CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1955/12/09

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03020458
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: September 20, 2019
• Document Release Date: September 26, 2019
• Publication Date: December 9, 1955

Approved for Release: 2019/09/16
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9 December 1955
Copy No. 100
3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2)
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
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Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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Release: 2019/09/16 C03020458
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CONTENTS
1. TENSION RISING IN JAPAN OVER SOUTH KOREAN
THREAT (page 3).
2. NEW SOVIET-BURMESE AGREEMENT (page 4).
3. HUNGARIANS REPORTEDLY RELEASE PRISONERS
JAILED ON PRO-TITO CHARGES IN 1949 (page 5).
4, EAST GERMAN POLICE NOT AUTHORIZED TO
CHALLENGE ALLIED CARS (page 6).
* * * *
TEE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(page 7)
9 Dec
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1. TENSION RISING IN JAPAN OVER SOUTH KOREAN
THREAT
Ambassador Allison believes that the
United States can no longer remain
aloof from the Japanese-South Korean
dispute over the "Rhee line" because
of the widespread feeling in Japan that the United States
should be held responsible for South Korea's actions. Ten-
sion has risen since South Korea's threat to fire on Japa-
nese vessels crossing the line. Government leaders are
being subjected to bitter criticism in the Diet for their
"do nothing" attitude. Fishing interests are demanding
armed escorts for their boats and immediate action to
secure the release of detained boats and fishermen.
Foreign Minister Shigemitsu has told
Allison, however, that Tokyo is determined not to use force.
He said that Japan would appreciate United States interven-
tion, and that Japan would be willing to negotiate a fisher-
ies conservation agreement with South Korea.
Comment
South Korea now holds about 650 Japa-
nese fishermen and 300 vessels seized
in international waters between Japan
and Korea.
South Korea claims to be willing for the
US to mediate but continues to insist that Japan must concede
on the Rhee line and other disputed issues before further talks
are held.
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2. NEW SOVIET-BURMESE AGREEMENT
Comment on:
A new Soviet-Burmese agreement,
announced on 7 December, which
provides for agricultural and indus-
Burma in exchange for rice, marked
the termination of the Bulga,nin-Khrushchev visit. Burma
has also accepted a Soviet offer to set up a technological
institute as a "gift," and has reciprocated with a "gift" of
rice.
The Soviet Union's expressed willing-
ness to permit deferred payment in rice for the goods
and services it will provide suggests that it envisages a
program for Burma substantially larger in scope than
could be covered by arrangements under the existing three-
year barter agreement. Under this agreement the USSR
annually takes up to 200,000 tons of Burmese rice. The
Burmese minister for trade development recently told Am-
bassador Satterthwaite that the Russians had offered to take
"every grain" of Burma's rice. At the same time, however,
he indicated a preference for cash sales to non-Communist
countries.
The proposed aid program could greatly
enhance Soviet influence in Burma. The Soviet effort will
be supplemented by the Chinese Communists, who already
have sent textile technicians to Burma and are expected to
send other specialists in the near future. Con-
curred in by ORR)
9 Dec 55
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3. HUNGARIANS REPORTEDLY RELEASE PRISONERS
JAILED ON PRO-TITO CHARGES IN 1949
The French minister in Budapest has
informed the American minister that
about 30 Social Democrats jailed in
connection with the Rajk trial have
ed. One of those released, Pal Justus,
onetime theoretician of the Social Democratic Party, re-
portedly has been seen in public.
The French legation has also received
a report that local party officials in Szeged recently re-
ceived instructions from the central committee, which
placed the entire blame on the Rajk trial on Gabor Peter.
Comment This is the first known release of
anyone publicly convicted in the Satel-
lite anti-Tito trials held from 1949 to 1952. Pal Justus,
one of seven Hungarians tried with Rajk in 1949, was charged
with working for Yugoslav intelligence in Hungary in an ef-
fort to foster national communism and received a life sen-
tence.
The Hungarian leadership has publicly
blamed Gabor Peter for the bad relations with Yugoslavia
and during the past 15 months has quietly released several
important individuals who never received public trials but
who were arrested in connection with the Rajk trial. These
efforts have been insufficient to satisfy the Yugoslav pre-
requisites for "normalization" set forth in Tito's 27 July
speech in Karlovac.
If the French minister's report is true,
Hungary may be preparing to announce publicly that the Rajk
trial was a mistake foisted on the leaders by Peter. Such an
admission would probably satisfy one of the main Yugoslav
complaints against Hungary. The Hungarians may believe
that settlement of this issue would improve their bargaining
position with reference to Yugoslav financial claims.
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4. EAST GERMAN POLICE NOT AUTHORIZED TO
CHALLENGE ALLIED CARS
Comment
instruc-
toms were issued to East German author-
ities concerning control over Allied official vehicles in East
Germany, possibly subsequent to the detention of the American
congressmen in East Berlin on 27 November. It also suggests
that Soviet authorities will continue to exercise control over
such travel.
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THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(Information as of 1700, 8 December)
Nothing of significance to report.
9 Dec 55
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