CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00975A001600140001-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 10, 2004
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: June 10, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

4 a 2004//$ 6iC fTo097 I UD
E 7J
2s~
25;~
10 June 1954
UOPY NO. 80
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
I.:? DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE: aQ ZQ - -
AUTH: ~,H/R 70-2
DATE: E L.Lt9Q_ REVIEWER:
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
0 State Dept review completed
25
i
, V00 0 /0* 004/OT79be 6#09T0097
 Approvec l I ase 2004107108 ? CIA-RD1279T009 5A004.600140001-8
SUMMARY
GENERAL
1. Eden ready to end Geneva talks and start on Southeast Asian
defense planning (page 3).
SOVIET UNION
3. Soviet press publishes alphabetical listing of top leaders (page 4).
FAR EAST
4. South Korea to attack American Asian policy at Chinhae
conference (page 4).
SOUTHEAST ASIA
6. Laos government plans appeal to United Nations (page 7).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
7. Syrian cabinet reported to have submitted resignation (page 7).
WESTERN EUROPE
8. Reduction in Belgian defense forces seen (page 8).
LATIN AMERICA
9. Required majority agrees to OAS meeting on Guatemala (page 9).
25X1A
25X1
25X1
Approved For Release 2004/07/08 : CIA-RDP79T00975A001600140001-8
 Approved For Rel I -IMM _FM ..I
- 5AO04 00140001-8
25X1A
GENERAL
1. Eden ready to end Geneva talks and start on Southeast Asian defense
25X1A planning.
Foreign Secretary Eden told the British
Cabinet last week end that an attempt should
be made to end the Geneva conference with-
in the next ten days, according to Permanent
Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs Kirkpatrick. Eden believes
France's vacillating tactics have so encouraged the Communists that
any agreement at Geneva is most unlikely.
According to Kirkpatrick, Eden is now ready
to move forward more rapidly with formation of a Southeast Asian
collective defense system. He is somewhat optimistic that Burma will
participate, and believes India might adopt an attitude of "semibenevo-
lent" neutrality.
Comment: Eden has enjoyed almost unani-
mous approval in Britain for his determined effort to induce the Commu-
nists to negotiate, and can probably count on continued support after
Geneva .for a stronger policy on Asian questions.
25X1
-3
Approved For Rele2?(1Q4/07/08: CIA-RDP79T00975AO01600120~~1- 54
 Approved For Rel - 75A00'1W0140001-8
25X1A
SOVIET UNION
25X1A
3. Soviet press publishes alphabetical listing of top leaders
Ambassador Bohlen reports that Soviet
press accounts of the opening of the Trade
Union Congress in Moscow on 7 June have
listed party presidium members alphabeti-
cally instead o in the usual order of precedence. He notes this may
be designed merely to emphasize the principle of collectivity. Bohlen
believes if-this becomes standard practice, it will deprive Malenkov
of another of his few remaining attributes of pre-eminence within that
group.
Bohlen points out, however, he does not
believe the order of listings possesses the same conclusive signifi-
cance as in Stalin's time.
Comment.- This use of an alphabetical
listing of the Soviet leaders, a striking departure from previous prac-
tice, appears to signify a further weakening of Malenkov's position and
suggests that stresses within the ruling group have now resulted in an
inability to agree on precedence of listing.
Prior to the recent activities of, and the
publicity accorded to party first secretary Khrushchev, Malenkov
appeared to hold the position of "'first among equals" in the Soviet
collective leadership. However, recent events have suggested a
modification of the old collective leadership concept and the possible
development of factional groupings within the leadership, focusing
around Malenkov and Khrushchev.
25X1A
FAR EAST
4. South .Korea to attack American Asian policy at Chinhae conference:
25X1A
The chief South Korean delegate to the
Chinhae anti-Communist conference,
scheduled to convene on 15 June, has
10 June 54
Approved For Rele2 (2 14/07/08: CIA-RDP79T00975AO01600140001-8
 25X1
Approved For Rel M-R_~_ --- 75A001 0140001-8
25X1A
informed the South Korean press that the conference will "princi-
pally point out contradictions in America's Asia policy," according
to the American embassy in Seoul. The conference will also con-
sider the extent to which "America's policy of industrializing Japan"
is hampering the development of Asian nations.
Comment. This report informa-
tion received from Chinese Nationalist foreignministert yes that the
conference will feature a speech by President Rhee "blasting" Japan
and possibly criticizing the United States and the Philippines.
Rhee's primary purpose apparently is to
influence American opinion toward supporting an anti-Communist
front of small nations as an alternative to Japan as asis for the
American position in Asia.
25X1A
Approved For RRtpX \2004/07/08: CIA-RDP79T00975A00160DO4, M3 -%4
 25X1 Approved For Release 2004/07/08 : CIA-RDP79T00975AO01600140001-8
Approved For Release 2004/07/08 : CIA-RDP79T00975AO01600140001-8
 Approved kb (11&2L " 75A001600140001-8
SOUTHEAST ASIA
25X1A
6. Laos government plans appeal to United Nations:
The acting foreign minister of Laos
informed the American charge in
Vientiane on 7 June his government had
decided to make its own separate appeal
to the United Nations, as distinct from the recent Thai appeal, in
order to clarify the foreign character of the Viet Minh aggression.
Comment. The Laotian government has
favored United Nations consideration of its problem since the time of
the first large-scale Viet Minh invasion in April 1953, but has been
dissuaded by French authorities from taking such action.
The opposition recently expressed by the
French UN delegate toward the Thai proposal to send a Peace Obser-
vation Commission team. to Laos and Cambodia probably influenced
the Laotians to make their own appeal.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
25X1A
Syria's Prime Minister Sabri Asali sub-
mitted his cabinet's resignation on 9 June
because of attacks from political oppo-
nents and some elements of the army,
25X1
Syrian cabinet reported to have submitted resignation:
Political independ-
ents are trying to. form a new cabinet which would conduct the prom-
ised--but still unscheduled- -parliamentary elections.
fail or if the resignation is withdrawn, an army coup may occur.
25X1 army factions nearly clashed in Damascus on 3 June in a
cmipute over army interference in politics. Assistant Chief of Staff
Adnan Malki was the leader of one of these factions.
-7-
-IR
U0hne 54
Approved For Release 2004/07/08 : CIA-RDP79T00975A001600140
25X1A
lif the independents
25X1
25X1
 Approved For Rel -&a 2004107102 CIA-RDP7QTQQ 75A001~600140001-8
25X1
25X1A
There is little likelihood that the independents would be more success u
than the present coalition cabinet in setting up a stable government.
Malki is one of the most popular and influential
army officers and is alleged to be a supporter of Akram Hawrani, ex-
treme Socialist leader Malki 25X1
recently threatened Minister of Defense Dawalibi with trouble if restric-
tions were placed on the army.
WESTERN EUROPE
25X1A
8. Reduction in _ Belgian defense forces seen:
Belgian finance minister Liebaert told
Ambassador Alger on 7 June he believes
it is a "waste of money" to build up Belgium's
forces unless West Germany is rearmed.
Both Liebaert and Defense Minister Spinoy
said it will be financially impossible for Belgium to meet the costs of
its NATO commitments, which are expected to rise to about $480, 000, 000
a year by 1956. They think that by early 1956, Belgium will have to elim-
inate three wings from the air force and shift one infantry division to a
reserve status.
Comment: This is the first time a Belgian
official has been known to express such strong views on the need of
West German rearmament.
Spinoy has already asked for a cut in the
current defense budget. Any additional cuts, coupled with the recent
reduction in the conscription period, would make it impossible for
Belgium to fulfill its NATO commitment of six divisions by 1956.
- 8 -
10 June 54
Approved For Rele )A4/07/08: CIA-RDP79T00975AO01600140001-8
 Approved For Reh
975A0G 00140001-8
25X1A
LATIN AMERICA
25X1A
9. Required majority agrees to OAS meeting on Guatemala:
According to the American ambassadors in
Uruguay and Bolivia, those countries now
agree in principle to support a meeting of
the Organization of American States on the
Guatemalan problem but feel that the language
of the resolution proposed by the United
States on 5 June is "too hard."
Comment: This brings to 15 the number of
governments committed in principle to a meeting. This is one more
than the minimum required to make decisions under the 1947 Inter-
American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance.
The objections to the language of the current
proposal, however, underscore the continuing problem of gaining 14
commitments for specific action. Panama has also questioned the
present text, and other objections are probable.
10 June 54
Approved For Rele'51(2004/07/08 : CIA-RDP79T00975A001600140001-8