CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00975A002300050001-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 25, 2004
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: November 18, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

2004/3/ ji:,qI - WL9F0097P
18 November 1955
Copy No 0 100
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO. -I-
NC CHANGE IN CLASS.
DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE: - _80/0
AUTH: HR 70.2
DATE VIEWER:
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
DIA review(s) completed.
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CONTENTS
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2. NEW JAPANESE GOVERNMENT'S PROGRAM (page 4).
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4. SOUTH VIETNAM DESIRES FORMAL ASSOCIATION WITH
SEATO (page 6).
5. BURMESE CABINET MINISTER CONCERNED OVER
INCREASING ECONOMIC TIES WITH SOVIET BLOC (page 7).
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(page 8)
18 Nov 55 . Current Intelligence Bulletin
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2. NEW JAPANESE GOVERNMENT'S PROGRAM
collective leadership, there may be less flirtation with
the Sino-Soviet Orbit.
Liberal and Democratic members of the new conservative
party--is not likely to stress such unpopular measures as
increased expenditures for defense, economic austerity,
and those which imply dependence on the United States.
The embassy notes, however, that with Hatoyama's power
to act independently now circumscribed by the new party's
The American embassy in Tokyo be-
lieves that the new Japanese govern-
ment--to be formed about 21 November
by Premier Hatoya.ma from former
The government is expected to concen-
trate on improving its domestic position, with the aim of
gaining the few votes necessary to preclude a Socialist veto
in the Diet on any revision of the constitution. To this end,
it will use its Diet majority to revise election laws so as
to hamper the Socialists, institute a popular welfare pro-
gram, and then call for a new election.
The embassy believes that while the
conservative union will in the beginning be frail and uneasy,
the Socialist threat will hold the alliance together long enough
for the conservatives to achieve their goals.
Comment The desire to place economic stability
ahead of defense, and to encourage in-
creased contacts with Communist China, cuts across all
political factions in Japan, and no drastic change in these
policies is likely. Security legislation previously rejected
by the Diet may now be passed, however, including anti-
subversive measures and bills creating a Defense Ministry,
a National Defense Council, and a constitutional revision
committee.
18 Nov 55 Current Intelligence Bulletin
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4. SOUTH VIETNAM DESIRES FORMAL ASSOCIATION
WITH SEATO
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he government of South Vietnam is
ager to "climb on the SEATO band-
agon," according to the American
ambassador in Saigon. The embassy
feels, however, that a number of SEATO powers would
strongly oppose any formal association at this time and
cites the cool reaction of visiting British and New Zealand
officials to whom Premier Diem broached the matter.
Comment South Vietnam has no formal connec-
tions with SEATO, although it is in-
cluded in the organization's zone of protection. The Diem
government, conscious of its inferior military position
compared to that of the Viet Minh, presumably believes
that a balance can be secured through a closer association
with SEATO.
Objections to a closer Vietnamese
connection with SEATO, particularly on the part of the
British and French, stem from a desire to avoid any ac-
tion in Southeast Asia which might provoke the Commu-
nists. The Viet Minh has repeatedly denounced any South
Vietnam association with SEATO.
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5. BURMESE CABINET MINISftR CONCERNED OVER
INCREASING ECONOMIC TIES WITH SOVIET BLOC
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Kyaw Nyein, the influential Burmese
minister of industries, told Ambassa-
dor Satterthwaite on 15 November that
he was concerned over the trend toward
increasing economic ties between his country and the Sino-
Soviet bloc. He asked what the United States could do to
help Burma, and stated that "we or at least some of us in
the government are still anti-Communist:'
Kyaw Nyein defended Burma's position,
however, on the grounds that it is absolutely essential for
Burma to dispose of its rice! surplus wherever possible.
He indicated that a disproportionate share of Orbit payments
would be in the form of technical assistance and that a num-
ber of technicians would be in Burma for several years.
Comment Kyaw Nyein is the most outspokenly anti-
Communist of the top three Burmese gov-
ernment leaders and has previously complained that Burma
was in danger of being drawn into the Soviet bloc out of eco-
nomic necessity. The Burmese government, however, has
welcomed Orbit agreements to trade for rice, and Premier
Nu's conciliation of the Sino?-Soviet bloc is generally approved
by the Burmese people.
The Soviet Union, Communist China, and
Poland are already committed to take nearly a third of Burma's
rice exports, and a Czech tirade mission will soon be in Ran-
goon, reportedly to negotiate for another 100,000 tons.
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THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(Information as of 1700, 17 November)
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No significant military activity on the
Arab-Israeli borders has been reported. The American
military attache in Tel Aviv believes that a call-up of small
numbers of personnel and vehicles noted on 14 November is
probabl for rotational purposes or for a small-scale maneu-
ver
The fact that the visit to India of Soviet
leaders Bulganin and Krushchev apparently will overlap three
or four days with a visit by IQng Saud of Saudi Arabia suggests
that a Saudi-Soviet meeting may take place there. While Saud
might not seek such a meeting himself, he professedly was un-
able to resist pressure for a, meeting with the Soviet ambassa-
dor during his visit to Tehran last August. Since that time the
USSR reportedly has made repeated offers of arms to the Saudis,
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The Yemeni ambassador in Cairo has pub-
licly announced Yemen's willingness to accept arms from the
USSR if they are offered.
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