CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1954/05/05

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02026942
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: August 20, 2019
• Document Release Date: August 30, 2019
• Publication Date: May 5, 1954

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' Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 CO2026942
5 May 1954
Copy No,
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO 4.r.
NO CHANGE IN CLASS,
LI DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: IS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE: 2009
AUTH: HR 70-2
UNIT: Bei4e/49_ REVIEWER:
76
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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LILL A
SUMMARY
GENERAL
1. Orbit trade offers at ECE talks disappoint Western Europe (page 3).
SOVIET UNION
2.
3. Comment on May Day display of Soviet air offense capability
(page 4).
SOUTHEAST ASIA
4.
5. Communist journalist outlines plan for Indochina settlement (page 5).
6. Bidault rejects partition of Indochina as basis of settlement (page 6).
* * * *
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J. JI-s'....dLL. 1
GENERAL
1. Orbit trade offers at ECE talks disappoint Western Europe:
2.
Orbit trade offers made in the various
bilateral discussions concluded at Geneva
on 30 April under the auspices of the
Economic Commission for Europe have
been termed a "disappointment" by most of the Western European
delegates who participated. The Soviet and Eastern European offi-
cials continued, however, to show a cooperative and friendly attitude,
expressing interest in expanding East-West trade.
American representatives in Geneva state
that the Orbit delegates apparently failed to make substantial new ex-
port offers and were noncommittal about settlement of their countries'
adverse trade balances in sterling or gold.
Comment: This report strengthens the
view that the USSR is not capable this year of attaining the export levels
It has projected in propaganda.
SOVIET UNION
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3. Comment on May Day display of Soviet air offense capability:
The May Day demonstrations in Moscow
highlighted Soviet capabilities for air of-
fense. Participating in the fly-by were one
Type 37 jet heavy bomber, nine jet medium
bombers, 81 IL-28 jet light bombers, and a
total of 85 Type 38 (MIG-17) jet fighters.
Observations indicate that the Type 37 is
about 130 to 150 feet long, smaller than the US B-52, and that the new
jet medium bomber is slightly more than 100 feet long. Contrary to
previous reports on the jet medium bomber, only one engine exhaust
was visible aft of each wing, although each nacelle appeared to be large
enough to house two engines.
Since this is the first time that an individual
aircraft of a new type has participated in a May Day fly-by, there is no
precedent for determining the production status of the Type 37. In pre-
vious May Day fly-by's only operational aircraft have participated, and
on these occasions they have appeared in strength.
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"Awe
The sighting on 25 April of 11 of the new
jet medium bombers, nine of which participated in the fly-by, suggests
that production probably began somewhat before January 1954, the
earliest previously estimated date.
The apparent characteristics of both new
bomber types suggest that the USSR has developed high-powered axial
turbo-jet engines.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
4.
5. Communist journalist outlines plan for Indochina settlement
a plan for Indochina was outlined in
the presence of two Viet Minh newsmen, by a
correspondent for the London Daily Worker.
The plan called for a cease-fire to be worked
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out by the French and the Viet Minh. Troops would be withdrawn
from "the battle zones" and three areas established: one to be held
by the Viet Minh, one by the French, and the third to be neutral. Nego-
tiations would then be held on a formula for elections.
The Daily Worker correspondent, who claimed
to have talked to Ho Chi Minh about a month ago, suggested that by such
a plan France might salvage many of its investments.
Comment: The Communists still appear to
be trying to force the French to take the initiative in asking for a cease-
fire, regarding it as a first step which should not be contingent on a
future political settlement.
The plan outlined here is consistent with this
aim. Its vagueness would permit the Communists to extend negotiations
to any length they desired.
6. Biclault rejects partition of Indochina as basis of settlement:
Commissioner General Dejean told the
American embassy in Saigon on 3 May that
he had been authorized by Foreign Minister
Bidault in Geneva to give full publicity to
the refusal of the French government to con-
sider any partition of Vietnam.
French Foreign Ministry officials in Paris,
who state that such matters are being handled directly from Geneva,
have pointed out to the American embassy the "obvious fact" that
Dejean's statement was aimed primarily at Vietnamese opinion.
Comment: While most of the French press
rules out partition of Indochiymond Aron, well-informed commen-
tator for Le Figaro, which is frequently considered a mouthpiece of the
government, sees it as the "least undesirable solution" obtainable. He
anticipates that partition will be proclaimed as temporary. This may
Indicate the approach the French government will take to win Vietnamese
acquiescence.
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