CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1952/06/11

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02064592
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: May 24, 2019
• Document Release Date: May 30, 2019
• Publication Date: June 11, 1952

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SEC INFORMATION
INFORMATION
11 June 1952
Copy No. 53
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
COWMEN"( NO.
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Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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'EC i INFORMATION
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SUMMARY
GENERAL
I. Ambassador Kennan emphasizes importance of Soviet overture
on Korea (page 3).
2. France and Britain now favor early meeting with USSR (page 3).
SOVIET UNION
Ambassador Chataigneau analyzes Soviet intentions toward
Germany (page 4).
FAR EAST
4. UN walkout at Panmunjom causes Communist concern (page 4).
5. President Rhee rejects UNCURK's compromise recommendation
(page 5).
6. China's petroleum purchases at record high (page 5).
7. Plot to overthrow Cambodian Government uncovered (page 6).
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GENERAL
I. Ambassador Kerman emphasizes importance of Soviet overture on
Korea:
Assistant Secretary General Zinchenko's
approach to an Israeli UN delegate suggest-
ing a new formula for the Koreanarmistice
negotiations is of major importance, in the
opinion bf Ambassador Kennan in Moscow. Zinchenko's suggestion
appears aimed at a virtual cease-fire in Korea without final and for-
mal agreement, the prisoner-of-war issue to be handled by an overt
"agreement to disagree," and possibly by subsequent informal arrange-
ments tending to minimize its Importance.
The Ambassador believes that any solution
of the prisoner impasse would have to be along some such line as that
suggested by Zinchenko.
Comment: In addition to conveying a possi-
ble way around the prisoner-of-war impasse, the Soviet 'feeler" to
the Israeli delegate could be another effort to bring UN pressure to
bear upon the United States to modify its stand in Korea. Reportedly,
the Russian suggestion has already been echoed in part by other
delegations.
2. France and Britain now favor early meeting with USSR:
French Foreign Minister Schuman and
British Foreign Secretary Eden now favor
an early four-power meeting to discuss
conditions for free elections in Germany
and the statusvof an all-German government pending a peace treaty.
Schuman, who considers that signature of the EDC treaty and the
contractual agreement have considerably strengthened the Western
position, thinks that such a meeting would satisfy the French public's
desire for a final attempt at reaching an understanding with the
Russians.
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omment: he encouragement engendered
by the signing of the Western accord with Germany apparently led
Schuman and Eden to agree that a reply to the Russian note of 24 May
should seek to end the exchange. Subsequent reappraisals of domestic
political pressures, however, have evidently influenced the French
and British Foreign Ministers to revert to their earlier position in
favor of quadripartite talks.
SOVIET UNION
3, Ambassador Chataigneau analyzes Soviet intentions toward Germany:
The French Ambassador in Moscow believes
that in an effort to prevent ratification of
Germany's agreements with the West, the
Soviet Union will. intensify its campaign of
Intimidation and allow East Germany to take
initiatives endangering peace without involving the responsibility of
the Soviet Government.
Having adopted this line of action, the
Kremlin would have every advantage in declaring itself in favor of
negotiation, which it would attempt to stall, and acting as if, in the
words of Mr. Vyshinsky, "nothing has been changed by signing of
the Bonn agreements."
Ambassador Chataigneau believes that
through these tactics the USSR would encourage French and German
resistance to Western policy, and if successful in preventing a Euro-
pean coalition, would strengthen the influence of American isolationists.
FAR EAST
4. UN walkout at Panmunjom causes Communist concern:
Headquarters of the Chinese Communist
"Volunteer" Forces in Korea on 7 June
alerted at least two tactical units to "guard
against an enemy attack" and to prepare for
combat. The basis of the enemy alert was
o e ad" attitude at Panmunjom.
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Comment: Apparently the Communist
command construed the sar7iiiiTout as an ultimatum. Kim 11-sung's
and Peng Teh-huai's 9 rune open letter to General Clark shows how
serious the Communists consider the three-day recess. This form
of communication is reserved for important proposals, and in the
letter General Clark was urged to "order your delegates to return to
Panmunjom" if the UN still desired an armistice in Korea.
5. President Rhee rejects UNCURK's compromise recommendation:
President Rhee has reacted negatively to
UNCURK's proposal of 7 June that a com-
promise solution be found to the South Korean
political dispute, according to the commission's
chairman. At a meeting with the commission on 9 June, Rhee's only
interest was to get his constitutional amendments adopted. He quoted
his Prime Minister as reporting that the Assembly is "coming around"
to his viewpoint.
Ambassador Mucci� comments that the state-
ment allegedly made by the Prime Minister is not understandable in
view of the fact that he had expressed doubt on 7 June that the Assembly
opposition would be willing to compromise or capitulate.
6. China's petroleum purchases at record high:
shows continuing heavy
shipments of petroleum products from the
USSR to Communist China, with an apparent
high reached in April. About 100,000 tons were to be shipped in April
under letters of credit totalling 20 million rubles, approximately
5,000,000 dollars.
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Comment: China's imports from the USSR
in April were nearly double the average monthly shipments in 1951.
The continuing scarcity of petroleum products
in China's civilian economy suggests thatthe bulk of increased imports
are for military use.
7. Plot to overthrow Cambodian Government uncovered:
Cambodian Prime Minister Kanthoul informed
the US Charge d' Affaires in Phnom Penh that
he had uncovered a plot by a coalition of
opposition political parties to overthrow his
government. Kanthoul claimed to possess evidence that French Com,-
missariat personnel organized the conspiracy.
The Charge comments that although the
plotters are not strong enough to overthrow the government by force,
their threat of open rebellion is a "grave matter."
Comment: French officials in Indochina are
known to be dissatisfied with the Kanthoul government, which has been
increasingly insistent that French controls be relaxed. The Prime
Minister's suspicion that the French engineered this plot against his
government may further strain French-Cambodian relations.
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