CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1955/01/04

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03010825
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: September 20, 2019
• Document Release Date: September 26, 2019
• Publication Date: January 4, 1955

. Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03010825,
1-0P--84FeRET
3.3(h)(2) G_D
3.5(c)
4 January 1955
Copy No.
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT N. 1- 76
NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
I DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE: ___21:ill.2
AUTH: HR 70-2
DATE:(5///c9 0 REVIEWER
Office of Current Intelligence
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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SUMMARY
SOUTHEAST ASIA
1. Infiltration of Chinese-trained Thai Communists allegedly to
begin this month (page 3).
2. Burmese ambassador recommends postponement of Premier Nu's
visit to US (page 3).
3. Burma strongest advocate of Peiping's participation in Afro-Asian
conference (page 4).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
4. USSR reported ready to order disbanding of Tudeh in Iran (page 5).
5. Comment on Iraq's suspension of diplomatic relations with USSR
(page 5).
6. Israel planning further step to force West to recognize Jerusalem
as capital (page 6).
7. Leftist officer reported leader of anti-Nasr group in Egyptian
army (page 7).
8,, Papagos obsessed with British political intrigue in Greece (page 7).
LATIN AMERICA
9. Comment on assassination of Panamanian president Remon (page 8).
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SOUTHEAST ASIA
1. Infiltration of Chinese-trained Thai Communists allegedly to
begin this month:
Comment: Since the Indochina armistice
and the reappearance of former Mai premier Pridi in Communist
China last July, Prince Wan has on several occasions emphasized
the threat posed by Yunnan as a base for subversive activity against
Thailand. He has not cited convincing evidence to justify his fears,
however.
An operation from Yunnan is easily within
the capabilities of the Chinese Communists, especially in view of
the inadequate border controls in north Thailand.
2. Burmese ambassador recommends postponement of Premier Nu's
visit to US:
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Comment: Nu is publicly committed to
attempt to promote a Sino-American rapprochement The Rangoon
press, which looks with favor on the premier's projected mission,
is already expressing concern lest an invitation by the American
government not be forthcoming.
Nu has never been to the United States.
Since planning his trip to Peiping he has hinted strongly several
times that he would be receptive to an invitation.
3. Burma strongest advocate of Peiping's participation in Afro-Asian
conference:
During the meeting of the Colombo powers
last week, Burma was primarily responsi-
ble for Communist China being invited to the
Afro-Asian conference which is to be held
in ones a n x ccording to the permanent secretary of the
Ceylonese Ministry of External Affairs. The Burmese were reported
to have indicated they would not attend the conference if Peiping were
not invited. Ceylon and Pakistan were opposed, but India and Indo-
nesia sided with Burma. The Ceylonese added that it was generally
agreed the conference would be postponed if more than a third of the
invited countries failed to accept.
Comment:
Premier Nu was ad-
vised by Chou En-lai that the Chinese Communists were greatly in-
terested in attending the Afro-Asian conference. The Burmese
leader favored their participation.
It was shortly after this that Nehru, who
probably was kept informed of developments, changed his attitude
toward such a conference from one of indifference to warm support,
thus ensuring it would be held. It appears that India, Burma and
Indonesia, in addition to their announced aims, see Peiping's partic-
ipation as a means of increasing the stature of the conference. India
may in addition consider it an opportunity to draw the Chinese Com-
munists away from Moscow.
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Nei Niue
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
4. USSR reported ready to order disbanding of Tudeh in Iran:
USSR,
through this dramatic move, primarily desires to forestall
Iranian participation in the Turkish-Pakistani pact.
USSR had abandoned its idea of taking over Iran by Tudeh infil-
tration and desires a period of calm relations with Iran.
The American embassy is disinclined
to believe the reports and argues that the following factors make
dissolution unlikely: (1) a complex organization which had re-
quired much time and effort to set up would be scrapped; (2) mo-
rale of Communists in Iran and elsewhere would be adversely
affected; and (3) present evidence points to Soviet ability to ob-
tain considerable good will in Iran without resort to such a dras-
tic measure.
Comment: In the event of public disso-
lution, an organization of hard-core Tudeh members would be
maintained underground for infiltration and espionage and for the
purpose of reviving an overt party when needed.
Moscow has on several occasions changed
the organizational form of a national Communist party to meet the
requirements of its foreign policy.
5. Comment on Iraq's suspension of diplomatic relations with USSR:
Iraq's suspension of diplomatic relations
with the USSR on 3 January results from
Prime Minister Nun i Said's long-standing
determination to reduce Communist activ-
ity in the country.
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Nun i has pushed a strong anti-
Communist line since he came to office on 4 August. Early
in November, the foreign minister told the American ambassa-
dor that if the USSR did not voluntarily close its legation in
Baghdad, Iraq "must find a way to close it."
With an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 Com-
munists in Iraq--more than in any other Arab country--Nuri ap-
parently hopes the closing of the Soviet legation in Baghdad will
eliminate a source of considerable Communist agitation and thereby
weaken internal opposition to his plans for strengthening Iraq's de-
fenses with Western assistance. Czechoslovakia, however, con-
tinues to maintain a diplomatic mission in Iraq.
6. Israel planning further step to force West to recognize Jerusalem
as capital:
French ambassador Gilbert in Tel Aviv
told the American ambassador on 29 De-
cember that the Israeli government would
'insist on an exequatur to the new French
em. Both ambassadors believe this new
demand of Israel's is a further step to force recognition of its posi-
tion in Jerusalem.
Comment: The 1949 UN resolution placed
Jerusalem under international administration, and currently none
of the consuls there has an exequatur.
This new Israeli demand is a maneuver to
gain French recognition of Israel's control over the new city of
Jerusalem despite the UN resolution. It may be followed by simi-
lar tactics against other countries having consuls in Jerusalem.
The Arab states were greatly concerned
over the presentation of credentials in Jerusalem in early Novem-
ber by the British and American ambassadors. The Arabs would
therefore probably try to force the issue of the internationalization
of Jerusalem in the UN should this new demand of Israel b be com-
plied with.
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7. Leftist officer reported leader of anti-Nasr group in Egyptian
army:
Comment: This is the first identifica-
tion of an anti-Nasr group within the army. The group probably
reflects strong nationalist and neutralist sentiments rather than
Communist sympathies. While it is unlikely that this group could
challenge the regime at this time, the existence of such opposi-
tion can be expected to limit 'lases movement toward closer asso-
ciation with the West.
Reports from Cairo have suggested that
Salim b speech of 27 December, which is said to have outraged
Nasr, may mark a schism in the council, with Salim champion-
ing Arab solidarity in opposition to /cases policy of co-operation
with the West.
Papagos obsessed with British political intrigue in Greece:
Prime Minister Papagos' long-standing
obsession regarding British intelligence
activities in� Greece continues strong,
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Nye,
ivinced that Britain aims to destroy the Greek Ra ly and rid Greece
of All American influence. He further believes that Britain con-
stitutes a greater danger to Greek stability than does the USSR.
Papagos is con-
Papagos appears to be surrounded by and gets his
impressions from a clique consisting largely of members of IDEA,
an ultraconservative secret military organization.
The recent shake-up of the Greek high
military command has moved IDEA officers into top positions and
considerably enhanced their influence.
LATIN AMERICA
9. Comment on assassination of Panamanian president Remon:
The assassination of Panamanian presi-
dent Remon on 2 January may introduce a
new period of political instability into
Panama. Jose Ramon Guizado, first
vice president and foreign minister who
was sworn in as president on 3 January,
will, according to the constitution, com-
plete Remon's term which would have
ended in October 1956.
Guizado's administration can not be
expected to have the strength which characterized that of Remon,
whose position was based on his personal following among politi-
cians, the police, and the public. The National Guard, however,
Panama's only armed force, reportedly is supporting the Guizado
government.
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Remon's death may delay formal signing
and ratification of new agreements between Panama and the United
States on the Canal Zone, especially since Guizado's attitude toward
the United States is unclear. Communists have not been strong in
Panama, but they, in combination with other oppositionists, probably
will attempt to exploit the president's assassination and the treaty
issue through disorders.
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