CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1956/04/07

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02995594
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2019
• Document Release Date: October 31, 2019
• Publication Date: April 7, 1956

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CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
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7 April 1956 3.5(c)
. 103
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OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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CONTENTS
1� SOVIET PRELATE REPORTEDLY DENIES GERM WARFARE
WAS USED IN KOREA (page 3).
2, CEYLON ELECTIONS RUNNING STRONGLY ANTI-
GOVERNMENT (page 5).
3. WELCOME FOR SYRIAN PARTY LEADER SYMBOLIZES
COMMUNIST GAINS (page 7).
4. REGULAR AIR FLIGHTS REPORTED BETWEEN TAIPEI
AND CHINESE IRREGULARS IN BURMA
(page 8).
7 Apr 56
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(page 9)
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1. SOVIET PRELATE REPORTEDLY DENIES GERM WARFARE
WAS USED IN KOREA
Metropolitan Nikolai of the Russian (USSR)
Orthodox Church, when questioned about
bacteriological warfare in Korea on 6 April
said, "I do not believe such warfare took
place in Korea," according to the Swedish
newspaper Expressen.
In the past, Nikolai, as a member of the
World Peace Council, which led international exploitation of
the germ warfare charge, has faithfully parrotted Moscow's
charge that the United States used bacteriological warfare. In
a recent interview with the Norwegian paper Arbeiderbladet,
Nikolai was still quoted as saying that he believed such warfare
had in fact taken place.
According to Expressen, the metropolitan
followed his disclaimer of belief in germ warfare with a com-
ment that "I believe the United States and the Soviet Union will
both be able to live and prosper without waro" While this sug-
gests that his interview might be a calculated move in the Soviet
"new look" of coexistence, an attempt by Reuters to obtain con-
firmation from the metropolitan of the Expressen interview
brought the response that "our church does not deal with polit-
ical problems."
The charge that the United States used germ
warfare originated with the North Koreans on 22 February 1952
and immediately developed into a major campaign on the initia-
tive of Peiping. If Nikolai actually made the remarks attributed
to him in Stockholm, and did so with Moscow's consent, this
represents a unique departure from the support Moscow has
'7 Apr 56
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consistently given Communist China on international issues.
It appears unlikely that Moscow is prepared to embarrass
Peiping by officially reversing its position on this issue to
which both have been so deeply committed.
The Chinese Communists are unlikely
to admit that their charges were spurious. Peiping is ex-
pected to remain silent on the subject unless challenged,
in which case the Chinese would probably reaffirm their
original position.
7 Apr 56
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Noe Imre
2. CEYLON ELECTIONS RUNNING STRONGLY
ANTIGOVERNMENT
Sweeping opposition victories on the
first of three days of balloting in
Ceylon's national elections for 95 seats
in the lower house of parliament sug-
gest that a united front dominated by S. W. R. D. Bandara-
naike's independent Sri Lanka Freedom Party will be in a
position to demand that it be allowed to form a government
when the elections are over.
The united front has won 28 out of 42
seats contested on 5 April, The United National Party,
which heretofore has controlled the government by a com-
fortable majority, won only eight seats. The Trotskyite
Nava Lanka Sama Samaja party won four seats, the Commu-
nist Party one seat, and an independent one seat. The re-
maining seats will be contested in elections on 7 and 10 April.
The front is pledged to avoid involvement
in power blocs; to abolish British bases in Ceylon and to oust
all foreign troops; to nationalize all key industries as well as
foreign-owned plantations and transport, banking, and insur-
ance interests, and to put the trade of Ceylon into Ceylonese
hands.
The American embassy in Colombo re-
ports that Governor General Goonetilleke will ask Prime
Minister Kotelawala to form a government even if his United
National Party has a minority in parliament. There are also
rumors that if this government fails to win its first test of
strength, the governor general will dissolve parliament and
call for new elections, which only the UNP is financially
equipped to face. Such action by the governor general, which
would resemble earlier actions taken by the governments of
7 Apr 56
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both Pakistan and India, probably would only temporarily
stabilize the situation. It would not end what is apparently
a growing feeling on the part of the Ceylonese people that
it is "time for a change."
Constituencies voting on 5 April were
chosen by the government because of their supposed loyalty,
and they were intended to start a favorable UNP trend which
would be reflected in subsequent voting on 7 and 10 April.
It was generally recognized that many constituencies vot-
ing on the third day would be antigovernment, and it was
hoped that early results favorable to the government would
Influence voters in these constituencies to alter their vote.
7 Apr 56
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3. WELCOME FOR SYRIAN PARTY LEADER SYMBOLIZES
COMMUNIST GAINS
Over 25,000 people went to Damascus
from all over Syria and Lebanon to wel-
come Khalid Bakhdash, leader of the
Syrian-Lebanese Communist Party, on
is return rom e 20th Party Congress in Moscow, ac-
cording to Syrian chief of staff Shuqayr. Shuqayr said the
turnout was the largest in Syria in 20 years and indicated
a leftward turn of Syrian public opinion much greater than
Syrian officials had estimated.
Comment There has been no effective barrier to
the increase of Communist prestige and
influence in Syria since the overthrow of the Shishakli dic-
tatorship two years ago. Communist influence now eitends
into all spheres of Syrian public life--bureaucracy, army,
labor, press and education. Local Communists have ac-
quired additional respectability from the Soviet bloc-Egyptian
arms deal and from Soviet statements interpreted as support-
ing the Arab cause against Israel.
One Syrian conservative leader has stated
that if parliamentary elections were to be held in the near
future, they would produce a solid bloc of 50 deputies, out
of 142, serving Communist aims and would render the situa-
tion "irretrievable."
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4. REGULAR AIR FLIGHTS REPORTED BETWEEN TAIPEI
AND CHINESE IRREGULARS IN BURMA
A leader of the Chitiese Nationalist ir-
regulars in Burma recently told
mai that there are regular monthly flights
a guerrilla airstrip located in Burma
near the borders with Laos and Thailand.
Comment Taipei has continually denied having con-
tact with the irregulars, but there is good
evidence of close liaison between the irregulars and Chinese
embassy officials in Bangkok.
The Burmese government tends to hold
the United States responsible for Taipei's activities It has
so far given no indication of being aware of the reported
flights.
7 Apr 56
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THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(Information as of 1700, 6 April)
A resumption of artillery fire between
Israeli and Egyptian forces near the Gaza strip occurred on
the morning.of 6 April following yesterday's battle. A second
cease-fire has been agreed to, and the border is reported
quiet. (Press)
A Syrian patrol was ambushed in Syrian
territory just east of Lake Tiberias on the night of 4 April, ac-
Two Syrians
were wounded, one probably fatally. believes the
ambush may have been an attempt by Israel to provoke retalia-
tions in advance of the arrival of the United Nations secretary
general.
rifteen young boutn Africans arrived in
Israel on 4 April from Johannesburg to serve one year in "na-
tional service," according to an Israeli broadcast from Jerusalem.
A second contingent was scheduled to arrive at the end of the week,
and additional South African volunteers were reportedly being or-
ganized. This is the first report of arrivals in Israel's campaign
for foreign volunteers to help defend its border settlements.
(FBIS)
The Soviet freighter Smela arrived at
Alexandria with large crates on deck on 3 April and berthed in
the port's security, area. When it passed Istanbul coming out of
the Black Sea, the Smela made the usual false declaration of
Soviet ships carrying military equipment to Egypt�machinery for
Albania. Its arrival at Alexandria brings to 18 the number of
arms cargoes transported by Soviet freighters to Egypt since de-
liveries began last October.
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7 Apr 56 Current Intelligence Bulletin
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