CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1953/02/06

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02020574
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: July 15, 2019
• Document Release Date: July 22, 2019
• Publication Date: February 6, 1953

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Copy No.
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CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO. 1
13
NO CHANGE IN CLASS. X,
0 DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS
NEXT REVIEW DATE:
AUTH: 70-2
DATE:
35( 1/ .
6 February 1953 c'
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REVIEWER:
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION
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SUMMARY
SOVIET UNION
1. New MIG type identified in Soviet Far East (page 3).
FAR EAST
2. New Chinese Communist army reported in Korea (page 3).
SOUTHEAST ASIA.
3. Viet Minh increasing supply operations in Tonkin (page 4).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
4. Russians voice suspicion of Point IV activities in northern
Iran (page 5).
5. Britain prepared to compromise on retention of British officials
in Sudan (page 5).
6. Khartoum may seek political solution from Sudan Parliament
(page 6).
EASTERN EUROPE
7. Czechs prepare to institute propaganda broadcasts to Africa
and Asia (page 6).
WESTERN EUROPE
8. Austrians press West for maximum effort to end occupation
(page 7).
9. French municipal elections may delay Assembly EDC debate
(page 7).
10. France apparently prepared to make concessions on Tunisia
(page 8).
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SOVIET UNION
1. New MIG type identified in Soviet Far East:
2,
the appearance of a new
MIG type in the Soviet Far East, identi-
fied as the MIG-19.
Comment: This is additional evidence that
the modifications known to be uriaii: way on the MIG-15 have resulted
in a new operational version of the standard Soviet jet fighter.
the effective dive brake area
in the MIG' s then in production was being increased 70 percent, and
that additional modifications were being made. Larger dive brakes
would improve the maneuverability of the MIG.
FAR EAST
New Chinese Communist army reported in Korea:
A new Chinese Communist army, possibly
the 44th,
Comment: In the past all armies which
have come to Korea from tETTilh Field Army have been attached to
the 13th Army Group. Until this reported move, the 44th Army had
been stationed near Canton.
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SOUTHEAST ASIA.
3. Viet Minh increasing supply operations in Tonkin:
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Meanwhile, the American Army Attache in
Saigon stated that in northwestern Tonkin, during the past week, 40 trucks
were reported by the French moving south from the Tonkin border town
of Laokay to Yen Bay. Normal traffic on this route is four trucks per
week.
The Army Attache's report supplements
unconfirmed information
improved Chinese transportation facilities north of Laokay, and sug-
gests the possibility that this western route will assume more impor-
tance in the future. Most Chinese supplies to the Viet Minh have in
the past entered Tonkin by routes considerably to the east.
A rate of 40 trucks per week, if maintained,
could provide the Viet Minh in northwestern Tonkin with 400 to 500
tons of materiel per month. Large supplies in this area would facil-
itate the consolidation of the Viet Minh's recently acquired territory
in northwestern Tonkin.
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NEAR EAST - AFRICA
4. Russians voice suspicion of Point. IV activities in northern Iran:
Prime Minister Mossadeq reported to
Ambassador Henderson on 3 February
that Russia is suspicious of Point IV
activity in the Caspian area and has
pointed out that the program "is beginning to post announcements
as though it were an integral part, of the Iranian Government."
Mossadeq said he did not believe that Iran or Point IV would suffer
if the latter transferred its activities further south.
Comment: Moscow has adopted a con-
ciliatory attitude toward the liquiaaion of the fisheries agreement,
but is unlikely to accept any foreign activity in this sensitive area
without bringing pressure on the Iranian Government,
5. Britain prepared to compromise on retention of British officials in the
Sudan:
The British Ambassador in Cairo has been
authorized to accept the Egyptian demand
that the British relinquish all adminis-
trative posts in the Sudan within three years,
according to an Embassy officer. In return, Britain insists that the
self-determination procedure take place under international super-
vision and that Egypt accept the British proposal on safeguards for
the southern Sudan.
Comment: This British decision would
provide the solution to one of the two major barriers to an Anglo-
Egyptian agreement.
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6. Khartoum may seek political solution from Sudan Parliament:
The Sudan Government is considering ask1ng3.3(h)(2)
Sudanese political leaders to have the par-
liament determine the country's future if
the current Anglo-Egyptian talks break
down, according to the American Liaison
Officer in Khartoum. British officials in the Sudan Government believe
that Sudanese leaders would agree to elections on this basis.
Comment: There is no indication that
London supports this proposed burse of action, particularly since
its ambassador in Cairo has received instructions which reportedly
"go a long way" toward meeting the Egyptian position.
The Sudan Government's suggestion would
be adamantly opposed by EgypL
EASTERN EUROPE
7. Czechs prepare to institute propaganda broadcasts to Africa and Asia:
On 29 January the Czech Ministry of Foreign
Affairs informed its representatives in
Turkey, Indonesia, Belgian Congo and South
Africa of a plan to institute short-wave
broadcasts to those areas during the second
half of 1953.
Comment: Czechoslovakia will be the first
Eastern European Satellite to broadcast regularly and openly to Asia
and Africa, and appears to be assuming the leadership among the
Satellites in supporting Soviet propaganda to these areas.
On 25 November the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs informed Czech missions outside the Orbit that it was preparing
to start the worldwide distribution of French and English-language
editions of an official Czech magazine.
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WESTERN EUROPE
8. Austrians press West for maximum effort to end occupation:
the negotiations
long as possible
is one which the
Western help.
Foreign Minister Gruber has told the three
Western High Commissioners that Austria
"would pay almost any price" to get the
Russians out of the country. He urged that
scheduled to start on 6 February be prolonged as
in an effort to ascertain whether the "Soviet price"
Austrian Parliament would consider bearable with
Comment: The USSR is unlikely to sign
a treaty at this stage. The Western deputies, however, are agreed
to an eventual detailed review of the long draft if this is desired by
the Soviet Union. In this case there would be strong pressure from
the Austrians; British, and French to accept its economic articles.
9. French municipal elections may delay Assembly EDC debate:
French National Assembly debate of the
EDC treaty cannot be expected until May,
in the opinion of the Secretary of the
Foreign Affairs Committee. He explains
that under the most favorable circumstances the treaty could not
come to the Assembly floor before 15 April, when the imminence
of the municipal elections, now tentatively scheduled for 3 May,
would postpone a debate.
Comment: In view of Secretary Dulles'
pressure for quick action, Foreign Minister Bidault may press for
earlier consideration. However, the present temper of the Assembly,
as indicated by the recent appointments of two anti-EDC deputies to
report the treaty out of committee, suggests a tendency to resent
pressure.
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10. France apparently prepared to make concessions on Tunisia:
France is now prepared to make concessions
on Tunisia going beyond the 1952 reform
program, according to a spokesman for the
French Residency in Tunis. He states that
both Premier Mayer and Foreign Minister Bidault feel that the time
for a settlement is approaching. Progress in this direction, however,
will depend on Tunisian willingness to cooperate.
Bidault, according to this spokesman, will
accept a resumption of negotiations by direct conversations between
the Bey and the Resident. He is ready to consider Tunisian sug-
gestions for "far-reaching changes" in the program proposed by France
last year.
The American Consul General in Tunis
sees a fair chance that this new approach will succeed, but enumer-
ates various obstacles still to be overcome.
Comment: Mayer appears to be adopting
a more realistic policy on Tunisia than Pinay and may be more willing
to follow a line closer to the 1952 UN General Assembly resolution
urging resumption of French-Tunisian negotiations.
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