CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1952/02/12

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02046544
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: May 24, 2019
• Document Release Date: May 30, 2019
• Publication Date: February 12, 1952

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SEC INFORMATION
12 February 1952
Copy No,
49
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO
NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
I DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: T S
NEXT REVIEW DA tE:
AUTH: HR 7O
DATE.
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TOP�SECRET
SECURITY INFORMATION
EVIEWER.
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SUMMARY
FAR EAST
1. Indian Ambassador comments on Communist China's intentions
(page 3).
2. Seriously increased corruption in Thailand reported (page 3).
3. Thai Premier adopts neutral attitude toward Chinese Nationalists
in Burma (page 4).
4. Burma warns its UN delegate against premature discussion of
Chinese Nationalist question (page 4).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
5. Britain suggests agenda for Anglo-Egyptian talks (page 5).
EASTERN EUROPE
6. Greece and Turkey favor military collaboration with Yugoslavia
(page 6).
WESTERN EUROPE
7. French authorities are against Adenauer's proposed London visit
(page 6).
8. Italians fearful of smaller role in Southern European Command
(page 7).
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T P S
FAR EAST
1. Indian Ambassador comments on Communist China's intentions:
Indian Ambassador Panikkar when passing
through Hong Kong en route to Peiping re-
marked that a Korean truce will probably be
achieved in spite of Chinese "suspicions."
He also stated that Burma is in no danger
from Chinese Communist attack as Chou En-lai has "given assurance"
that Burma is "in the Indian sphere."
Comment: The Indian Ambassador has
been absent from Peiping for three months. His views have always
appeared to be influenced by his sympathies for the Peiping regime.
In 1950 Chou En-lai assured Panikkar that the
Chinese Communists did not intend to undertake a military operation
against Tibet.
2. Seriously increased corruption in Thailand reported:
The American Embassy in Bangkok reports
that organized corruption has recently be-
come an outstanding characteristic of the
Thai Government. The rice trade, which
is the cornerstone of the Thai economy, apparently has been the most
seriously affected, although there is evidence that buyers of other
Important products are also being subjected to organized "squeeze"
by politicians.
The Embassy warns that if blatant cor-
rliption is not checked there will be "serious and deep repercussions
throughout the entire politico-socio-economic structure of the country"
in the near future.
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Comment: While corruption has long been
recognized as a serious weakness of the Thai Government, the problem
has been greatly aggravated by the accession to power in November
of a military clique. This group, which exercises almost absolute
authority, has apparently been systematically apportioning among its
members various economic and financial fields for unrestricted person-
al exploitation.
No political force in Thailand exists capable
of moderating the activities of these leaders so long as they maintain
a united front.
3. Thai Premier adopts neutral attitude toward Chinese Nationalists in
Burma: 3.3(h)(2)
the Chinese Nationalist problem in Burma,
stated that any troops violating Thai territory
would be disarmed and interned in accordance
with international law.
Comment: This message, which indicates
the adoption of a strictly "correct" attitude by the Thai Premier toward
the Nationalists, may be the consequence of recent pressure on Phibun
by the American Ambassador in Bangkok.
4. Burma warns its UN delegate against premature discussion of Chinese
Nationalist question:
problem.
The Burmese Foreign Office has expressed
displeasure at a recent statement by a member
of the Burmese delegation to the UN which
could have been interpreted as a request for
UN intervention in the Chinese Nationalist
The chief of the delegation, Myint Thein, was reminded that
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although the Burmese Government was seriously considering the
possibility of raising the matter in the UN, it had not decided upon
a method of procedure. In the meantime, Thein was asked tofore-
stall any statements by the delegation which might compel the govern-
ment to take steps for which it was unprepared.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
5. Britain suggests agenda for Anglo-Egyptian talks:
The agenda being suggested by Britain for
new Anglo-Egyptian talks in Cairo includes
an Allied Middle East Command and Egyptian
participation therein, and the organization of
the Allied Military base necessary to support the Command.
Other topics include the allocation of responsi-
bility for air and land defense of the base, the future of British forces
In Egypt, the training and equipping of Egyptian armed forces, facili-
ties for Allied military personnel and equipment to be stationed in
Egypt, facilities for moving and garrisoning forces in the event of
war, and the supercession of the 1936 treaty.
The Egyptian Prime Minister is to be informed
that British Foreign Secretary Eden is giving the Sudan question his
"most earnest thought" and hopes to be able to offer suggestions for
consideration in the near future.
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Comment: It is doubtful that the Egyptians
will participate in any talks which do not include the question of the Sudan.
During previous defense talks Egypt was
especially hostile to the establishment of a base in Egypt and the
stationing of any foreign forces in Egypt before the actual outbreak
of hostilities.
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EASTERN EUROPE
6. Greece and Turkey favor military collaboration with Yugoslavia:
Greek and Turkish officials have agreed upon
the desirability of asking the Yugoslays to
enter into secret military staff discussions
regarding military coordination in the event
of a Soviet attack, according to United States Ambassador McGhee,
The Turkish Foreign Minister expressed the belief that an agreement
to hold such discussions might develop within the next two or three
months, and asked Ambassador McGhee whether the United States
would be able to facilitate these talks.
Comment: Although_Greece, Turkey, and
Yugoslavia have acknowledged the advantages inherent in regional
defense arrangements, no formal proposals suggesting staff talks
have been extended by either Greece or Turkey to Yugoslavia.
There is no evidence that Yugoslavia intends
to abandon its policy of non-adherence to regional defense schemes in
the absence of clear signs of Soviet aggression.
WESTERN EUROPE
7. French authorities are against Adenauer's proposed London visit:
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3.3(h)(2)
According to US High Commissioner McCloy, 3.3(h)(2)
French diplomats in Bonn feel that the con-
ditions which the West German Parliament
set for continued European Defense negotiations
preclude Adenauer's projected London meeting with the Big Three
Foreign Ministers.
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In commenting on the results of the German
defense debate on 7 and 8 February, McCloy declares that the pro-
ceedings represent a limited victory for the Bonn government. How-
ever, conditions which accompanied the resolution sanctioning con-
tinued European Defense Community negotiations mean increased
parliamentary resistance when the whole complex of contractual and
Western defense arrangements is brought up for final approval.
Comment: The American and British
representatives in Bonn believe that Adenauer's attendance at the
London meeting following a one-day tripartite session would be
helpful in settling outstanding"military and political issues. Further-
more, the exclusion of the West German Chancellor from Allied
meetings dealing with Germany's future would provoke an unfavor-
able response in Germany.
8. Italians fearful of smaller role in Southern European Command:
The Italian Ambassador in Washington has
informed the State Department that Italy
wants to retain command of the Southern
European land forces, even if Greek and
Turkish units are later included in this command. Italy would, how-
ever, accept an arrangement providing separate land commanders
for Italy, Greece, and Turkey in return for the appointment of an
Italian as second in command to Admiral Carney.
The State Department has informed the
Ambassador that Greece and Turkey will not accept an Italian general
to command their land forces and that approval for the appointment of
an Italian deputy for Admiral Carney is doubtful.
Comment: Italy has strongly supported the
inclusion of Greece and Turkey in NATO. Italy considers itself the
most important strategic area in the Mediterranean, with Greece and
Turkey as logical adjuncts for its defense. The proposal to place the
Greek and Turkish commands ,on an equal footing with the Italian might
raise doubts in Italy as to the strategic importance attributed to it by
the United States.
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