CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1957/01/01

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03148912
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2019
• Document Release Date: December 20, 2019
• Publication Date: January 1, 1957

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CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
1 January 1957
Copy No. 131
DOCUMENT NO.
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CONTENTS
1. CESSATION OF EGYPTIAN-DIRECTED RAIDS INTO ISRAEL
PROPOSED (page 3).
2, EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER FORESEES COOL US ATTI-
TUDE TOWARD CAIRO REGIME
(page 4).
3. SITUATION IN INDONESIA
(page 5).
4. LEFTISTS DOMINATE NEW SYRIAN CABINET
(page 6).
5. DAMASCUS MAY ATTEMPT TO ABDUCT SYRIAN RIGHTISTS
IN LEBANON (page 7).
6. LAOTIAN CABINET APPROVES COALITION WITH PATHET
LAO page 8).
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1. CESSATION OF EGYPTIAN-DIRECTED RAIDS INTO
ISRAEL PROPOSED
Comment
Israel has increased the publicity given
these operations--probably to support its
resistance to evacuation of eastern Sinai and the Straits of
Tiran. Cessation of Egyptian-directed raids into Israel would
undercut Israeli charges that Egypt has repudiated the cease-
fire, and the Israeli demands that Egypt cease raids into
Israel.
since the
outbreak of hostilities in Sinai indicate that Cairo has directed
almost continuous fedayeen incursions into Israel. Cairo re-
affirmed its intent to continue commando-type operations inside
Israel Syria and Lebanon
on 17 December. Planned sabotage operations have taken place
in the Haifa and Jerusalem areas and in the Negev.
The Egyptian fedayeen operations had pre-
viously been temporarily suspended to avoid political compli-
cations, only to be resumed later.
1 Jan 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 3
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2. EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER FORESEES COOL US
ATTITUDE TOWARD CAIRO REGIME'
Egyptian foreign minister Fawzi and
Ambassador Hussein in Washington
apparently feel that the United States
wants no "reconciliation?' with Egypt
and that it is going to apply "some
pressure, particularly in regard to Suez." Fawzi told Hus-
sein on 29 December he had begun to think of telling Presi-
dent Nasr he would return to Egypt since it did not appear
he could accomplish anything constructive by remaining in
the United States. Fawzi
does not ap
of Egyptian foreign policy. fl
Comment
rove of the present course
Nasr does not appear to put much confi-
dence in the judgments of either Fawzi
or Hussein, but pessimistic reports from them on American
policy toward Egypt are nevertheless likely to increase the
Egyptian leader's easily aroused suspicions and make him
more difficult to deal with.
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Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 4
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:3, SITUATION IN INDONESIA
Comment on:
Col. Simbolon, rebel leader in northern
Sumatra, reportedly has retreated with
upwards of a battalion of troops and ar-
tillery to the southeast of Medan, where
the hilly terrain and sympathetic popu-
lation are in his favor. He is in position
to join forces with Lt. Col. Hussein, the
dissident leader in central Sumatra. Hus-
sein has just issued another defiant state-
ment ordering his troops to disobey any
orders from Djakarta.
Meanwhile, continuing unrest in Indonesia
has caused President Sukarno to proclaim a "state of war and
siege" in southern Sumatra. The governor there has suspended
the forwarding of revenue to Djakarta and may be under increas-
ing public pressure to dissociate himself still further from the
central government.
In the Celebes, territorial commander Lt.
Col. Samual reportedly has issued a statement confirming that
territory's dissatisfaction with the central government. His
comment that there are other than military means to express
this dissatisfaction suggests that he is not yet prepared to fol-
low the course of Simbolon and Hussein.
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4. LEFTISTS DOMINATE NEW SYRIAN CABINET
Comment on:
me composition of the new Syrian cabi-
net announced on 31 December represents
a victory for leftist, pro-Egyptian elements.
The conservative members of the previous
cabinet have been eliminated and only one
new rightist has been named. The conservative Populist Party,
which holds the largest single bloc of seats in parliament, is
not represented.
While Asali is the prime minister, the ma-
jor power in the 11-man cabinet appears to be the extreme pro-
Egyptian and leftist, Khalid al-Azm, who has been appointed
minister of state and acting minister of defense. Four other
ministers are Azm followers. Two ministers from the left-wing
Arab Socialist Resurrection Party continue to hold the portfolios
of foreign affairs and national economy. One Azm supporter, a
minister of State, attended two World Peace Congresses.
The leftists may now call for a new election
in order to eliminate conservative elements and obtain a "more
representative" parliament. In foreign affairs, the trend toward
close relations with Egypt and closer association with the Soviet
bloc probably will be intensified, as will the present campaign
against the Baghdad pact and the pro-Western government in
Iraq.
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5. DAMASCUS MAY ATTEMPT TO ABDUCT SYRIAN
RIGHTISTS IN LEBANON
Comment on:
A five-day "period of grace" given by the
Syrian court-martial to those Syrians outside the country who
were charged with "conspiracy against the security of the
state" ended on 29 December. None of the 18 accused who
had fled the country responded to the offer. All of them are
to be tried in absentia early in January. According to a semi-
official Egyptian news agency, posters appeared on Beirut
buildings on 29 December asking Lebanon to surrender the
accused Syrians residing there. Lebanon has not thus far
responded to Syria's request to turn over the accused politi-
cians
rightist Syrian and Jordanian political refugees in
Lebanon are under Egyptian surveillance.
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6. LAOTIAN CABINET APPROVES COALITION WITH
PATHET LAO
Comment on:
The entry of Pathet Lao representatives
into the Laotian government appears to
be assured as a result of an agreement
signed by Premier Souvanna Phouma and
Pathet chief Souphannouvong on 28 Decem-
ber, This agreement, which is highly fav-
vorable to the Pathet Lao, has already
been accepted by the cabinet and probably
will e approved by the National Assembly sometime before
10 January. Souphannouvong is leaving for Sam Neua on
1 January to consult with his colleagues, and their approval
appears to be certain in view of the speedy announcement by
Peiping, under a Hanoi date line, that agreement had been
reached.
The agreement provides for a coalition
cabinet and the establishment of the Pathets as a legal party,
the restoration of the government's control over the disputed
provinces, and the integration of Pathet forces into the royal
army. The details of these vital matters, however, remain
to be worked out by mixed political and military commissions,
where the Pathets will be in the advantageous position of in-
fluencing negotiations from both sides of the table. Once in
the government, moreover, they can also be expected to use
their position to build political alliances and front organiza-
tions in preparation for the supplementary nationwide elec-
tions to be held in March to expand the legislature from 39 to
60 seats�
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