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Mar 4 94 All '74

000500

MEDIATE

MARCH 4, 1974

WEEKEND NEWS SUMMARY

(SAT. NETS, NO NBC SUN. DUE TO TENNIS; SAT., SUN WIRES; SUN, TRIB, NYNEWS, INQUIRER, STAR. COMMENT SEPARATE.)

2ND G-J REPORTEDLY IS READYING INDICTMENTS, TO BE RETURNED ABOUT MIDWEEK, IN ELLSBERG BURGLARY AND OTHER "PLUMBERS" ACTIVITIES. ...ALL OF 7 SAT. PAPERS REVIEWED W/BANNERS ON INDICTMENTS.

NWSWK. REPORTS JAWORKSI'S OFFICE DIDN'T SEEK INDICTMENTS

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AGAINST RN IN COVER-UP ONLY BECAUSE HE'S PRES. SECRET G-J REPORT SUGGESTS W/OUT SAYING SO THAT RN WAS INVOLVED, IT REPORTS, BUT WAS SENT TO SIRICA ALONG W/EVIDENCE RN AT LEAST KNEW OF HUSH-MONEY PAYMENTS AND POSSIBLY "WAS STRONGER THAN THAT -- STRONG ENOUGH TO ENMESH RN AS A KNOWING PARTY TO COVER-UP."

VP SAYS IF SEALED G-J REPORT CONTAINS EVIDENCE, "GOOD OR BAD," RE:RN'S ROLE, IT SHOULD GO TO JUDICIARY. VP ON FILM NOTED CONSTN. SAYS HOUSE IS BEST PLACE TO CONSIDER CHARGES AND THUS ANY EVIDENCE AVAILABLE SHOULD BE "PUT INTO THE MILL." BUT TO SPECULATE ON WHAT'S IN G-J REPORT IS "IRRESPONSIBLE." NBC'S NESSEN SAW VP TAKING "GREAT PAINS" TO KEEP HIS OUN REPUTATION "CLEAN."

SAYING SHE ENCOUNTERED TOO MUCH FRACTINALISM AND BITTERNESS, MEIR TOLD HER LABOR PARTY SHE COULDN'T FORM A NEW GOVT AND WOULD SUBMIT HER RESIGNATION. CBS ADDED ISRAEL DOES NOT THINK RESIGNATION WILL AFFECT PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.

CBS NOTED NVN WILL LET US OFFICIERS RECOVER BODIES OF 12 GIS SAID

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TO HAVE DIED IN BOMBING RAIDS.

MIDEAST

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<table><tr><td>ACTION</td><td>15-15</td></tr><tr><td>AMB</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>DCM</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>POL</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>POLMIL</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>ECON</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>CON</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>ADM</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>PER</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>B&amp;F</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>SY</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>CRO</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>COM</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>BAX</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>GSO</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>TR</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>RCO</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>USIS</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>OCA</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>LEGAT</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>DAO</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>MAAG</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>MLO</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>RDLB</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>RAFLO</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>MBT</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>AFPLD</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>EUPLD</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>POLAD</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>CRU</td><td></td></tr></table>

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MEIR'S LABOR PARTY VOTED 50-0 TO ACCEPT HER PROPOSED GOVT. AND FORM COMM. TO CONVINCE MEIR TO STAY ON AS PM. ..."THIS IS MY FINAL DECISION, "MEIR DECLARED. ...TRANSPORT MINISTER PERES SAID "IT'D TAKE A POLITICAL MIRACLE" TO PERSUADE MEIR TO STAY ON. ...1 SOURCE SAID, "IT LOOKS LIKE SHE'S TRYING TO TWIST DAYAN'S ARM."

UPI LEADS: "HAK ENDED HIS 4TH M-E MISSION SATISFIED HE'D Succeeded in getting Syria and Israel talking about military engagement even though the outcome is in doubt." ...ANOTHER UPI LEAD: "HAK ARRIVED IN W. GERM. TO BRIEF LEADERS ON THE WEEK OF HECTIC DIPLOMACY THAT KEPT ALIVE MILITARY DISENGAGEMENT TALKS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND SYRIA AND RAISED HOPES FOR IND TO THE EMBARGO." ...HAK IS "CONFIDENT...WE ARE PROCEEDING W/FIRM STEPS ALONG THE RIGHT PATH AND RELATIONS BETWEEN THE 2 COUNTRIES ARE STRONG AND FIRM."

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US OFFICIAL SAID WASH. TALKS WOULD LAST AT LEAST 2-3 WEEKS, W/REPS TALKING TO HAK RATHER THAN W/EACH OTHER. IF THERE APPEARS TO BE CHANCE OF AGREEMENT, SYRIAN AND ISRAELI REPS WILL HAVE TO MEET FACE-TO-FACE AT A LATER STAGE, POSSIBLY IN GENEVA.

NY NEWS' CARTER SAYS ASSAD WAS "APPARENTLY PLEASED" W/PROGRESS MADE. CARTER SAYS ASSAD'S KISS ON BOTH HAK'S CHEEKS WAS ARAB GESTURE THAT HAK "WAS BEGINNING TO ESTABLISH SAME RAPPORT W/ASSAD THAT HE'D ESTABLISHED W/ SADAY." AND POSSIBLY IS HOPEFUL. O MEN. ...SUN'S KEAT SAYS SADAT IS UNDERSTOOD TO BE "ACTIVELY ASSISTING" HAK IN LAUNCHING SYRIAN-ISRAELI TALKS.

KEAT ALSO SAYS BOTH SIDES' INITIAL OBJECTIVES ARE BELIEVED SO FAR APART THEY ARE REGARDED BY INTERMEDIARIES AS "VIRTUALLY UNNEGOTIABLE."

TRIB'S STARR SAYS DECISION TO MOVE TALKS TO WASHINGTON "WAS CERTAIN TO ANNOY SOVIET OFFICIALS "WHO'VE FELT LEFT OUT AND WHO'LL BE FURTHER ISOLATED WHEN THEY MOVE TO WASHINGTON. STARR SAYS THAT'S ONE REASON THEY'LL HAVE TO GO ELSEWHERE

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BEFORE LONG, POSSIBLE TO GENEVA. ...KEAT IN SUN SAYS GROMYKO'S FLIGHT TO DAMASCUS WAS APPARENTLY SUDDEN AND "CAUGHT US OFFICIALS UNAWARES, "BUT THEY BELIEVE MOSCOW IS NOT WORKING AT CROSS-PURPOSES W/US. ...NBC NOTED GROMYKO MEETING W/SADAT...CAIRO PRESS SAID GROMYKO WAS OFFERING SOVIET PARTICIPATION IN CLEARING

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SUEZ AND REBUILDING DEVASTATED CITIES ALONG THE CANAL. ... NBC/CBS SAT. NOTED HAK'S TRAVELS FROM SYRIA, TO SAUDI TO JORDAN.

CBS NOTED HAK MET W/FAISAL REPORTEDLY ON EMBARGO BUT DIDN'T SAY IF ANY PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE. ... BEIRUT PAPERS, THO, SAID FAISAL REFUSED TO SOFTEN TERMS FOR EMBARGO LIFT. ... EGYPT ASKED FOR ARAB OIL MINISTERS MEETING IN TRIPOLI NEXT SUN., W/PRESS REPORTS SAYING EMBARGO WOULD TOP THE AGENDA.

HUSSEIN TO VISIT DC MARCH 12 ON RN'S INVITATION.

SAKKAF SAI WAR COULD BREAK OUT ANY TIME IF ISRAEL DOESN'T W/DRAWFROM OCCUPIED LAND.

OTHER FOREIGN AFFAIRS

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AP LEADS: "HAK ARRIVED IN BONN, EXPECTING BREAKTHRU IN DEAD-LOCKED ESC NEGOTIATIONS IN GENEVA." OFFICIAL W/HAK SAID BOTH SIDES ARE NOW PREPARED TO MAKE CONCESSIONS.

SCHLESINGER SAID DOD IS SURPRISED AND TROUBLED BY USSR'S "TRULY MASSIVE" MISSILE DEVELOPMENT EFFORT IN PAST YEAR. RUSSIONS "APPARENTLY ARE CONSIDERING DEPLOYMENT OF LARGE NUMBERS OF HEAVY AND POSSIBLY VERY ACCURATE" MULTIPLE WARHEADS AND THIS "COULD IN TIME COME TO THREATEN BOTH OUR BOMBERS AND ICMS.
"HE WARNED THAT SOVIET LEADERS "MIGHT BE MISLED" INTO BELIEVING THEY COULD GAIN DIPLOMATIC ADVANTAGE FROM THIS, THO US WOULD STILL RETAIN IMMENSE STRIKING POWER. SOUNDING (IN AP'S VIEW) MORE SKEPTICAL THAN RN OR HAK RE: DETENTE, SCHLESINGER SAID SOVIET ACTIONS IN M-E WAR SHOW " DETENTE ISN'T THE ONLY, AND IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, NOT THE PRIMARY, POLICY OF USSR."
"...SCHLESINGER ALSO REPORTED DOD'S LAYING PLANS TO EVACUATE 250 URBAN AREAS IN TIME OF "INTENSE CRISIS" W/USSR.

MEANY CALLED ADMIN'S DETENTE POLICY "A COMPLETE PHONY. ...IT'S A UNILATERAL CONCESSION TO USSR AND THAT ... ISN'T DETENTE."

QUINT OF CBS REPORTED "QUIET" IN ETHIOPIA IS "DECEPTIVE," AS PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE ACCEPTED NEW PM BUT ARE WAITING TO SEE HIS CABINET. TROOPS DEMANDED MORE THAN SELASSIE OFFERED THEM, AND STUDENTS JOINED IN DEMONSTRATIONS. EVEN WHEN SELASSIE APPOINTED NEW PM, THAT DIDN'T QUIET STUDENTS WHO "DIDN'T LISTEN" WHEN TROOPS TRIED TO "KEEP LID ON," SO BLOOD WAS SPILLED. NEW PM HAS SAID HE'LL RESIGN IF PEOPLE DON'T WANT HIM, BUT THAT WOULD BE A "BLOW" TO SELASSIE, QINT REPORTED. ...MAJOR UNRESOLVED QUESTION IS WHO

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ENGINEERED THE COUP.

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SADAT INVITED GANDHI, BHUTTO AND BANGLADESH'S SHEIKH RAHMAN
TO CAIRO FOR TALKS AIMED AT "RESTORING NORMAL" RELATIONS.

RN/W'GATE/OTHER ADMIN

UPI LEADS: "RN SPENT QUIET SUN. WRITING HIS ENERGY BILL VETO MESSAGE AND OSTENSIBLE IGNORING THE SWIRL OF LEGAL AND POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS SURROUNDING W'GATE COVER-UP NDICTMENTS. ...NBC NOTED RN TO CD WHILE WH ATTYS. WERE AT WORK.

UPI LEADS: "RN HAS LONG FOLLOWED A ZIGZAG W'GATE COURSE, BUT HIS STRATEGY NOW APPEARS TO BE 2-FOLD." HE'S LEAVING HIS DEALINGS W/JAWORSKI, COURTS AND JUDICIARY TO HIS ATTYS., APPARENTLY AFTER INSTRUCTING THEM TO TAKE HARD LINE. AND WHILE ATTYS. DO THEIR WORK, RN'S EMBARKED ON A SERIES OF PUBLIC APPEARANCES AIMED AT RESTORING HIS POPULARITY.

NBC'S COCHRAN REPORTED RELEASED SENATE ARMED SERVICES TESTIMONY "SHARPENS CONFLICT" BETWEEN ACCOUNTS RE: ALLEGED DOD SPYING. RADFORD'S DESCRIPTION OF INTERROGATION HE UNDERWENT

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BROUGHT COMMENT FROM SEN. HUGHES, WHO ON FILM, SAID APPARENTLY DOD WAS "HARDER" ON RADFORD THAN ON WELANDER. ACTIONS

RADFORD DESCRIBE WERE LIKE "3RD DEGREE W/JUT THE HOSE" AND IF TRUE, THEY WERE WRONG, SAID HUGHES, WHO, NBC NOTED, IS BLOCKING PROMOTIONS OF 2 SR. AIDES TO HOOVER. ...TESTIMONY SHOWED

WELANDER TRIED TO SHUT OFF '71 INVESTIGATION OF LEAKS AND CONTRA-DICTED MOORER'S TESTIMONY HE PAID LITTLE ATTENTION TO THE STOLEN DOCUMENTS. WELANDER SAID HE SHOWED MOORER WHAT HE CONSIDERED

A TROUBLESOME, OVER OPTIMISTIC ASSESSMENT OF VN SECURITY BY NSC'S SANSOM AND TOLD MOORER IT WAS "SOMETHING RADFORD BOUGHT BACK

FROM THE TRIP W/HAK." ACCORDING TO THE TESTIMONY, WELANDER ACKNOWLEDGED HE KNEW AT THE TIME THE DOCUMENT WAS RETRIEVED FROM BURNBAG ON HAK'S RETURN FLIGHT FROM PEKING IN '71.

DIGEST OF WEEKEND COMMENT

MARCH 4, 1974

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

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