CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1956/03/01

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03179148
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2019
• Document Release Date: October 31, 2019
• Publication Date: March 1, 1956

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CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
TOP SECRET
DOCUMENT NO
1 March 1956
Copy No 103
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
3 5*
NO CHANGE IN CLASS a
0 DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: IS S
NEXT REVIEW DATE. ����210.
AUTH: HR 70-2
DATE � Talk REVIEWER
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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la1/4 Asiok
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I t 1.4
sly
CONTENTS
1. EGYPTIAN-SYRIAN COMMAND REPORTS ISRAELIS
RESUME WORK ON BANAT YACOV CANAL
(page 3).
2. NASR SAYS HE IS UNABLE TO INITIATE TALKS ON
JOHNSTON PLAN (page 4).
3. TURKEY PASSES COMPENSATION BILL FOR VICTIMS
OF ANTI-GREEK RIOTS (page 5).
4. BRITISH SEE ONLY "OUTSIDE CHANCE" TO AGREE
WITH MAKARIOS ON CYPRUS (page 6).
5. EARLY CHANGE OF SYRIAN GOVERNMENT AND NEW
ELECTIONS RUMORED (page 7).
6. NEW EVIDENCE OF SOVIET AID TO COMMUNIST CHINA'S
AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY (page 8).
7. CZECH COMMERCIAL MISSION TO COLOMBIA
(page 9).
8. WET MINH "PLAN OF ACTION" FOR SOUTH VIETNAM
ELECTIONS REPORTED (page 10).
1 Mar 56
* * * *
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITrTION
page 11)
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iisto UV I
1. EGYPTIAN-SYRIAN COMMAND REPORTS ISRAELIS
14V qTTIAR WCIRK ON 'RAMAT VACOV CANAL
Comment Although Syria's threat to fire on
Israelis working on the Banat Yacov
canal project applies only to operations inside the Israeli-
Syrian demilitarized zone, Israeli activity of any kind near
the zone at this time strengthens Arab fears that Israel in-
tends in the immediate future to take some action in viola-
tion of the UN order.
Work on the project outside the demili-
tarized zone has proceeded intermittently since the fall of
1953, when work inside the zone was halted by UN order.
The director general of the Israeli
prime minister's office assured the American embassy in
Tel Aviv on 28 February that no decision has been made re-
garding the "operational features" of this year's Jordan diver-
sion work, He said construction would not normally be under-
taken in any case until the middle or latter part of April,
1 Mar 56
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9.1-4 1
2. NASR SAYS HE IS UNABLE TO INITIATE TALKS ON
JOHNSTON PLAN
Egyptian prime minister Nasr told
Ambassador Byroade on 27 February
that he can do nothing toward gaining
Arab acceptance of the Johnston plan
or the Jordan River development until the present crisis
over Banat Yacov is safely passed. Nasr explained that
none of the Arab states would want to give the impression
that it had accepted the plan because of "open threats" from
Israel, and that the subject probably could not be injected
into the Arab League meeting scheduled for mid-March.
Comment Jordan's prime minister Rifai is con-
sidering raising the issue at the Arab
League meeting. Nases attitude, however, is more con-
sistent with that of most other Arab states' leaders, who
are pressing the United States and Britain to take action to
prevent hostilities but plead inability at present to make any
constructive move themselves.
1 Mar 56
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CONFIDENTIAL
3. TURKEY PASSES COMPENSATION BILL FOR
VICTIMS OF ANTI-GREEK RIOTS
Comment on:
The Turkish National Assembly, by
passing a compensation bill for vic-
tims of the anti-Greek riots in Istanbul
and Izmir last September, has removed
the major obstacle to resumption of co-operation between
Greece and Turkey. Athens has regarded compensation as
essential for the restoration of Greek-Turkish co-operation
both bilaterally and within NATO and the Balkan pact.
The assembly's action will probably
satisfy the minimum demands of the Greek government and,
by removing a major foreign policy problem, will give Prime
Minister Karamanlis greater freedom of action in his han-
dling of relations with Turkey. The degree of Turkish oppo-
sition to the compensation issue is demonstrated by the sharp
criticism of the bill during debate and by the fact that nearly
half the assembly membership did not participate in the final
vote.
Other sources of tension between the two
countries�animosities aroused by the riots, the Cyprus issue,
the Salonika bombing trial, and the dispute over fishing rights--
will hinder any broad improvement in Greek-Turkish relations.
1 Mar 56
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410
4. BRITISH SEE ONLY "OUTSIDE CHANCE" TO AGREE
WITH MAKAR1OS ON CYPRUS
Comment
� A House of Commons debate on Cyprus
scheduled for 29 February was canceled,
and Lennox-Boyd's stay in Cyprus apparently has been ex-
tended through the end of this week.
1 Mar 56
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IFJCANI I If-IL
5. EARLY CHANGE OF SYRIAN GOVERNMENT AND NEW
ELECTIONS RUMORED
Observers in Damascus are specu-
lating that the Syrian cabinet may
fall within two weeks, and that a
new government, possibly including
former prime minister Ithalid al-Azm, will force Presi-
dent quwatli to dissolve parliament and call for new elec-
tions. I
some estimates give the leftists a chance of
winning 50 percent or more of the 142 seats in any elections
held in the near future.
Many conservatives are disposing of
their property and transferring funds abroad. They believe
the only remedy is force supported from outside Syria.
Comment There is reportedly some sentiment
in the Syrian army that Azm should re-
place Prime Minister Ghazzi. The drift to the left in Syria
gained considerable momentum during Azm's tenure as for-
eign minister and leading spirit of the previous cabinet.
The fears of Syria's conservatives have
been increased recently by the failure of party leaders to
form a conservative coalition government to meet the threat
of war with Israel, as well as by their failure to gain sup-
port from Iraq. Quwatli's imminent departure for a "rest"
in Egypt lends support to speculation that a domestic crisis
is on the way.
1 Mar 56
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6. NEW EVIDENCE OF SOVIET AID TO COMMUNIST
CHINA'S AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY
Comment
These are the first observed contacts
of this nature between the Soviet and
Chinese aircraft industries.
These Soviet aid efforts may be aimed
at improving the embryonic Chinese aircraft industry's
capability for overhauling or modifying aircraft. On the
other hand, they may be initial efforts in Communist China's
long-range program for producing combat aircraft. Other
current developments which could contribute to such a pro-
gram are the construction of a fully integrated aluminum in-
dustry in Manchuria and the training of aeronautical engineers
at an institute in Peiping. (Prepared by ORR)
1 Mar 56 Current Intelligence Bulletin
Page 8
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or,t-nE, r
Alk 21104
7. CZECH COMMERCIAL MISSION TO COLOMBIA
the unofficial Czech commer-
cial mission scheduled to visit
Colombia in the near future will
include five representatives of Czech companies and
three experts from the Ministry of Foreign Trade, in-
cluding the chief of the Latin American section.
The Czech group is being sent to
arrange for co-ordination of Czech purchases and sales
in Bogota and "if necessary and advisable, to establish
general bases for a barter agreement."
As an initial purchase the Czechs
consider 4,000 tons of coffee feasible on the basis of their
reports on the availability of Czech exports.
Comment The sending of a delegation of this
nature confirms earlier indications
of Czechoslovakia's effort to enlarge its influence in Latin
America. Colombia has a deficit in its trade balance with
Czechoslovakia.
Official exchanges have not mentioned
the possibility of the export of Czech arms to Colombia,
but the Colombian
government is interested in making such purchases through
private Colombian and West German firms. (Concurred in
by ORR)
1 Mar 56
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%se � %Or
8. VIET MINH "PLAN OF ACTION" FOR SOUTH VIETNAM
ELECTIONS REPORTED
The Viet Minh has
a "plan
Df action" for election day on 4 March,
In an
effort to keep the voter turnout small, rumors will be spread
that riots are likely and agents will pose as government func-
tionaries and instruct voters to remain at home to wait for
cars to take them to the polls. Viet Minh gangs are to over-
whelm polling supervisors after most of the votes have been
cast and steal the ballot boxes.
such
orders have been circulated verbally for greater security.
The Viet Minh apparatus in South Vietnam is believed to have
the capability to carry out these actions. alhough in urban
areas their success is doubtful.
Comment Viet Minh broadcasts in mid-February
said the elections would be turned into a
"bloody reply to the Americans." Since then Hanoi radio,
while continuing to attack the elections, has virtually conceded
they will come off on schedule.
1 Mar 56
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Oft
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(Information as of 1700, 29 February)
The possibility that Arab-Israeli border
incidents could expand into major hostilities has been increased
as a result of the concentration of Egyptian, Syrian and Lebanese
troops on Israel's borders. Firing on Israeli fishing boats on
Lake Tiberias and new incidents on the Gaza front have also con-
tributed to this situation.
The American military attach�n Tel Aviv
reports substantial evidence of a continuation of a secret partial
mobilization of personnel and vehicles.
The Soviet freigger Karaganda arrived at
Alexandria from the Black Sea on 25 February with a cargo re-
portedly consisting entirely of explosives. Fifteen arms cargoes
have now been transported to Egypt by Soviet freighters since de-
liveries began in late October. Further information on the cargo
of the Admiral Ushakov, the last Soviet freighter to unload mili-
tary equipment at Alexandria prior to the Karaganda's arrival,
indicates that it carried artillery as well as tanks, trucks, and
two motor torpedo boats.
1 Mar 56
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-roP sErnrT
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