CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1956/06/07

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03015156
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2019
• Document Release Date: October 31, 2019
• Publication Date: June 7, 1956

Approved for Release: 2019/10/21
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CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
TOP SECI?
7 June 1956
Copy No.
103
DO0t3",1T NO.
NO IN CLASS.
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TO: TS S VOlf
NEXT REVEW ()ATE'
AUT4 I: HR 10-'1
DAT
REVIEWER:
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
3.3(h)(2)
3.5(c)
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NIST ECONOMIC OFFER
9. LAOTIAN CROWN PRIN
GUARANTEE
CONTENTS
1. U NU DISILLUSIONED BY SOVIET AND CHINESE COMMUNIST
INTERVENTION IN BURMESE ELECTIONS
(page 3).
2. NEW DISORDERS EXPECTED IN JORDAN
3. SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIALS EXPRESS CONCERN OVER
ARMY MORALE (page 5).
(page 4).
5. CABINET CRISIS IN SYRIA (Confidential) (page 7).
6. KHRUSHCHEV STATES VIEWS ON FOREIGN AND INTERNAL
ISSUES TO FRENCH SOCIALISTS (page 8).
7. POLISH OFFICIALS CLAIM INCREASING INDEPENDENCE
OF USSR (page 9).
8. TURKS GIVE "QUALIFIED NEGATIVE" TO LATEST COMMU-
(page 10).
E ARGUES FOR WESTERN MILITARY
(page 11).
10. ARGENTINE CABINET RESIGNS
7 June 56
* * * *
� THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(page 13)
(page 12).
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Nieri
1, U NU DISILLUSIONED BY SOVIET AND CHINESE COMMUNIST
INTERVENTION IN BURMESE ELECTIONS
U Nuts disillusionment over Soviet and
Chinese Communist intervention in the
Burmese elections appears to have been
an important factor leading to his relin-
quishment of the premiership on 5 June.
Nu personally drafted the unsigned letter pub-
lished in an influential Rangoon newspaper which accused the
Soviet and Chinese embassies of extensive meddling in the
recent Burmese elections. The letter noted the numerous
invitations for pro-Communists to visit Orbit countries and
pointed out how these travelers returned to promote anti-
government activities.
Nu and other. Burmese leaders have fre-
quently justified their policy of fostering close official rela-
tions with the governments of Communist countries on the
ground that it would make the local Communists' position un-
tenable. They undoubtedly were shaken when the lower house
elections on 27 April led, on the contrary, to a considerable
increase in Communist parliamentary strength.
Nu's apparent disillusionment with the re-
sults of his policy of friendship and trade with the Communist
bloc may have considerable impact on other Asian neutralist
leaders. He has already communicated to Nehru his concern
over "foreign interference" in the recent elections.
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2. NEW DISORDERS EXPECTED IN JORDAN
Comment
This report appears to mix a prediction of ex-
tremist action with a catalogue of conserv-
ative complaints. Demands for free elections might be raised,
however, to incite disorders like those which occurred last
winter.
A cry for free elections would appeal to
extreme nationalist elements, including the Palestine refu-
gees, whose influence almost certainly would be increased
as a result. Accompanying disorders, however, might provide
the opportunity for the establishment of a military government
which King Hussain and conservative politicians would support
� in order to protect themselves, although such a government
would probably eventually oust the king.
7 June 56 Current Intelligence Bulletin
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3. SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIALS EXPRESS CONCERN OVER
ARMY MORALE
Former defense minister Son Won41
and Assistant Vice Minister of Defense
Kang Yung-hun have expressed concern
over lowered army morale. They said
that during the recent elections soldiers
resented orders to vote for the government party and sus-
pected tampering with their ballots. Reservists reportedly
resent call-ups to active duty which coincide with the plant-
ing season. Both Son and Kang observed that defections have
increased since the May elections.
� Comment Pyongyang radio reports that 20 South
Korean officers and men have defected
to North Korea since the election. This would represent a
defection rate approximately four times that of the last few
months.
The morale problem confronting the army
reflects prevailing dissatisfaction in South Korea. The Eighth
Army observes that other reports confirm military and popu-
lar resentment over the handling of the May elections, and
cite the uncertainty of government and military officials as
to Rhee's postelection plans.
7 June 56
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4. DEPARTURE OF SOVIET SHIPS FROM BALTIC MAY
BE IMMINENT
Comment
These ships may go to the Northern
Fleet area and thence to the Pacific
Fleet. A similar movement from the Baltic, the USSR's
major shipbuilding center, preceded last year reinforce-
ment of the Pacific Fleet,
The USSR has strengthened its Pacific
Fleet in each of the last four years by redeploying warships
by way of the Northern Sea Route. Last year transfer, the
largest to date, included two Sverdlov-class cruisers, 13
destroyers and 12 long-range submarines.
In October 1955, pre-
dicted that two Soviet Sverdlov-class cruisers and four large
new destroyers would be transferred this spring from the
Baltic via the Northern Sea Route to the Far East.
7 June 56
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5. CABINET CRISIS IN SYRIA
Comment on:
The resignation of the Ghazzi government
in Syria on 2 June is another evidence of
the continuing struggle among conserva-
tives, independents and leftists over the
orm Of the "national" cabinet which has been under discussion
for the past three months. Personal and interparty rivalries,
plus the necessity of securing army approval, have so far pre-
vented agreement, and initial talks after Ghazzi tendered his
resignation suggest that there will be considerable fumbling be-
fore a new cabinet is formed. While there is a danger that the
army will be tempted to intervene directly in this situation,
the chances are that a new cabinet will emerge which will,
like its predecessors, be a weak coalition amenable to anti-
Western leftist and army pressures.
7 June 56
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60 KHRUSHCHEV STATES VIEWS ON FOREIGN AND INTERNAL
ISSUES TO FRENCH SOCIALISTS
In conversations with the French Socialist
delegation between 28 and 30 April, Khru-
shchev discussed a wide range of political
and economic questions. On Germany he
said that there were two Germanies, and that the USSR would
not help the capitalist part take over the socialist part. He
contended that a treaty between the NATO and Warsaw pact
countries could be signed because there is one Germany on
each side. Khrushchev also warned the French Socialists
that Germany's objective has always been to dominate France
and Britain, and the Germans are already beginning to play
Britain and France off against the USSR. He said that in West
Germany there are forces that want an economic rapproche-
ment with the USSR, but that the Soviet leaders want contact
with France. Khrushchev warned that if France rejected the
Soviet Union, the USSR would turn to Germany as it did before.
In discussing the Middle East, Khrushchev
said an agreement should be reached, in the UN or elsewhere,
for an arms embargo to all states in the area and that, while
the USSR was ready to negotiate such an agreement, the West
was not because it would mean the liquidation of the Baghdad
pact. Stating frankly that the Czech arms sold to Egypt were
directed against the pact, he said that if the pact were aban-
doned, the situation would be changed. He reportedly added,
"You talk of changing the form of the Baghdad pact and using
it for economic and social aid. As if the pact were going to
lay eggs."
In the field of internal affairs, Khrushchev
said the Soviet regime would never create an opposition party,
but suggested that the time had come for both the French and
the Russians to abandon their use of epithets, and to get rid of
obsolete ideas. After_boasting of the USSR's transformation from
a totally illiterate Russia into the world's second greatest power,
Khrushchev reportedly declared, "And now you want us to set
up a second partyt Establishing an opposition party would be
like putting a louse under our shirt:"
7 June 56 Current Intelligence Bulletin
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7. POLISH OFFICIALS CLAIM INCREASING INDEPENDENCE
OF USSR
Poland was evolving into a more in-
dependent state which would remain allied
with the Soviet Union. The Polish delegate to the Economic
Council for Europe, Juliusz Katz-Suchy, said Poland would
be independent "in the sense that England and France are in-
dependent of the United States," but would never turn against
the USSR. Deputy Foreign Minister Winiewicz also said that
Poland was acquiring more independence of action and could
be useful to the West as a link with other countries, such as
China and the Soviet Union.
Katz-Suchy said Poland needs "about
$600,000,000 to get us over the hump in the next three years,"
expressly to buy consumer goods, set up light industries and
modernize other industries. He further said that Soviet party
first secretary Khrushchev had recently told the Poles they
would have to find their own economic solutions and that no aid
from the USSR would be forthcoming.
Comment The primary motive for these statements
is probably to create an impression in the
West, in the hope of establishing more favorable trade rela-
tions, that Poland is now more independent. Some Polish lead-
ers probably feel increasingly optimistic, however, about
obtaining greater independence from the Kremlin. (Concurred
in by ORR)
7 June 56
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8, TURKS GIVE "QUALIFIED NEGATIVE" TO LATEST
COMMUNIST ECONOMIC OFFER
The Turkish Foreign Ministry informed
American charg�ohler on 4 June that
it had replied with a "qualified negative"
to a Communist Chinese offer to pur-
chase 5,000 tons of Turkish cotton with "free dollars!' The
offer was transmitted last week through the Hungarian min-
ister in Ankara.
Comment
Ankara regards all such Soviet bloc tac-
tics as designed to disrupt Turkish ties
with the West. While this trade offer, involving about
$5,000,000, is attractive to Ankara, basic Turkish suspi-
cions of Communist intentions preclude any immediate change
in attitude toward economic approaches with political over-
tones. Nevertheless, if the offer is made public in Turkey,
it will add to the difficulties of the Menderes regime.
Communist China's current cotton require-
ments have been more than met by purchases from Egypt and
Pakistan. Since the fall of 1955 the Chinese have been trying
to build prestige and establish contacts in the Near and Middle
East. (Concurred in by ORR)
7 June 56
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9. LAOTIAN CROWN PRINCE ARGUES FOR WESTERN
MILITARY GUARANTEE
In a meeting with the American charg�
in Vientiane on 4 June, Laotian crown
prince Savang stressed the need for
specific assurances of Western military
aos in case of emergency. He indicated he
was thinking in terms of a mutual defense agreement with
�Thailand, backed by the United States.
Savang said that in the absence of some
such arrangement, the high-level Laotian delegation which
will probably be visiting Peiping later this year would be
"defenseless" against Chinese Communist efforts to promote
Laos' neutrality. He further warned that the government's
guerrilla warfare against the Pathet Lao would also suffer
unless there were assurances of adequate "backstopping."
Comment Prince Savang, who has considerable in-
fluence in the formulation of Laotian poli-
cies� has frequently expressed the view that firm Western
military guarantees of Laos' independence are the only sure
means of preventing the country from drifting into neutralism.
Premier Souvanna Phouma has already indicated he is inclined
to favor a negotiated settlement of the Pathet Lao problem and
to follow a policy of "peaceful coexistence" outside of SEATO.
The Thai, on their part, have shown great
reluctance to engage in any serious military talks with the
Laotians.
7 June 56
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10. ARGENTINE CABINET RESIGNS
The resignation of the Argentine cabinet
on 6 June probably is linked to conflict
within the army, which is the strongest
of the military forces on which the re-
Buenos Aires gime depends.
6 June 56
Press Various junior officers have been demand
ing the forced retirement of a larger num-
ber of generals, in line with the "deperonization" program
and probably with an eye to promotion possibilities. This view
is strongly endorsed by the navy, which would like to reduce
the power of the old generals. Many of the generals, however,
believe that a more conciliatory policy toward the mass of dis-
contented Peronistas is now required to achieve political sta-
bility.
While American officials in Buenos Aires
believe the regime has a better-than-even chance of surviving
the present crisis, further retirements would increase the al-
ready large number of discontented military personnel. More-
over, strong accent on the "de-peronization" program has fos-
tered an atmosphere of plotting and unrest which is be' ex-
ploited by the Communists and other opposition.
7 June 56
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3ECIEE /
Now
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(Information as of 1700, 6 June)
An Israeli army spokesman charged that
70 infiltrators from Syria set fire to fields of a settlement in
upper Gallilee. The spokesman also charged that Jordanian sol-
diers penetrated Israeli territory. (Press)
The UN Truce Supervisory Organization
announced on 5 June that six new observation posts had been com-
pleted on each side of the Gaza strip border. (Press)
A semiofficial Egyptian newspaper announced
on 6 June that the Soviet Union had sold Egypt two Soviet destroy--
ers and that they were now en route to Alexandria. These are
probably the two Skoryy-class destroyers recently reported as
having left the Baltic and believed heading for Egypt.
Syrian prime minister Ghazzi told Ambassa-
dor Moose on 4 June that the recent Syrian-Jordanian military
agreement does not provide for a joint command and is not "as
tight" as the Syrian-Egyptian agreement because Jordan has treat-
ies with both Iraq and Britain which make a tight agreement impos-
sible. Ghazzi added that Syria was still unable to persuade Lebanon
to agree to a joint defense pact.
7 June 56
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