February 1, 1975

Portuguese sources say USSR has made urgent request for port facilities in Portugal for Atlantic fishing fleet, which, if granted, would constitute major breach of Atlantic alliance security on approaches to Mediterranean and South Atlantic; Soviet fishing fleets have long been under suspicion by officials from NATO, to which Portugal belongs, for concealing electronic intelligence equipment; suggested site is port of Figueira da Foz, 150 mi north of Lisbon (M)

Judge Charles R Richey rules that Govt owns almost all the 42‐million documents, tapes and other items assembled during former Pres Nixon's 5 yrs at White House and that Presidents are stripped of claims of exec privilege when they leave office; order is temporarily suspended by US Appeals Ct, which sets unusual Saturday hearing on matter; Richey says only exceptions to Govt ownership of tapes and documents are purely personal items; if ruling stands, it is not expected to affect records of other past Pres because these records are in public hands; scholars and govt experts say it would be of importance to all future historians and Pres; major points made by Richey include; a Pres is no exception to gen rule that materials gathered or generated during public service belong to Govt; Nixon's claim of ownership is contrary to ‘nature of the office’ and Const; under Freedom of Information Act, almost all exec branch materials are official records; exceptions are personal items and tapes and documents between Pres and his small personal staff; former Pres cannot assert claims of exec privilege to protect confidentiality of their office documents; Nixon's Pres papers are of ‘incalculable value’ and giving them to him would constitute violation of emoluments clause of Const that prevents Pres from enriching themselves while in office; Nixon has right to privacy as does any other citizen; Nixon filed suit last Oct 17 to have his arrangement with Sampson honored by Govt; 3 days later columnist Jack Anderson intervened and a group headed by Reporters Com for Freedom of the Press filed suit for access to tapes and documents; on Oct 24, playwright Lillian Hellman and others filed suit for access to tapes etc; Sen S J Ervin Jr and Repr E Holtzman and others were subsequently allowed to intervene as friends of the ct; Sept 6 ruling by Atty Gen W B Saxbe noted; Richey notes that though 42‐million items are included in Pres papers, only 138 file boxes and 900 tape‐recorded conversations are ‘personal’ and at issue; Richey illus (L)

Increasingly intensive talks between financially‐troubled Pan Amer and Iranian Govt for investments and loans discussed; indications are that final agreement may include: sizeable Iranian loans to Pan Amer, Iranian options for eventual purchase of sizeable block of Pan Amer securities and Iran's purchase of 55% interest in Pan Amer subsidiary Intercontinental Hotels Corp (M)

State Dept has informed Cong that it intends to grant $25‐million to Syria from special Middle East contingency fund as incentive for Syrians to pursue moderate course in area; although sum is relatively small, Ford Adm has attached importance to first Amer econ aid to Syria since ‘65, except food assistance, and has lobbied in last wk to persuade key members of Cong not to block grant; under special provision in Foreign Aid Authorization Act, Adm must inform Cong 30 days in advance of issuance of any grants from special $100‐million contingency fund; 30‐day layover period was adopted because of Cong concern over fate of Syrian Jews; ‘sense of the Cong’ amendment introduced by Repr Jonathan B Bingham would deny aid to nations that denied or limited right or opportunity to emigrate; purpose of amendment was to seek relief for approximately 4,000 Jews living in Syria, but language of legis did not compel Adm to link aid to emigration; State Dept officials have been urging Cong members not to raise question of Syrian Jews as issue for fear that this might worsen their situation; Bingham and others have decided that with Sec Kissinger about to visit Middle East again, they will not object to aid to Syria (M)

Charles W. Colson, a former special counsel to President Nixon, was released from prison yesterday after serving seven months of a one — to — three — year sentence for obstruction of justice. Details on Page 21.