CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1952/03/29

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02016344
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: May 24, 2019
• Document Release Date: May 30, 2019
• Publication Date: March 29, 1952

Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 d02016344 ,
J. U.E1 Nire
SECJJTfINFORMATION
29 March 1952
3.5(c)
Copy No.4 (4
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLAGn.
PECLASS:FIED
CLM5.3. CP, 70:
NEXT
AUTH:
DATE.risr!1
3.5(c)
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TOP SECRET
3.5(c)
SEC INFORMATION
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2016344
Approved for Release: 2019/65/08 CO2016344
T1ZD SErCRET
3.5(c)
SUMMARY
USSR
I. Soviet Ambassador to Sweden encourages Nordic Alliance (page 3).
FAR EAST
2.
3.
North Korean Mr Force increases activity at Sariwon (page 4).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
4. Iranian Prime Minister reportedly will remain in office (page 5).
5. Greek Government agrees with Turkey on NATO command (page 5).
WESTERN EUROPE
6. French weigh possibilities of new Berlin blockade (page 6).
7. French Cabinet seen safe until June (page 7).
LA TIN AMERICA
8. Possible military coup in Colombia (page 7).
* * * *
-2
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
TOP ET
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2016344
3.5(c)
1�
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2016344
'19P CRET
USSR
1. Soviet Ambassador to Sweden encourages Nordic Alliance:
On 17 March the Soviet Ambassador to Sweden
reportedly expressed the opinion to Prime
Minister Erlander that Sweden and the USSR
should cooperate to their mutual advantage.
at the Nordic Alliance would become a reality
and that Sweden would attempt to persuade Finland to join such a pact.
Prime Minister Erlander indicated that his
country had no wish to interfere in Finnish affairs.
Comment: This report, if true, represents
the first direct Soviet approach regarding a Nordic Alliance, and lends
credence to previously reported rumors of Soviet interest in the subject.
The primary objective of this maneuver is to prevent the further westward
orientation of Sweden and the fulfillment of Norway's and Denmark's
commitments in NATO.
Previous tentative suggestions along this line
have found no support in Scandinavian capitals.
FAR EAST
2. Chinese Communist division in Korea receives gas masks:
TOP ET
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2016344
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2016344
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
I It is possible that the arrival of this equipment is linked with the
recent expansion of Communist charges of American use of biological war-
fare in Korea to include use of chemical warfare.
Gas masks are not believed to be standard
equipment in either the Chinese Communist or North Korean army. The
small size of this issue in relation to the 7,000 to 8,000 men in the 7th
Artillery Division may indicate an initial delivery.
3. North Korean Air Force increases activity at Sariwon:
United Nations aerial reconnaissance on
24 March disclosed that two airfields in the
Sariwon area, 35 miles south of Pyongyang,
had been repaired and that their runways were
operationaL
Comment:
3.3(h)(2)
The enemy's unwillingness, thus far, to
provide adequate jet fighter coverage this far south would seem to rule
out Sariwon's utility as an operational Communist airfield. It is possi-
ble, however, that the Communists are seeking to establish operational
air installations within North Korea either in anticipation of a cease-
fire or in preparation for a renewed offensive.
- 4 -
3.3(h)(2)
TOP RET
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2016344
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2016344
P RET
3.5(c)
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
4. Iranian Prime Minister reportedly will remain in office:
Prime Minister Mossadeq apparently has
decided not to resign when the new Majlis
meets, according to Minister of Court Ala.
Mossadeq, in conversation with Ala, spoke as
though he intended to remain in office indefinitely, and indicated that he
will abandon efforts to revive Iran's oil industry and concentrate on
balancing the national budget without the oil income.
The Shah has left Tehran for a ten-day rest.
According to Ala, the Shah had been counting on Mossadeq's voluntary
resignation.
Comment: Mossadeq recently told a special
Iranian Senate committee that he intended to concentrate on the Iranian
budget and would in particular attempt to collect taxes from those
merchants and landlords who had so far evaded payment.
Meanwhile, Iran's financial situation is steadily
growing worse, and the funds available to the government for the month
ending 21 March barely covered government salaries and wage commit-
ments.
5. Greek Government agrees with Turkey on NATO command:
The Greek Government has informed the
Turkish Foreign Office that it will continue
o act in concert with Turkey on NATO problems.
pecifically, it assured Turkey that it will not
gree to an Italian commander for Greek troops
as long as Turkey is unwilling to accept him for Turkish troops.
The Greek Government is considering suggest-
ing that an Italian commander be appointed for a new western sector of
Admiral Carney's land command and an American to command an eastern
sector, which will include Greece and Turkey.
- 5 -
3.3(h)(2)
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2016344
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2016344
3.3
WESTERN EUROPE
6. French weigh possibilities of new Berlin blockade:
the Russians are planning a blockade o
Berlin, possibly extended this time to include
the air corridors to the city.
French Foreign Office officials, while not
unduly disquieted
is a possibility of some sort �Ub�k�bud5fl$tU1Tnk it would be
extended to air communication,
believe that there
Comment: While a blockade now could serve
as pressure on the West to agree to a four-power conference on the whole
German question, such a move appears unlikely at this time.
Although the USSR can now by-pass the Western
sectors of Berlin by rail, the canal by-pass will not be completed before
fall. Combined, these two projects are designed to reduce vulnerability
to Allied retaliation. A blockade now might also destroy the appeal of
the current Soviet campaign for unification and a peace treaty.
6
3.5(c)
(h)(2)
3.3(h)(2)
3.3(h)(2)
TOP ET
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2016344
3.5(c)
nApproved for Release: 2019/0E708 CO2016344
I11SECRET
3.5(c)
7. French Cabinet seen safe until June:
3.3(h)(2)
French Premier Pinay has been so successful
in obtaining public support for his "stability-
without-sacrifices" program that his budget
proposals will probably be approved by the As-
sembly early in April, in the opinion of the American Embassy in Paris.
He would then be assured tenure until June, because of public pressure
that he should be given time to apply his program.
Most of the deputies expected to vote for his
budgetary program have serious doubts, however, that it is practical
enough to avert a collapse later in the year, should his "confidence" policy
fail. The Embassy considers that, in this event, pressure for cutting
French commitments in Indochina would rise.
Comment: Most competent observers have
been pessimistic on Pinay's chances of success. While the French
public's unprecedentedly active interest in the recent government crisis
may temporarily avert a parliamentary showdown over partisan issues,
there is no evidence that his "climate of confidence" is a satisfactory
substitute for financial reform.
LA TIN AMERICA
8. Possible military coup in Colombia:
President Gomez and President-designate
Urdaneta both fear that extreme rightists in
Colombia may attempt a military coup,
\ Increased
dissatisfaction with government policy in coping
with guerrilla activities has reportedly led a
group of high army officers, headed by Com-
mander of the Army Colonel Mariano ()spina
o p an a revolt.
The government now plans to purge the armed
forces of officers whose loyalty to the present regime is doubtful.
- 7 -
3.3(h)(2
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
TOP
Anoroved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2016344
Approved for Release: 2019/0-5./08 CO2016344
Te..,EfECRET
3.5(c)
Comment: Despite heavy governmental
expenditures for anti-guerrilla action, insurgent strength has increased
in personnel, organization and arms, and has seriously lowered the
prestige of the present administration. The government's counter-
measures can be expected to avert any immediate threat, but political
instability will continue because of increased army dissatisfaction with
failure to suppress guerrilla activities.
Some individual Communists have been reported
cooperating with guerrilla bands, which in general, support the Liberal
Party. To date there has been no indication that the Communist Party
has adopted cooperation as a policy.
8
3.5(c;
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 002016344