CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1955/12/30

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03020473
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: September 20, 2019
• Document Release Date: September 26, 2019
• Publication Date: December 30, 1955

Approved
for Rele; 2019/09"6
CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
co30204 eD/47,61
3.5(c)
30 December 1955
Copy No. 103
DOCUMENT NO, -3 z
NO CHANGE IN CLASS. IIS
CI DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE: 2010
AUTH: HR 70-2
DATE:
1.
VIEWER:
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
-47
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CONTENTS
1. BULGANIN AND KHRUSHCHEV SUPREME SOVIET
SPEECHES (page 3).
2. NASR CITES OBJECTIONS TO WESTERN OFFER ON
HIGH DAM (page 4).
3. THAI GOVERNMENT CRITIC MAY VISIT COMMUNIST
CHINA (page 5).
4. IRAQI PREMIER REPORTEDLY THREATENS TO QUIT
BAGHDAD PACT page 6).
5. BONN'S CHOICE FOR moscpow POST PLAYS DOWN ITS
IMPORTANCE (page 7).
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
;page 8)
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1. BULGANIN AND KHRUSHCHEV SUPREME SOVIET
SPEECHES
The speeches of Premier Bulganin
and party secretary Khrushchev be-
fore the SuPreme Soviet on 29 Decem-
ber revive strongly anti-Western themes and make it
clear that Moscow now considers the "spirit of Geneva"
a monopoly of the Sino-Soviet bloc and such states as
India, Burma and Afghanistan. Khrushchev made the
strongest attack against President Eisenhower since the
summit conference.
Khrushchev boasted of the USSR's re-
taliatory capability by asserting that the Soviet hydrogen
bomb "can be considerably increased in power." Neither
speech contained any reference to outlawing war as a means
of solving international disputes--a point mentioned several
times in the Soviet-Indian declaration.
Khrushchev reiterated that the USSR in-
tends to fulfill the promises of economic and political sup-
port to Asian countries made by the Soviet leaders while
thay were in the area.
Both leaders attacked the Baghdad pact
and warned Iran and Pakistan of the consequences of com-
mitting themselves to Western-sponsored alignments. Khru-
shchev expressed sympathy for the Arabs and said that "from
the first day of its existence, the state of Israel has been tak-
ing a hostile, threatening position toward its neighbors."
Both speeches pictured the USSR as strong
internally, confident of further successes in foreign affairs,
and capable of standing up against the West in all categories
of military strength.
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Now
2. NASR CITES OBJECTIONS TO WESTERN OFFER ON
HIGH DAM
Egypt's Prime Minister Nasr and
Finance Minister Kaissouni are dis-
turbed by the conditions placed by
the International Bank for Reconstruc-
tion and Development on its loan to finance Egypt's pro-
posed high dam.
Nasr told Ambassador Byroade on
27 December that in his preliminary view, the language
of the bank's letter of intent appears to give it complete
control over the Egyptian economy. Nasr foresees, for
example, the possibility that if Egypt were forced to pur-
chase still more arms to counter Israeli purchases, the
bank would be in a position to cancel the high dam project.
Comment The conditions under which an IBRD
loan is likely to be granted are almost
certain to lead Nasr and his advisers to consider more
seriously an offer from the USSR, particularly if the
Soviet offer appears to lbe "without strings."
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3. THAI GOVERNMENT CRITIC MAY VISIT COMMUNIST
CHINA
Thep Chotinuchit, a member of the
Thai parliament and leading critic of
the government, has applied to the
British embassy in Bangkok for a visa,
presumably for transit through Hong Kong to Communist
China. The British state that since Thep possesses a
valid passport, issued in 1954, they will have little choice
but to grant him a visa unless officially requested by the
Thai government not to do so.
Comment Early this month Peiping invited Thep,
Thailand's most articulate advocate of
neutralism, to visit China. Thep reportedly has planned
to take with him a large group of student and business lead-
ers and newsmen.
Premier Phibun has publicly professed
opposition to Thep's making the trip, but he has privately
said that if Thep has a valid passport, the government can-
not prevent his departure.
if Thep is permitted to make the trip, the
glowing reports of Communist China likely to be brought
back may make possible a "psychological breakthrough"
in Thailand of great value to Peiping.
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_ _
Noe Nor
4. IRAQI PREMIER REPORTEDLY THREATENS TO QUIT
BAGHDAD PACT
Comment
Nun's reported threat would be in
line with his increasing concern over
Iraq's position as the sole Arab member of the pact. The
subsequent British failure to induce Jordan to join the pact
has probably increased this concern and underscored the
fact that there are no other likely Arab prospects.
Iraq's isolation, plus its failure to ob-
tain the benefits anticipated from joining the pact, may
cause it to withdraw from active participation in "north-
ern tier" defense.
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5. BONN'S CHOICE FOR MOSCOW POST PLAYS DOWN
ITS IMPORTANCE
he appointment of Wilhelm Haas,
est German ambassador to Tur-
ey since 1952, as ambassador to
he Soviet Union suggests that Bonn
does not wish to emphasize the importance of the new
diplomatic connection. News of Haas' appointment was
confirmed to American representatives by a Bonn For-
eign Ministry source on 28 December. Previous specu-
lation had been concerned only with top officials in Bonn,
and Haas, in his standing at home, contrasts sharply with
Soviet deputy foreign minister Zorin, who recently took
up his post in Bonn as Moscow's ambassador.
Haas, now 59, served in various Ger-
man foreign service posts between 1922 and 1937, but has
no experience in the USSR. He was recalled to the Foreign
Ministry when the Federal Republic was set up in 1949, and
served for a time in 1951 as personnel chief.
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THE ARABS-ISRAELI SITUATION
(Information as of 1700, 29 December
Israel claims that a small Egyptian force
briefly occupied a disputed hill near the Gaza strip on 28 De-
cember. An accumulation of such incidents in the past has led
to Israeli retaliation.
The American military attach�n Israel
has noted a substantial increase in the number of tank trans-
porters and prime movers in Ramat Gan motor park in Tel
Aviv. This park is normally used as an assembly point dur-
ing Israeli army mobilization. An assembly of civilian vehi-
cles and drivers usually follows the departure of tank trans-
porters from the park when a large-scale mobilization is under
way.
On 27 December all Isradeli newspapers
carried a story presumably inspired by the Israeli army call-
ing attention to the considerable increase in Arab military
strength expected during the coming year. The newspapers
elaborated on statements made by Israeli chief of staff Dayan
to the effect that Israel's superiority was diminishing daily.
The domestic effect of this type of reporting is likely to be a
rise in war fever. although it is nrobablv designed to influence
world opinion
Press reports from Tel Aviv state that
Prime Minister Ben-Gurion's tough line toward the Arabs has
been supported by his Mapai party after three days of debate.
It is doubtful that his victory is as clear-cut as the vote of con-
fidence would imply. Considerable dissatisfaction with his
assumption of "dictatorial" powers over security matters prob-
ably still exists. The long-standing differences between Ben-
Gurion and Foreign Minister Sharett appear to have been brought
to a new peak by this debate, and Sharett may now resign. A
likely replacement would be former defense minister Lavon, who
at one time reportedly was Ben-Gurion's protege.
30 Dec 55
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