AFRO-ASIAN CONFERENCE DEVELOPMENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91T01172R000300370007-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 17, 2006
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: March 12, 1955
• Content Type: MF

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COPY No.
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
12 March 1955
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director (Intelligence)
SUBJECT: Afro-Asian Conference Developments
Premier Nu of Burma, presently on a goodwill mission to
Thailand, has expressed doubt that the Afro-Asian conference
would take decisive action on any major world problem. In
his view, the conference was essentially to give Asian and
African leaders an opportunity to meet each other and hold
friendly discussions.
The manner in which the Bandung meeting is being organized
suggests that the sponsoring powers intend to maintain maximum
control over the proceedings, possibly view of revent-
in their bogging down in controversy.
Whether or not decorum can be maintained remains to be
seen, however. Communist propaganda continues to indicate
that they regard the meeting as an outstanding opportunity
to expound on such familiar themes as anticolonialism and
coexistence as well as to denounce the US. In the meantime,
Soviet output has increasingly stressed US "intent" to undermine
the proceedings or to direct them along lines advantageous to
the US by manipulating stooges. Thus the Moscow press has
predicted that the Thai and Philippine delegations will be
"Trojan horses of Dulles." Soviet commentary further charges
that President Eisenhower's economic aid plan may be used to
"seize the initiative" and alleges that the US hopes to pre-
vent a rapproachement between Peiping and other Asian countries.
In addition to this normal propaganda activity, the Com-
munists are expected to exploit a number of other opportunities
to strengthen their position before the conference begins. A
Communist-inspired "Asian Conference for Easing International
Tensions" which will be attended by large delegations from
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the USSR, North Korea, and North Vietnam is scheduled to be
held in New Delhi only a few days before the Bandung conference
convenes. Although the timing is coincidental, the Communists
at New Delhi will almost certainly set the tune of their
propaganda to be used in Indonesia.
Under these circumstances it'is difficult to see how
controversial issues can be successfully avoided, the wishes
of the sponsors notwithstanding. Peiping, for instance, will
undoubtedly call the conference's attention to the Formosa
issue. On this matter the Chinese Communists will find a cer-
tain amount of sympathy, particularly among the neutralist
sponsors.I
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The problem of Ambassador Romulo's rank as leader of the
Philippine delegation appears to have been solved by his
appointment to the cabinet as minister without portfolio. The
Indonesians had previously indicated that they would insist 25X1
that all leaders of delegation be 4t least of cabinet rank.
HUNTINGTON D. SHELDON
Assistant Director
Current Intelligence.
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