu-
nists in the military. (Page 1)
Portu5uese Timor: Indonesian President Suharto con-
tinues to hold in abeyance plans for military
intervention in Timor pending the outcome of
discussions with Lisbon. (Page 2)
Notes: Laos; Bahrain (Page 3)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
PORTUGAL
President Costa Gomes last night
disavowed two presidential communiques
issued earlier yesterday that had made
it appear he was backing Prime Minister
Goncalves. Whatever the reason for the
reversal, it would seem that the anti-
communist group in the military will
now be even more insistent in its de-
mands for Goncalves' removal.
Both communiques were released by the Commun-
ist-dominated propaganda service in the Armed Forces
General Staff. They could have been issued without
the President's authorization in an attempt by the
Communists to provide momentum for a last-ditch
effort to scuttle the efforts of the anti-communist
group and save Goncalves.
We cannot exclude the possibility, however,
that Costa Gomes authorized the communiques in an
effort to aggravate divisions in the anti-communist
camp. If so, it would seem that the scheme has
backfired.
The communiques, broadcast by the official
state radio and television stations before they
were retracted, reported decisions supposedly
reached earlier at a meeting of the ruling three-
man directorate and other key military figures.
They asserted that the Goncalves government must
continue in power, that the political program
supported by the anti-communist group led by Major
Antunes is unacceptable, and that firm action would
be taken against those instigating anti-communist
incidents throughout the country.
Over the weekend, Army Chief of Staff Fabiao--
who. has been selected by the anti-communist group
to replace Goncalves--issued an outspoken communique
of his own, which sounded very much like a bid to
rally public support for the move against Goncalves.
Fabiao, in an indirect criticism of the Prime Min-
ister, said it is wrong to label those who criticize
the revolution as reactionaries. He said the time
has now come to correct the mistakes of the revo-
lution.
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FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
PORTUGUESE TIMOR
President Suharto continues to hold
in abeyance plans for military interven-
tion in Timor pending the outcome of dis-
cussions with Lisbon aimed at obtaining
approval for Indonesia's stepping in to
restore order in the territory. Should
the situation reach chaotic proportions
in the meantime Suharto
will not wait.
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Lisbon has asked Indonesia only 25X1
for assistance in evacuating refugees from Timor.
Over 1,100 refugees, apparently including many
Portuguese military, were evacuated by a Norwegian
freighter over the weekend. Indonesia has a naval
vessel standing by to evacuate the staff of its own
and the Nationalist Chinese consulates. Jakarta is
hesitant to send the ship into Timorese waters, how-
ever, fearing that its appearance might be misunder-
stood in Lisbon.
Anticipating the possibility of intervention
without Portugal's express approval,
Jakarta's concern that conditions there may pose a
security threat to Indonesia.
Indonesia has no territorial ambi-
tions but only wants a smooth decolonization of
Portuguese Timor.
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NOTES
The mass rally during the weekend in Vientiane
celebrating the communist take-over of the Laotian
capital involved little anti-US rhetoric and no
anti-US demonstrations.
The designation of a communist administration
in the capital brings to an end, for all practical
purposes, joint administration of Laos. Prime Min-
ister Souvanna Phouma reportedly has become a tar-
get of criticism because he has not vigorously
backed communist policies and programs. We have
no evidence that the communists intend to remove
Souvanna, but his position, along with those of
other noncommunist officials who remain in office,
may be in jeopardy unless he offers more active
support.
Bahrain's Prime Minister Khalifa resigned and
was reappointed in a matter of a few hours yester-
day, in an apparent ploy by Khalifa and Emir Isa,
the country's ruler, to rid themselves of the Na-
tional Assembly.
The two-year-old assembly has taken its re-
sponsibilities seriously and has been a constant
thorn in the side of Bahrain's ruling family. The
regime has also arrested some 30 leftist leaders.
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Top Secret
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