CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1954/01/28

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02993967
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: August 20, 2019
• Document Release Date: August 30, 2019
• Publication Date: January 28, 1954

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28 Tanuary 1954
Copy No. �I
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO. J5
NO CHANGE IN CLASS. 47
Li DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO; TS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE:
HR 70-2,44Zb
DATE: iitt REVIEWER:
'ZINO
Office� of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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SUMMARY
GENERAL
1.
2. East German exports to Peiping lagging badly (page 3).
3. USSR reportedly renews UN support of Syria on dispute with Israel
(page 4).
FAR EAST
4. Japanese agitation for release of war criminals strains relations
with US (page 4).
5. Rhee planning ambitious anti-Communist program (page 5).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
6. Soviet-inspired Kurdish rebellion allegedly planned for Iran (page 5).
7. Britain sending armored squadron to Jordan (page 6).
8.
WESTERN EUROPE
9. French government reportedly sees need to educate public and
parliament on Indochina (page 7).
10. Embassy comments on possibility of widespread strikes in France
(page 8).
11. USSR allegedly sounds out France on Indian mediation in Indochina
(page 8).
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GENERAL
1.
2. East German exports to Peiping lagging badly
25 locomotives, 1,060 trucks, 10 motor trol-
leys and truck parts contracted for 1953 were
overdue as of 4 January and were urgently
needed. Delivery in the first quarter of 1954
was requested.
Comment z The delay in the delivery of this
substantial volume of goods indicates that the plan announced on 30 April
in Peiping to increase Sino-German trade by 34 percent in 1953 over 1952
was not fulfilled.
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Peiping complained to
four Eastern European Satellites, including East Germany, about
lagging deliveries. lithe others also failed to meet their schedules
by the end of the year, China's over-all imports may have lagged, to
the detriment of its industrial production and construction plans.
The USSR was also behind in deliveries to Communist China
3. USSR reportedly renews UN support of Syria on dispute with Israel:
According to the Syrian foreign minister,
Syrian ambassador Zain al Din in Washing-
ton has received assurances that the USSR
will accept any UN resolution approved by
Syria on the disputed Israeli canal near the Jordan River.
Comment This Soviet support of Syria
is the eighth instance in the past year indicating Syrian-Soviet coopera-
tion on UN matters.
On 22 January Vyshinsky cast the veto,
which he had apparently promised Zain al Din, on the Western pro-
posal for settling the Israeli-Syrian dispute. This vote has increased
Soviet popularity in Syria and may complicate current Syrian-American
economic aid negotiations.
FAR EAST
4. Japanese agitation for release of war criminals strains relations with US:
Continuing agitation for the release of lesser
Japanese war criminals convicted by Ameri-
can military courts is a serious irritant to
United States relations with Japan, according
to Ambassador Allison. The recent Philippine and Formosan amnesties
have accentuated the issue.
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Allison notes that Prime Minister Yoshida
has publicly promised to seek the prisoners' release and that the re-
opening of the Diet will bring widespread public clamor directed at
the United States for speedy action.
Comment: The Japanese government
desires to have these war criminal cases, which number 323, con-
sidered from a political rather than a judicial viewpoint.
5. Rhee planning ambitious anti-Communist program:
Rhee intends to call a conference in Marc
of all Southeast Asian countries looking toward an anti-Communist
alliance. He has been told that the Philippines and Thailand are ready
to support such a pact.
Comment: Rhee has apparently been mis-
informed about the response to his proposed pact, since the Southeast
Asian countries have shown little enthusiasm for it or willingness to
accept Rhee as their spokesman.
Rhee is negotiating with American aid
officials and independently with American firms for powerful trans-
mitters capable of broadcasting to the entire Far East.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
6. Soviet-inspired Kurdish rebellion allegedly planned for Iran:
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Comment: Rumors of Kurdish revolts
are revived annually in Iranian Azerbaijan.
small groups of Barzani Kurds, who fled to the Soviet Union
in 1947, had re-entered Iran seeking the support of Iranian Kurds.
There is no indication, however, that a widespread revolt is planned.
Isolated disturbances resulting from Soviet
or Tudeh-inspired agitation against the Zahedi government may occur,
but participation by Soviet troops is extremely unlikely.
7. Britain sending armored squadron to Jordan:
In response to a Jordanian request for
assistance under the Anglo-Jordanian
treaty, Britain is moving one armored
squadron from the Suez area to supplement
its small garrison at Aqaba. The squadron, consisting of about 20
tanks and 100 men, will engage in training exercises with the Arab
Legion.
No publicity is being given the move, but
the Foreign Office expects a sharp protest from Israel, which has
been informed.
Comment: Britain had anticipated a
Jordanian request for assistance, and as early as October 1953
was prepared to commit a brigade from the Suez Canal zone.
About 400 British troops have been stationed
at Aqaba since 1949. A British jet squadron is based at Amman.
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A.
8.
WESTERN EUROPE
9. French government reportedly sees need to educate public and
parliament on Indochina:
Secretary for the Associated States Jacquet's
executive secretary admitted to the American
consulate in Hanoi on 25 January that the
French government has to hold out the pros-
o an ear y en o e Indochina burden to gain any public acceptance
of its policy. He stated that "no member of the present French govern-
ment" has any illusions as to the possibility of negotiating a satisfactory
peace with the Viet Minh, but that responsible ministers fear the govern-
ment may have "to eat its words" unless it can educate the public, press,
and parliament on the "realities of France's position" in Indochina.
Comment: Many responsible and informed
politicians who agree that negotiations with the Viet Minh would probably
be fruitless nevertheless advocate other nonmilitary solutions such as
five-power talks. Military victories giving some hope for a successful
conclusion of the Indochina war would put off growing pressure for an
early solution.
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10. Embassy comments on possibility of widespread strikes in France:
The American embassy in Paris believes
that the 24-hour labor demonstrations planned
for 29 January by both the Communist and non-
Communist unions could lead rapidly to a new
political and social crisis in France if the rank and file shows a desire
for nationwide strike activity. Although the planned demonstrations are
not expected to develop into a widespread strike, the embassy states
that they could strengthen the Communist united-action campaign and
improve prospects for more extensive action later.
The embassy believes that a widespread
strike might get out of the control of the national labor confederations
and lead to a showdown with the government. This estimate is based
on the new sense of relative autonomy developed by the bulk of local
unity-of-action committees, and the new Communist labor tactic of
remaining in the background.
11. USSR allegedly sounds out France on Indian mediation in Indochina:
Indian mediation is aimed at weakening the
"pan-Asiatic tendencies" of Mao Tse-tung, and Moscow hopes thereby
to gain full control of Communist strategy in Asia.
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Comment: It is unlikely that the Soviet
Union, with the Berlin conference pending, would have suggested
terms of settlement tantamount to French capitulation in Indochina.
Although the strong Chinese Communist
position poses a possible long-range threat to Soviet control of the
Asian Communist movement, there is no evidence of a current Sino-
Soviet conflict over either the direction or the organization of the
movement.
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