CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP79T00975A001800260001-3
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
T
Document Page Count: 
7
Document Creation Date: 
December 15, 2016
Document Release Date: 
March 10, 2004
Sequence Number: 
1
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
December 1, 1954
Content Type: 
REPORT
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP79T00975A001800260001-3.pdf289.06 KB
Body: 
se 2MdW1fiF(Gd*ffiF79T0 E ~D ~~j 1 December 1954 %. --I Z Copy No. so CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S C 1j1__~ NEXT REVIEW DATE: AUTH: HR 70.2 DATE: d8.Q. __ REVIEWER: JI NO CHANGE IN CLASS. [I DECLASSIFIED CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN DOCUMENT NO.-CL 25X1 25X1 25X1 0 State Dept. review completed Office of Current Intelligence CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 25X1 se xaa?ai'oe E lA Rovia.aQYy//~~~~~~ 0 0 /, 0 , Approved For Pelease 2004/07/08 : CIA-RDP79T00975PI0e1800260001-3 25X1A 25X1 .SUMMARY FAR EAST 2. South Korean government uses force to undermine US aid agree- ment (page 3). SOUTHEAST ASIA 3, Comment on joint Burmese-Viet Minh communique (page 4)0 4. Hoa Hao spokesmen complain of interference by French and Viet- namese authorities (page 5). SOUTH ASIA 5. Nehru condemns Indian Communists (page 6). NEAR EAST - AFRICA 6. Egypt may release Israeli ship and crew seized in September (page 6). WESTERN EUROPE 7. De Gaulle seen taking moderate stand on Paris accords (page 7). 25X1A 1 Dec 54 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 2 25X1A Approved For 5X1A Approved For Release 2004/07/08 : CIA-RDP79T0097 A01T800260001-3 25X1 25X1A -South Korean national police, undoubt- edly at the direction of President Rhee, used intimidation and beatings at an auction on 29 November to restrict free bidding for American dollars as author- ized under the United States-South Korean aid agreement, Ambassador Briggs, re- ports. Accordingly, one half of the 1 Dec 54 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 3 FAR EAST 2. South Korean government uses force to undermine US aid agree- ment: Approved For R 25X1A Approved For 25X1A dollars offered were bid for at the old official and highly unrealistic rate of 180 hwan to the dollar and the remain- der at rates far less than recent market quotations, which have :ranged from 500 to 700 hwan to the dollar. The United States has rejected the bids and has scheduled a new auction for 2 December. Comment: South Korean officials had previously indicated they wished to renegotiate the whole ques- tion of the hwan-dollar exchange rate if the provisions written into the aid agreement proved unsatisfactory. SOUTHEAST ASIA . Comment on joint Burmese-Viet Minh communique: 25X1A The joint communique issued by Burmese premier Nu and Ho Chi Minh on 29 Novem- ber enhances the initial propaganda vic- tory gained by the Communists when Nu decided to stop in Hanoi but not in Saigon en route to and from Peiping. The communique affirms the applicability of Chou En-tai's five principles to relations between Burma and Vietnam and is far more explicit than the Ho-Nehru statement made at the time of the Indian premier's stopover in Hanoi. Its wording differs little from that normally used by sovereign powers which recognize each other, and its tone strongly suggests Burma's tacit endorsement of the Viet Minh's claim to speak for all of Viet- nam. Despite the tone of the communique and Nu's warm public remarks in Hanoi, it is unlikely Burma will 1 Dec 54 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 4 25X1 25X1 25X1 Approved For R 5X1 001800260001-3 Approved For 25X1A tu.re formally recognize the Viet Minh in the near future. Prior to Nu's departure for Hanoi, the :Burmese government took the position that recognition of either the Viet Minh or the Diem government before the 1956 Vietnam elections would be prema- 25X1A 25X1A 25X1 4. Hoa Hao spokesmen complain of interference by French and Vietnamese authorities: the French are stirring up Hoa Hao-Cao Dai friction in order to weaken the Diem government. recent jurisdictional conflict between the forces of the two secs resulted when a French colonel ordered Hoa Hao forces to occupy a position at the same time that another French command- er was ordering Cao Dai troops to occupy the same position. 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 iem is organizing Catholic "militants" into a per- sonal army which he intends to use against the sect. 1,500 Tonkinese "militants" had already been settled with their amilies in Hoa Hao areas. Comment: The recent dismissal of General Hinh removes the npricipal source of friction between the government and the army. Abundant opportunities will remain, however, for the incitement of strife between the government and the various political groups of South Vietnam. Certain French officials had attempted earlier to discourage a rapprochement be- tween Diem and the sects, and they may renew their efforts along this line. To the extent that Diem is able to bring the army under his control, the sects will probably become in- creasingly fearful of government efforts to deprive them of their autonomy. 1 Dec 54 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 5 Approved For 25X1A 25X1 25X1Approved For SOUTH ASIA 5. Nehru condemns Indian Communists: 25X1A Prime Minister Nehru, in a speech on 28 November, made his strongest pub- lic attack on the Communists since he took office, according to the American e . While Nehru's main attack was directed embassy in New Delhi.' against Indian Communists, he made it clear that he considers both Soviet and Chinese Communism to be unsuitable for India. Nehru said that in spite of India's un- paralleled achievements, Indian Communists, who are profes- sional troublemakers, have failed to see the progress in their own land and look instead to the USSR and China The embassy believes the most plausi- ble explanation for the timing of the speech is that it was the opening gun in the election campaign in Andhra state, where the Communists are strong. Comment: This speech is consistent with the position held by Nehru for sometime. There are indi- cations, however, that his anti-Communist feelings have been intensified by his recent visit to China--as illustrated by his linking of Communist China with the USSR as a source of inspi- ration for Indian Communists. NEAR EAST - AFRICA 6o Egypt may release Israeli ship and crew seized in September: 25X1A Foreign Minister Fawzi has told Ambassador Caffery that "in all proba- bility" Egypt will announce within the next few days the release of the ten-man crew of the Israeli ship Bat Galim "for lack of evidence" to sup- port the murder charge placed against them. The crew, accused of killing two Egyptian fishermen as their ship approached Suez, has been held since the ship was seized on 28 September when it attempted to pass through the Suez Canal from the south. 1 Dec 54 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 6 Approved For R 5X1 001800260001-3 Approved For elease 2004/07/08: CIA-RDP79T0097 Fawzi added the ship would "probably" also be released on condition that it does not pass through the canal. Comment: Egypt apparently hopes by such action to forestall further Security Council considera- tion of the Bat Galim case and the related question of freedom of navigation through the Suez Canal. The council is expected to resume hearings on the case on 3 December. Israeli officials have clearly indicated that Israel intends to force the issue of free passage of the canal. It is thus unlikely that Israel would accept release of the ship without recognition of its right to transit the canal. WESTERN EUROPE 25X1A 7. De Gaulle seen taking moderate stand on Paris accords: Ambassador Dillon reports that a mem- ber of General de Gaulle's staff doubts the general will advise his supporters in his 4 December speech to vote against the Paris accords. Nevertheless, the general believes the Soviet Union's "psychopathic fear of German rearmament" makes any action on it dangerous without prior East-West talks, He is convinced, according to his aide, that France should con- tinue the search for an arrangement with the Soviet world through "normal diplomatic channels or other means," in order to avert "impulsive Russian action." Comment: If De Gaulle does recom- mend French-Soviet talks prior to ratification of the Paris accords, some Gaullists, whose support Mendes-France is now counting on for ratification, are expected to vote against the accords. There are indications, however, that in such a case, the Popular Republicans, who now oppose ratification for tacti- cal party reasons, would then vote for it, 5X1A AOQ800260001-3 1 Dec 54 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 7 25X1A Approved For