CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1953/04/24

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02893557
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: July 15, 2019
• Document Release Date: July 22, 2019
• Publication Date: April 24, 1953

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24 April 1953
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CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO.
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Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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SECURITY INFO
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SUMMARY
GENERAL
Malenkov reportedly invites Mossadeq to visit Moscow (page 3).
FAR EAST
British internee from North Korea confirms brutality (page 3).
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Laos wants Viet Minh aggression put before United Nations (page 4).
French general foresees Viet Minh bridgehead in Thailand (page 4).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
Shah again postpones decision to oust Mossadeq (page 5).
6. Comment on increased Arab-Israeli friction (page 6).
7. Comment on Malan's statement in favor of a South African
republic (page 6).
EASTERN EUROPE
8. Satellite policy conference reportedly held in Moscow (page 7).
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GENERAL
1. Malenkov reportedly invites Mossadeq to visit Moscow:
3.3(h)(2)
According to a member of the Soviet
Legation in Baghdad, Premier Malenkov
has extended an official invitation to
Prime Minister Mossadeq to visit Moscow.
Comment: It is unlikely that Mossadeq
would leave Iran as long as his political position remains unstable.
The Iranian Foreign Minister emphatically denied a 5 April press
report of such an invitation.
Mossadeq has repeatedly tried to obtain
concessions from the West by threatening to seek closer relations
with the Soviet Union.
FAR EAST
2. British internee from North Korea confirms brutality:
Salvation Army Commissioner Lord, a
British internee from North Korea who
was with elements of the US 7th Division
after their capture, claims that during
the march north there was a 68-percent death rate with the number
of prisoners in Lord's group declining from 722 to 289. Stragglers
were shot.
He revealed that food conditions for
internees improved greatly in August 1952 when the Chinese began
to provide the food supply. Lord also states that while North Korea
has been leveled and the people reduced to living in caves, present
bombing only increases their will to resist.
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Comment: This is the first eyewitness
report from a non-American civilian of Communist brutality toward
UN prisoners.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
3. Laos wants Viet Minh aggression put before United Nations:
The Laotian Foreign Minister told the
American Charge on 22 April that his
government wants the question of Viet
Minh aggression officially put before
the United Nations. The Crown Prince is to meet with high French
authorities on 24 April to determine whether France is willing to
present a Laotian appeal and, if So, in what manner.
Comment: In mid-April an official of
the French Foreign Ministry, RTeTring to action against Laos,
stated that the problem in Indochina was one of "civil war" and
that an appeal to the UN would probably be made only in the event
the Chinese Communists cross the border. This statement reflects
the consistent French policy of opposing any UN role in Indochina.
4. French general foresees Viet Minh bridgehead in Thailand:
General de Linares, French commander 3.3(h)(2)
in Tonkin, believes the Viet Minh may be
attempting to reach the Thailand-Laos
border and to join with Communist elements
in northern Thailand. If this is accomplished,
he says, the "roads would be open in all
directions" for a Communist advance into
Southeast Asia.
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The American Embassy in Bangkok states
that Thai officials are seriously worried that the Viet Minh offensive
may be a prelude to a deep thrust into Southeast Asia. The Embassy
feels that after the seizure of Laos and the establishment there of a
puppet government, the Viet Minh may use the same strategy in Cam-
bodia, thus splitting Southeast Asia in two. There also may be a future
link-up between a "Free Laos" government and the Peiping-sponsored
Thai autonomous state in southern Yunnan.
Comment There are 5Q000 Vietnamese
living in northern Thailand, most of whom are sympathetic to the Viet
Minh. There have been recent reports of paramilitary activity among
these people, possibly timed to coincide with the present Viet Minh
offensive.
Because of the rapidly approaching rainy
season and extended supply lines, it seems likely that the Viet Minh
will confine its current campaign to northern Laos and leave further
objectives for a future campaign, possibly in October.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
5. Shah again postpones decision to oust Mossadeq:
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h)(2)
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Comment: Despite the Shah's willingness
to talk with Zahedi and Kashani's son, there is no indication that he has
decided to remove Mossadeq. Moreover, if press reports that Minister
of Court Ala has resigned are true, the Shah may have given up completely
any thought of opposing Mossadeq.
General Zahedi is reportedly being sought
by Tehran police in connection with the disappearance of the chief of
police. Seventeen other opponents of Mossadeq reportedly were
arrested on 23 April.
6. Comment on increased Arab-Israeli friction:
A series of minor Arab-Israeli armed clashes
and incidents has been magnified and publicized by both parties to drama-
tize the unsettled situation and, if possible, to place the onus on the other
side. This publicity appears timed in anticipation of Secretary Dulles'
visit in early May. While the acrimonious exchange of charges and
threats will increase local tension and make any approaches to settlement
more difficult, there is no indication that there will be a change in the
status quo.
7. Comment on IVIalan's statement in favor of a South African republic:
Prime Minister Malan's 22 April statement
that a South African republic will be established as soon as he considers
the country ripe for it suggests that he now feels strong enough to push
toward this goal.
A South African republic has long been a
Nationalist objective, but Malan took no overt steps toward it during
his first five years in office and reference to the issue was soft-pedalled
in the election campaign. A South African republic with status comparable
to India's would not necessarily withdraw from the British Commonwealth,
although this course is favored by Nationalist extremists.
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8.
EASTERN EUROPE
Satellite policy conference reportedly held in Moscow:
The American Minister to Hungary has been
informe0
that a Satellite foreign policy
conference was held in Moscow sometime
between 12 and 18 ApriL
Hungarian Deputy Premier Gero and Bul-
ga,rian Premier Chervenkov are reported to have led their respective
delegations.
3.3(h)(2)
Comment: Although there is no information
available to corroborate this report, such a meeting may have been held
in order to acquaint Satellite leaders with current Soviet policy develop-
ments and organizational changes planned for the Satellites.
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