CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1956/11/22

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03002996
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 20
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2019
• Document Release Date: October 31, 2019
• Publication Date: November 22, 1956

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This document contains classified information affecting f/
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meaning of the espionage laws, US Code Title 18, Sections
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No action is to be taken on any COMMUNICATIONS INTELLIGENCE
which may be contained herein, regardless of the advantages to be
gained, unless such action is first approved by the Director of Central
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Noe itoir
CONTENTS
1. ARABS FEAR IMMINENT ISRAELI ATTACK ON SYRIA
AND JORDAN (page 4).
2. SHEPILOV PROMISES IMMEDIATE HELP IF SYRIA IS
ATTACKED (page 5).
3. BRITISH OFFICIALS REPORTED WEAKENING ON SUEZ
CANAL CONTROL (page 6).
4. SOVIETS HARASS WESTERN TRAINS BETWEEN BERLIN
AND WEST GERMANY icsiafetttiatrrpage 7).
5. SYRIAN MIG-15'S PROBABLY DESTROYED IN EGYPT
(page 9).
6. EGYPT PROVIDES USSR�wiTT-T-RKTI-11-A-TR- OF INCREASED
ARMS REQUIREMENTS (page 10).
7. EGYPTIAN AIRCRAFT IN SAUDI ARABIA TO RETURN TO
EGYPT ) (page 11).
8. EGYPTIAN ECONOMIC SITUATION REPORTED CRITICAL
(Secret Noforn) (page 12)n
9. MOLOTOV'S APPOINTMENT AS MINISTER OF STATE
CONTROL (Confidential) (page 13).
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100 MOSCOW-BELGRADE PROPAGANDA FIGHT DEVELOPING
icontietenriaZ (page 14).
110 TENSION IN INDONESIA SLACKENS-(43) (page 15).
12. HUNGARIAN REGIME ADOPT NCREASINGLY INDEPEND-
ENT PUBLIC LINE (Cen tial) (page 16).
13. NEW LEBANESE PREMIER MAKES OVERTURES TO EGYPT
(page 17).
14. MOROCCANS MAY TAKE ACTION AGAINST FRENCH USE OF
US BASE FACILITIES (Seci:g.tJslefe�rn)1page 18).
15. GREEKS REPORTEnt-v_PLAN DIRECT APPROACH TO TURKEY
ON CYPRUS (page 19).
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r 3LLICE,
Noe N.4.0
1. ARABS FEAR IMMINENT ISRAELI: ATTACK ON
SYRIA AND JORDAN
King Hussain and Jordanian chief of staff
Nuwar informed Ambassador Mallory on
20 November that their intelligence re-
ports indicated an imminent Israeli at-
tack either directly on Jordan, or on Syria
in order to draw Jordan in. The two lead-
ers cited redeployment of Israeli troops,
the absence of significant demobilization
activity in Israel, and an increase in Israeli
intelligence activity in Jordan.
Egyptian speculated that Israel's
object was to create a situation which would bring an interna-
tional force into the area so that the Israelis could proceed
with the diversion of Jordan River water.
Similar reports presumably were the basis
for the Syrian UN delegate's announcement in New York on 21
November that Israel, Britain and France were about to attack
his country.
Israeli forces, with an estimated 170,000
men on active duty, remain in an advanced state of readiness
and could launch an attack( on Syria or Jordan or both at any
time. The threat of Soviet intervention, however, appears to
be having a deterrent effect on Tel Aviv.
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2. SHEPILOV PROMISES IMMEDIATE HELP IF SYRIA
TS ATTACK-FT)
soviet toreign minister snepiloy Win
Syrian ambassador to the United States
Zeneiddine on 21 November that the
USSR had been late in coming to Egypt's
assistance but that if Syria were attacked the USSR would
"heir, her immediately."
Shepilov told the ambassador to notify
his government of this statement.
Comment By promising immediate help against
outside attack, Shepilov may be delib-
erately encouraging the leftist-nationalist political combi-
nation, of which Zeneiddine is a member, to seize complete
control in Syria.
As of early November Soviet
bloc ships were continuing to deliver to Syria arms con-
tracted for earlier this year.
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3. BRITISH OFFICIALS REPORTED WEAKENING ON
SUEZ CANAL CONTROL
the American UN pro-
posal for disposition of the Suez Canal
issue presents the best possible "posi-
tion of withdrawal" for British i lo-
macy,
According to the Belgian message, the
French do not share the British view that the best canal set-
tlement obtainable would be administration by Egypt and con-
trol of tolls collection by the Suez Canal Users' Association
under an arbitral body. Paris still would like to demand
international administration of the canal.
Comment This report is the first indication that
the British government may be consid-
ering altering its public position that international control
of the canal is essential.
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CONFIDENTIAL
4. SOVIETS HARASS WESTERN TRAINS BETWEEN BERLIN
AND WEST GERMANY
On the night of 20-21 November, five of
the seven regularly scheduled Allied
military trains passing between Berlin
and West Germany were subjected to un-
usual controls and delays by Soviet authorities at the East
German', border point at Marienborn. Three American, one
British and one French train were detained in train sheds
where an unusual number of armed Soviet soldiers were on
hand.
The Soviet authorities demanded individ-
ual travel orders for the passengers of the trains. They also
attempted to board trains to check passengers, in one instance
telling an American train commander that a "new agreement"
confirmed their right to do so. In each instance train com-
manders refused to permit boarding of the trains, and the
Soviet officials did not press the point, although they insisted
that in the future Russian translations of travel orders would
be required. The Soviet authorities showed a particular in-
terest in civilian passengers. A British officer was warned
that British trains would not be allowed to proceed the night
of 22 November unless they produced individual travel orders.
Comment The Soviet commandant at Marienborn
several days ago announced that more de-
tailed documentation would be necessary. The Soviet author-
ities are probably exerting pressure in the matter of train
documentation in order to test Allied reaction, just as from
time to time various new requirements have been made in con-
nection with highway travel to Berlin. Although these demands
present no immediate threat to Allied access to Berlin, they
may be the forerunner of more serious restrictions on rail
and highway access.
The United States, Britain and France run
passenger and freight trains to Berlin under a four-power
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agreement which sets no limit on the categories or nation-
alities of personnel who may be carried. The only limits
are those which the Western military commanders have im-
posed unilaterally, with considerable variation among them.
Heretofore Soviet authorities have not required travel orders
or identity documents of passengers.
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5� SYRIAN MIG-15'S PROBABLY DESTROYED IN EGYPT
Syria's 20 MIG-15 jet fighters did
not escape from Egypt and were des-
troyed at Abu Suweir airfield. It is
known that 20 of 22 MIG-15's at Abu Suweir were destroyed
by Anglo-French bombing.
At least seven Syrian Meteor jet fighters
e in Egypt during the Anglo-French bombing and three
of these were badly damaged.
. Only 12--possibly 14--
jet lighters, an meteors, had been noted on Syrian airfields
up through 16 November,
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6. EGYPT PROVIDES USSR WITH ESTIMATE OF INCREASED
ARMS REQUIREMENTS
Egypt has provided
witn an estimate or
future military aid requirements which
suggests that Cairo desires a further
increase in its militar forces and in
Personnel.
data given "as a guide
in estimating the extent of aid indicated a desire for an air
force of up to 36 squadrons; a radar network and training
unit; replacement and reinforcement of antiaircraft artillery;
replacement of medium tanks lost in Sinai; and radio sets to
build up a complete army communications network.
Cairo's new training policy envisages
an increase in Czech training missions. Egyptian technical
standards would be improved by contracting for ordnance
"service depot experts" to meet needs for repair and main-
tenance--"with priority to the air force:'
tactical training experts for bomber crews arid
"for the navy" should be ready to be sent to Egypt in Decem-
ber.
Cairo also indicated a desire to contract
for additional rifles and submachine guns within the limit of
the uncommitted balance of the $79,000,000 arms agreement
of April 1956. The means of payment for any new Soviet mili-
tary aid to Egypt is not known. That the USSR 111217 ask nnlv
token payment
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7. EGYPTIAN AIRCRAFT IN SAUDI ARABIA TO RETURN
TO EGYPT
the commander of the
Egyptian military aircraft which had
been flown to refuge in Saudi Arabia
asked the Saudi military authorities to
permit the aircraft to return to Egypt,
ircranto .gypt was
ordered by Egyptian air force headquarters.
Comment�
The
Twenty Egyptian IL-28 jet light bombers
and ten IL-4 twin-engine transports took
refuge in Saudi Arabia following Anglo-French air attacks on
Egyptian airfields. Apparently only two IL-28's remained un-
damaged in Egypt i at least 18 were destroyed.
At least 34 MIG-15 jet fighters were
destroyed on Egyptian airfields. There is no firm evidence
that any MIG-15's succeeded in fleeing Egypt to Saudi Arabia
or Syria. Between five and ten MIG-15's appear to have es-
caped serious damage on Egyptian airfields.
Egypt is believed to have received as
many as 80 MIG-15's prior to the outbreak of hostilities.
Some of these were probably stored in hangars, which in
many cases were damage1/41 severely. It is also possible that
not all of the 80 had been assembled when hostilities started.
One crated MIG-15 was n process of being assembled
at Almaza airfield when the Anglo-French at-
tacks were under way.
most of the damage to Egyptian airfields has been repaired
and all fields are again considered serviceable.
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8. EGYPTIAN ECONOMIC SITUATION REPORTED CRITICAL
Egypt's economic situation, which has
been worsening since the nationalization
of the Suez Canal, is now critical
The sequestration of Anglo-French banks and the restraints
placed on commercial enterprises controlled by British,
French or Jews, as well as the sequestration of some "neu-
tral" foreign enterprises, have created great dislocation and a
near breakdown of the credit system. The effects of this
situation are being felt by the middle class and are likely to
be felt by the whole population unless the credit system is
revived in the next few weeks.
While organized opposition to the Nasr
regime is still not apparent, large numbers of persons are
potentially disaffected because of growing unem loyment and
dislocation caused by war conditions. ( RN)
Comment The Nasr regime is apparently embarked
on a campaign to drive all Western Euro-
pean and Jewish economic interests out of Egypt regardless
of the consequences. Some 40 British and French nationals
long residents of Alexandria have been ordered to leave the
country on six days notice, and about 500 Jews of various
nationalities are reported imprisoned there. The apparent
absence of any plans for administering sequestered "enemy"
property in Egypt adds to the confusion and deterioration of
the economic situation.
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9. moLoTors APPOINTMENT AS MINISTER OF
STATE CONTROL
The appointment of Molotov to the post
of USSR minister of state coritrol, an-
nounced on 21 November, appears to
represent a reduction rather than an
increase in authority for the former
minister of foreign affairs. It makes unlikely his succes-
sion to Khrushchev's post of party first secretary which
had been rumored as a result of Soviet setbacks in Eastern
Europe. Former ministers of state control have been second-
level government officials.
Molotov retains his rank as first deputy
premier, however, and there is a possibility that the re-
sponsibilities of his new post have been increased. The party
central committee at a recent meeting reportedly took steps
to increase the responsibilities of ministers concerned with
the execution of government directives and the fulfillment of
economic programs. The Ministry of State Control is one of
several organizations which have been charged with checking
for violations and corruption within all economic organs as
well as investigating the nonfulfullment of government decrees.
It has had no supervisory powers over the party and has never
exercised a powerful influence in top party circles.
(C_ONELIDEN"
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10. MOSCOW-BELGRADE PROPAGANDA FIGHT DEVELOPING
The polemics between Moscow and Bel-
grade over Tito's speech condemning
Soviet bloc Stalinists will make a com-
promise even more difficult between
national communism and Moscow's idea
of a unified "socialist camp!' It will make it more difficult
for the Soviet Union to relax controls in Eastern Europe.
It is already forcing other Communist party leaderships to
choose sides on the issue.
Pravda on 19 November. accused Tito
of endangering international proletarian solidarity, inter-
fering in the affairs of other Communist parties and echo-
ing reactionary propaganda. It said that Tito was contra-
dicting his professed support for the principle of different
roads to socialism by trying to make the Yugoslav example
the only one to be followed. The very brief Pravda summary
distorted Tito's remarks to justify the use of Soviet troops
in Hungary and ignored Tito's claim that the first Soviet inter-
vention was wrong.
Borba retorted on 21 November that Pravda
was unwilling to acquaint the Russian people with the very
views which it criticized. Moscow is accused of wanting to
deny Tito the right to free, honest, frank, and equal discus-
sion between Communists called for by their joint party com-
muniqu�f last June.
The Hungarians broadcast the full text, of
the speech on 16 November, but have not yet commented.
Poland, while not presenting the text in full, did include
Tito's remarks critical of the Soviet Union and praised Tito
for condemning not only Stalinism, but the system which per-
mitted it to develop. Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and Rumania,
on the other hand, followed Moscow's lead and severely criti-
cized the speech. (CON L)
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11.. TENSION IN INDONESIA SLACKENS
Tension in jaidonesia arising from fears
of an imminent army coup now appears
to be declining largely because of firm
government action. The army chief of
staff, General Nasution, on 21 November
charged the former deputy chief of staff,
Colonel Lubis, with organizing a coup,
and claimed the army possessed docu-
ments concerning his antigovernment
activities. Lubis is now charged with desertion, since it
has been 12 days since he was summoned to appear before
the chief of staff.
Although an attempted coup by Lubis
and his supporters remains a continuing possibility, the
government appears to command enough loyalty in the army
to counter any such development.
Should a coup be attempted, the most
likely time would be after 24 November, when a reunion of
Indonesian army academy graduates in Djakarta would per-
mit co-ordination of plans. Those attending will comprise
a large percentage of battalion and company commanders
in West Java, among whom there is strong anti-Nasution
sentiment.
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-CONFIDENTIAL
12. HUNGARIAN REGIME ADOPTING INCREASINGLY
INDEPENDENT PUBLIC LINE
The Hungarian regime apparently hopes
to conciliate and win over the hostile
and suspicious population by adopting
an increasingly independent public line.
The USSR may have granted the Kadar
regime the right to speak independently in an effort to de-
velop a measure of popular support for Kadar.
On 16 November, the Hungarian party
paper reprinted in its entirety the Tito speech attacking
continued Stalinism in the Kremlin; on 19 November the
trade union journal reprinted Nehru's criticism of the pres-
ence of Soviet troops in Hungary; and on 20 November, the
press expressed grave concern that the continued presence
of Soviet troops in Poland might set a precedent for Hungary.
According to a 21 November press report,
the Budapest workers council called a new three-day general
strike to protest the prohibition of a national "working parlia-
ment" called by the various workers' councils. NoNEIDENT rA- LT)
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%err
13. NEW LEBANESE PREMIER MAKES OVERTURES
TO EGYPT
Sami al-Solh, the new Lebanese premier,
is ready to reach an agreement with
Egypt on "all policies, international and
Arab"
ready to agree wan rresiaenc Nar
on an "effective policy" and was prepared to send to Cairo
Nasri al-Maluf, the new minister of finance and social affairs.
Comment Solhis public statements since he assumed
office five days ago have been distinctly
pro-Western. He has warned against "extrems�sandagainst
the dangers of Soviet intervention in the area. ver-
tures to Egypt are probably designed to persuade Cairo to call
off its agents, who have bombed British- and French-occupied
buildings in Beirut and are reportrgi tn have attempted to bomb
Lebanese government buildings. Cairo or-
dered a bomb attack against Solh himself.
Despite Solles pro-Western reputation
and the pro-Western orientation of the new cabinet, Lebanon,
in the present atmosphere in the Middle East, will probably
feel constrainedto maintain fairly cordial relations with Syria
and Egypt.
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14, MOROCCANS MAY TAKE ACTION AGAINST FRENCH USE
OF US BASE FACILITIES
Moroccan nationalists are considering
demonstrations against the French ar-
my's construction activity at the American-
French naval air base at Port Lyautey, the
American embassy in Rabat reports. The
Moroccans are also talking of raiding the
American wharf where the French on 18
November offloaded military stores, air-
plane spare parts, and construction ma-
teriaL
The embassy adds that the French are pre-
sumably aware of this possibility because on 19 November they.
stationed three heavy armored cars and a half-track on the
wharf. The American commander, who reports the possibil-
ity of a strike of American-employed Moroccans, has prepared
defensive positions near the wharf. aillEORN-}
Comment The United States has nearly exclusive use
of the jointly operated Port Lyautey base.
When the French army began construction of a warehouse on the
American wharf on 12 November over the objections of the sul-
tan and the US, the Moroccans assumed that the French had
American permission.
The French army recently encountered
some difficulty in landing troops and offloading supplies out-
side the base when Moroccan port workers struck in protest.
It apparently hopes to use the base in an attempt to avoid simi-
lar incidents in the future.
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1.5 GREEKS REPORTEDLY PLAN DIRECT APPROACH TO
TURKEY ON CYPPTM
told Ameri-
can officials on 16 November that Foreign
Minister Ave roff intends to undertake se-
cret conversations with the Turkish govern-
ment on the Cyprus issue. Averoff is said to be encouraged
by his recent discussions with Turkish ambassador Iksel in
Athens and by conversations between the Greek and Turkish
UN delegates in New York. He reportedly feels Turkey has
shown "a much calmer mood" toward Greece in recent months
and attributes this change to increasing Turkish concern over
possible isolation from the West and Turkey's growing eco-
nomic difficulties.
Greek officials believe Turkey is consid-
ering two possible Cyprus solutions: partition, about which
the Greeks have reservations, and complete independence,
which they are inclined to favor.
Comment Both these countries are increasingly con-
cerned over the corroding effect of the Cyprus
issue on their relations. However, the Turks will probably be
suspicious of any Greek initiative and demand firm guarantees
against eventual union of Cyprus with Greece.
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