CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1954/05/12

Document Type: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
03006383
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
U
Document Page Count: 
6
Document Creation Date: 
August 20, 2019
Document Release Date: 
August 30, 2019
Sequence Number: 
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
May 12, 1954
File: 
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PDF icon CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULL[15689649].pdf155.97 KB
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pproved for Release: 2019/08/02 C03006383, TOP SECRET r 12 May 1954 Copy No. 76 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN DOCUMENT NO. 1T7 NO CHANGE IN CLASS. 0 DECLASSIFIED � CLASS. CHANGED TO: IS S C NEXT REVIEW DATE. _401.93 AUTFi: HR 70-2 DATE: .:702/r.9 REVIEWER: Office of Current Intelligence CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY �TOP-SECRET Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 C03006383 Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 C03006383 Now IA.1: 1 =miff SUMMARY GENERAL 1. Peiping might agree to supervised Korean election in return for membership in UN (page 3). 2. Yoshida FAR EAST will retire this summer SOUTHEAST ASIA age 3). 3. Laniel requests American military consultati n o 4. NEAR EAST - AFRICA 5. American army attach�arns of danger of Israeli aggression (page 5). WESTERN EUROPE 6. 2 TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 003006383 12 May 54 Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 C03006383- 44100T-eFe�SEeRET GENERAL Peiping might agree to supervised Korean election in return for member- ship in UN: The American delegation at Geneva believes that statements by Chinese Communist spokesman Huang Hua concerning the UN role in Korea may have been designed to at the Communists would agree to UN-supervised elections in North Korea in exchange for admission to the United Nations. American officials feel that countries recognizing Peiping might be receptive to such an appeal, even though it would be a case of UN performance in re- turn for a Communist promise. Comment: Mao's regime has regarded member- ship in the United Nations as its right, not an issue for bargaining. Pei- ping may feel, however, that no concessions jeopardizing Communist control of North Korea are involved in Huang's proposal since it could circumvent UN supervision of the elections by manipulating the nominat- ing procedures. 2. Yoshida FAR EAST will retire this summer: Prime Minister Yoshida plans to retire shortly after his visit to the United States and Europe. Possible successors named are: Deputy Prime Minister Ogata; former dep- uty prime minister Soji Hayashi; former prime minister Hitoshi Ashida; and Shinsuke Kishi, an influential Liberal Party politician and leading ex- ponent of constitutional revision. Comment: His retirement would re- move the major obstacle to a merger of the conservative parties and hence promote political stability in Japan. -3- 12 May 54 TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 C03006383 Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 C03006383 L)JdIVLI Ogata is regarded as the most likely suc- cessor to Yoshida. Inclusion of Progressive Party leader Ashida among possible successors is probably the result of his active promo- tion of conservative amalgamation and his support of Yoshida in the 24 April vote of confidence. SOUTHEAST ASIA 3. Laniel requests American military consultation on Indochina: 4. On 9 May Premier Laniel requested that an American general officer familiar with the Indochina situation be sent to Paris imme, diately to confer with him, Defense Minister Pleven, and Chief of the Armed Forces Staff Ely. He said he would need American advice to make the military decisions necessary to the regrouping of French forces in Indochina. Laniel told Ambassador Dillon that the Communists had made it clear to the French at Geneva that direct con- versations with the Viet Minh were impossible and France must work through Communist China. He believes that only a threat of American intervention will influence the Chinese. Comment: Laniel probably hopes that a renewed American threat to intervene would relieve the French govern- ment of pressure for an immediate settlement at any cost. Tor SECRET Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 C03006383- 12 May 54 Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 C03006383 1. '4-1 1 NEAR EAST - AFRICA 5. American army attach�arns of danger of Israeli aggression: The American army attach�n Amman reports an increase in border shootings between Israel and Jordan following the 9 May incident at Khirbet Ayaleen. He believes that the situa- tion may lead to "general" firing across the frontier if measures are not taken to stop Israeli aggression. Israeli troops ignored a cease-fire promise and fired on UN observer Hutchison when he arrived at the scene of the 9 May incident, according to reports to the Mixed Armistice Commission. Comment: These events demonstrate the UN Truce Supervision Organization's inability to halt aggression in the face of Israeli noncooperation. Official Israeli policy probably tolerates sporadic border incidents in an attempt to force international action leading to peace between Israel and Jordan. TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 C03006383- 12 May 54 Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 C03006383 l WESTERN EUROPE 6 Approved for Release: 2019/08/02 C03006383- 12 May 54