CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00975A001500260001-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 23, 2003
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 10, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

jI55fo3I1yPOP1BDCRL^tsrsaK)
/
25X1 /
/
10 April 1954
Copy No. 76
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO. _'_
C! DELL ASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S C
NEXT RE VIEW DATE: ..20C3 9
/. iTH. FIR 70-2
of . E: 2 . REVIEWER:
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
review(s) completed.
2003R9603 -'N(~MF009
 Appro Rel ase 2003/12/03 : CIA-RDP79T00975A00 0260001-6
SUMMARY
SOUTHEAST ASIA
1. French official pessimistic over long-term prospects at Dien Bien Phu
(page 3).
2. Laniel reported threatening to withdraw support of Vietnamese
independence (page 3).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
3. Comment on possibility of more British troops going to Jordan
(page 4).
4. Comment on resignation of Libyan cabinet (page 4).
WESTERN EUROPE
5. Defense agreement with Iceland seen jeopardized (page 5).
25X1A
Approved For Release 2003/12/03 : CIA-RDP79T00975A001500260001-6
 Approve 2gAn Kele 00260001-6
SOUTHEAST ASIA
25X1/
French official pessimistic over long-term prospects at Dien Bien Phu:
French forces will be able to repulse an
anticipated third major attack on Dien Bien
Phu, but the future of the garrison appears
bleak, F_ I 25X1
No evacuation is possible so long as enemy fire
denies the French the use of the airfields.
The danger of epidemics is worrying the
French high command, in view of the thousands of unburied corpses.
will prolong its siege, contrary to the hopes of the French high com-
mand that the enemy will withdraw fully after a bloody setback. If
the enemy does maintain the siege, the only means of rescuing the
garrison would be by sending in a major French relief column from
northern Laos.
Comment: There is every indication that
the Viet Minh will continue its frontal assaults on Dien Bien Phu; if
these fail, the enemy high. command will probably attempt to reduce
the garrison by attritional warfare.
General Navarre has expressed. the belief
that the battle will continue until mid-June.
2. Laniel reported threatening to withdraw support of Vietnamese
in ependence:
According to a member of Bao Dai's
entourage, French premier Laniel has
written Vietnamese premier Buu Loc
warning that if the Vietnamese do not
speed up army recruitment and settle their internal political dif-
ferences, France may see no justification for continuing its efforts
to guarantee the independence of Vietnam.
Approved Forr Rel
1500260001-6
10 Apr 54
 25X1A
Approved For ReI ase 2003/12/03 - CIA-RDP79T00975A0 ___0260001-6
Comment: As on previous occasions,
France may be using the threat of withdrawal to force the Vietnamese
to modify their demand for independence in the current negotiations in
Paris.
The French government may also be pre-
paring the way for efforts to end the war by means unpalatable to the
Vietnamese, such as negotiations with the Viet Minh or a cease-fire.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
25X1A
3. Comment on possibility of more British troops going to Jordan:
King Hussain's recent statement to American
reporters that negotiations are under way
with Britain to bring "substantially more
British troops to Jordan" confirms rumors
that the Jordanian government, unable to obtain sufficient Arab League
funds for its National Guard, wants additional British military support.
London has made no statement on this matter, but an antiaircraft regi-
ment arrived in Amman from the Suez base on 31 March, bringing total
British strength in Jordan to approximately 1,300.
Israel and by extreme elements generally in the Arab states.
Officials in Amman believe the presence of
British troops would have a restraining influence on Israel and also
benefit Jordan's economy. A substantial increase in the number of
British troops there would, however, be strenuously objected to by
25X1A
25X1A
4. Comment on resignation of Libyan cabinet:
The resignation of the Libyan cabinet on
8 April focuses attention on the internal
conflict in Libya, and on King Idriss'
attempts at autocratic rule. Growing
opposition to palace interference in pro-
vincial affairs in Tripolitania, Libya's
wealthiest and most populous province,
directly threatens to break up the country.
Approved For Rele
25X1A
-4-
15002600011 Apr 54
 ApprovN"FbrARel 1 0260001-6
The cabinet resignation followed a series
of maneuvers involving Idriss and the Tripolitanian provincial assembly
which culminated in Idriss' refusal to accept a 5 April Supreme Court
decision.
The premier designate, Mustafa Ben Halim,
a 34-year-old Cyrenaican, is closely identified with the palace clique
and, accordingly, is likely to be subservient to the king's wishes. Minis-
ter Villard believes the cabinet crisis will further delay negotiations for
an American air base agreement, which began more than two years ago.
WESTERN EUROPE
25X1A
5. Defense agreement with Iceland seen jeopardized:
be endangered and even the 1951 defense agreement itself might be
jeopardized.
The American minister in Reykjavik reports
that unless Iceland is assured that the American
general contractor there will be withdrawn as
soon as feasible, the present negotiations will
Comment: Following Iceland's request last
December, negotiations for changes in the implementation of the 1951
agreement were initiated in February. The Icelanders want to obtain a
greater share in defense construction and to reduce contacts between the
local population and the more than 4,000 military and civilian Americans
on the island.
The Icelandic foreign minister plans to make
a statement on the agreement before parliament adjourns on 14 April.
A generalized statement failing to announce significant progress in the
negotiations would hardly satisfy the extreme nationalists and could lead
to stronger demands for the government to take a firmer stand or even
abrogate the agreement. The government could conceivably fall on this
issue. 25X1 A
Approved For Re
25X1A,
150026000'l10 Apr 54