CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1958/03/25

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Keywords: 2018 Sanitization
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03177784
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: January 27, 2020
• Document Release Date: January 30, 2020
• Publication Date: March 25, 1958

prc416-iiiiiiL317:4
25 March 1958
Copy No. 137
CENTRAL
3.5(c) /
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO 21
NO CHANGF e.':1 ASS.
CLASS, CHANGEn TO: TS 3 C
REV:EW DATL?: 20
DATE,
AUTH: ;Of
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25 MARCH 1951;
L THE COMMUNIST BLOC
Latest Soviet aide-memoire repeats
USSR's agenda proposals, makes no
new suggestions.
II. ASIA-AFRICA
Djakarta Communists seek to incite
antiforeign demonstrations; attack
on US Embassy possible.
King's brothers believed to hold upper
hand in Saudi Arabia.
Egyptian troop movements to Syria fa-
cilitate Nasir's consolidation of control
over Syrian forces.
III. THE WEST
France - De Gaulle's intentions re-
main inscrutable; British ambassador
doubts he plans return to power.
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I kJI4t...I VI.-1
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
25 March 1958
DAILY BRIEF
I. THE COMMUNIST BLOC
*Soviet note: The Soviet aide-memoire given Ambas-
sador Thompson on 24 March failed to make any new pro-
posals. It repeated the agenda the USSR suggested on 28
February for a summit conference, and reaffirmed its call
for a foreign ministers' conference to deal only with or-
ganizational questions. The new note advanced no specific
proposals for the date or composition of either conference,
but again pressed the Western powers for specific answers
to Moscow's agenda proposals, whilresistinr Whr calls
for substantive preparatory talks.
II. ASIA-AFRICA
*Indonesia: In Dj akarta, local Communists are trying
to arouse public feeling against "foreign intervention" by or-
ganizing demonstrations, which could includamob attack
on the American Embassy.
In North Sumatra, the present dissident threat to gov-
ernment control appears to have been dissipated. Central
government messages report that the dissidents are de-
moralized and that large numbers have either stirronriorarl
or have been captured with their weapons.
*Saudi Arabian situation: King Saud's relationship with
his brother, Crown Prinee Faysal, remains unclear. In
granting Faysal broad powers, Saud is reported to have bowed
to a series of demands from his brothers. They asked that the
King's advisers, Yusuf Yasin and Jamal Husayni, be replaced,
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and that Saudi Arabia align itself with the UAR. Cairo
has not commented officially on the situation.
(Page 1)
Egyptian military moves in Syria: An Egyptian MIG
jet fighter squadron will be deployed to Syria when Syria's
newest airfield at Dumayr, northeast of Damascus,, is reat
about 1 April
two
companies of Egyptian troops were scheduled to move to
Syria by sea on 13 March.
Subsequent to this, a large party of Egyptian air-
borne personnel was seen in Damascus. Movement of
these forces into Sri ia advances the integration of Egyp-
tian and Syrian forces, and will facilitate iris efforts
to gain control over the Syrian military.
(Page 2)
III. THE WEST
France: General de Gaulle's intentions remain in-
scrutable. Touring an interview on 20 March the general
gave he impression of a
man who was not contemplating an imminent return to pow-
er, nor did (Le seen capable of it. He appeared aged and
tired and preoccupied with writing his memoires. On the
other hand, recent first-hand reports by competent Ameri-
can observers had the general increasingly active and de-
voting much of his time to talking with various French po-
li tir al leaders.
25 Mar 56
DAILY BRIEF
i
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ViE...#
TEE COMMUNIST BLOC
No Back-up Material
II. ASIA-AFRICA
Saudi Arabian, Developments
The Egyptian Government has thus far withheld official com-
ment on reports that King Saud has granted extensive powers to his
brother, Crown Prince Faysal, probably because Cairo is still un-
certain of the changes that are actually to take olace.
the changes will
reduce Saud to a position of merely titular authority, and that the
validity of Nasir's accusations against the King has been upheld. The
authoritative Egyptian newspaper Al Ahram commented: "When Nasir
si,eaks, some crowns shake on certain royal heads." Cairo still plans
to try one of Saud's fathers-in-law in absentia for his alleged role in
the plot to break up the UA:R.
The King's recent decree granting broad powers to Faysal is re-
ported to have resulted from demands by a group of the King's brothers
that the King discontinue his efforts to build up the authority of his sons.
During the past year and a half, Saud has caused growing resentment by
attempting to concentrate power in his own hands and those of his fa-
vorite sons, while Faysal has been largely exCluded from formulation
of policy. A reduction in the authority of Saud's sons could affect Saud's
control over the armed forces.
While the new relationship between Saud and the crown prince re-
mains uncertain, it appears unlikely that their former differences have
been completely resolved.,
Another condition imposed on Saud was the dismissal of his foreign
advisers, including Yusuf Yasin, a Syrian, and Jamal Efusayni, a Pal-
estinian, whose influence over the King has been resented by the royal
family, and their replacement by a council of prominent Saudi citizens.
Saud's relinquishment of control over foreign affairs suggests that his
intrigues against the governments of Egypt, Syria, and Yemen will be
suspended, and that Saudi Arabia may increasingly follow the lead of
the UAR in foreign policy.
25 Mar 58
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 1
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Turi oi...1A.,11.1...d
Egyptian Military Movements to Syria
A gradual build-up of Egyptian military forces in Syria
now taking place will facilitate Nasir's efforts to gain con-
trol over Syrian military forces and will strengthen the
military posture of the United Arab Republic against Iraq
and Jordan as well as against Israel.
a squadron of Egyptian MIG jet fighters will be
dispatched to Syria shortly after 1 April, when a new air-
field near Dumayr, 23 miles nor heagt of 'Damascus. will
be ready to receive the aircraft.
a shipment of Egyptian troops, apparently about
two companies, was scheduled to move to Syria by sea on
13 March. On 18 March the American army attache re-
ported that more than 90 Egyptian air-borne and commando
troops including several high-ranking officers, among them
a general officer, were seen in Damascus. This suggests
that Egyptian commando and parachute troops--perhaps as
much as a brigade--will be stationed in Syria, or that the
Egyptian troops will be integrated into the newly formed
Syrian commando brigade.
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