CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1953/01/14

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02064889
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: July 15, 2019
• Document Release Date: July 22, 2019
• Publication Date: January 14, 1953

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14 January 1953
Copy No. 5 8
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
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Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
//71,71/7A s7Ec9 S T
INFORMATION A
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SUMMARY
GENERAL
1. Soviet official approaches Indonesian regarding Korea (page 3).
2. Marshal Papagos contradicts reports that Yugoslavia requested formal
military agreement (page 3).
SOVIET UNION -
3. Accused Soviet doctors prominent in medical profession (page 4).
FAR EAST
4. Chinese Communist 42nd Army may have withdrawn from Korea (page 5).
5. IL-28 division in Manchuria practices squadron formation bombing
(page 5).
6. Chinese Nationalists attain relative stability on Formosa (page 6).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
7. Conspiracy to oust Libyan Prime Minister may be developing (page 6).
EASTERN EUROPE
8.
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GENERAL
I. Soviet official approaches Indonesian regarding Korea:
Soviet ON delegate Zorin recently suggested 3.3(h)(2)
to the Indonesian delegate that he should ask
the Americans what new proposals could prof-
itably be made concerning Korea. Zorin re-
ferred to the Reston letter to Stalin as being "obviously inspired" and
as mentioning a "new approach." He expressed the bead that President-
elect Eisenhower had a free hand in seeking such a "new approach," and
pointed out that Stalin's reply had indicated that the Soviet Government
would be interested in learning what the United States had in mind.
comment: This is the first indication from
a Soviet official that Stalin's statement on Korea could have been intended
as an actual bid for renewed negotiations. It could, however, be simply
another Soviet divisive tactic.
2. Marshal Papagos contradicts reports that Yugoslavia requested formal
military agreement:
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Marshal Papagos has stated categorically that.
Yugoslavia has not asked for a formal defense
commitment from Greece, thus contradicting
a previous statement of Defense Minister
Canellopoulos. Ambassador Peurifoy be
however, that both countries intend
to conclude explicit understandings on the
employment of troops in peace and war im-
plying at least moral commitment.
According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry,
its Ambassador in Athens was informed by the Greek Foreign Minister
that an agreement was reached in the Greek-Yugoslav conversations for
the immediate and joint occupation of Albania in the event of war.
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SOVIET UNION
3. Accused Soviet doctors prominent in medical profession:
The American Embassy in Moscow notes tha.3(h)(2)
the nine doctors accused in the plot to assas-
sinate Soviet leaders are all prominent mem-
bers of their profession. Major General
Yegorov was the former chief of the Kremlin's Medical and Sanitation
Administration; V. N. Vinogradov was professor of the Academy of
Medical Sciences and member of the Moscow Medical Institute; and
Major General Vovsi was the Red Army's Chief Therapeutist in 1946.
Comment: The announcement by TASS that
"the investigation will be completed in the near future" suggests that
additional developments can be expected.
Editorials in Moscow's main newspapers ac-
cuse t he doctors, most of whom are Jews, of acting under the direction
of the Joint Distribution Committee, "a Jewish bourgeois nationalist or-
ganization set up by the American Intelligence Service." Apparently the
Kremlin was dissatisfied with the campaign in 1949 to stamp out Zionist
sentiment inside the USSR. These accusations may presage further re-
strictions on JDC which still operates in Hungary.
Both the Ministries of State Security and Health
are blamed for not uncovering the plot earlier, presumably prior to the
deaths of alternate Politburo member A. S. Shcherbakov in 1945 and top
Soviet leader A. A. Zhdanov in 1948. The TASS notation that this ter-
rorist group was uncoverA "some time ago" suggests the involvement of
V. S. Abakumov, who was replaced as MGB Minister in the summer of
1951. Whether Abakumov will be publicly� accused, or whether even
higher leader's will be implicated is not yet indicated. L. P. Beriya's rep-
utation may also suffer in view of his long connection with the Soviet
security apparatus.
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FAR EAST
4. Chinese Communist 42nd Army may have withdrawn from Korea:
The Chinese Communist 42nd Army may have 3.3(h)(2)
withdrawn from Korea
This army was last located
north of Pyongyang and .ppears to have been replaced in that area by the
46th Chinese Army whicL. arrived in Korea in early October. The 42nd
Army was one of the first Chinese units to enter the Korean war, and
would be the first withdrawn since the spring of 1951.
Comment: The Chinese Communist 23rd and
24th Armios have recently arrived in Korea and may be relieving other
Chinese units in the east,
5. IL-28 division in Manchuria practices squadron formation bombing:
the Chinese Communist 8th Air Division at
Tsitsihar in Manchuria included "squadron.
formation bombing" by 1L-28 twin-jet light
bombers.
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this activity, 3.3(h)(2)
observed for the first time, is beyond the stage of primary training and
may indicate that the progress of the 8th Air Division has been more rapid
than was anticipated.
Comment: Some Chinese Communist 1L-28
units will probably be ready for combat in Korea by early February, while
crews for all of the 100 1L-28's now in Manchuria may be trained by early
summer.
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6. Chinese Nationalists attain relative stability on Formosa:
7.
The American Minister in Taipei, reviewing 3.3(h)(2)
Chinese Nationalist progress on Formosa,
reports that in internal security and political
stability the island compares favorably with
other areas of the Far East. He believes that American aid has been an
important factor in this success, and comments that Chinese cooperation
with American agencies has been "fully satisfactory."
Substantial economic progress was made during
the fourth quarter of 1952, and the Nationalist Government has submitted
a plan to make Formosa independent of American economic aid, although
not of military aid, by 1957.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
Conspiracy to oust Libyan Prime Minister may be developing:
American Minister Villard in Tripoli reports
evidence of increasing dissatisfaction in the
cabinet and parliament with Prime Minister
�Mtultasser's one-man rule of Libya, and in-
dications that a conspiracy may be developing
to oust him.
Villard lists major obstacles to a successful
attempt, but states his inability to assess the strength of the alleged
conspiracy. Muntasser is reportedly seriously concerned over the
growing opposition.
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