CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1961/01/06

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03166572
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RIPPUB
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U
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19
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August 14, 2020
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August 27, 2020
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January 6, 1961
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Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 3.5(c) / /14., liove I %IV am�iiv-z-r� Nor 3.3(h)(2) 6 January 1961 Copy No. C CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 �T-UP�StettE-T- -TOP-SECRET- Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 -SS �SEeRE-T-- *fte 6 JANUARY 1961 I. SPECIAL ITEM Situation in Laos. IL THE COMMUNIST BLOC East German refugee flow to West Berlin heavy during holiday period. III. ASIA-AFRICA Iran--Shah has apparently decided to rig Impending parliamentary elections to as� sure victory of pre-selected candidates. Ethiopian Emperor's failure to follow up success in crushing recent revolt raises doubts in Ethiopia over his ability to re- assert one-man rule. Japanese Socialists adopt new moderate approach in effort to rally popular oppo- sition to some government policies. Nepalese Communists and former ruling Nepali Congress party have begun sep- arately to operate underground in opposi tion to King's takeover of government. 0 -SECRET-- IV. THE WEST � Mexican foreign minister says Cuban situation is problem for Cuban people but they may need some outside help. LATE ITEM � Beirut rioting may force Lebanese Presi- dent Shihab to form military government Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 --TOP�SEGRE-T- CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN 6 January 1961 DAILY BRIEF I. SPECIAL ITEM Laos: While sporadic skirmishing has been reported, there has been no appreciable change in the areas held by ,e.LejLtz.�/ the opposing forces during the past two days. Even if agree- Th., deL4_,E_ ment in principle is soon reached on reactivation of the ICC, " the time required to get the commission in place and to LL..2t it- 7, agree on the terms under which it would operate would per e mit both sides to engage in considerable military activity in orde to be in the best position should a truce be declared. he Boun Oum government, its investiture by the Na- tional Assembly now completed, is sending an emissary to Phnom Penh in an effort to persuade Souvanna Phouma to recognize the new government; an ambassadorship or some other roost may be offered Souvanna. (Page 1) II. THE COMMUNIST BLOC Berlin: The near record refugee flow to West Berlin over the h�oTiFin7period reflects the deep-seated disaffection of the East German populace, even among doctors, teachers, and technical men, to whom the regime has been granting special political and economic concessions. Some relaxation in East German controls also probably, contributed to the fact that 4,345 refugees were able to flee to West Berlin in the week ending 3 January. The refugee flow to Berlin in the last twelve months has totaled more than 150,000--as compared with 90,000 in 1959. Ulbricht's difficulty in dealing with this problem is complicated by the USSR's desire to keep tensions over Berlin down pending a period of East-West negotiations. (Page 3) TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 Weil TOP SECRET w I I I. ASIA-AFRICA 11 o K Iran: LA:fter several weeks of hesitation, the Shah ap- pears to have decided that the parliamentary elections which are expected to start sometime this month should A 2 again be rigged to assure the choice of preselected can- ft didates. Commentary in the Iranian press on these elec- tions, in contrast to the treatment of the August elections, has been very scanty, apparently, because the regime hopes /r to reduce the impact of electoral chicanery on the public. Iranian security officials expect demonstrations but believe they can handle them easily. One high security official ex- pressed the view that the "real and tragic damage" which will result from these elections will be the irrepar ening.je gap between the regime and the people (Page 4) Ethiopia: Emperor Haile Selassie's failure to follow up his success in crushing the recent attempt to depose him with positive steps to reconstruct his regime has paralyzed normal governmental operations and is raising doubts among Ethiopians regarding his ability to reassert his one-man rule over Ethiopia. On 3 January a high security official appealed for calm over Radio Addis Ababa and denied the credibility of numerous rumors circulating in the capital. While the American ambassador foresees no immediate breakdown of public order, he points out that trouble could break out if the Em eror fails to take early steps to quell the discontent. (Page 6) Japan: he Socialist party has begun a campaign to rally 0 Ar popular opposition to government negotiations for settlement with South Korea by pointing out that Seoul cannot speak for all of Korea. Since mid-October. the Socialists have shifted their tactics away from the mass action of last summer to attacking elitj e the conservative government in parliament on issues with wide popular appeal such as renewal of Sino-Japanese relations an.L17 6 Jan 61 DAILY BRIEF ii TOP SECRET \\\k \\ Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 � opposition to Jan's defense build-up. The more moderate Socialist appr.ach in the present political context offers con- . � sider e.,,r ,�,,,-,z-nment and to US-Japanese rela- tions. (Page 7) .al: Leaders of both the Communist party and the for- mer ruling Nepal/. Congress party have begun separately to operate underround in Nepal. They are also engaging in or- ganizational acavities in India in opposition to the takeover of the government by King Mahendra. The King's 5 January ban on political parties will 5Erc-erf:_rthti their determination to op- pose his direct-rule policies. Former Deputy Prime Minister Subarna Shumshere, who has been in Calcutta since the King's takeover in December, is already in contact with Indian gov- ernment leaders and has reportedly received New Delhi's cov- ert LIessing for "limited resistance activities:' Subarna has, however, ruled out collaboration with the Communists. IV. THE WEST Cuba: Latin American reaction to the US-Cuban diplomatic break Fus far has been mixed and fragmentary. The most strik- ing comment has come from Mexican Foreign Minister Tello. He told US Embassy officials that while the Cuban situation is a problem for the Cubans themselves, they will need "a little bit of outside help." He implied that the problem, could be dealt with by the Organization of American States, under its Caracas Resolution of 1954 against international Communism. Mexico is a strong proponent of the concept of nonintervention, and this Is the furthest any Mexican official has yet gone toward condon- ing external action to solve the Cuban problem. Tello also spoke of the great difficulty of influencing Cuba back into the American family of nations--a sharply contrasting attitude to the warm of- ficial reception given by Mexico to Cuban President Dorticos last June. (Page 9) 6 Jan 61 � DAILY BRIEF iii Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 �i \ - TOP SECRET Nor LATE ITEM *Lebanon: Fears that Moslem rioting in Beirut on 4-5 january might lead to Christian-Moslem strife may force Presi- dent Shihab to accede to pressures from some army elements for a military takeover of the government, according to Ambassa- dor McClintook. Rivals of Prime Minister Salam, including former Prime Minister Yafi, apparently instigated the disorders hoping to bring down Salamis cabinet, Although Shihab has become increasingly disillusioned with Lebabese political leaders, whom he contemptuously terms "cheese-eaters," he has consistently resiRtPri nast stioynagtinns that h ..P avr m milifary anuarrirnartf 12 urn V. SIGNIFICANT INTELLIGENCE REPORTS AND ESTIMATES (Available during the preceding week) Chinese Communist Atomic Energy Program--Summary and Conclusions: Organization, Technical Capabilities, Ore Produc- tion, Soviet Aid, and Likely Dates for First Chinese Production Reactor to Attain Criticality and for Detonation of a Nuclear De- vice. NIE 13-2-60. 13 December 1960. Probable Communist Intentions in Laos and Factors Likely to Affect Future Soviet, Chinese, and North Vietnamese Moves. SNIE 68-2060. 28 December 1960. Soviet Atomic Energy Program. Graphs, Maps, Tables. NIE 11-2A-60. 21 June 1960. (Disseminated 14 December 1960.) 116693. 6 Jan 61 DAILY BRIEF Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 vr.or � Situation in Laos Scattered skirmishing between Pathet Lao/Kong Le forces and government troops has been reported in the past two days, but there appears to have been no appre- ciable change in the areas held by the opposing forces. The Pathet Lao and Kong Le appear to be consolidating their control in the Plaine des Jarres area and are exerting pres- sure on government paratroop elements dropped a few miles outside Xieng Khouang town on 1 January. The government post at Ban Ban to the northeast also appears to be under strong enemy pressure. Government elements in Xieng Khouang Province are widely scattered and will have to re- group and be reinforced before any attempt to retake the Plaine des Jarres can be undertaken. [Elsewhere in the country, a government blocking posi- tion north of Luang Prabang came under mortar fire on 4 January, possibly presaging an early increase in Pathet Lao pressure on the royal capitalj Communist radio claims of Pathet Lao successes in other parts of Laos are probably con- siderably inflated, although guerrilla activity is believed to be on the increase in southern and central Laos. [premier Boun Own, his government now formally invested by the National Assembly, has informed Ambassador Brown in Vientiane that one of his cabinet ministers will leave shortly for Phnom Penh in an effort to persuade Souvanna Phouma to recog- nize the legality of his regime. An ambassadorship or some other government post may be offered Souvanna as an inducement to drop any pretension he may entertain that he still heads the legal government of Laos. Souvanna recently indicated to the press that he would resign the moment the Boun Oum government was constitutionally established; however, he is subject to strong Soviet influence in Phnom Penh and may not follow through on his promise. Even though he appears unlikely to proclaim a government-in-exile, he may choose simply to remain sileplj --SE�RE-T 6 Jan 61 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 1 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 Approved for Release: 20201/08/11 C03166572 NuriO %4450 aus keeping himself free to come in as a compromise pre- mier in a negotiated settlement, which he may feel will be the final upshot of the crisis in Laos3 [The Boun Oum government continues to show a strong anti French animus, stemming from the belief that the French were behind the Kong Le coup and openly favored leftist elements in the struggle between Savannakhet and the Souvanna government in Vientiane. The government has ordered all French civil serv- ants and military personnel in southern Laos to congregate at the Seno military base near Savannakhet. All such persons In the First Military Region in northern Laos have been oraered to return to Vientiane. In his conversation with Ambassador Brown, Boun Oum reiterated his government's intention to take over Seno, the use of which was granted FrPneh iinricrr +h. 1954 Indochina Armistice Agreementli, The Boun Oum government has indicated a willingness to consider reactivation of the ICC in Laos if all signatories to the 1954 Geneva Agreements desire this and if the Geneva co-chair- men--Great Britain and the USSR�submit the request for recall to Boun Oum's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The USSR, Commu- nist China, and North Vietnam�which signed the Geneva Agree- ments along with Britain, France, and Cambodia--continue to call for reactivation of the ICC but have insisted that all dealings be with ex-Premier. Souvarma Phouma. Even if agreement in principle is soon reached on reactivation of the ICC, the time required to get the commission in place and to agree on the terms under which it would operate would permit both sides to engage in considerable military activity in order to be in the best position should a truce be declared. All ten Soviet IL44s made flights into Laos on 4 . armary and were scheduled for ten more flights on 5 January -SEGRET 6 Jan 61 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 2 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 giord East German pular Disaffection Reflected in High Refugee Flow A near record holiday flow of more than 7,000 refugees reached West Berlin in the two weeks including Christmas and New Year's�some 4,345 in the week ending 3 January. This influx brings the total number of escapes to West Berlin in 1960 to more than 150,000, compared with less than 90,000 last year. Escapes to both West Berlin and West Germany this year totaled just under 200,000, compared with less than 144,000 in 1959. Among the refugees are many medical men, teachers, engineers, technicians, and skilled workers whose services are vitally need- ed by the Ulbricht regime. In recent weeks, the regime has sought to stem the flow at least among professional people. Medical men, teachers, and engineers have been promised better living conditions, some re- lief from political pressures, and an opportunity to follow their professional preferences. Party boss Ulbricht took a conciliatory line in his report to the eleventh central committee plenum in mid- December, admitting even that "sometimes there is reason for dissatisfaction" in East Germany. He reproved officials for using "crude" methods toward professional men and intellectuals and ordered instead the use of persuasion. Left to himself, Ulbricht probably would sharply intensify controls on East Germans desiring to travel to West Berlin and West Germany. However, he must instead fall in line with the USSR's desire to keep tension over Berlin at a low point brat least the time being. The regime has therefore reduced controls within Berlin and reportedly in mid-December liberalized the granting of permits to visit the Federal Republic. As Ulbricht complained in his speech to the party plenum: "We had to and still must compete with imperialist and capitalist West Germany with open frontiers. This is not easy." In past months, there has been evidence that East German party functionaries have been critical of Khrushchev's decision to delay a solution of the Berlin question. Although Ulbricht has always seemed to accommodate himself to Khrushchev's tactics and has kept such elements in line, internal party pressures for harsher policies to prevent escapes will probably mount. 6 Jan 61 �5E6MT� CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 3 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 vlsol Shah Appears Determined to RiglParliamentary Elations he Shah has apparently received conflicting advice on the conduct of the elections: one school, exemplified by for- mer Prime Minister Eqbal, maintains that they should be completely controlled; the other view, held by Bakhtiar and presumably by Sharif-Emami, is that a free choice should be permitted among carefully selected candidates. It now ap- pears that the Eqbal approach has not only won out but that Sharif-Emami has himself been persuaded to support a policy he has previously deplored. The Shah, however, is likely to be under pressure, up to the day the voting begins, to reverse this policy. In contrast to its treatment of the abortive elec- tions of August 1960, the Tehran press has nearly ignored the coming elections. This appears to be an attempt by the regime to reduce public interest and thus avoid a repetition of last year's widespread criticisl-nj 53_althtiar and other security officials expect demonstra- tions if rigged elections are repeated, but none that cannot b_23 TOP SECREF- 6 Jan 61 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 4 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 rrapv Cpssntrolled. He believes that the "real and tragic damage" will be the irreparable widening of the gap between the regime and the people. The violent repression of demonstrations could precipitate formation of a unified nationalist opposition con- trolled by radical element23 6 Jan 61 TOP SECRET CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 5 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 Nwv � Nary Ethiopia Faces Growing Instability Emperor Haile Selassie has failed to follow up his suc- cess in crushing the recent attempt to depose him by taking positive steps to reconstruct his regime. As a result, nor- mal governmental operations have become paralyzed, and there are indications that some Ethiopians are beginning to doubt his ability to reassert his one-man rule in Ethiopia. The Emperor's inaction and his recent public pronounce- ments reveal an intense preoccupation with the security of his regime and with the lack of personal loyalty displayed toward him during the abortive coup. Meanwhile he is com- pletely disregarding the need for reforms. Continued instability in the capital was demonstrated on 3 January when a high security official made an appeal over Radio Addis Ababa for calm and declared that rumors circu- lating in the capital were groundless. One rumor--that the army has threatened to "take action" unless it receives an immediate pay raise--is causing considerable apprehension in government circles, in part because the short-lived coup government promised such a raise. The American ambassa- dor observes that even if this rumor has no factual basis, it might create sufficient discontent to cause possible action by the army or by individual soldiers. Regarding another rumor-- that Ethiopian foreign officials have defected and are seeking political asylum�the ambassador indicated that a number of officials are known to be dissatisfied with the prevailing situa- tion in Addis Ababa and that there now is much more criticism of the Emperor than before the attempted coup0 k_)espite indications that his shaky regime may face even more serious difficulties, the Emperor is reported opposed o making concessions to progressive younger elements who dvocate some of the reforms also promised by the rebels. e is said to be seeking advice only from the surviving mem- ers of the conservative old guard who oppose changes in pres- nt government policy, in the hope of maintaining the status u5D While the ambassador foresees no immediate breakdown of public order, he believes there may be trouble if peror fails to take early steps to quell the discontent NOFORN) 6 Jan 61 -SECRET- CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 6 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 *Itie Now New Sodk Strategy Dangerous to US Interests in Japan bp 3 January the Japanese Socialist party began a cam- paign to rally popular opposition to government negotiations for an over-all settlement with South Korea by pointing out that Seoul cannot speak for all of Korea. The Socialists is- sued a statement that an agreement would perpetuate the par- tition of Korea and open the door to formation of a northeast Asian military alliance among Japan, South Korea, National- ist China, and the Philippines. They are also exploiting pop- ular apprehension that no settlement of Korean financial claims will be final if North Korea is excluded his attack is in line with tactics adopted by the party in mid-October, when it abandoned last summer's mass dem- onstration tactics and began attacking the conservative govern- ment in parliament on issues having wide popular appeal. This new moderate approach in the present political context offers considerable danger to the government and to US..Japamisvit_ relation/ yring the special Diet session which ended on 22 Decem- ber, the Socialists replaced last year's frontal attack on the US alliance with a less direct one in the form of a widely appeal- ing argument for neutralism. They argued that the consequences of US dollar-protection measures support their position that Japan can no longer depend wholly on the US for trade and should renew trade relations with Communist China. They maintained that the Japanese economy cannot afford increased defense expenditures, that American military assistance will soon be drastically cut because of the US balance-of-payments problem, and that the Japanese must therefore seek security in nonaggression pacts with their Communist neighborj9 The theoretical basis of the new Socialist tactics is the so-called "structural reform" program promoted Jay Secretary) SECRET 6 Jan 61 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 7 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 Approved for Release-: 2020/08/11 C03166572 Nagy aeneral Saburo Eda and modeled on pronouncements of Ital- ian Communist party Secretary General Togliatti. This pro- gram calls for de-emphasizing class struggle and long-range goals which can be accomplished only after the Socialists have come to power and for concentrating on immediate popular issues where there is a possibility of forcing changes in gov- ernment policy. The program probably represents only a temporary shift to gain greater popular support. Its unac- knowledged goal is to create a series of government crises, to topple successive conservative governments, and eventually to undermine conservative strength-. 6 Jan 61 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 8 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 )440 Latin American Reaction to, US-Cuban Break Latin American reaction to the US-Cuban diplomatic break thus far has been mixed and fragmentary. The most striking comment has come from Mexican Foreign Minister who told American Embassy officials that the exer- ..a oi any influence to bring Cuba back into the American family of nations would be most difficult since Cuba's recent ctions demonstrate zomplete alignment with the &b- Soviet bloc. He said that while the Cuban situation is a prob- lem for the Cubans themselves, they will need "a bit of out- side help" in some form which would not "lower the prestige of any nation." He said that the Cuban problem could only be dealt with by the Organization of American States (OAS) through the provisions of the Caracas resolution of 1954 -against international Communism, but he added that this would preclude any Mexican involvement in the voting. Mex- ico remains the only Latin American nation which has not endorsed the 1954 resolution. The US Embassy in Mexico city sees this statement as an indication that Mexico may "convey a benevolent nod for someone else to terminate the Cuban headache while Mexico goes on abstaining." Mexico has long been a stanch supporter of the doctrine of nonintervention, and the Tello statement is the furthest any Mexican official has yet gone in condoning ex- ternal action to solve the Cuban problem. Some Mexican offi- cials have publicly voiced their sympathy for the Cuban people and the aims of their revolution since June 1960, when Cuban President Osvaldo Dorticos was received warmly by Mexican officials as well as the general public during his tour of the country. This attitude has been due both to Mexico's finding an analogy between the Cuban and Mexican revolutions and to mounting leftist pressures on the Lopez Mateos govern- ment. A Brazilian Foreign Office official criticized the US for not consulting the other OAS governments beforehand, and 6 Jan 61 CUWIENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 9 * Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 003166572 ,..iimisso7. Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 mpaarnmemmommiememmemmum 1%d _red expressed fears that the break will play into Castro's hands in his efforts to drive a wedge between the United States and the rest of Latin America. Venezuelan foreign Minister Falcon Briceno commented favorably on the US action and said that he considered i evitable, Haitian Foreign Minis- ter Baguidy expressed a similar sentiment. Venezuelan relations with Cuba are already strained, and Ambassador Sparks in Caracas feels that Venezuela's future course in re- gard to Cuba will be determined by the degree of satisfaction of the Betancourt government with.the outcome of the 4 Jan- uary OAS council meeting, which voted to impose limited eco- nomic sanctions against the Trujillo dictatorship in the Domin- ican Republic. Costa Rican and Panamanian officials have indicated that their governments now are considering the pos- sibility of breaking diplomatic ties with Cuba. � Uruguayan officials have indicated their government may use the Cuban precedent in demanding the reduction of the US diplomatic mission in Havana to the same level as the Cuban representation in Washington as a means of trimming the size of the Soviet diplomatic mission of some 30 individuals in Mon- tevideo to the three Uruguayans in Moscow. Meanwhile, there Is no evidence of a Cuban move against . the US naval base at Guantanamo, but the Cuban ambassador to 1:xico said on 3 January that his government would present a "petition" to the United Nations "to have the base eliminated." 6 Jan 61 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 10 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 CQNPIITWTJT1Al. Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 THE PRESIDENT The Vice President Executive Offices of the White House Special Assistant for National Security Affairs Scientific Adviser to the President Director of the Budget Director, Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization Director, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Special Assistant for Security Operations Coordination Chairman, Board of Consultants on Foreign Intelligence Activities Special Assistant for Foreign Economic Policy Executive Secretary, National Security Council The Department of State The Secretary of State The Under Secretary of State The Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs The Deputy Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs The Deputy Under Secretary of State for Administration The Counselor Director, International Cooperation Administration The Director of Intelligence and Research The Treasury Department The Secretary of the Treasury The Department of Detense The Secretary of Defense The Deputy Secretary of Defense Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs The Secretary of the Army The Secretary of the Navy The Secretary of the Air Force The Chairman, The Joint Chiefs of Staff The Director, The Joint Staff Chief of Staff, United States Army Chief of Naval Operations, United States Navy Chief of Staff, United States Air Force Commandant, United States Marine Corps Assistant to Secretary of Defense for Special Operations Director for Intelligence, The Joint Staff Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Department of Army Director of Naval Intelligence, Department of Navy Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Department of the Air Force Supreme Allied Commander, Europe Commander in Chief, Pacific The Department of Commerce The Secretary of Commerce Atomic Energy Commission The Chairman Federal Bureau of Investigation The Director National Security Agency The Director � National Indications Center The Director CONFIDENTIAL Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572 TOP SECRET. 1(4 /11e6Y41:474 7/7 /1",, , ,2 r / crz, 7004: r7 '',ed' / rz,o, e, �TOP-SEeRET- Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C03166572