CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1953/12/23

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03003768
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: July 15, 2019
• Document Release Date: July 22, 2019
• Publication Date: December 23, 1953

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CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
L DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS $ C
NEXT REVIEW DATE: 2009
A-UTH: HR 70-2
DATE:.r.,00.4.416/IEWER:
0
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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SUMMARY
SOVIET UNION
Bohlen comments on Soviet reply to president's proposal (page 3).
FAR EAST
Chinese Communists reportedly control North Korea (page 3
SOUTHEAST ASIA
4. French base in northwest Tonkin getting heavy reinforcements
(page 5).
5.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
LATIN AMERICA
6. Brazilian president hints at nationalization of electric power
(page 6).
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SOVIET UNION
1. Bohlen comments on Soviet reply to president's proposal:
Ambassador Bohlen reports that Foreign
Minister Molotov had nothing to add orally
to the text of the Soviet note on atomic control,
but drew his attention specifically to the con-
cluding paragraphs which indicated the Kremlin's willingness to par-
ticipate in the conversations suggested by President Eisenhower and
its intention to propose renunciation of atomic weapons. Both points
are printed in boldface type in the Soviet press. Molotov said that the
Soviet proposal for renunciation was not a precondition for talks, and
Bohlen believes that the USSR is awaiting specific suggestions from
the United States as to place and type of conversations.
The ambassador regards as a tactical shift
the Soviet proposal for a Geneva-type ban on use of atomic weapons,
Such a ban would leave governments still in possession of stockpiles
of weapons; therefore the suggestion represents a shift from the
previous Soviet demands for abolition plus international inspection
subject to Security Council veto.
The ambassador considers this proposal
to be the chief substantive element of the Soviet position. He be-
lieves that such a Geneva-type renunciation would remove one of the
strongest deterrents to local Communist aggression, such as Chinese
intervention in Indochina. It would probably not have much effect in
case of global wars however, since a cold-blooded aggressor would
hardly be restrained by a piece of paper.
FAR EAST
2. Chinese Communists reportedly control North Korea:
back
from a two-week inspection tour of North
Korea reported on 21 December that the
Chinese appear to be "running the country
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and are there to stay. " He stressed that he was met and looked after
by Chinese officials, and that it was useless even to speak to North
Korean officials since they had to get instructions from the Chinese.
All cities visited were heavily garrisoned
by Chinese troops, which considerably outnumbered the North Korean
soldiers, large num-
bers of Chinese settlers had recently come to Korea.
Comment: This is the strongest statement
by any Western observer about Communist China's growing influence
In North Korea, although others, including Ambassador Dean, have
been impressed with Peiping's commanding position.
Since Soviet-trained Koreans still occupy the
most important party and government posts, it is likely that major
policy decisions are still subject to Moscow's approval.
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SOUTHEAST ASIA
4. French base in northwest Tonkin getting heavy reinforcements:
American officers who on 20 December
visited Dien Bien Phu, the French strong-
point in northwestern Tonkin, report that it
i s being heavily fortified. The French are
flying in a 155mm howitzer battalion this
week and plan to stabilize troop strength there at 12 infantry battalions.
One hundred transport sorties are being flown daily during the build-
up stage; maintenance will require 30 C-47 sorties a day.
The American army attach�n Saigon comments
that this heavy build-up, requiring the removal of troops from the critical
delta area, appears justified only if Navarre plans to launch significant
offensive action from Dien Bien Phu.
Comment: Previous Viet Minh tactics suggest
that the enemy will not risk an attack on so strong a post. The Viet
Minh may attempt merely to contain it, while further consolidating
their control In northwest Tonkin; or they may by-pass the post entirely
and launch an attack against northern Laos.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
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LATIN AMERICA
6. Brazilian president hints at nationalization of electric power:
Brazilian president Vargas on 20 December
announced that if funds could not be found to develop a national electric
power industry9 the government would then have to take over existing
establishments "which are not giving the desired results." He re-
ferred to the large foreign companies' failure to supply adequate power
and indicated that they were causing an excessive drain on Brazil's
foreign exchange resources by their profit remittances.
Both the power shortage, caused by rapid
industrialization and made more acute by drought conditions, and the
foreign exchange difficulties are popular issues. Vargas therefore
is apparently attempting by an appeal to ultranationalism to divert
popular dissatisfaction from his administration.
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Brazilian Traction Light and Power Company,
owned jointly by Canadian, British, and American investors and the
recipient of recent loans from the International Bank for Reconstruction
and Development totaling 90 million dollars, supplies more than half
of Brazilian electric power. The American-owned American and
Foreign Power Company supplies about one fifth.
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