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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A01 1900010016-8 ~~ pee rs The President’s Daily Brief . 19 December 1973 49 25X11 Top-Seceet Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011900010016-8 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011900010016-8 ve we, . “ Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011900010016-8 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011900010016-8 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY © THE PRESIDENT’S DAILY BRIEF December 19, 1973 PRINCIPAL DEVELOPMENTS Syria's refusal to attend the Geneva Middle East peace conference which begins Friday heightens chances for renewed hostilities on the Golan front. Egypt's reaction, however, seems to hold out some | 25X1 possibility that Syria may be persuaded to attend if early progress is made. Egyptian nervousness over 25X14 possible Israeli air raids. (Page 1) Hijackers of the Lufthansa aircraft Peak Rome may be members of the dissident Fatah - Black See PASNDEe group. based in Tripoli. (Page 2) The opening round of negotiations on force reduc- tions in Europe was largely a probing exercise that indicated areas of conflict and potential compromise. (Page 3) Soyuz: 73% launched yesterday with two cosmonauts aboard, appears to be operating normally. (Page 4) “Notes on cutbacks of Arab oil to Caribbean refiner- ies and Denmark's new minority goveronene appear on Page 5. FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011900010016-8 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011900010016-8 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY ARAB STATES - ISRAEL - Syria's announcement yesterday that it would not participate in the Geneva conference which be- gins Friday reflects the ingrained convictions of some Syrian leaders that productive negotiations with Israel are still not possible. By casting doubt on prospects for quickly at- taining Arab goals through negotiation, the announce- ment heightens chances for renewed hostilities on the Golan front, where Syrian forces were alerted and reinforced last week. Moreover, the recent Egyp- tian military buildup and positioning of air force units suggest the possibility of Egypt and Syria advancing their timetable for applying military pressure on Israel to withdraw from Arab territory. Official Egyptian reaction to Syria's decision still held out: hope that the Syrians could be per- suaded to attend the conference if early progress were made. Cairo's statement expressed understand- ing of the "fear and suspicion that have forced" Syria not to attend the conference. However, it emphasized that significant progress during the early meetings could open the way for Syria and other Arabs to contribute positively to the peace effort. But, Cairo warned, Israeli stalling would force the Arabs to resume the armed struggle. . According to press reports from Geneva, Israeli officials reaffirmed Israel's agreement to attend the conference, despite the Syrian decision. 25X11 25X11 Despite Egyptian nervousness, few cease-fire violations were noted yesterday. UN observers re- ported antiaircraft fire near Fayid on the west bank of the Great Bitter Lake, and several heavy explo- sions were heard north of Suez City. According to Jerusalem Domestic Service, no cease- fire violations occurred on the Syrian front. FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011900010016-8 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011900010016-8 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY So | | FEDAYEEN { The hijackers of the Lufthansa aircraft from Rome. airport are apparently members of a dissident Fatah - Black September group based in Tripoli, Libya. The group is headed by Ahmad Abd al-Ghaffur, a Fatah. member but a critic of Fatah chief Yasir Arafat. | { there is no in- dication of Libyan complicity in this operation.» 25X11 The hijackers' demand for the release by the Greek Government of two imprisoned Palestinians who staged a terrorist attack at Athens airport last August suggests that the hijackers were oper- ating under the guidance of Abd al-Ghaffur, who is thought to have planned and supervised the Athens incident. Prior to that incident Abd al-Ghaffur , 29X11 was said to be planning attacks for both Rome and Athens. 25x11 A principal purpose of the current hijacking apparently was to disrupt the peace conference in Geneva. Abd al-Ghaffur in early 1973 was said to -have agreed to coordinate his operations with of- ficials of the Popular Front for the Liberation of. Palestine, whose head, George Habbash, has publicly opposed participation by the Palestine Liberation . Organization in. the conference. 25X11 25X11 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY ‘Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011900010016-8 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011900010016-8 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY 25X11 MBFR 25X11 25X14 25X11 “Le 2 5X1. | 25X11 25X11 25X1_ 25X11 25X11 25X11 25X11 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011900010016-8 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011900010016-8 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY USSR Soyuz 13, launched yesterday from Tyuratam with two cosmonauts aboard, appears to be operating nor- mally. The Soviet manned space program has been plagued by a variety of problems which could affect the joint Apollo-Soyuz mission scheduled for 1975. One objec- tive of the current flight may be to test new com- ponents added to the spacecraft for this joint mission. The orbits of Soyuz 13 and Cosmos 613, an unmanned. ‘spacecraft launched earlier, are significantly dif- ferent, indicating that no rendezvous or docking operations are planned. : FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY " Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011900010016-8 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011900010016-8 FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY NOTES Caribbean Oil: The embargo of crude. oil‘ by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to all major refineries in the Caribbean, Libya's cutback on shipments to some refineries, and Libya's embargo to the one in the Virgin Islands--all effective in early November--. stand to reduce the inflow of Arab crude to the area by about 80 percent. Heretofore, about 25 percent of the Caribbean's supply of crude oil. has come from these three countries. Output of the Caribbean re- fineries is now beginning to reflect these cutbacks. US imports of petroleum products from the Caribbean, which amounted to 1.3 million barrels per day during the first six months of 1973, may soon be reduced by as much as 18 percent. . Denmark: The minority government of Moderate Liberal leader Poul Hartling enjoys, at least in- © itially, relatively broad parliamentary approval. | Over the longer term, however, support from the fragmented parliament is uncertain. As a result, the government may attempt only moderate domestic reforms aimed at slowing inflation and modifying the tax structure. Little innovation is likely in foreign policy, particularly as regards relations with NATO and the EC. FOR THE PRESIDENT ONLY Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A01 1900010016-8 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011900010016-8 Top Secret Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2016/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00936A011900010016-8