CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1952/02/22

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02046548
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: May 24, 2019
• Document Release Date: May 30, 2019
• Publication Date: February 22, 1952

Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 e02046548
\we TOP ET -v�i-
SECUTY INFORMATION
22 February 1952
Copy No.
4 9
�
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: T
NEXT REVIEW DATE
AUTH HR
DATER.% II rAREVIEWEF
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TOP
RET
SECU INFORMATION
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046548
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046548_
3.5(c)
SUMMARY
GENERAL
.1. Possible transshipment of Chilean copper to Orbit (page 3).
2. France plans to recall Chataigneau from Moscow (page 3).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
3. Syria seeks closer military ties with the West (page 4).
4. Syrian Chief of Staff bargains on settlement of Arab refugees (page 5).
WESTERN EUROPE
5. French anti-Communist poster campaign draws Soviet fire (page 5).
3.5(c)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046548
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046548
GENERAL
. Possible transshipment of Chilean copper to Orbit:
Over 1,500 metric tons of Chilean copper
scheduled for shipment or already en route
to Europe are believed to be destined for
czechoslovakia, according to the American
Embassy in Vienna. Another 180 metric tons are en route to a' Belgian
firm which was involved in the diversion of copper to the Soviet Orbit
last fall.
Comment: Despite the US-Chilean copper
agreement signed last May, in the last six months of 1951 almost
8,000 metric tons of copper manufactures, or 35 percent of the total
exported, were shipped from Chile to questionable European consignees
or to consignees not listed on export records for delivery to Europe.
A considerable amount of this copper probably
has become available to the Soviet Orbit which has been offering twice
the price set in the US-Chilean copper agreement.
at least four of the firms listed as consignees dealt directly
with Orbit countries last year.
2. France plans to recall Chataigneau from Moscow:
French Ambassador Chataigneau is soon to
be relieved of his Moscow duties and reassigned
to a Foreign Ministry position in Paris. In
a personal message to the ambassador, who
has been in Moscow nearly four years, Foreign
mister Schuman explained that his policy is to make allowance for the
difficult living conditions in Communist countries and to increase the
number of French diplomats with a direct knowledge of such areas.
3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2)
3.3(h)(2)
Comment: Chataigneau is a 61-year old
career diplomat whose training and experience has been directly related
to Moslem and Slav areas.
TOrs SEMf-
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046548
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046548
ToP
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
3. Syria seeks closer military ties with the West:
Syrian Chief of Staff Shishakli has suggested
to the American Ambassador in Damascus that
a visit by Syrian officers to Turkey, similar
to one last autumn to the US zone in Germany,
would help Syria in moving toward a "parallel
policy" with Turkey. At the same time this
would provide access to American equipment,
methods and personnel. The American Am-
bassador believes that US cooperation in this matter would be instrumental
in edging Syria toward a real contribution to Middle East security.
General Arnold, chief of the US military mission
to Turkey, states that there are adequate facilities for training Syrian
army personnel in Turkey. The American Ambassador in Ankara considers
that such training would strengthen Turkish-Syrian ties as well as provide
advantageous contact between the Syrians and American instructors. He
also believes that expected French opposition should not deter the United
States from attempting to stablize the Syrian military establishment.
Comment: While Shishakli has been seeking
arms from various countries in order to strengthen his own position,
these reports add weight to previous indications that the powerful Army
Chief of Staff is sympathetic to the West.
-4 -
TC>S3
3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2)
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046548
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046548 �
3.5(c)
4.
Syrian Chief of Staff bargains on settlement of Arab refugees:
Syrian Chief of Staff Shishakli,in an interview 3.3(h)(2)
with the American Director of the United
Nations Relief and Works Agency, stated
that he was prepared to resettle in Syria not
only the Arab refugees who are there at present
but also those whom the other Arab countries will not be able to absorb.
He asserted, however, that he could only do this through the "execution
of a general plan by virtue of which Syria would be integrated into the
Western system." Shishakli warned that Syria's acceptance of the plan
depended on "what you can offer us."
Comment: Some 850,000 Arabs who fled
Palestine during the Arab-Israeli conflict are a major irritant and a
serious relief problem in the Near East. Despite the opportunistic atti-
tude of the Syrian Chief of Staff, his willingness to consider the matter
injects a note of hope into the desperate refugee situation. While Shishakli
probably does desire an overall settlement including Syrian alignment with
the West, he probably will attempt to drive a hard bargain.
WESTERN EUROPE
5. French anti-Communist poster campaign draws Soviet fire:
The Soviet Ambassador in Paris "protested
vehemently" on 8 February to the French
Foreign Office against certain posters of Jean-
Paul David, a National Assembly deputy who
is conducting a campaign of ridicule against
Communist propaganda in France. The Ambassador asked in particular
that this "French Goebbels" be penalized under existing laws for a poster
caricaturing Stalin.
-5
ill9P,SECI1g11
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046548
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046548
The poster campaign is a serious challenge to
the Communists because it is the first grass roots counteroffensive in
France and is carefully disassociated from government and business
groups.
6
TO RET
Approved for Release: 2019/05/08 CO2046548