CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1953/04/05

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02026926
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: July 15, 2019
• Document Release Date: July 22, 2019
• Publication Date: April 5, 1953

pproved for Release: 2019/06/26 CO2026926-
11,7 4 TOP S ET
SECU&1NF0RMATION
R
5 April 1953
3.5(c)
Copy No. CO
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN (.4
DOCUMENT NO
NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
! DECLASSIFIED
CL.A.S3. Ci-Mi`!Cifj) TO:
NEXT HILVIEvIDATLi
AUTH: F2 70.2
nATEit 4/4 41
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TOP CRET
SEC TY INFORMATION
,41.1.14
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
///
t# ,
Approved for Release: 2019/06/26 CO2026926
Approved for Release: 2019/06/26 CO2026926
���0 I UY U.K.t 1
ECURITY INFO
3.5(c)
SUMMARY
FAR EAST
II, Communists halt movement of goods into Korea (page 3).
,Ifee South Korea urges bilateral defense pact with US (page 3).
Merchant shipping to Communist China reaches high point
in February (page 4)�
SOUTHEAST ASIA
3.3(h)(2)
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
5� Comment on effect of release of Moscow doctors on the Arabs
and Israel (page 5).
2
T 0 E C T
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/06/26 CO2026926
Approved for Release: 2019/06/26 CO2026926
vspii ur tkr, i.
SECURITY INFORMATION
3.5(c)
FAR EAST
1. Communists halt movement of goods into Korea:
Comment:
3.3(h)(2)
possible that the above action may have been taken in anticipation of
an early cease-fire. In the past, stoppages have been occasioned by
either the lack of storage facilities or damaged rail lines in North
Korea, but these factors are not known to be responsible in the pres-
ent case.
2. South Korea urges bilateral defense pact with US:
South Korean Foreign Minister Pyun has 3.3(h)(2)
strongly urged that the US Government
enter into a bilateral defense pact with
Korea. Ambassador Briggs suggests
at such a pact may be a quid pro quo for the withdrawal of South
Korean opposition to an armistice.
it is 3.3(h)(2)
Comment: This is the first suggestion that
the South Korean Government might agree to an armistice which would
leave Korea divided. During the past week, South Korean legislative
and executive officials have expressed opposition to an armistice as
currently contemplated by the UN.
-3
T 0 E
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/06/26 CO2026926
-
Approved for Release: 2019/06/26 CO2026926
*ftiol 1 UF 'Kt, 1
SECURITY INFORMATION
3.5(c)
3. Merchant shipping to Communist China reaches high point in February:
4.
During the month of February, 45 merchal3.3(h)(2)
ships totaling 297, 000 gross tons arrived
in Communist China from overseas. This
Is the largest number of such arrivals ob-
served during any one month since the May 1951 embargo on shipment
of strategic goods to China.
About half of these vessels were of non-
Communist registry, mainly British and Greek. The Communist ships
were Russian and Polish.
Comment: The tonnage arriving in Com-
munist China from overseas during February was more than twice the
monthly average in 1952. There has been no corresponding increase
in shipping arriving at Chinese Communist ports from Hong Kong.
The shipping figures reflect Peiping's prog-
ress in decreasing its dependence on Hong Kong middlemen by estab-
lishing direct contact with European sources of supply.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
MN
11M.
TOP2SERET
3.3(h
)(2)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/06/26 CO2026926
Approved for Release: 2019/06/26 CO2026926
yr Lau, I
SECURITY INFORMATION
3.5(c)
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
5. Comment on effect of release of Moscow doctors on the Arabs and
Israel:
The Soviet announcement that the charges
against the "Moscow doctors" are being dropped immediately raises
hopes in Tel Aviv and causes apprehension in Arab capitals.
Israel, deeply distressed over the Soviet-
initiated break, can now indulge in cautious optimism that formal
diplomatic relations may be restored. Even more important to
Zionism is the renewal of the hope that Moscow may some day per-
mit Tel Aviv to continue the "ingathering of the exiles!' The hope
of a re-establishment of relations with Moscow in turn offers the
Ben-Gurion government the possibility of returning to its positidn
of nominal neutrality, thus affording more scope for maneuvering
in international relations.
An improvement in Israeli-Soviet relations,
however, would immediately create more internal problems for the
Israeli Government. Leftists and Communist political groups now
quiescent would reassert themselves and resume their traditional
role.
5
T,0 ECRET
3.
3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/06/26 CO2026926
Approved for Release: 2019/06/26 CO2026926
- Ur CKt1
NNW
ECURITY INFORMATION
3.5(c)
The Arabs, who have viewed the Soviet-
Israeli break with cautious satisfaction, will see in the Moscow
announcement a hint of Soviet-Israeli rapprochement. They will
fear that a release by the Orbit of part of its 2,500,000 Jews will
result in new Israeli territorial aspirations.
6
TOI>FrEI.ET
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/06/26 CO2026926