CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1953/07/25

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02020585
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: July 15, 2019
• Document Release Date: July 22, 2019
• Publication Date: July 25, 1953

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Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2020585.
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25 july 1953
Copy No. 67
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO.
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Office of Current Intelligence
- CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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SUMMARY
GENERAL
1.
SOVIET UNION
2,, Prospects good for 1953 Soviet grain harvests (page 3).
SOUTHEAST ASIA
3. Indonesia approaches United Kingdom for military mission (page 4).
EASTERN EUROPE
4. Comment on reorganization of Albanian government (page 4).
WESTERN EUROPE
5. Comment on purge of East German security minister (page 5).
6. De Gasperi cabinet facing parliamentary defeat (page 5).
7. Italians react to West's approach to Yugoslavia (page 6)0
3.3(h)(2)
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1.
GENERAL
3.
SOVIET UNION
2. Prospects good for 1953 Soviet grain harvests:
3(h)(2)
US embassy agricultural officers report 3.3(h)(2)
after personal observation that crop con-
ditions are fair to good throughout most
of the west central region of the USSR and
grain harvesting is progressing satisfactorily. In the North Caucasus
area prospects for the corn harvest are considered at least as good
as in 1952.
Comment: Estimates of Soviet grain crops
for 1953 have indicated that they would approximate the good harvest
of 1952, which totaled 92,000,000 tons.
With such a harvest, the Soviet Union would
have about 5,500,000 tons to devote to stockpiling, foreign trade pro-
grams, and alleviation of Satellite food shortages.
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SOUTHEAST ASIA
3. Indonesia approaches United Kingdom for military mission:
Senior Indonesian military officers have 3.3(h)(2)
informally approached the British embassy
in Djakarta on sending a military mission
to Indonesia, according to a report from the
American embassy in London. The British Foreign Office 'plans to
consider the problem in view of the probable deterioration following
the withdrawal of the Dutch mission, and the possible alternative of
a military mission in Djakarta from a nation whose views are incom-
patible with those of Britain.
Comment: Indonesian military officials
consider a military training mission essential and at various times
have also approached Australia and the United States on the matter.
Political pressures from nationalist and leftist groups, however,
forced the Indonesian government to demand the withdrawal of the
Dutch military mission last March, and would probably be exerted
against a mission from any Western power.
EASTERN EUROPE
4. Comment on reorganization of Albanian government:
The reorganization of the Albanian govern-
ment announced on 23 July reflects a general streamlining of the
administration and is similar to recent changes in Hungary and the
USSR which were followed by announcements of more liberal policies.
Control of the country, however, remains
in the hands of the two rivals, Enver Hoxha and Mehmet Shehu. While
Hoxha no longer holds his foreign affairs and national defense port-
folios, he continues as premier and party leader. Shehu is relieved
of his responsibility as secretary of the central committee of the
Workers Party, but retains his position as minister of interior and
deputy premier and continues as politbureau member.
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WESTERN EUROPE
5. Comment on purge of East German security minister:
The purge of Wilhelm Zaisser, East
German security minister, and his replacement by Ernst Wollweber,
former director general of the East German Inland Waterways, indi-
cate that the East German security service probably has been reorgan-
ized on current Soviet lines and is now under the control of the Interior
Ministry.
Previous information had indicated that the
ministry would be abolished and Zaisser dismissed because the ministry
represented a concentration of political power and had failed in its task
of uncovering the planners of the 17 Tune demonstrations.
It is probable that Zaisser was removed
chiefly because of his power position vis-a-vis other Communist
factions in East Germany. This would explain the appointment of
Wollweber, who is not prominent in the party, but who has a long
and faithful record of subversion and espionage for the Communist
cause.
Zaisser's ouster may have some connection
with Beria's arrest. Zaisser reportedly was a friend of Zhdanov,
one-time rival of Malenkov, and it has been rumored that his friend-
ship with Beria dates back to 1924.
6. De Gasperi cabinet facing parliamentary defeat:
De Gasperi's proposed cabinet is in danger 3.3(h)(2)
of parliamentary defeat owing to opposition
of the Monarchists because of their exclusion,
according to the American embassy in Rome.
The Social Democrats are still undecided, but
seem to favor abstention at best. However, they and the other center
moderate parties may yet support De Gasperi to avoid the possibility
of a further government shift to the right under a more conservative
premier.
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Comment: De Gasperi's defeat appears
still more likely in view of the press reports that the Republican
and Liberal Parties will not support his proposed cabinet. The
Chamber of Deputies is expected to vote on the proposed cabinet
early next week.
If De Gasperi is defeated, he has a choice
of attempting to form a more leftist or more rightist government,
of letting someone else try, or of calling for new elections, pre-
sumably after the fall harvest.
7. Italians react to West's approach to Yugoslavia:
Premier de Gasperi has informed 3.3(h)(2)
Chancellor Adenauer that current American-
Yugoslav negotiations may create a situation
foicing him to place a Trieste solution above
EDC ratification. He added that he might
not attend the 7 August foreign ministers'
conference in Baden-Baden on the proposed
European Political Community because of
the political situation tn Rome.
Meanwhile, the American embassy in Rome
reports that some Italian officials are apparently now considering re-
fusing to conclude the negotiations for US-manned Nato bases in Italy
prior to a favorable solution of the Trieste problem.
Comment: De Gasperi's absence from the
Baden-Baden conference would eliminate any possibility of effective
decisions being reached there.
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