CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1952/07/17

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02685623
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: June 6, 2019
• Document Release Date: June 27, 2019
• Publication Date: July 17, 1952

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SEC INFORMATION
17 July 1952
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO. 5,�5"
NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
tI DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: n S.
ftExt REVIEW DATE: 67-00
AMR � MR 70-2 AA,
DATE:a/Air/7 REVIEWER:
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TOPS
SECUEITNPORMATIQN
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SUMMARY
SOVIET UNION
1. Ambassador Kennan comments on Soviet policy in Rumania
(page 3).
2. Increase noted in Soviet European flights (page 3).
FAR EAST
3. Burmese Communist chief reported retreating toward India
(page 4).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
4. Prince Naif of Jordan asks for Saudi Arabian. support (page 6).
EASTERN EUROPE
5. Tito desires strategic talks With the United States (page 6).
WESTERN EUROPE
6. Belgium reportedly eompletes shipment on Soviet orders placed
at Moscow Conference (page 7).
7. French President makes unusual plea for American aid (page 8).
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SOVIET UNION
1, Ambassador Kennan comments on Soviet policy in Rumania:
3.3(h)(2)
Ambassador Kennan, in commenting on the
Bucharest assignment of A. I. Lavrentiev,
says that Moscow is placing the Rumanian
situation in the hands of its ace trouble
shooter for the Satellite area. In the Ambassador's opinion, Ru-
mania's strategic position is the key factor. The Kremlin would
like to make the Dobrudja area a direct defensive responsibility of
the SovietArmy, but leave the Western area a Rumanian responsi-
bility in order to avoid Soviet military contact with the Yugoslays.
Ambassador Kennan feels that the appoint-
ment of Bughici as Rumanian Foreign Minister signifies a virtual
Soviet take-over of the Bucharest Foreign Ministry and that Rumania
is quietly being changed into a Soviet constituent republic, although
for the present without formal incorporation. He notes that
Lavrentiev was previously assigned to Rumania in 1940 to arrange
for the separation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina and their
subsequent annexation by the USSR.
The Ambassador concludes by noting that
while three Deputy Foreign Ministers have recently left Moscow,
only one replacement has been announced. In his opinion this may
presage a shake-up in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in which
Vishinsky's position will bear watching.
3.3(h)(2)
2. Increase noted in Soviet European flights:
Soviet aircraft,
largely bombers and transports, operating in
the Western USSR and Eastern Europe, made
a minimum of about 11,000 navigational and
local flights during the period5 June to2 July.
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TC)) FsEi.ET
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This represents an increase of about 3,400 flights, or almost 45 per-
cent, over a comparable period last year. It is the highest level
of activity ever recorded, the previous peak having occurred in April,
when 10,928 flights were noted.
Comment: This increase is largely attrib-
utable to the appearance of additional new bombers in operational
units and intensified training since flying weather has improved.
Since last year, Soviet Air Force training has increasingly empha-
sized night flying and all-weather bombing.
FAR EAST
3. Burmese Communist chief reported retreating toward India:
The leader of the Burma Communist Party,
Thakin Than Tun, with 300 followers is
reliably reported to have crossed the
Irrawaddy River about 100 miles southwest
of Mandalay in late June. The report states that the Communists
have proceeded toward the mountains of Western Burma and that if
they are blocked in an attempt to escape by turning to the north, they
will try to reach Manipur Province in Indta. If not interned, they will
later infiltrate back into Burma. (See map on following page.)
Comment:
the Burmese Ariny difirng the past months has successfully
dispersed large concentrations of Communists in their base area of
north-central Burma. The reported route of Than Tun's flight sug-
gests an intent to circle around Burmese forces and establish a new
Communist base in upper Burma near the China border.
Other reports, however, state that Than
Tun fled eastward into the Shan foothills after government forces
overran his headquarters in the Pyinmana area in May. Recent
Communist raids on towns and communications, in central Burma
and elsewhere in the country, are evidence that the party still main-
tains organized forces.
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NEAR EAST - AFRICA
4. Prince Nail of Jordan asks for Saudi Arabian support:
!Prince Nail of Jordan, King
Talal's brother, wished to meet a repre-
sentative of Saudi Arabia to reach an
agreement whereby he would "ally himsell
to the Saudi Arabian Government" in return
for protection from the "conspiracies" of
the Iraqi Regent and Prime Minister.
Nall reportedly would agree to support the
status quo in Jordan which Saudi Arabia is seeking to preserve. In
reply to these proposals, Saudi Arabia suggested that Naif approach
the Jordanian Government and reach an agreement with it,
Comment: Prince Nail has been an aspirant
to the Jordanian throne since the death of his father King Abdullah
last July. Following a break with his brother this spring, Nail went
to Baghdad and then to Beirut. He remains a figure around whom
malcontents in Jordan can rally as long as the Jordan political crisis
continues.
EASTERN EUROPE
5. Tito desires strategic talks with the United States:
Marshal Tito has told Assistant Secretary
of Defense Nash and Ambassador Allen that
American-Yugoslav conversatiOns on stra-
tegic and operational questions were "highly
desirable." Tito agreed that Britain and France should be included.
He added that his government also wished to consider the participation
of Greece and Turkey, but he stressed that he did not wish to deal
with an "organization."
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Comment: Yugoslavia has clearly indicated
that it wishes to avoid direct contact with NATO. This is the first
official Yugoslav statement of willingness to engage in talks which
presumably will lead to limited joint military planning.
WESTERN EUROPE
6. Belgium reportedly completes shipment on Soviet orders placed at
Moscow Conference:
/Belgian products worth $3,000,000,
mostly textiles and chemicals, ordered at
the Moscow Economic Conference had been shipped to the USSR.
The Belgian diplomat, who had just returned
from leave in Brussels, allegedly said that public opinion is increas-
ingly favorable to the "resumption of East-West commercial relations,"
and indicated that a committee has been formed for developing Soviet-
Belgian trade.
Comment: This is the first report of any
Western European countrFirafining an agreement made with the Soviet
Union at the Moscow Economic Conference. The Soviet-Belgian
agreement was previously reported to be for the exchange of $2,000,000
worth of textiles for Soviet automobiles.
Belgium has never broken off commercial
relations with the Soviet Orbit. The trend of public opinion probably
refers to Belgian interest in increasing exports of non-strategic com-
modities.
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7. French President makes unusual plea for American aid:
President Auriol of France has strongly 3.3(h)(2)
urged that the United States reconsider its
decision not to finance French military
production to the extent requested by Defense
Minister Pleven in May. He twice expressed his personal disappoint-
ment to Ambassador Dunn during the Bastille Day reception.
The Ambassador notes that the President
very rarely intervenes in matters of this nature and interprets his
action as an indication of the government's "serious concern."
Comment: President Auriol's intervention
highlights the French Governs reluctance to publicize its bad
budgetary position.
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