CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00975A000600370001-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 1, 2003
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 6, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

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6 April 1952
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CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENINO.
NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
DEC!_ASSIFIED
DATE v
State Department review completed
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TOP SECRET
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SUMMARY
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FAR EAST
Comment on Iran's financial situation (page 5).
2. Peiping may agree to investigation of its BW charges (page 3).
3. Missionary reports on "American germ air raids" in China (page 4).
4, Letourneau considered best man available for Indochina post (page 4).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
5.
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7. Egyptian parliamentary elections likely to be postponed (page 6 .
8. Egypt denounces action of British Governor General in Sudan (page 7
WESTERN EUROPE
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9.
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11.
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Top Italian official in Trieste urges moderation in Italy's position
(page 7).
Anti-Communist French labor campaign suffers setback (page 8).
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FAR EAST
2. Peiping may agree to investigation of its BW charges:
The Indian Ambassador to Peiping has received. .
the impression from a Chinese Vice Foreign
Minister that there is a "considerable possi-
bility" that the Chinese will agree to an im-
partial. international investigation of their biological warfare charges.
Pannikar expected to discuss this subject with Peiping's Foreign Minister,
Chou En-Lai, on 5 or 7 April,
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The Indian Foreign Office advised Pannikar that
any international investigative body should have full freedom to undertake
independent investigation in the localities concerned, as well as to review
evidence submitted to it.
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Comment, Peiping has been criticized in Asia
for its failure to accept the American proposal that the International Red
Cross investigate the biological warfare charges.
Peiping is not likely to agree to an investigation
such as the Indians are suggesting. However, to regain the propaganda
initiative, the Chinese may be willing to discuss a proposal for the creation
of an investigative body.
3. Missionary reports on "American germ air raids" in China:
A German missionary, newly arrived at Hong
Kong from Tsingtao, has supplied details on
the alleged American germ air raids there on
5 and 8 March. During the alerts, a single
searchlight played in one direction for two
hours, while antiaircraft batteries fired wildly in all directions.. No
planes were heard or seen on either date.
On 9 March, hundreds of children wearing face
masks and equipped with fly swatters and bottles, and thousands of soldiers
were led out to collect insects. For days afterwards, the police led people
on insect hunts.
While the missionary himself is convinced that
there were no raids, he states that many Chinese believe the Communist
BW charges.
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4. Letourneau considered best man available for Indochina post,
Minister Heath in Saigon believes that the French
Government made the best possible choice in
appointing Minister for Associated States, lean
Letourneau, High Commissioner in Indochina.
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Heath explains that Letourneau has the personal qualifications necessary
for the post, is familiar with the situation, and has a "friendly understanding"
of American policy.
Comment: Since Letourneau retains his position
as a member of the Pinay government, his new assignment may be inter-
preted as an indication of French determination to push for a solution of
the Indochina problem. The important decisions on Indochina policy, how-
ever, which will still be made in Paris, are apt to suffer by his absence
from the capital.
Letourneau's appointment is not being received
with much enthusiasm in Vietnam. He has a rather low opinion of the
ability of the Vietnamese to maintain their independence, and he is identi-
fied in the minds of many Vietnamese with French equivocation on the
subject of negotiations with the Viet Minh.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
5. Comment on Iran's financial situation:
The Iranian Government has so far managed to
avoid financial collapse by resorting to special devices such as indirect
loans from the National Bank, floating an internal loan, and the transfer
of uncommitted foreign exchange. It now has sufficient funds to cover
current salaries and wages.
However, the increasing financial and economic
deterioration has reportedly forced the Iranian Ministry of Finance to
consider the unpopular step of debasing the currency by expanding the
note issue and using up the gold reserves covering its currency. The
American Embassy believes that Prime Minister Mossadeq might be able
to persuade the Majlis to dilute the currency on the basis of "patriotic
expediency," but that even without this the government could carry on
through May,
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Egyptian parliamentary elections, now scheduled
to take place on 18 May, will not be held. 25X1
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Comment: There have been previous indications
that Farouk would postpone the 18 May election date.
7. Egyptian parliamentary elections likely to be postponed:
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.8. Egypt denounces action of British Governor General in Sudan:
The Egyptian Foreign Minister has denounced
the British Governor General in the Sudan for
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Assembly. The Foreign Minister, who consider-
ed the act "provocative," seriously contemplated
breaking off talks with the British Ambassador.
Egyptian newspapers, though severely limited
y censor t , nave nimously accused Britain of extending its imperial-
ism and of a new move to separate the Sudan from Egypt.
Comment: If the Governor General's action
does not lead to a complete breakdown in current preliminary Anglo-Egyptian
talks, it will at least certainly harden the Hilali government against making
concessions on the Sudan and Suez issues.
WESTERN EUROPE
9. Top Italian Official in Trieste urges moderation in Italy's position:
The Chief of the Italian Mission in Trieste
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the Trieste dispute s
the present international situation would not
permit a solution f orable to Italy. He thinks that Italy should not try
to alter substantially the present status of the Free Territory, and that
Italian troops and police should remain outside, as their presence might
further antagonize the Yugoslavs and result in a permanent partition along
the present zonal frontier.
Comment: These views are in contrast to the
intransigence of most responsible Italian leaders, who advocate greater
Italian participation in the administration of Trieste.
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10. Anti-Communist French labor campaign suffers setback:
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A "severe blow" may be dealt efforts toward
collaboration among the principal non-Commu-
nist French labor organizations by a sharp split
in the leadership of the rightist Inde endent
Labor Confederation, A failure to mend this split would benefit consider-
ably the Communist-led General Labor Confederation.
The moderate majority of the Independent Labor
Confederations's executive committee recently defied an attempt by the
minority and the organization's principal financial backer to place ex-
Vichyites in certain top positions.
Comment: The Independent Labor Confederation
seeks an inter-confederal gro ip nu g of non-Communist labor representatives.
The present leaders of Force Ouvriere, one of the two principal non-Commu-
nist labor organizations in France, would be excluded because of their un-
aggressiveness and deep distrust of the Cathplic Labor Confederation.
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