CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1954/07/20

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03017421
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: August 20, 2019
• Document Release Date: August 30, 2019
• Publication Date: July 20, 1954

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CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
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11,410,1. E.,
SUMMARY
SOUTHEAST ASIA
1. Expansion of Viet Minh activities in central Laos indicated (page 3).
2. Premier Diem seeks to strengthen position in South Vietnam
(page 3).
SOUTH ASIA
3. Nehru reported not now interested in Asian nonaggression pact
(page 4).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
4. Israel may resume work on controversial Jordan River canal
(page 4).
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SQUTHEAST ASIA
1. Expansion of Viet Minh activities in central Laos indicated:
The Viet Minh command has decided on a
large expansion of its "Pathet Lao" guerrilla
forces, initially to be undertaken in central
Laos,
Comment: Several recent reports have sug-
gested enemy plans for future operations in Laos, possibly during the
autumn dry season. The Viet Minh is said to be improving or construct-
ing several access routes from Tonkin into northern Laos and is stock-
piling food there. In central Laos, elements of the Viet Minh 325th
Division are to be joined by its 95th Regiment, which until early July
was operating in the Tonkin delta.
2. Premier Diem seeks to strengthen position in south Vietnam:
Premier Ngo Dinh Diem openly defied the
Binh Xuyen-controlled police authorities of
Saigon in authorizing an antipartition demon-
stration in that city on 18 July and is on the
point of winning the support of a leader of an important faction of the
Cao Dai sect, the American embassy in Saigon reports. Most of the
antipartition demonstrators were apparently Cao Daists,
describes the
attitude of the Binh Xuyen as one of "wary willingness" to relinquish
police powers in exchange for other equally lucrative privileges.
Comment: Diem's cabinet consists mostly
of northerners and includes no representatives of the politico-religious
groups and other politicians in the south who figured in earlier govern-
ments. The French have reportedly been working with several of these
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politicians with a view to setting up a Cochinchina republic. The
establishment of such a state would play into the hands of the Viet
Minh, since it would have no Vietnamese nationalist appeal.
By winning greater support in the south for
his own government, Diem would be better able to counter such plans.
SOUTH ASIA
3. Nehru reported not now interested in Asian nonaggression pact:
Indian prime minister Nehru is not interested
at this time in an Asian nonaggression pact
including: Communist China
Comment: Nehru probably prefers to post-
pone any further consideration of general Asian nonaggression pacts
until the post-Geneva power relations in the area are clarified.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
4. Israel may resume work on controversial Iordan River canal:
� The American embassy in Tel Aviv believes
Israel may soon resume work on the portion
of its Jordan River diversionary canal which
lies in the Israeli-Syrian demilitarized zone.
According to the Israeli minister in Washing-
ton, his government is under "strong pres-
sures" at home to continue the project and
Israel cannot refrain indefinitely from doing so.
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Comment: Resumption of this work,
which was ordered stopped by the UN truce supervisor on 23 Septem-
ber 1953, would provoke stiff Arab opposition and could lead to a
fresh series of incidents. It could also negate the progress made by
Special Ambassador Eric Johnston during his recent discussions with
Arab leaders on the American plan for development of the Jordan River
valley.
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