CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1956/04/05

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Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
02995592
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RIPPUB
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U
Document Page Count: 
10
Document Creation Date: 
October 25, 2019
Document Release Date: 
October 31, 2019
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Publication Date: 
April 5, 1956
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PDF icon CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULL[15740235].pdf318.25 KB
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Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592V UP 3 riVIlf-L`f� f 11, 00# "S. �;;'/1/1 �*; /// el o?;# --T-OP-S-ECRET- Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN 11 5 April 1956 uopy NO. 103 .,iMLN I NO. i..1, CHANGE IN GL ASS. ULU_ ASSIt iED NEX I ni:silf.Yj DA I L ____ ...00_1... (4-.7.,r.i0,1_D 1 7): AU i'll: I 0 t 70. :I viz ckc OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592 0114 Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592 Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592 ha 1.."...11.La V CONTENTS 1. JORDANIAN KING'S OVER- THROW AND NEW TROUBLES ON ISRAEL-JORDAN BORDER (page 3),, 2. BURMA NEGOTIATING WITH USSR FOR DEVELOPMENT LOAN (Secret) (page 4). 3. RICE USSR WILLING TO BUY THAI (page 5). 4. PEIPING OFFERS CAMBODIA FUNDS FOR UNIVERSITY (page 6). 5 Apr 56 * * * * THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION (page 7) * * * * � THE TAIWAN STRAIT (page 8) Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 2 -7777"--SEeR Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592 Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592 1. JORDANIAN KINGS OVER- THROW AND NEW TROUBLES ON ISRAEL-JORDAN BORDER Reports state that the situation in Jordan is becoming in- creasingly precarious and that King Hussain will probably ultimately lose his throne. The re- ports also state that the Arab Legion is deteriorating rapidly and to ex- pect new troubles along the Jordan-Israel border. Comment The Jordanian situation appears to be sub- stantially , and the recent increase in the number of incidents along the Israeli- Jordanian border supports the warning. Britain is obligated by the terms of the Anglo-Jordanian treaty to offer aid if Jordan should "become engaged in war." In the event of a civil war, London might be prepared to use force to keep Hussain on his throne. Britain now has 1,900 troops and an RAF fighter squadron stationed in Jordan. The British may hope that Hussain will be sustained by his cousin, King Faisal of Iraq. In the absence of a request supported by a substantial group within Jordan, however, Iraq would presumably be reluctant to move. 5 Apr 56 Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 3 Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592 �Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592 kw, .IL -s. -Volo 2. BURMA NEGOTIATING WITH USSR FOR DEVELOPMENT LOAN Kyaw Nyein, the influential Burmese minister of industries, informed the American ambassador in Rangoon on 31 March that Burma is negotiating a development loan to be repaid in com- modities. Kyaw Nyein stated that he was opposed to such a loan, since it would give the USSR a predominant posi- tion in Burma's development program. He also fears Moscow may insist on repayment in commodities which might disqualify Burma, because of the Battle Act, from receiving American aid. Meanwhile, another Burmese official has stated that Burma plans to take mainly capital goods in return for rice shipped to the USSR. He indicated that Soviet consumer goods wanted by Burma are scarce and that the �government is anxious to keep the number of Soviet techni- cians working in Burma to a minimum because they must be accompanied by interpreters. In discussing the nature of US aid pre- ferred, U Raschid, the minister of trade development, said he wants Americans in the fields in which they are supreme-- the construction and operation of factories and mines. Comment The negotiations for a long-term develop- ment loan are in addition to other negotia- tions which have produced an agreement to increase annual Soviet rice purchases from Burma to 400,000 tons. The size of the loan offer was not revealed, but in past approaches for an American loan, Kyaw Nyein has indicated a desire for be- tween $150,000,000 and $200,000,000. Despite the opposi- tion of Kyaw Nyein and other officials, the Burmese govern- ment would probably accept a loan from the USSR if the con- ditions were sufficiently attractive. Burma will experience difficulty in limit- ing the number of Communist technicians in view of the large quantity of capital goods it is planning to import from the bloc. (Concurred in by OFtR) 5 Apr 56 Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 4 SECREJJ- Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592 Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592 vi.UP�SErittli: Ala 3. BUY THAI RICE USSR WILLING TO he USSR was prepared to buy rice from Thailand in order to promote trade between the two countries. a rice deal depended "solely on the attitude of the Thai government." Comment Although Thailand is presently able to sell all its rice in non-Communist markets, many Bangkok exporters are uneasy about the future. The Thai government at present bans rice exports to Communist countries, and recently reaffirmed this policy in the face of a strong effort by Communist China to buy Thai rice, Should a rice surplus begin to accumu- late in Thailand, however, the government would be hard put to resist pressure both from within its own ranks and from local merchants for trade with the Sino-Soviet bloc. (Concurred in by ORR) 5 Apr 56 Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 5 -TOP-SECRET Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592 Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592 kinuiv.rdi 4. PEIPING OFFERS CAMBODIA FUNDS FOR UNIVERSITY Communist China has offered Cambodia $5,000,000 to be used for building a uni- versity in Phnom Penh, The offer, said to have no strings attached� Comment Chou En-lai repeatedly assured Prince �Sihanouk during his visit to Peiping in February that Communist China was willing to give eco- nomic'assistance to Cambodia with no strings attached. This is the first report of a specific Chinese offer. Such an offer would be well timed in view of Prince Sihanouk's pique over alleged Western interference in Cambodian af- fairs. 5 Apr 56 Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 6 SEC ET Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592 Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592 ila THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION (Information as of 1700, 4 April) Incidents continue on Israel's frontier with Egypt and Jordan. Meanwhile General Shuqayr, Syrian army chief of staff, has reported that the Israeli-Syrian fron- tier was very quiet, that some of the Israeli forces opposing him had been withdrawn, and that he did not anticipate trouble in the immediate future. He told the American army attach� in Damascus that most of the Syrian army remains concen- trated between the Israeli border and Damascus, Shuqayr also said the strength of the Syrian army had been increased to about 60,000, which he considered a satisfactory level. Re- cent talks with Jordan's military leaders had resulted in agree- ment to permit use of Syrian forces in Jordan and Jordanians in Syria, as required. Some Syrian reserves waniri snon re- ceive training in Jordan from the Arab Legion. Syria will receive, according to Shuqayr, 66 T-34 tanks from Czechoslovakia through Egypt Although deliveries have not been completed, one regiment of T-34's is reliably reported in the armored brigade on the Israeli frontier. The Czechs have agreed to furnish in the near fu- ture 32 85-mm antiaircraft guns to equip two battalions for the defense of Damascus. An unspecified number of Hispano- Suiza 30-mm antiaircraft guns to equip two additional battalions have also arrived recently. The new equipment will permit release of all 20-mm antiaircraft guns to front-line units. All but eight of 100 recently requisitioned Israeli civilian cargo and dump trucks departed the central motor park near Tel Aviv for an unknown destination on the night of 2-3 April, according to the American army attach�n Tel Aviv. The call-up of vehicles complements the recent mo- bilization of personnel which has brought Israeli forces to an advanced state of readiness on all fronts. The above vehicles might also be intended for use in the recently instituted program of fortifying the border settlements. 5 Apr 56 Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 7 SECRET Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592 Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592 vL JE JILI-L L2 1-11-4 Neer BIWEEKLY SUMMARY 22 March-4 April 1956 THE TAIWAN STRAIT Report of the IAC Current Intelligence Group for the Taiwan Strait Problem 1. There were no significant combat operations in the area during the period. Peiping's propagaidn attention to the subject of Taiwan remained at a low level. 5 Apr 56 Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 8 �6602NFIDENTI4L___ Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592 Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592 TAIWAN STRAIT SITUATION 4 APRIL 1956 CHINESE COMMUNIST AIRFIELD LEGEND: DESIGNATIONS ACTIVE BASE FOR MILITARY 8. CIVILIAN AIR CRAFT. SOME BASES USED BY PISTON TYPES MAY BE USABLE BY JETS INACTIVE BASES CAPABLE OF ELSE BY AIRCRAFT CURRENT STATUS UNDETERMINED . SECONDARY AIRFIELD PRIMARY AIRFIELD AUXILIARY OR EMERGENCY BASES CONSIDERED MOST IMPORTANT IN OR FIELDS OF LESSER IMPORTANCE. AREA WITH PREPARED RUNWAY RUNWAYS GENERALLY LESS THAN GENERALLY 5000 FEET OR LONGER. 5000 FEET. 41 OPERATIONAL A SEFYICEABLE UNKNOWN A IL 28 * FIE IL, NOT CONSIDERED CAPABLE (LI,,,I'PORTING SUSTAINED OPER� AI ION AT PRESENT. USABILITY MIG 15 ' TU-2, MIG 17 IL-10 LA-9/11 11.1 4 LI-2 ETC. UNKNOWN \N. H 0 Nr. A N ? � IC ..118 NANKING/ \ ? , 5 WI) H11.0411 120 KIANGSU HANGHAI \ 1: -kHIAHSING� ID \ 4/0 G HAN GC H OW , \--. - 8 ' NI NGPO--ow / ) ? ) c , if _., . --- -,./.. HIUC �-., \ CH UHSI EN'VW ,P-CH INHUA \ NANCHAN SHANGJAO .,-- o. - t -7' LUCH IA040 ( , \ iek�CHANGSHA l - / ( \ X WENCHOW 0 ( � Jui ( ' / ( 1 ( , 15t0,000 I I. � ) 'HENGYANG 1 N TROOPS i ALOCHIENOU* AIA 1 , 24 pC E H ?et. OHANKOW t�e'' ApA ? 3 HUAININGo .CAN TON 7 7) .,,... , f' 53,000 / M *--) ' - ATSUS ( ok Yungan FOOCHOW r NANTAI�S) 21,000 ) , ) / LI EAEl& ENG no LUNGTI EN / s CHANGING* . v k J ) 1 it L � WUCHILI ) - ( - KAUSH Ill'HaINAGNyANG / 5-- ___ + --, ..'..--� 1 N, mACHIANG \- " LUNGCH1 0 \ AM OY )89,000 QUEMOY 1 K WA NO'rUNG \ CHENGHAI 41 SWATOW 0 SHU IKOU fl Kong ) IsAirao (Port) 114 11����11111.31111.9111,01� Noll, I, Al LS 100 0 30 100 150 tilAr1r, 0.1111, � Nanamg � Nlingte TAOYUAN .0(4 HSINCHU W CHIAYI 323,, AINAN PING f LING NATIONALIST AIRFIELD , RAILROAD PRIMARY ROADS PROPOSED RAILROAD SECONDARY ROADS ,Irtraozi ANIMINft TAI S. 22 122 N to* Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 CO2995592 60103-20