CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1952/01/05

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02008406
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: May 24, 2019
• Document Release Date: May 30, 2019
• Publication Date: January 5, 1952

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SEC INFORMATION
5 January 1952
Copy No.
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO
NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
[ ; DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TSi
NEXT REVIEW DATE:oadi
AUTH: 1-111.7A2
47
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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SEC INFORMATION
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SUMMARY
FAR EAST
1. Intercepts itemize military shipments to Viet Minh (page 3).
2. Karens prepared to sign treaty with Communists in Burma (page 3).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
3. Iranian-Czech oil conversations (page 5).
4. Iraqi Prime Minister again proposes solution of Anglo-Egyptian
dispute (page 5).
5. German officers in Argentina offer their services to Egypt (page 6).
WESTERN EUROPE
6. Comment on shake-up in Soviet High Command in Austria (page 7).
7. Schuman expects French-German accord on security controls (page 7).
LATIN AMERICA
8. Chile supports Bolivia in tin negotiations with US (page 8).
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FAR EAST
1. Intercepts itemize military shipments to Viet Minh:
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2)
Viet Minh in the Cao Bang
area near the China border itemize quantities
of military equipment "shipped in" between 11
and 25 December -- presumably from Communist
China -- and other items "shipped out" from near Thuy Khau to a number of
points closer to the Tonkin delta between 9 and 17 December. Among the
shipments listed are 30,000 mortar shells; 1,000 rounds of "SKZ" ammunition;
9 tons of American and 53 tons of Soviet TNT; 79,750 pairs of cloth shoes; and
- 62,000 suits of clothing. (See Map, page 4)
Comment: Readable intercepts of Viet Minh
logistic traffic began on 5 December and constitute the only fully reliable
!detailed information on this subject, although it has long been known that
military supplies have been moving into Viet Minh areas from Communist
China.
The munitions detailed in these messages might
conceivably represent stock-piling in preparation for intervention by units of
the Chinese Communist army, but there is no strong suggestion that this is
the case. The Viet Minh has always placed great reliance on the use of mor-
tars, as was evident during the month of December, which saw the longest
period of sustained Viet Minh operations to date.
The "SKZ" is a 60 mm recoilless gun which has
been manufactured in Viet Minh arsenals since early 1950.
2. Karens prepared to sign treaty with Communists in Burma:
The insurgent Karens reportedly are prepared 3.3(h)(2)
to sign a treaty of alliance with the Burma Red
Flag Communist faction in January unless they
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Khao Ky
ChOmoi
Thai Nguyen
eV- Terminal Points
for Shipments.
mon Federal Highways
(all weather)
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are guaranteed military assistance by "a foreign anti-Communist power."
the treaty will3.3(h)(2)
provide for a separate Karen state within a Communist-controlled Burma.
Rebel Karen leaders were further assured that
the treaty would be approved by Thakin Than Tun, chief of the Stalinist or
White Flag Burnia Communist Party. Fommu-
nist aid and probaganda may already have won over a majority oi tne Karens.
Comment: The Communists have been gaining
Karen support as hopes for Western aid have faded. The Communists have
also obtained Karen favor through the provision of arms, ammunition and
food. An agreement of this nature, posing a serious threat to the Burmese
Government, has been forecast by several previous reports.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
3. Iranian-Czech oil conversations:
The Iranian Foreign Ministry has requested its 3.3(h)(2)
legation in Prague to inform it as soon as
possible of the "investigations" and "conversations"
about the amount of oil to be purchased by Czecho�
slovakia, the method of shipment, and the
financial arrangements.
Comment: This definitely confirms previous
reports and rumors that Czechoslovakia and Iran are considering an oil
agreement. The message suggests that only preliminary negotiations have
occurred.
4. Iraqi Prime Minister again proposes solution of Anglo-Egyptian dispute:
The Iraqi Prime Minister's latest proposals f013.3(h)(2)
a settlement of the Suez dispute provide for a
five-year alliance between Egypt and Britain,
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but also include the complete evacuation of all British land forces within a
fixed time. A joint British-Egyptian military storage base is to be establishe&
in the Canal zone, and a joint air force to be set up for the defense of the
Canal. This information originates with the Iraqi Minister in Cairo.
The proposals also provide that the Sudanese
be permitted freely to determine their future relations with Egypt and that
Britain in no way attempt to influence the Sudanese against union with Egypt.
Comment: This and other versions of the Iraqi
proposals appear to contain provisions which would be rejected by either or
both of the two parties.
5. German officers in Argentina offer their services to Egypt:
3.5(c)
A number of former German officers now living 3.3(h)(2)
in Argentina have offered their services to Egypt,
according to an Egyptian Embassy message from
Buenos Aires. ThP.se German veterans are report-
edly specialists in guerrilla tactics, sabotage, and
communications. They are interested in a six months to one year contract
and can travel only with Egyptian documentation.
The Egyptian Embassy in Buenos Aires has
asked the Foreign Office in Cairo what action it should take in this matter.
Comment: In view of the encouragement given
by the Egyptian Government to popular efforts aimed at forcing the British out
of the Canal zone, it is possible that Egypt may authorize the hiring of these
German officers. The necessity for providing the Germans with Egyptian
documents probably results from Argentina's desire not to be connected with
the actions of any Germans under Egyptian employ.
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WESTERN EUROPE
6. Comment on shake-up in Soviet High Command in Austria:
The American Joint Indications Committee in
stria attributes the current shake-up of Soviet occupation officials to
�scow' s dissatisfaction with the Soviet High Command's failure to support
the Austrian Communist Party. The Committee is concerned that the
changes may bolster the party and increase the internal security problem in
Austria.
While speculative, this interpretation is supported
by other evidence. Heretofore, the Soviet officials in Austria have extended
neither respect nor trust to Austrian Communists although they assisted them
on such occasions as the demonstrations in October 1950. Communist or-
ganizations have been criticized, and Communist leaders treated shabbily at
public functions.
On the other hand, despite the general unpopu-
larity of the Soviet occupation, personal relations between top Soviet and
non-Communist Austrian officials have not been entirely unfriendly. That
Moscow may be preparing to amend this policy in favor of closer cooperation
with the Austrian Communists is suggested by the replacement of the
relatively popular political adviser by Sergei Kudryavtsev who was connected
with the ,Soviet espionage system in Canada in 1945.
7. Schuman expects French-German accord on security controls:
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On the basis of a private discussion with Germ3(h)(2)
Chancellor Adenauer on security controls over
armament production in Germany, French Foreign
Minister Schuman revealed his belief that the
French and German Governments will reach an
agreement satisfactory to the US and Britain. In
the meantime, Schuman does not favor further
French-American-British conversations on this
subject at the diplomatic level.
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Commissioner McCloy in Bonn feels that the
French now seem prepared to adopt a more reasonable attitude on security
controls.
Comment: Early in December, France had
requested high-level tripartite conversations to decide on an acceptable
Allied position on security controls, and the American Embassy in Paris later
reported its opinion that the French had made their last concession on the
issue. Schuman had hoped to obtain Adenauer's acceptance of a contractual
arrangement on security controls during the Paris meeting of the Defense
Community Foreign Ministers, but there is no indication that Adenauer has
given in on this point.
A French-German accord on security controls
would eliminate the main obstacle to speedy agreement on the European
Defense Community and the whole problem of contractual arrangements.
, LATIN AMERICA
8. Chile supports Bolivia in tin negotiations with US:
The Chilean Ambassador to the United States has
told his Foreign Office that in accordance with
previous instructions, he has worked to support
the Bolivian Ambassador in the difficult tin ne-
gotiations with the Reconstruction Finance Cor-
poration.
In a circular to its representatives in Latin
America, the Bolivian Foreign Office reported
that the President of Chile sent a letter to
President Truman supporting Bolivia's position, and that other Latin American
opinion is also favorable. The representatives were then instructed to renew
their propaganda efforts against the RFC's intransigence.
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Comment: Bolivia has stressed that its problem
affects all of Latin America which is vitally dependent on the production of
raw materials.
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