TRANSMITTAL OF LITERATURE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00415R003200050013-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: R
• Document Page Count: 58
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 23, 2003
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: July 6, 1949
• Content Type: REPORT

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FORM NO. 51-61A
NOV 1948
COUNTRY
SUBJECT
PLACE
ACQUIRED
CLASSIFICATION RESTRICTED
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT NO
INFORMATION REPORT
Middle East
Transmittal of Literature
DATE DD
State pll Edeclassification & release instructions on file
LM CUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT 50
THE REVCONTENTS NNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED BY LAWREPRO15 AINED IN ED NECESSARY BY THE RECEIVING AGENCY.
25X1
CLASSIFICATION RESTRICTED
The attached material is sent for your retention in the belief
that it ma :r be of interest:
1. Daily Reviews of the Syrian Press.
2. Summary of the Beirut Armenian Press.
These attachments are of a free classification.
25X1
25X1
DATE DISTR. 6 July 1949
NO. OF PAGES 1
NO. OF ENCLS. 6
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THJ-b ALUATED Il11RMATIDJN FOR THE RESFARCH
USE OF TRAfl'ED INTELLIGENCE ANALYSTS
DISTRIBUTION
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Ar"~
D1 ' r7 C U, S
city Ieview of the Syrict.n press
The follovdnp, is an i?..fernnal digest of t: aterial fr*M the lecol Arabic Press,
Eind is in no way to be ronsidorod ns an nff:*1.eir 1 trarslntinn. It shonild rat
ti on.
be quoted nor attr Y uteri to the Leg
ER --4M ( FOR 3TiU F uss ONLY )
CRESS uIGFST, FRIDAY, JUNA 10, 1949,
sea sS flww Mwww- a sS Seafl Mr sews ww sw~r~
Nh;Y/S1-ja>
Alif Bali, Al Nasr s -u-1 Qabas, Al 1lyyam, A 'A18a-,
Al Jabal and Al $habab.
--w-000wmw..
OOMk; S TIC AFFAIR b.
iclrnI'i'Y CONx'k-y CE:
Alif 18a': Preparatory steps are being ta4tsn to hold a
meeting between the Egyptian, Syrian, rand the Lebanese
authorities to conelua a an agreement regarding the
.planning of a campaign against terrorism and orime.
Chiefs of the Seourity Departments o~" these countries will
represent their u'ovurnir ntso
:, V7./MON AGT".- NT d .L h TU16 Y 'A' i GR1hCE s
alitBra' : Our roportar learns the t the final araft of the
.Aviation .agreeu.ont tiuith tireece is prepared and that the
cerwziony of signing; the ,igreement will take plane during
the next V,eeic ut the roreign Uffioe0
The
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`R
The ,tvriation Agreement 'with Turkey is expected to be
carte uded du:ri.rig the .Month of July.
la r
,~.i i f bat : T118 zae ri c :in books Exchange Center in ti1e shin ;ton
h ornied the Sys .n Legation there of its decision to
present a consido'able number of books in English to Syrian
Cultural Institutioi.is arLd has requested it to supply funs for
ent expenses on these books for it (the i~xchang;e Center)
has no appropriations for such a shipment
GIFTS TO SY1 L4- 1dC Q
Alif Ba' : number of wor.en of the Palestine Liberation
. `o aitteo cciap,,osed of wives of Oyrian Ariay officers under
the chairnianshi p of L adai-ae Bahij al-wallas visited the front
and presented ?,if is to Syr ion Jirmy personnel stationed
thereo
Ll if xL delegation representing two million Christian
and hlosler Groats now refugees fror;a their country visited
Colonel ihusni a1-Ga'i . and inforried him of the conditions
in their country which forced their disperseirient. The
Colonel assured them they were wolooned in Syria and they
44v c`~uld have treatiaent equal to that of Syrian citizens.
MULL STAT. APPOINU NTS:
Al as ; the follo\. ing appointments had been decided by
the Council of 11iuister ; in its day-before-yesterday seating
'June 8, 1949):
Jwiul ul-i''aY ra has been appointee as Charge d':?Affair es in
Brussels.
Shawkat ::ranasni, ..t.ssistant Director eneral of the rolice.
Juirtil Saliba, Secretary General of the Instruction,
CHANGE
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( Pr. big. 109/3 )
CHiNGE OF SYRIAN FLAG :
From a very reliable source our reporter learns
Al h,
that the Syrian flag will be changed to a red field with a
white eagle flying In the center. This new flag will
probably be introduced after the eleotionrf the President,
and the promulgation of a new constitution,
POSSIBILE h L. J SE OF jAJIIi ~~L-lik '1i B :
Al A ?am: The Dean of the Syndicate of Press, Nasuh Babil,
and the Secretary, /adih Sidawi called on Colonel Za'im at
his office and begged hL:i to order the release of Via j ih al -
Haffar, owner-editor of suppressed paper Al who has
been in jail since the Coup d'Etat. The Colonel informed
then of Haffar's readiness in a letter he had presented to
the military authorities to contribute 25,000 Pounds Syrian to
the Syrian i-,,rmy on its day, June 15, and that he, the Colonel,
will consider the matter of his release.
O1,' PRIM DiuP.LRZIMT:
Al AYyam: Mr. Faris "Lidurad has been appointed as Director of
Propaganda, Publication, and Broadcasting in the city of
Aleppo,
a 'r; BUILDING k' Oh F O J ION OFFICE:'
Al Nasr: Press reporter informs tli at the Uiai3try of Foreign
Affairs has rented xdil. Shaykh al-xrd's three-storey
building at uluhagireen for LS. 25,00u yearly for its new
premises.
TVL . OF F, SPY:
&I Nast: The Criminal Court looked yesterday into the case
of a Palestinian youth from Samakh, who was caught in the
Himma area and who admitted he w us ,athering inforiatioxi about
the ayr ian army in that area- for transmission to an agent
of the Jews. The Court pronounced a sentence of 3 years hard
labor and three furti:or years of exile.
CO!iPtMjLTION TO SUPeR SSi;D P P :RS:
Al Nasr:, In accordance with legislative decree No. 112,
owners of suppressed papers will be paid the compensation
assessed by the committee specially formed for this purpose,
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:# r r. k;i za 09 /a )
provided the total amount of compensation to be paid to
all suppressed papers does not exceed LS. 250,000o
The le.-,i s1ative decree also stipulates that further
cozacessiaris for publishing a paper or iaugazine Ull not be
given until the issuance of the new Press Lam which defines the
qualifications of editors and publishers. Further, nor owner
of a suppressed pa-)er wh..o gets compensation will be licensed
to publish a new paper even after the promulgation of the
Press Law.
ARAB ,L)"FAIRS
r. S11IFT IN y':E' t IOi{N
1s~if ha': k.ceording to reports from 1aashingtoaa the stssistaxat
Secretary of State refused to reply to u question reurdii
news published by the fuser scan p.i'ess to the effect t:'. t
the Government of the United States has ordered Israel to
accept unconditionally the repatriation of a great number
of 1?rab refugees. Nevertheless, the h.ssistant Secretary
of state said that the US Govern;,aesit is much concerned over the
raainteraance of peace in the 'diddle oast and that it will spare
no effort to effect a rapproacuaaent between the mrabs and the
Jews.
There is every indication that as far as the a.rabs are
concerned a marked shift in the tmerican attitude is taking
place and that the A,auerican people are beginning to realize that
the ? .rabs have a r id;ht to r eturra to their homes and pros
oerties. The same sources add that the t-merican Government is
likely to lift the embargo on shipment of areas to ::riddle
i! astern count2ie so .
,, J `~'1Il}- .diiL 1.eirut has been autt.orized by the state Le.artrlentto
oub'_`J_ ^h a denial o" `t `l se 1?:;1_'orts in the local press.
DOME TIC AFFAIRS
AFLAQ' a ~.POLOGII S:
7 Nasr: Dean of the resurrection Party i4lichei ' flaq has
adoi essed the following letter to Colonel Husni al-va'im
From his prison cell in i?i~:azzah-Rv)
"This last ....
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l10/5 )
"This last and hard experience has taught zee many
'si;ons and called rimy attention to many blunders. 1 came
to rer,lize that. we continued to follow a course which is
too obsolete in an age of construction and positive work.
touch is that we were foe Coup w i.th all our hearts
it Was first staged, We still. stand behind the Coup
and consider it our duty to serve and support it. But
,.he system of opposition to the Kandatory as well as the
nx eriouc regime to which we are accustomed and whose effects
an still be detected in our writings and activities has
itself concealed our true figure and made us appear as
opposing the new regime, in which we have placed our hopes
and which j.: have decided to serve with sincerity and devotion.
"Excellency, I am fully satisfied that this age of which
x c u are the guardian and which you are establishing holds
cr th the greatest hope and possibility of progress and
_?ioryr for our country. if you so desire, we shall be among;
the architects, and if' you wish that we keep neutral and
quiet, we shall, be wi11-? ng to act accordingly.
''`i'he group of young men affiliated in the Resurrection
Party worked very hard in the past to be an example of
i ntegri ty and true nationalism. The group's past justifies,
E, xceil.eacy, your forgiveness for what they have committed
:4iL`1 innocent hastiness, and we assure you that behind
its r rros there are only pure souls and valuable qualifications
or i:?ublic service. The new regime is worthy to ,give them
a ct.a.nce to produce. As for myself, 4xcellency, I have
fina '.ly chosen to withdraw for good from any political
ac- i rity, 6i.1ce I have learned following ray imprisonment,
of my deficiencies which I acquired during long; years of
national stru ;~ le aAainst imperialism and the previous
re i. ae. i believe
that my mission is terminated, and that,
my course of action is not aesigned for a new age, and that
th:r :.fore my country will not benefit from any political
activity on Wya ;.,art.
'" .;xc e11ency, you are now a father to all citizens, and
therefore cannot harbor vindictive feelings against your
sons, This experience has been most useful and sufficient
Give us the chance to rectify our errors and offer you
prof oof our loyalty and faithfulness.
~:uize 1-1, 1949. 3 ga... .
Al igilab Commenting on 'Aflaq's letter to Colonel Za' ire
Editor NN:unir almitayyi s urges Colonel Za' im to give a chance
t, members of tel. dissolved political parties to -work and
pr-);duce and participate in constructive work. For the writer
belie es that young men joined the opposition parties only
to put...
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( o Dig. 110/6 )
to put art end to the exceptional state of affairs of the
previoi:s regime. The writer further urges Colonel ?Fria to
release all other detainees arrested on grounds of political.
activity in the past, especially now that the country is on
tree threshold of a referendum and popular election of a
President, and it is essential that the youth play their
)art in the present regime.
TO Ciil T.i-UL ),lia:.'Y CONTRIBUTIONS O
Al Nasr: It is understood tli,.nt local coruaittees have been formed
in ivies and vi-1lagas to collect the contributions on Army
i)ay, which will be supervised by High Coramitteeso Al Nasr
correspondent learns that the eouumercial and financial
institutions have prepared to contribute for the purchase
of a nuiaber of airplanes, and that there will be many important
and ,pleasant surprises which will be announced in due time,
`f i& -,;LLCTUttmlzh IN S'ERIA:
Al Naar: This paper's eorresy)ondent learns that there are
720,00i0 elinible voters in Syria not including the nomads who
number 200,000 and that all of them vii13. vote for the election
of colonel La'ica to the Presidency.
C HIi.F OF STATE IN
D.,i.1*SCUS:
Al ;asr : Forner Chief of State (1939-1941) Babi j al-Khatib
arrived in Damascus, and rumors followed that he would be
assigned to a biz post, and that he had been invited to come
to Darascusa The truth is that the now regime has restored
liber ties, and 'Iahij al lhati b, who has been exiled from
,-yria, returned to visit his friends.
11 ILITAhy :'11L4-'lUN `eu ii'l-L3 1CE~
-ill PANasr: Members of the A1Iilitary mission to Prance composed
va Ltn of e anu~.I n , 5a~ or '. dnran alaii~i, and Captain Riyad
al-Ka- ylani lift Saturday r,iorning; for Faris via Beirut, where
they v,i.i3 specialize in :imy Command at the Military institutions.
COUNCIL O i;ilN ?STE~~S 1-,U: ~:T1NG - Communique*.
tt 7:00 p.m, Saturday, June 11, 1949 the Council
of LIi es hold a meeting at the Government House under
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:Pr Dig. 110/7 )
the Cloairraanship of H.E. Colonel Htusni al-za'im, the Prime
Minister, Minister of Defense and Interior. The Council
approved the appropriations made for the Bureau of
Complaints, amended, the classification o~ the Syrian
Legation in Madrid, discussed the ;ragfs affairs and
resolved a decision mega: ding the regulations of Chairty
vragfs affairs and the abolition of tursteeship operations,
approved certain discharges in the Directorate of Telephone
and Telegraph, Public torks, approved of certain measures
regarding the disposition of Jazireh harvests, and the
creation of Directorate of Statistics Department and limiting
its rights and duties. The meeting adjourned at 10:00 a.mo"
EC ONUiA1O tFF1. U S
T. :.S OR NO TCES?
in con ection with the three Legislative Decrees on
a:xceptional Taxes reported by alp as having been enacted,
the DGPID issued June 11 the following coramunicu.e:
"Certain newspapers published draft legislative decrees
on exceptional taxes. Since these draft decrees have not yet
been submitted to the Oou.ncil of Liinisters which ther.:fore has
not taben any final decision with respect to them, the Directorate
of R ropa _,anda, Publican on and Broadcasting declares th?'= all
these projects which erc published in the newspapers are untrue
and that the Government has not approved any one of them."
Cor,aaenting on the aforementioned oorrununique, Editor
Niasuh Ba.hil rmainds the Government that "We would not be
exaggerating if we state here ti t. tho a mullionaires who
accumulated their for tunes a few years ago do not possess
today in liquid capital. one tenth or even one hundredth of
t eir capital.. Banks, financial institutions, and Government
itself are aware of this fact. The present economic crisis
and Government finance could not be remedied by the imposition
of new taxes but by the adoption of an economic policy which
would protect domestic production from foreign invasion of our
marfsets and in the creation of other new resources. de call
upon the Council of Itinister, and in particular the Minister
of kt'inance and Econorsy, to consider these points before
taking any decison. Moreover, today's Communique should be
co.,a;aended for it has el:imi2inated. L ny misunderstandings and
ti orrIes~ .
SYRO T.EB.ff Nt;8F
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Pro Dig. 110,'S
YRO-LE
Al SV Ram.
Nasx Publish d. 6unduy the detailed note presented by
ce yr Lnn Goberruient to the Lebanese Government concerning
Syr ia's viewpoint on econonilc relations between the Novo
countrios. : vwy{Zary* had been reported in Press biggst
101/8 of May 2.89 1949.
F .GH/JSS/ES f aet.
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1?__ 5 ZLi1)itj t?-1? WxAd'1'ruix
a ligan C~'p : W!2nLar,..J, Jung a
The Aran world nas not so far been very pleased with
the attitude of the big-powers toward it. This has been
quite evident in the Palestine problem. It seems, however,
that due to certain circumstances a slight change is snout
to take place, and the Anglo.:.Saxon states in particular are
now contemplating a revision or their policy toward the Liddle
.oast. This is way special interest has been shown recently
in the various diplomatic activities of Uiese last few weeks.
Firstly. there is the visit to London of Khashaba kasha,
the FZptian Foreign :iinister. Ln his return, he had tae
occasion to meet in xaris kr. Bevin who save a luncheon party
in his', honor. The two statesmen discussed at length political
problems concerning their respective countries. The head of
the British Foreij;n Office expressed his ardent wish to reach
a proapt settlesuent of all the questions confronting Great
Britain and: gy'pt. it is also worth raontioning; that Khashaba
Pasha was warmly received in the French Capital by tree orficial
authorities.
The arrival in Cairo of Sir .7illiam Strang, permanent
under.-Secretary of the Foreign Office, has recently been an-
nounced. Sir Strang was received by }I.:.. Kin; Faruq I of
;y- t and the Nile Valley, by the rriL.e i. inister and ny several
other Egyptian officials. S..r Strung left Egypt shortly after-
wards for Trarnsjordan and later ralestine. tn his return to
Amlilan he oecame indisposed and was able to continue his trip
to Beirut only yesterday. un his arrival in the Lebanese
Capital, he was received at the Presidency.
Another .nglo-Saxon representative, bat. Sam Kopper, Sec-
retary of the U. S. State Departuent, arrived recently in Cairo.
Ourir his short stay in x pt he met the Egyptian i rennier
as Well as Azzan rascka, Sec-Gen or the Arao League. Two days
ado, Ae arrived in Damascus where he was received by ii.l .
Colonel 1.a'im.
It seems that the nresente of these two senior officials
in the fiddle Fast, indicates that England and the United
States are taking a great interest in Diddle Eastern affairs
and that the :;nglo-;la.tiorr powers have realised in all probabi-
lity the auvanta; a arizir-n from slacere friendship with the
.i.rab acrid.
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Noon'; ,,OmLaentary, Julie 11
Since the beginning of the Palestine conflict, the Arabs
have always respected the laws of human rights. The Jeir-
Yas~'in raa: sacres organized by Zionist terrorist bands did not
e..coura~;e theta however to treat the enemy in the same wanner.
in the diplomatic field also, the crabs have strictly abided
by the United #Jations ueeisions throut;ihout the fin
ralejstine and since the cessation of hostilities. it is for
tills reason that the suspension of hostitlities constituted
a serious disadvantatie for the Arabs.
rlhile the nrabs were displayyin,g good faith with compDlete
disca.;pline in the application of tue United Nations decisions,
the Jews did not lose any occasion to violate the most elem-
entary principles of international laws. Thus the Palestinian
civilian population for instance were subjected to the most
terrible tortures. Hundreds of thousands of refugees were
ousted from their homes at the very beginriin,~ of the Zionist
a Zrespion. These miserable refugees are now waiting for the
Tel Aviv authorities to adhere to the United Nations decision
ohotieerin ; their repatriation.
The noole attitude of tile Arab forces striices a contrast
with; the inuescribable conduct of the Gioni st bands. Yet, in
s ltre of everytohino, tine so-called state or Israel was finally
admitted to tike United Nations*
i3ut today, it seems that hope and confidence in the
future are being; revived. :iorld public opinion has been finally
ate. gated. We to the sup port tney have oeen receivir>