CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1955/06/24

Document Type: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
03448318
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
U
Document Page Count: 
10
Document Creation Date: 
September 20, 2019
Document Release Date: 
September 26, 2019
Sequence Number: 
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
June 24, 1955
File: 
Body: 
idf!, ,:oved for Release: 2019/09/17 0 /(// r E D 3.3(h)(2) 3.5(c) 24 June 1955 Copy No.JJ CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN DOCUMENT NO -3 NO CHANGE IN CLASS. CI DECLASSIFIED CLASS. CHANGED TO: IS S C NEXT REVIEW DATE: ep Off/ AUTH: HR 70:2 DATE: /0/80. � REVIEWER: Office of Current Intelligence CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 /4 ./IVA C03448318 Approved for Release: 267709/17 C031448318 See Ns/ SUMMARY GENERAL 1. Comment on Bulganin-Nehru statement (page 3). SOVIET UNION 2. Soviet participation in Swiss air show canceled (page 3). FAR EAST 3. USSR continues evasion on Japanese repatriation issue (page 4). 4. South Korea continues to violate aid understanding with United States (page 4). SOUTHEAST ASIA 5. NEAR EAST - AFRICA 6. Syrian chief of staff ready to oust anti-Western clique (page 6). LATIN AMERICA 7. Comment on the Argentine situation (page 6). 8. American plane shot down in Bering Sea area (page 7). 24 June 55 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 2 Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03448318 Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03448318 GENERAL 1. Comment on Bulganin-Nehru statement: The statement made by Premier Bul- ganin and Prime Minister Nehru on 22 June serves to re-emphasize a number of points often enunciated from Moscow and New Delhi, most of which Molotov included in his speech at San Francisco on the same day. It has provided the USSR with another oppor- tunity to reaffirm its support for the Sib-Indian "five princi- ples" and to endorse them in a formal statement, thereby par- tially filling a gap left by its nonparticipation at the Bandung conference. The Soviet Union will undoubtedly make effective propaganda use of the joint statement. In South Asia, however, the statement will probably be interpreted as a victory for Nehru. Nehru's public endorsement of a ban on atomic weapons and his agreement that satisfaction of Commu- nist China's "legitimate rights" in regard to Formosa should be sought by peaceful means are somewhat more strongly worded than has been the custom in official Indian pronouncements. SOVIET UNION 2. Soviet participation in Swiss air show canceled: Swiss sponsors of the Geneva air show have written off any idea of Soviet par- t' ipation, according to Ambassador Willis in Bern. The USSR will, how- ever' e representea by its minister of civil aviation and four air force officers. Comment: Soviet officials had earlier indicated interest in matching American participation. The USSR may have decided that techni- cal difficulties in connection with the Geneva air show precluded a favorable display of its advances in air power. A display of air strength is still scheduled for the Soviet Aviation Day show in Moscow, which is expected to be held in July. 24 June 55 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 3 Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03448318 Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03448318 %spe FAR EAST 3. USSR continues evasion on Japanese repatriation issue: In the fourth meeting of the Soviet- Japanese negotiators in London on 21 June, Soviet delegate Malik pro- posed that the question of the repatri- ation of Soviet-held Japanese, which Japan has demanded as a prerequisite to further negotiations, be settled simultaneously with the restoration of normal relations. Malik also complained that Tokyo's "unfair and twisted" publicity on the previous meeting was con- trary to the joint understanding to avoid publicity. Comment: Matsumoto's strong stand at the previous meeting regarding the repatriation of Japanese detainees has been supported by Japanese popular opinion. Malik had previously insisted that the repatriation question could not be discussed before establishment of hormal relations. His reluctance to furnish names of priso- ners suggests that the USSR desires to delay the actual return of the prisoners, agreeing only to the principle of repatriation. It probably hopes to use the repatriates to get concessions from the Japanese in future negotiations. His remarks concerning secrecy of the talks appear to reflect Moscow's sensitivity to the unfavorable re- action *itch the Soviet position at the 14 June meeting evoked in Japanese official circles and the press. 4. South Korea continues to violate aid understanding with United States: 24 June 55 The South Korean government is intensi- fying its covert efforts to block the pro- curement of aid goods from Japan, CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 4 Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03448318 Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03448318 Nose according to Ambassador Lacy. It has been making arbitrary decisions to disqualify Japanese suppliers on technicalities, and intimidating Korean importers and foreign businessmen who represent the Japanese, Lacy met with a group of Korean import- ers who stated that they had been warned not to complain to the American authorities. Comment: One of the key points in the US-South Korean minute of understanding which Rhee signed last November forbade discrimination against any non-Communist nation in the procurement of aid goods. Since that time, the Koreans have attempted to ignore or evade the provisions in the agreement to which they originally objected, particularly those relating to the exchange rate, the use of Korea's foreign ex- change earnings, and the purchase of goods from Japan. SOUTHEAST ASIA 24 June 55 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 5 Approved for Release: 20i19/09/17 C03448318 N.. ����� 11 11 Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03448318 say' ,4400 NEAR EAST - AFRICA 6. Syrian chief of staff ready to oust anti-Western clique: Syrian chief of staff Shawkat Shuqayr is ready to "get rid" of Foreign Minister Khalid al Azm, remove Communists and members of the Arab Socialist-Resurrectionist Party from the army, and set up a new government in collaboration with the pro-Iraqi Populist Party, according to Nazir Fansa, co-owner of a prominent pro-Western Syrian newspaper. Shuqayr told Fansa on 19 June that his change of policy is made necessary by the increasingly bad situa- tion in the army as well as in Syria itself. Fansa is now arrang- ing a meeting between Shuqayr and the leader of the Populists. Comment: The anti-Western clique, with Shuqayr's support, has dpminated Syrian policy since February. Shuqayr's shift could be a most serious setback for them. Shuqayr and the Populists, however, have yet to work out an accord. Negotiations between them are likely to be difficult, and unless they are kept secret, younger anti-Western army officers may be moved to act ti the disadvantage of both Shuqayr and the Populists. LATIN AMERICA 7. Comment on the Argentine situation: In accordance with the top military author- ities' efforts to persuade the public that "normalcy has returned," General Peron une 5 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 6 Approved for Release: 2016/09/17 C034148318 Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03448318 4140' was publicized on 22 June under his full title of president and commander in chief of the armed forces for the first time _ since the 16 June revolt. At the same time Minister of the Army Lucero stated that the army, which had defended the "legitimately established authorities," was returning to its normal activities. Military control of the Argentine government, however; appears to continue. No prog- ress seems to have been made in reported negotiations with the rebel navy. Opposition to ousting Peron has been voiced by three top army generals including Lucero, according to informa- tion from usually reliable sources of the American embassy in Buenos Aires. These generals are said to fear a general strike, and to doubt whether any action against Peron would be countenanced by the professional noncommissioned officers, who have been favored by him. the army wishes to retain Peron until arms have been taken from the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) and the Nationalist Lib- erating Alliance, a pro-Peron rightist pressure group. CGT lead- ers, disturbed by rumors of Peron's resignation, are reported plan- ning a gener41 strike and a counterrevolution if necessary. , * * * * 8. American plane shot down in Bering Sea area: n 22 June, an American Neptune naval econnaissance plane was attacked by oviet jet fighters approximately 30 nau- 'cal miles south of the Chukotsk Penin- la. According to the Neptune pilot's rep wo e s volved in the attack, which severely dam- aged the plane, forcing it to crash land on the northwest tip of St. Lawrence Island (see maps, pp. 9 and 10). 24 June 55 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 7 Approved for Release: 2019)09/17 C03448318 Approved for Release: 2019/09/17 C03448318 Sur? *44 is of The American aircraft was engaged in a routine shipping reconnaissance flight from Kodiak Island over the Bering Sea between St. Lawrence Island and the Soviet main- land. Comment: During the past week there have been indications of considerable Soviet activity in the Chukotsk area. On 15, 18 and 21 June, the routine Neptune shipping recon- naissance flight in this area resulted in scrambling of jet fighters based at Providemya. Continued sensitivity in the Chukotsk area was indicated seven hours after the Neptune was shot down when a Soviet fighter was scrambled apparently in response to of a US aircraft flying a few miles north of St. Lawrence Island. Such flights do not generally stimulate Soviet fighter reaction. 24 June 55 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 8 ApprovQ-forTRelQS-e72-6161/09/17 C03448318 68 \ 156 164 2 1 68 q I ,� e \ , \ i;',.,___�U4,7gir, ,9.. .4 N ""'--,..-,�..._ 1' 'i"teI' , , CHAL N,S1CA r A 444. 47, .., -... 6 , List'-ch.o --- Nuh,;',7. . ',.. 4,S0,.,,,,,�1/� N. ______,I.� .,, �... 1 4"4 �'lit \ KolVna Pr ' ct S 4.10IL-,,t at ,,no.ya ... lOst,,,,o \ m t c H i , Mys Shrnidta .., ---;,� Yulinil'", -,, --.,.10d... � ---' 1-- R''', : Being , 4 F , ) I A N t D '. 3' I ' I / I 4r/ +6/ , A�l "7 0/ 1.,.,. 2 1 s)47/9/ / BER,N(' / 1) / / / / / NI' - X � \ ..� \ \ \ \ \ ,. ., \ -, Che9 \ '.... i - . � iltales L, / Alr.l.'4... 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S. S. R. CHUKOTSK AREA MAP NO. I (see MAP NO.2 for details) Scale 1:8,600,000 Road o 5,0 10 200W I es ------ Selected trail r ,100 0 50 100 150 260 Kilometers Base 12296 3-53 Presentations Division 50623 Last plot of MISS back at Provideniya 22102 2221Z 22142 Apparentj site of attacjk about 221142 PRESENTATIONS DIVISION 172 Alys Chaplina /// identification / V / First Soviet of A/C type/ t2150Z P2V crossed date according to 224/Z USAield estimate /170 / INCIDENT Of, J / / Ce 22C Z 2202Z 22052 22052 Ganabell Neptune crashed and burned (all survivors taken to Gambell) Initial det ction of Neptune by oviet radar LEGEND NP 1955 RED U.S.S.R, BLUE U.S. 6 4 � P 2 V NEPTUNE DEPARTED KODIAK 1938 Z - 22 JUNE 1955 ON ROUTINE SHIPPING RECONNAISSANCE 63 � 10 20 3p NAUTICAL MILES 50623 -h 9 1.�91717�00 L1.160161.0Z:OSeala