CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1954/01/15

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03003781
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: August 20, 2019
• Document Release Date: August 30, 2019
• Publication Date: January 15, 1954

for Release: 2019/08/02 C030-0378,7
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3.5(c)
15 January 1954 3.3(h)(2)
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CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO
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f.
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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40.04 1 _11 IN.L. A
SUMMARY
GENERAL
Neutrals in Korea increasingly concerned with Communist
reactions to POW release (page 3).
SOUTHEAST ASIA
French official in Paris reviews Indochina situation (page 3).
Non-Communist Indonesian labor federation weakened by
withdrawals (page 4).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
Turkey criticizes Council of Europe resolution on East-West
relations (page 5).
Comment on dissolution of Moslem Brotherhood in Egypt (page 5).
LATIN AMERICA
. Czechoslovakia and Poland may seek to establish missions in
Panama (page 6).
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GENERAL
1. Neutrals in Korea increasingly concerned with Communist reactions
to POW release:
Indian, Swiss, and Swedish members of the
NNRC are reported by American representa-
tive Young to be increasingly concerned over
the sharp Communist reactions to General
Thimayya's proposed turnover of the Korean
prisoners on 20 January. The Czech and Polish members on 13 January
warned that such a release would have "grave consequences" in the
United Nations.
Indian representatives told Young that New
Delhi's relations with the Communists have reached a point of real
strain. Young comments that the Communists will try to use "every
possible scare" to prevent the Indians from turning back the prisoners.
Comment: The Communists will undoubtedly
attempt such tactics of intimidation, but they will probably accept the
situation and use the release as an excuse for their failure to induce
most of the prisoners to return.
While additional North Korean and Chinese
Communist units have been reported moving into the area northeast of
Panmunjom, there is no evidence that this is related to the prisoner
Issue.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
2. French official in Paris reviews Indochina situation:
Secretary for the Associated States Jacquet
told the American embassy in Paris that
General Navarre last July estimated a period
of two years before the French position would
be such that negotiations with the Viet Minh could be undertaken. This
was on the assumption that Chinese aid to the enemy remained at the
same level and he received certain men and equipment. The latter con-
dition has since been fulfilled.
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In December, according to the French
official, Navarre stated that Chinese aid to the Viet Minh had in-
creased considerably, particularly as regards trucks, heavy artil-
lery and antiaircraft weapons, and that he must have additional
men and equipment. In conjunction with Navarre's needs, Jacquet
mentioned a forthcoming request for additional B-26's and air force
mechanics from the United States.
Comment: General Navarre's plan of
battle contemplated the decisive defeat of the enemy within two years.
In discussions with American officials he has not referred to the
possibility of negotiations.
The American army attach�n Saigon
reported in late December that a check with all available sources
failed to support French allegations of an increase in Chinese aid
over the past several months.
3. Non-Communist Indonesian labor federation weakened by withdrawals;
The withdrawal of eight unions from Indo-
nesia's non-Communist labor federation,
the KBSI, is a severe blow to that organi-
zation. The KBSI, according to the American
embassy, had just reached the stage at which it could combat SOBS!, the
Communist-controlled federation and the largest labor organization in
Indonesia.
Comment: The leader of the withdrawing
unions is a prominent memiTer-Tr) the National Party and the withdrawal
was presumably in accordance with government policy, now susceptible
to Communist influence.
The KBSI is now led by several capable anti-
Communist labor leaders who are Socialist sympathizers. Although
Indonesian labor is dominated by the Communists, some of these leaders
have effectively maintained pockets of non-Communist labor, against
which the National Party-Communist alliance is now moving.
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NEAR EAST - AFRICA
Turkey criticizes Council of Europe resolution on East-West relations:
the Turkish Foreign Ministry expressed
concern that a recent resolution of the Council
of Europe would be regarded by the Soviet
Union as a sign of Western weakness and
would have an unfavorable effect on Turkish public opinion. Concern
was also expressed over the possible consequences of any East-West
security pact. The ministry insisted that since present tensions are
caused by the Soviet Union there is no longer any reason for compromise.
Comment: The views of the Turkish Foreign
Ministry are expressive of Turkey's rigid anti-Soviet policy and the con-
tempt with which it views any move that suggests a softening up by the
Western powers.
. Comment on dissolution of Moslem Brotherhood in Egypt:
The Egyptian government's dissolution on
13 January of the Moslem Brotherhood, a fanatical religio-nationalist
organization, is the military regime's boldest move thus far to elimi-
nate opposition, and one necessary if the regime is to achieve a settle-
ment of the Suez issue.
The Moslem Brotherhood had some 2,000
branches throughout the country and,next to the banned nationalist
Wafd Party,was the most extensive organization in Egypt. In outlaw-
ing the Brotherhood, which the Nagib government had not openly
challenged before, the regime forces underground its only remaining
opponent. The group was responsible for many of the terrorist raids
against the British in the Suez Canal zone.
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a state of emergency has been declared and arrests of leaders of
the group are continuing, with more than 300 already held. Effec-
tive suppression of the extremist organization would permit the
Egyptian government greater freedom of action in its relations
with the West.
LATIN AMERICA
. Czechoslovakia and Poland may seek to establish missions in
Panama:
Comment: The Polish minister to Mexico
presented his credentials in Panama in November. At that time the
Panamanian foreign minister stated that his country was merely follow-
ing the big nations in maintaining diplomatic relations with Poland.
The Czechs reportedly made fruitless overtures on this subject to
the previous Panamanian government in 1951 and 1952.
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