THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF 23 APRIL 1976

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: President's Daily Brief 1969-1977
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0006015090
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: August 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2016
• Publication Date: April 23, 1976

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013300010021-6
The President's Daily Brief
April 23, 1976
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013300010021-6
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/07/19 : CIA-RDP79T00936A013300010021-6
Exempt from general
declauification schedule of ED. 11652
exemption categoty.512(1),(2).(3)
declassified on161 on approval of
the Director of Central Intelligence
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(J JX I LI L 1 IX 1.2. iJ .1 LJL1 V I LII V L.
April 23, 1976
Table of Contents
Lebanon: Palestine Liberation Army troops, under the direction
of the tripartite truce committee, have reportedly assumed
control of Beirut's commercial district. (Page 1)
USSR:
I (Page 2)
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USSR: The Lenin anniversary celebration yesterday was the occa-
sion for the first ceremonial appearance of the Soviet lead-
ership since the end of the party congress early last month.
(Page 4)
Notes: USSR (Novaya Zemlya); USSR (attack submarine) (Page 5)
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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11,1/.4 RAT
1-111,14
MEDITERRAA'EAN
BEIRUT
Masna
?
*DAMASCUS
559662 4-76
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PVIC 1 IIC r EJILLINI U1 VL,
LEBANON: Palestine Lib-
eration Army troops,
under the direction of
the tripartite truce
committee, have report-
edly assumed control of
Beirut's commercial dis-
trict. They have begun
taking up positions in
the disputed area be-
tween Muslim and Chris-
tian sections of the
city.
In addition to the PLA troops op-
erating in Beirut, a 500-man spe-
cial force drawn mainly from Fatah
is being used against Muslim and
Palestinian truce violators. The
force has met stiff resistance
from leftist forces.
The main problem is the continuing
exchange of artillery fire between
Christian and Muslim suburbs of
the capital. Under the terms of
the truce agreement, Palestinian
forces are not permitted to enter
Christian areas and, therefore,
cannot stop the shelling.
President Franjiyah's representa-
tives returned from Damascus yes-
terday with assurances that Presi-
dent Asad has made no secret com-
mitments to the Palestinians. US
embassy sources believe this will
clear the way for Franjiyah to
sign the constitutional amendment
permitting election of his suc-
cessor.
In the south, a battle between sol-
diers from the renegade Muslim
army and Christian troops based
at Qulayah reportedly drew fire
from the Israelis. Qulayah is
only four kilometers from the Is-
raeli border. The leader of the
rebel Muslim troops had been coop-
erating with Syria in trying to
enforce the cease-fire, but appar-
ently triggered the fighting when
he refused to allow food supplies
to reach the Christian outpost.
The Syrian forces that were sent
to Lebanon's eastern border area
two weeks ago appear prepared to
stay indefinitely if necessary.
1
--continued
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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rixrdowiLiv I V/ V
On the Syrian side of the border,
they have set up field camps and
have established a logistic sys-
tem to Damascus.
Syrian forces in eastern Lebanon
reportedly are remaining in place
but are no longer patrolling the
Bekaa Valley. Relations between
the Syrians and the local popula-
tion are poor.
2
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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fun inc 1-1kE,OLIJE,iv i l// V L. /
* * *
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3
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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F WC 1 IlL E 1XE .11./ .1 V .1 If] V L. .1
USSR: The Lenin anni-
versary celebration yes-
terday was the occasion
for the first ceremo-
nial appearance of the
Soviet leadership since
the end of the party
congress early last
month. During the past
six weeks, more than
half of the Moscow-
based full members of
the Politburo have been
away from the Kremlin
for extended periods of
rest and recuperation.
General Secretary Brezhnev spent
at least five weeks at a sanato-
rium. President Podgorny, senior
party secretary Suslov, Minister
of Defense Grechko, Foreign Minis-
ter Gromyko, and Moscow party boss
Grishin were away from their of-
fices for periods ranging from ten
days to three weeks. Even Premier
Kosygin, who maintained a normal
work schedule, for two weeks spent
his nights at a VIP sanatorium
near Moscow.
The only leaders missing from the
ceremonies yesterday were party
secretary Kirilenko and party Con-
trol Committee chairman Pelshe,
who had been among the stalwarts
minding the office and may now be
taking their own vacations.
Andropov, chairman of the KGB and
a member of the Politburo, deliv-
ered the Lenin anniversary address.
He criticized indirectly your pol-
icy of "peace through strength"
and commented further on the chal-
lenge posed to the Soviet party by
West European communists. Andro-
pov's rhetoric was both relatively
restrained and conventionally
phrased.
4
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E., .1% L. LiVi V.( V
NOTES
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A new attack submarine
was seen on satellite
photography of the Se-
verodvinsk shipyard com-
plex in the northwestern
USSR in early April.
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The new submarine appears similar
to the Soviet A-class nuclear unit.
5
FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY
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Top Secret
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