CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1952/01/31

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02623665
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: May 24, 2019
• Document Release Date: May 30, 2019
• Publication Date: January 31, 1952

� Approved for Release: 2019105113CO2623665.
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SEC1Th1 INFORMATION
31 January 1952
Copy No. 4 9
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO. 2111�.
NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
1 ; DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS iiirb de
NEXT REVIEW DATE: 7
AUTH: FIR 7
DATE.
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Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TOP
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SEC INFORMATION
REVIEWER:
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SUMMARY
USSR
1. Soviet Union improves control of air defense in Far East
(page 3).
FAR EAST
2. France considering prohibition of Civil Air Transport flights over
Indochina (page 3).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
3. Libyan unity threatened by King's attitude (page 4).
4. Inspector General of Greek Army removed (page 5).
EASTERN EUROPE
5. Czechoslovakia and Poland reportedly seek to establish missions
in Panama (page 5),I
WESTERN EUROPE
6. Netherlands protests delay in receipt of US military equipment
(page 6).
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USSR
1. Soviet Union improves control of air defense in Far East: 3.3(h)(2)
a major communications change took place
about 19 Ianuary which will facilitate
centralized control of 5th Fleet Air Force and 9th Air Army fighter
aircraft.
Comment: Provision for closer central-
ized control of the 5th Fleet and 9th Air Army fighter organizations
will increase the efficiency of Soviet interceptor operations in the
Vladivostok and Port Arthur areas.
A trend toward closer coordination between
Soviet tactical air units in the Far East has been underway since
May 1951. Since that time increasingly frequent contacts and in
some cases joint air exercises have been noted between the 9th Air
Army and the 5th Fleet air arm based in the southern area, and
between the 10th Air Army and the 7th Fleet air arm based in the
area from Sakhalin northward.
FAR EAST
2,, France considering prohibition of Civil Air Transport flights over
Indochina:
The French Foreign Office on 25 Sanuary
called the attention of the High Commissariat
in Saigon to "certain items of information"
indicating that General Claire Chennault's
Civil Air Transport planes were assisting
it troops in northeastern Burma. The Commissariat
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was instructed to warn the local representative of the company
that its planes might be forbidden to fly over Indochina if they
continued to carry supplies to the Nationalists.
the Briash Foreign Office as believing that the United States
could only agree to such a prohibition because of its categorical
denials of involvement in Chinese Nationalist operations in Burma.
Comment: France has been extremely
sensitive to the activities of Chinese Nationalist troops in Southeast
Asia, fearing that those in Burma as well as those interned in Indo-
china might provoke a Chinese Communist invasion. Recently,
the French Foreign Office acceded to a Burmese request to refuse
any application for a transit visa for Indochina by General Li Mi,
commander of the Chinese Nationalists in Burma.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
3. Libyan unity threatened by King's attitude:
The Libyan King's preference for his
native province of Cyrenaica and his
apparent disinterest in the more important
and heavily populated Tripolitania province
endanger the prospects for a united Libya, according to the American
Charge in Tripoli. The King seems unwilling or incapable of thinking
of the country as a whole. Of the two cabinet ministers who have
a true all-Libya outlook, one is definitely slated to go, while the
other's tenure appears temporary.
The Charge warns that American interests
In the area will be jeopardized by the King's attitude since Tripolitania
contains the important US air base, Whellus Field. He believes that
the American, British and French representatives should press the
King to accept his responsibilities toward all parts of his kingdom.
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Comment: When Cyrenaica, Tripolitania
and the Fezzan were united to create Libya in mid-December,
separatist elements were considered a threat to its future. The
elections in February will be a major test for the state which,
without energetic federal leadership, faces an uncertain future.
4. Inspector General of Greek Army removed:
The Inspector General of the Greek Army,
General Kitrilakis, has been relieved
"temporarily," on orders of the Minister
of Defense. All remaining pro-Papagos
officers reportedly are to be removed by
May.
Comment: The removal of Kitrilakis, a
firm pporter ot opposition leader Marshal Papagos, is the result
of the struggle for control of the armed forces which has already
caused the ouster of several high-ranking pro-Papagos officers
who are also pro-American.
This action assumes serious proportions
because it directly violates an understanding between the American
army mission in Greece and Greek defense officials which provides
for consultation on major changes in assignment of Greek army
personnel. It is also indicative of increasing political manipulation
within the army.
EASTERN EUROPE
5. Czechoslovakia and Poland reportedly seek to establish missions
in Panama
Poland and Czechoslovakia reportedly
desire to establish diplomatic missions
in Panama. When questioned about the
matter, the Panamanian Foreign Minister
said that Czechoslovakia had not made an official approach, but
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that the Polish representative in Mexico had formally requested
an exchange of ministers, and had even submitted the name of
the proposed chief of mission.
The US Ambassador believes
that he may have persuaded the Panamanian Government to refuse
the Polish request.
Comment: It was reported last September
that the Czechoslovak Minister in Washington had made approaches
to Panama for establishing official Czechoslovak representation
� there. There are still, however, no diplomatic missions from the
Orbit in that country.
WESTERN EUROPE
6. Netherlands protests delay in receipt of US military equipment:
The Netherlands has officially protested
to American authorities the uncertainty
of deliveries of US military equipment for
the two Dutch divisions scheduled to take
part in the SHAPE maneuvers next September. Officials state that
serious political consequences are to be expected if the problem is
not waved soon.
The American Embassy at The Hague
advises that, in view of the publicity given to Dutch participation
in the maneuvers, the United States will be publicly blamed for any
failure to deliver the promised aid on schedule. Furthermore,
delay of the shipments would probably force the Dutch Government
to reduce its conscription levies. This would deal a serious psycho-
logical blow to the country's defense effort.
Comment: Since last spring Dutchofficials
have stated that a lack of equipment might delay fulfillment of their
military commitments.
In November,the Dutch hinted that "possi-
bility of war in 1952" was the basis for their insistence on fielding fully
equipped divisions for the SHAPE maneuvers. A later report shows
that Dutch military leaders are now convinced of this possibility.
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