CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1956/04/12

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02995597
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2019
• Document Release Date: October 31, 2019
• Publication Date: April 12, 1956

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CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
� BULLETIN
12 April 1956
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
Copy No,
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLASS
I DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO; IS lipato,
NEXT REVIEW DATE:
AUTH: HR 702
DATIVICFP ritvEwER:
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TOP SECRET
03
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41.
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1 6-71-d N
CONTENTS
1. NATIONAL ELECTIONS IN CEYLON
2. INDONESIA RECEPTIVE TO SOVIET OVERTURES
(page 4).
(page 3).
3. RAIL LINE FROM CANTON TO SWATOW REPORTED UNDER
CONSTRUCTION (page 5).
4. COMMUNIST BLOC PREPARES TO RECOGNIZE CAMBODIA
(page 6).
5. LEADER OF LAOTIAN OPPOSITION SUSPECTED OF PLOT-
TING COUP (page 7).
6. VOROSHILOV DISCUSSES SOVIET RELATIONS WITH IRAN
AND TURKEY (page 8).
12.Apr 56
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(page 9)
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 2
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1. NATIONAL ELECTIONS IN CEYLON
At the end of the final day of Ceylon's
national elections, the final score on
95 elected seats to the lower house of
parliament was: united front, 51; Trotsky-
ite Nava Lanka Sama Samaja, 14; Tamil
parties 13; United National Party, 8;
independents, 6; and Communists, 3.
Prime Minister Kotelawala's resignation
on 11 April paved the way for S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike,
leader of the united front, to assume the premiership al-
most immediately. The loose united front coalition holds an
absolute majority of one seat in the 101-man lower house and
will presumably be strengthened by 6 more votes when Ban-
daranaike appoints 6 additional members as he is entitled to
do. Thus, the front will continue to hold a majority even af-
ter the house has been raised to its full new strength of 105
(special elections are still to be held for four seats allocated
to registered Ceylonese citizens of Indian and Pakistani de-
scent).
Bandaranaike's own Sri Lanka Freedom
Party, which holds 40 of the 51 united front seats, remains
a minority and will have to depend on outside support to rule.
Bandaranaike's control of parliament is probably assured ex-
cept for the two-thirds majority required for amending the
constitution. Under pressure from the Sinhalese-speaking
Buddhist population which elevated him to power, Banciaranaike
will probably soon have to seek a constitutional amendment
making Sinhalese the sole national language. It seems un-
likely that he can muster a two-thirds majority on this issue.
Considering his weakness on this point,
�Bandaranaike may move slowly until he has tested sentiment
in parliament, and he may not immediately press for measures
to nationalize foreign holdings and to oust British forces from
the island.
12 Apr 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin
Page 3
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CUINPHILINliAL
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2. INDONESIA RECEPTIVE TO SOVIET OVERTURES
President Sukarno has officially ac-
cepted an invitation to visit the Soviet
Union and may go there in August, ac-
cording to an Indonesian broadcast of
11 April. Sukarno had told the American
ambassador in Djakarta on 6 April that
if he should visit Communist China and
the Soviet Union, he would take with
him the same group which will accompany
him on his forthcoming visit to the United
ion he might take a representative of the
Indonesian Communist Party. Indonesia has also accepted
a Soviet invitation to send a parliamentary mission to Moscow.
About 15 members of parliament are expected to visit the
USSR in September.
In line with its strict neutralism, the
Indonesian government will probably accept an offer of eco-
nomic aid announced by Soviet ambassador Zhukov on 10 April.
Early this year Indonesia accepted $97,000,000 worth of US
agricultural commodities. Prime Minister Ali told parlia-
ment on 9 April that Indonesia was "ready to make use of the
capacity and readiness of Communist countries."
The Soviet proposals apparently were timed
to counter the effect of Sukarno's forthcoming visit to the United
States.
12 Apr 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 4
ONENTIt
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10.19
Ivracao
(Port.)
3. RAIL LINE FROM CANTON TO SWATOW REPORTED
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Comment
the Chinese Commu-
nists have begun building the long-
proj ected strategic rail link between
Canton and Swatow.
This rail line would serve the Shaikou
and Swatow airfield complex across
from the southern tip of Taiwan. All other new fields op-
posite Taiwan are located near the new lines now being
built to Amoy and Foochow.
The completion of these railroads in
the Fukien Strait area, probably within the next 12 months,
will greatly increase the Chinese Communist capability to
delivery military supplies to the three important invasion
ports opposite Taiwan and the offshore islands--Foochow,
Amoy and Swatow. (Prepared jointly with ORR)
CHANGSHA
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11 APRIL 1956
12 Apr 56
604 1
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4. COMMUNIST BLOC PREPARES TO RECOGNIZE CAMBODIA
Following preparations for the exchange
of diplomatic representatives between
Cambodia and the Soviet Union, the Amer-
ican embassy has been informed by the
Indian charg�who has close Communist
connections, that a decision has been
reached in Moscow that all Communist
countries except Communist China will
recognize Cambodia. The first step in
arently the proposal, made on 11 April
by the Polish truce commissioner in Phnom Penh, that Poland
and Cambodia recognize each other and exchange consuls.
These overtures seem timed to take advan-
tage of Prince Sihanouk's anti-American campaign, which has
recently been intensified. The prince is charging that the United
States is not only threatening to cut off aid to Cambodia because
of its neutral foreign policy, but is behind Thai and South Viet-
namese economic "pressures." He is also promoting demon-
strations calling for closer relations with the Communist bloc
if the West continues to treat Cambodia "unfairly."
Communist China is not pressing the mat-
ter of recognition, according to the Indian charg�because
Sihanouk is reluctant to open formal relations with Peiping at
this time. The charg�tated, however, that he had heard that
the Cambodian economic mission now in Peiping would nego-
tiate a treaty of commerce and friendship with the Chinese and
that Chou En-lai would probably visit Phnom Penh in June.
12 Apr 56
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5. LEADER OF LAOTIAN OPPOSITION SUSPECTED OF
PLOTTING COUP
Laotian security forces have had under
close surveillance a clandestine group
formed in February by opposition mem-
ber of parliament Bong Souvannouvong,
who is said to be plotting to overthrow the government with
Pathet Lao assistance,
Arrangements reportedly have been made
by this group for weapons to be delivered from Thailand in
mid-April, when a coup will be attempted in which govern-
ments leaders will be arrested and Bong made premier.
Some elements of the Bong group reportedly favor assassi-
nation of top government leaders.
The government believes it has the situa-
tion well in hand but is deferring arrests.
Comment
During his attempt to form a government
last month, ex-premier Katay alerted the army and police to
thwart any efforts by Bong or Pathet Lao agents to stir up
disorders designed to advance his chances of becoming pre-
mier.
Bong is an effective demagogue who leads
a small group of fanatics who favor exclusion of American
influence in Laos and coalition with the Pathet Lao.
12 Apr 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin
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6, VOROSHILOV DISCUSSES SOVIET RELATIONS WITH IRAN
AND TURKEY
12 Apr 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 8
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Aft
THE
-
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(Information as of 1700, 11 April)
Egypt announced on 11 April that it was
withdrawing its terrorist squads from Israel. (Press)
Ambassador Lawson in Tel Aviv believes
that Israeli successes and countermeasures against Arab ter-
rorists have brought a noticeable relaxation in Israel and re-
duced the danger of precipitate Israeli action. If the trend of
successful defense continues, the emotional impact of the raids
will ease and the extremists will lose a large potential for in-
citement. Lawson added, however, that Ben-Gurion's patience
and restraint would not continue if Egypt failed to control the
terrorists.
American military attaches in Tel Aviv
observed Sherman tanks and a 155-mm howitzer battery mov-
ing south on 9 April. Twelve tank transports and prime movers
also left the motor vehicle park outside Tel Aviv on the 9th.
continuing requisition of civilian motor
vehicles on a small scale The total number of vehicles requi-
sitioned is now very larcre
that the distance from the border' of certain recent Arab terrorist
raids within Israel suggests that these activities may have been
assisted by local Arabs, who in any case face increasingly severe
control.
In a talk with US State Department officials
on 9 April, Israeli ambassador Eban gave the impression that
12 Apr 56
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Israel would not resume work at Banat Yacov in a precipitate
fashion.
Egyptian-
owned MIG's are largely based in the Suez area and that El'
Arish is not used as a base of operations but as a refueling
point. He said that the MIG's were on constant patrol over the
border area and. overflights were a daily occurrence.
The American naval attach�n Cairo re-
ports that the return of Admiral Rashid to Egypt indicates that
the initial stages of Egyptian naval training in the Soviet bloc
may have been completed. Meanwhile the four Soviet-type mine
craft bearing Polish naval pennants, which left the Baltic on 28
March, were last reported in the eastern Mediterranean off the
Libyan coast, and may have arrived in Alexandria on 10 April.
12 Apr 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 10
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