CULTURAL COOPERATION BETWEEN LEBANON AND RUSSIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R000300590004-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 27, 1999
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: January 6, 1947
• Content Type: IR

COI -.1
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE CROUP
INTELLIGENCE REPORT
COUNTRY Lebanon/-Russia
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F
r-
SUBJECT Cultural Cooperation ~etween Lebanon
and Russia i
_25X1 C
DATE:
INFO. 25X1 A2g
DIST. Y? February 1947
PAGES 25X1 A6a
SUPPLEMENT 25X1A6a
25X1X6
It is reported that members of the Central Committee of the Lebanese
Communist Party have discussed the need for increased cultural cooperation
between Lebanese Communism and Soviet Russia. The Central Committee plans,
therefore, to begin sending missions to Russia for advanced wor=k and
specialization. The new ministry is more favorable to the Lebanese
Communists than the last one, especially the Preaier,Riyad Sulh.
Now that the new ministry is in power, the Lebanese Communists are said
to be anticipating the transfer of property formerly owned by Russians,
to the Soviet Legation,. After this is accomplished, a number of Russian
schools will be established and promising graduates who know Russian
will go to the USSR for.advanced work. Before this is done, however,
the Soviet Legation expects to send a number of men from Arab countries
to the Arab Bureau in Moscow for training as teachers. Names of possible
candidates are already being studied.
The realization of, this, plan is not expected before January 1946.
Local societies for cultural cooperation will, in the meantime, be
preparing for this purpose.
.The Lebanese Minister to Moscow, Khalil Tagi-al-Din, is already urging the
Lebanese Government to send a medical mission to Moscow to study Russian
medical achievements during the Itar. After this has been accorllplished,,
a precedent will have been set for other missionsp
The newspaper Saint al-Sha'b reportedly will urge the Lebanese Government
to help realize the recommendations of its Minister to Moscow.
According to Wasfi el Hanna, who is a prominent Communist and editor
of the pro-Communist magazine, al Tarig,the Soviet Legation has granted
that magazine 1,000 Lebanese pounds.
Q,adri Qal'aji, another prominent Communist, and owner of al-Tarich
said that the Soviet Legation had granted a substantial gift to the
Communist organization, "The Society of Cultural Union." George Jurdak,
a teacher at the Patriarchal college stated that the gift was 2,000.
Lebanese pounds, and he added that the Soviet Legation had also
subsidized Faraj-Allah Hilu's trip to Europe, as well as the trip
of Antun Tabito
CLASSIFICATION SEi
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This document
affecting then k
'iSE F04 DS United States \~1s _
C' SSIFZCATIQN ACTrCN the Espionage Act, 50 U.S.C.
Approved For Release1999/09/08: CIA-R
Mme.
any manner to an unauthorized per-
'khn is nrohibted' by 1a.wJ