CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00975A001300570001-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 4, 2004
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: November 18, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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18 November 1953
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CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
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DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLASS. FT'
0 DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE: 2n (29
000 NEXT REVIEW DATE: Q C9
AI}TH: HR 70-2
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DATE: ~~3 REVIEWER:
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Office of Current Intelligence
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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State Department revie. completed 14
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SUMMARY
SOVIET UNION
2. Soviet light industry to receive higher supply priority than
heavy industry (page 3).
FAR EAST
South Korean president Plans visit to Formosa (page 4). -71
SOUTHEAST ASIA
5. Vietnamese political maneuvers threaten Tonkin administration
(page 5).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
00-000 Iran increases pressure for American military aid (page 5).
WESTERN EUROPE
7. Austrian ex-foreign minister attributes dismissal to his stand
against USSR (page 6).
g--.-' Adenauer angles for American intervention on Saar (page 7).
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SOVIET UNION
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2. Soviet light industry to receive higher supply priority than heavy
industry:
The USSR Council of Ministers on 5 October
ordered the supply ministries to give first
priority to enterprises manufacturing con-
ds and to fulfill their orders for
sumer goo
raw materials and eauiDment regardless of other commitments.
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Comment: This is the first indication
that Soviet light industry will generally receive higher priorities
for raw materials than the heavy industrial ministries.
FAR EAST
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3. South Korean president plans visit to Formosa:
South Korean foreign minister Pyun told
General Taylor on 16 November that Presi-
dent Rhee wishes to visit Chiang Kai-shek
in Formosa in about one week. Pyun said
the purpose of Rhee's proposed two-day trip is to return Chiang's 1949
visit to Korea and to discuss a joint statement regarding a Far Eastern
anti-Communist pact.
The embassy in Seoul reports there are no
indications that the proposed visit is in response to a specific invita-
tion from Chiang or even that he has agreed to it.
Comments Following discussions in October
between Rhee and Chinese Nationalist representatives on a mutual defense
treaty, both governments indicated to American officials that such a pact
would be impractical without American support. It is known that Rhee
is thinking of asking Chiang to join him in an appeal to the Asian people
on the need for combating communism.
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SOUTHEAST ASIA
5. Vietnamese political maneuvers threaten Tonkin administration.
The American consul in Hanoi reports
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lacement of Governor Tri
t the re
b
p
ou
a
of Tonkin by a nonentity who has bought
his way to-influence. The consul points out that if this maneuver
succeeds, the consequent demoralization of the Tonkin administra-
tion might largely negate whatever military victories may be won.
Comment: The conflict between Tri
and Tam is essentially one between the nationalism of Tonkin and
the landlord-merchant aristocracy of Saigon. Tri has also been
mentioned lately as a successor to Tam. Once before, with French
backing, Tam broke up a Tonkin administration under Tri, with the
result that an incompetent governor was appointed.
The final decision in this case rests with
Bao Dai, who may permit Tam to triumph over one of Vietnam's
most outspoken nationalists in order to allay French fears that
Vietnam will withdraw from the French Union.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
6. Iran increases pressure for American military aid:
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Ambassador Henderson in Tehran reports
that in his last four conversations with the
shah, the latter has insisted that an early
American decision be made regarding
future Iranian defense forces.
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Comment: The interest of the shah in
developing a stronger Iranian army has been evident for a long time.
He has repeatedly inquired concerning American views of the proper
function of the Iranian army, apparently hoping thus to determine the
nature and extent of possible American military aid.
The shah's indecisiveness and the lack of
a native military tradition and potential are serious obstacles to de-
velopment of a modern army in Iran.
WESTERN EUROPE
7. Austrian ex-foreign minister attributes dismissal to his stand
against USSR:
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Karl Gruber told Ambassador Thompson
on 15 November that his dismissal from
the Austrian cabinet last week was due
rimarily to his support of controls on
p
strategic materials and to the belief among persons "around Chancel-
lor Raab" that negotiations with the Soviet Union could not succeed
while he was foreign minister.
Gruber defended the publication of his
controversial memoirs as part of his policy of demonstrating that
negotiations with Moscow can produce only limited results. He
believes that the government may still be tempted to strike a
"dangerous bargain" with Moscow.
Gruber said that former chancellor
Figl will be appointed his successor.
Comment: There is no convincing
evidence that Gruber seriously opposed the government's recent
policy of "removing obstacles to the state treaty."
Figl, chancellor from 1945 until February
of this year, has a reputation for levelheadedness.
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 8. Adenauer angles for American intervention on Saar:
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In conversation with General Gruenther
and Ambassador Conant on 16 November,
Chancellor Adenauer indicated that he still
had some doubts that the current French-
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German efforts to reach a Saar settlement would be successful. He
suggested that American intervention might be required. He also
asked General Gruenther about the possibility of British-American
agreement to rearm West Germany should the French fail to ratify
the EDC treaty.
Adenauer added, however, that the way
was still open for agreement in the Saar talks, and that a 14 November
message from French foreign minister Bidault seemed to have improved
the situation.
Comment: In view of hints by other West
German officials in recent weeks that American intervention may be
necessary, it appears likely that the Bonn government will ask for
such action as soon as negotiations reach an impasse, which appears
most likely to occur on the economic aspects of a settlement.
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