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News Summaries - April 2-14, 1973 [5 of 10]

  • Parte de White House Staff Member and Office Files (Nixon Administration), President's Office Files

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OCR Page 1 of 49
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN WEEKEND NEWS REVIEW APRIL 9, 1973 The major stories of the weekend: - The apparently deteriorating situation in Cambodia and Admin concern over it which seemingly led to RN sending Haig there on his 12th Indochina mission in 3 years dominates Sun. papers and led both nets Sat and CBS Sun. (NBC pre-empted by Wizard of Oz. ) In lead story Sun. nite Rather said HAK made effort aboard AF 1 in talk w/press to convince US that C-F isn't coming apart and that Haig's trip had been planned for 2 weeks, so there's "no crisis. 11 HAK also said level of fighting generally is w/in the pattern anticipated. Prior to HAK remarks, Star's Sherman said the "rushed Haig mission" came "amid signs that RN is racing against time to prevent collapse of the Paris agreement. 11 Utley said mission "urgently underlined" US concern. Mudd said the crisis in Cambodia has deepened, as noose is tightened around Phnom Penh CBS noted NVN said Lon Nol's gov't is in its "death pangs Nets noted and papers prominently played NY Times quote of the day by RZ who said US had no interest, plans nor desire to reintroduce ground troops into Indochina. Valeriani felt that wasn't ruled out altogether, however, and he noted past Haig missions have preceded major US moves, often of a military nature. - 5 ships part of original 19-vessel convoy, broke thru a Communist blockade on Mekong, and got to Phnom Penh thru a cross-fire that was little affected by US air support. 1st US air loss over Cambodia, since CF as observation plane was hit and pilot killed. US has begun airlifting supplies to troops defending Phnom Penh On Face the Nation, Thieu said if Communists are allowed to continue attacks in Cambodia, the situation could get worse and cause danger for SVN. But he said SVN could handle the threat if Cambodia fell. - 2 more choppers were fired on Monday w/no casualty reports yet. As nets noted and prominent print coverage was given, 9, including 3 US crew, were killed when ICCS chopper "had an accident" -- apparently hit by a Soviet-built missile -- and