CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1955/03/31

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Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
03017440
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RIPPUB
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U
Document Page Count: 
9
Document Creation Date: 
September 20, 2019
Document Release Date: 
September 26, 2019
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Publication Date: 
March 31, 1955
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PDF icon CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULL[15722719].pdf374.61 KB
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Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03017440, TOP SECRET 7 31 March 1955 Copy No. 88 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN DOCUMENT NO. -4101, NO CHANGE IN CLASS El DECLASSIFIED CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S C NEXT REVIEW DATE: 2-0 ( 0 AUTH: HR 70-2 DATE. I 7;w g0 REVIEWER Office of Current Intelligence CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03017440 Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03017440 ',Nee SUMMARY GENERAL 1. Hammarskjold believes India and Burma will intervene on behalf of American prisoners in China (page 3). SOUTHEAST ASIA 2. U Nu invites Ho to stop off in Rangoon on way to Afro-Asian conference (page 3). 3. Comment on Vietnamese government clash with Binh Xuyen (page 4). 4. British continue opposition to forceful suppression of Patliet Lao (page 5). SOUTH ASIA 5. Nehru reported "considerably disturbed" by New Delhi confer- ence (page 5). NEAR EAST - AFRICA 6. Minister of Court Ala reported slated for Iranian premiership (page 6). WESTERN EUROPE 7. Italian view of British policy reported (page 7), THE FORMOSA STRAITS (page 8) * * * * 31 Mar 55 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 2 -TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03017440 Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03017440 *inire �iree GENERAL Hammarskjold believes India and Burma will intervene on behalf of American prisoners in China: UN secretary general Hammarskjold has informed Ambassador Lodge that he has "solid reason to believe" Indian prime minister Nehru will intervene on behalf of American prisoners in Communist Hammarskjold said he also believes he will be able to "activate" Burma. Comment: Hammarskj old apparently foresees Indian and Burmese intervention directly with Chou En-lai at the Afro-Asian conference which is tO open on 18 April� The Chinese Communists have been ex- pected to release some of the 55 imprisoned or detained Americans during 1955 for propaganda purposes. In order to make such Asian neutrals as India and Burma more amenable to Communist purposes, Peiping may choose to co-ordinate the releases of some prisoners with representations from those governments: SOUTHEAST ASIA U Nu invites Ho to stop off in Rangoon on way to Afro-Asian con- ference: Comment: Reports from the Burmese embassy in Peiping indicate that Chou will accept Nu's invitation. 31 Mar 55 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 3 TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03017440 Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03017440 Noe' political questions would be more important than economic and cultural mat- ters at the Bandung conference. A pre-conference meeting as pro- posed by Nu would provide an opportunity to find common ground on such political matters as Formosa, the Manila pact, and the banning of nuclear arms tests. Premier Nasr, however, has indicated that the performance of his delegation would be satisfactory to the United States 3. Comment on Vietnamese government clash with Binh Xuyen: An uneasy truce between government forces and the Binh Xuyen has been reached in Saigon. With at least 17 battalions of troops �approximately 13,000 men--in Saigon and environs against Binh Xuyen forces of some 3,000, the government appears to be in control following the outbreak on the night of 29-30 March. The bulk of the antigovernment Hoa Hao forces are still in western Cochinchina, and Diem claims to have won over two previously opposing generals, one from the Cao Dai sect and one from the Hoa Hao. A serious threat to Diem's positiom however, is the certain displeasure of Bao Dai with Diem's re- moval of the Saigon police from the control of the Binh Xuyen The Binh Xuyen's armed attacks were in response to this act The Binh Xuyen was awarded control of the police by Bao Dai a year ago--for a price--and it has since made itself the watchdog of Bao Dal's interests in Vietnam Meanwhile, French officials have ex- pressed their concern with what they consider Diem's rashness in dealing with the sects. A high Paris official has proposed the formation of a new policy-making body which would in effect termi- nate Diem's influence and permit the entry into the government of some of Vietnam's foremost opportunists and fellow travelers, 31 Mar 55 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 4 TOP SECRPT Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03017440 Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03017440 4. British continue opposition to forceful suppression of Pathet Lao: In commenting on the present situation in Laos, the British point out that the Laotian government may either forfeit "world opinion" by resorting to force to restore its authority over the provinces held by the Pathet Lao, or it may open the way to Communist domination of the whole coun- try by making vital concessions in an attempt to secure a peace- ful settlement. A spokesman of the embassy in Washing- ton stressed on 22 March the Foreign Office view that military action might be condemned by the International Control Commis- sion, a development which Foreign Secretary Eden wants avoided "at all costs." Comment: The British are anxious to avoid any situation which would appear to violate the spirit of the Geneva agreement. They are particularly concerned lest India be forced to align itself publicly against the Laotian government. London's long-range hopes for checking the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia are based in large part on efforts to induce India to assume the major foreign influence role in the area. SOUTH ASIA 5. Nehru reported "considerably disturbed" by New Delhi conference: The British Foreign Office has informed the American embassy in London that Prime Minister Nehru was ignorant of the background of the "Asian Conference for the Relaxation of International Tension" when he gave his offhand assent for the holding of the Communist-sponsored meeting in New Delhi beginning 6 April. When Nehru recently learned the facts about the conference, he was reportedly "con- siderably disturbed," 31 Mar 55 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 5 TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03017440 Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03017440 .4.01 *tile According to the Foreign Office, Nehru has now ordered his government not to have any official contact with the leftist meeting, although he is permitting minimum courte- sies to delegates who are also government officials. Comment: This confirms earlier re- ports that India does not look with favor on the forthcoming left- ist conference at New Delhi, though it has done nothing so far to restrict attendance. Nehru's reported reaction might lead the government to curtail the activities of the delegates if it feels the meeting is likely to hurt Indian political objectives, particu- larly in reference to the Afro-Asian conference two weeks later In Indonesia. NEAR EAST - AFRICA 6. Minister of Court Ala reported slated for Iranian premiership: The Shah is ready to replace Prime Minister Zahedi with Minister of Court AlaLl The Shah has requested Zahedi to resign if he cannot resolve his differences with Abol Hassan Ebtehaj, director of the Seven-Year Plan. Comment: The antipathies between Zahedi and Ebtehaj are probably too great to be reconciled, and the Shah apparently expects the prime minister to resign. Ala is devoted to the Shah but is ill and ineffectual. His appointment would result in intensive political activity which would be likely to promote government instability. Ala was prime minister for about six weeks in 1951. He was replaced by Mossadeq, who had out- maneuvered him during his premiership. 31 Mar 55 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 6 Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03017440 Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03017440 `14.11 Nirie WESTERN EUROPE 7. Italian view of British policy reported: Europe Italian premier Scelba and Foreign Minister Martino believe that the funda- mental objective of British policy is to take the place of the United States in and to re-establish British leadership around the world, Martino is said to favor the alleged British view of bilateral European alliances and a soft policy toward the Soviet Union. Scelba, however, favors further Euro- pean integration and desires close American support for this policy. Comment: Despite frequent reports of Martino's "pro-British" leanings, the Scelba government is determined to maintain close ties with the United States. This reported version of British policy ignores the cardinal importance to Britain of the Anglo-American alliance and the strenuous British efforts to ensure continued American involvement on the Continent. London has always pre- ferred intergovernmental co-operation to supranational institu- tions. 31 Mar 55 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 7 �TerSECRET Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03017440 ,13.� Rms.. .���� Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03017440 Noe 'tue THE FORMOSA STRAITS Report of the IAC Current Intelligence Group for the Formosa Straits Problem This report is based on information received in Washington up to 1100 hours 30 March 1955. 1. The lull in Formosan combat air operations was broken by Nationalist air attacks on nine Chinese Communist patrol boats in the Min River near Foochow on 30 March. Damage to three craft was claimed after a strafing attack. Although ten to twelve patrol boats have been known to be operating in the Foochow-Wenchow area, this is the first such concentration observed in the southern part of this area. The vessels are considered to have been engaged in logistic activity. Except for this action, Chinese Nationalist air operations for the past week have been confined largely to patrols and recon- naissance. Chinese Communist air activity also has been at a low level. There have been no reports of Communist aircraft in the Formosa Strait area since 17 March. 2. During the past week the volume of Peiping propaganda dealing with Formosa showed a further decline from six to 205 per- cent of all internal broadcasts, equalling a previous low in November 1954. The week's major Chinese Communist statement on Formosa was contained in a 25 March article by Mme. Sun Yat-sen, on the sub- ject of coexistence. Mme. Sun restated the Chinese Communist posi- tion that the "liberation" of Formosa was a purely domestic matter except in so far as it involved "US aggression." She stated that pro- posals for "neutralization" of Formosa were totally unacceptable to Communist China. However, Mme. Sun's article was presumably designed to set the tone for propaganda preparatory to the Bandung Asian-Africa conference, at which the Chinese Communists are ex- pected to stress strongly the theme of "peaceful coexistence." 31 Mar 55 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 8 TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03017440 Approved for Release:, 2019/09/17 C03017440 Neese � .1 H U � *NGYANG - E H HANKOW G KONC / A NHWEI HANG CHO ) CH EK \ CHUHSIEN 0 ( CHANGT,ING AMOY NO I SWAT() .4" NING HAIM under construction KAOHSIUNG SOUTH CHINA COAST (incl. FORMOSA)