CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1957/04/27

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03150416
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 16
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2019
• Document Release Date: December 20, 2019
• Publication Date: April 27, 1957

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CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
c Wiffle
Copy No. 134
3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2) ///
27 April 1957
DOCIAAWT
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BEVIONER
DM.
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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CONTENTS
1. DEVELOPMENTS IN JORDAN
(page 3).
2. TURKS REINFORCE TROOPS ON SYRIAN BORDE1
(13age 5).
3. EGYPTIAN-SAUDI DIFFERENCES INCREASING
(page 7).
4. ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER PROMISES NEW TEST OF
RIGHTS ON GULF OF AQABA (page 8).
nb5. EUROPEAN NEUTRAL BELT IDEA GAINS SUPPORT IN
BRITAIN (page 9).
6. MIKOYAN HINTS USSR DESIRES SUMMIT CONFERENCE
(page 11).
7. JAPAN TO PROTEST COMING AMERICAN NUCLEAR TESTS
(page 12).
0 V) B. SUMATRAN LEADER SETS CONDITIONS FOR SETTLEMENT
WITH DJAKARTA (page 13).
9. MILITARY JUNTA SEEN IMMINENT IN HAITI
(page 14).
R10. ALLEGED CHINESE BRIBERY BECOMING EFFECTIVE
/ CAMPAIGN ISSUE IN PHILIPPINE POLITICS
(page 15).
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1. DEVELOPMENTS IN JORDAN
Comment on:
The curfew in Jordan will probably be
relaxed somewhat during the next few
days because of the surface calm which
has prevailed since imposition of mar-
tial law on 25 April. Martiatlaw will ap-
parently continue in full force, however,
and Defense Minister Tucian was ap-
pointed military governor on 26 April.
With martial law and the curfew in force
the extent of internal opposition to King
Hussaints forceful moves is not yet clear.
Some Communists and opposition leaders
have been arrested and others put under
surveillance. Conservative government
leaders are taking precautions against
possible assassination, however.. Hus,
Sain is aware that former anti-Western
chief, of staff Nuwar still has many sympa,
thizers in the army whom he intends to
purge gradually in order to avoid provok-
ing major opposition.
The Syrian armored brigade in Jordan is
'reported to be in a state of alert, and there are no indications
27 Apr 57
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that it will be withdrawn.
Syrian forces in Jordan had reconnoitered the
Iraqi forces near the Jordanian border, which were reported
to include two infantry brigades, 24 tanks and 50 armored
cars.
Syrian president Quwatli on 26 April,
meanwhile, left Cairo for Riyadh with a group of high Syrian
and Egyptian officials, reportedly in an effort to urge King
Saud to join in sending a three-nation ministerial delegation
to Jordan in a desperate attempt to preserve the facade of
pro-Egyptian Arab unity.
King Hussain's two younger brothers,
Crown Prince Mohammed and Prince Hassan, arrived in
Beirut on 26 April, according to press reports, en route to
school in England.
King Hussain's uncle, Amir
Naif, had arrived in Riyadh on 22 April to meet King Saud.
Naif's mission is uncertain. In 1951 he intrigued with sup-
porters in the Arab Legion in an attempt to ascend the Jor-
danian throne instead of Hussain's father, Prince Talal. He
was thwarted largely by action of Hussain's mother and Gen-
eral Glubb. Saud might therefore be planning to support Nail's
candidacy for the throne of Jordan if Hussain should be assassi-
nated, since Hussain's brothers are very young.
Limited mobilization in Israel appar-
ently was completed on the night of 24 April, according to the
American army attach�n Tel Aviv. It is estimated that be-
tween 3,000 and 5,000 men were recalled to augment the pre-
vious 55,000-man force, and that further call-ups would be
necessary to ensure successful occupation of West Jordan.
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.1. N../ k_./ �L.I.E.
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2. TURKS REINFORCE TROOPS ON SYRIAN BORDER
Comment on:
A redeployment of Turkish troops to
forward areas on the Syrian border
was ordered at 2200 hours on 25 April,
according to the US army attach�n
Ankara. The 39th Infantry Division,
a first echelon unit, is most directly affected, with division
headquarters and one infantry regiment ordered to move from
Iskenderun to Kirikhan. Two additional regiments of this divi-
sion, already near the frontier, will move to forward positions
at Gaziantep and Kills. The First Tank Battalion stationed at
Dortyol has been moved to Islahiye. The Fiftii Armored Brigade
has been ordered to move from Ankara to Iskenderun and the
28th Infantry Division in Ankara has been alerted for possible
movement. The air force has been instructed to patrol the bor-
der. Leaves in all affected units have been canceled.
50 100
27 APRIL 1957
27 Apr 57
Statute Mlles
TURKEY
� ISLAIIIYE
� DORTYOL
KIRIKFIAN
LATAKIA
� GAZIANTEP
KILIS
SYRIA
� ALEPPO
CYPRUS
BEIRUT
LEBANON
ISRAEL
Current Intelligence Bulletin
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A. ILJA.4�...41.14.1.1 A.
Nor
On the arrival of the Fifth Armored
Brigade from Ankara, there will be approximately 16,000
Turkish troops on or near the border between the Euphrates
River and the Mediterranean coast. A movement of the 28th
Division to this area would increase this number by another
8,000 to 10,000.
The army attach�omments that the
moves are primarily designed as a diversionary maneuver
aimed at reducing Syrian capabilities to participate in any
action against Jordan. He adds that Ankara's action will in-
evitably draw domestic Turkish attention away from the bitter
dispute with Greece over Cyprus.
The Syrians, who have a traditional
fear of Turkish designs on northern Syria, will probably re-
inforce their estimated 4�.500 troops in the Aleppo and Latakia
areas, and may seek a counter-gesture by the USSR.
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3. EGYPTIAN-SAUDI DIFFERENCES INCREASING
Comment on:
27 Apr 57
President Nasr has been informed by
his ambassador in Saudi Arabia that
"trouble for King Saud is brewing in
Riyadh."
the Egyptian embassy and Egyptian
-military officers were in contact with
sdisaffected princes and other "unreli-
able elements" in the Saudi kingdom.
On 21 or 22 April, an unknown number
of persons were reportedly arrested
in Riyadh on the charge of distributing
antigovernment, anti royalty literature,
and one of them was to be executed.
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4. ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER PROMISES NEW TEST OF
RIGHTS ON GULF OF AQABA
Comment on:
Israeli foreign minister Meir informed
Ambassador Lawson on 25 April that
an Israeli-flag vessel would probably
test Israel's right to innocent passage
through the straits of Tiran to the
Israeli port of Eilat in a week or ten
days. Mrs. Meir urged that the United
States tell King Saud to refrain from
public threats to halt Israeli vessels
by force and to give Israel private as-
surances that he does not intend to
interfere with Israeli shipping.
At present no Israeli-flag merchant-
man is known to be within a week's distance of the straits south
of the Suez Canal, The Pandora, a Costa Rican vessel which
Israel used under Israeli flag and under the name of Queen of
Sheba last winter to carry cargo between East Africa and Eilat,
transited the. Suez Canal northbound on 22 April. The Atlit,
an Israeli-flag vessel which departed Haifa early in April for
Eilat via the Cape of Good Hope, presumably is still off the
West African coast and reportedly is not expected at Eilat un-
til early June. The Israelis still have two frigates and armed
launches in the Gulf of Aqaba, however, and it is possible that
a test would consist of using these vessels, either alone or as
protection for a foreign-flag vessel.
The American-owned tanker Kern Hills,
which is under time charter to the Israeli government fuel cor-
poration, has again loaded 15,000 tons of crude oil at Bandar Ma-
shur, Iran, despite the Shah's "order" to halt such shipments.
The Kern Hills departed Bandar Mashur on schedule on 19 April,
almost certainly headed for Eilat via Djibouti. It would reach
Eilat about 28 April. Like the first cargo which it discharged at
Eilat on 6 April, the Kern Hills' second loading was for the ac-
count of the National Iranian Oil Company and was consigned to a
firm located in Switzerland. The ship declared for Cape Town,
The Kern Hills' first passage to Eilat was protested strongly by
Saudi Arabia and the other Arab states.
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L.1.1,1,1t-4-11-�.JILI
5. EUROPEAN NEUTRAL BELT IDEA GAINS SUPPORT
IN BRITAIN
Comment on:
Growing support in Britain for Labor
Party leader Gaitskell's plan for a
neutral belt in central Europe may
bring the government to give it.seri-
ous consideration.
In recent months Gaitskell has in-
formally suggested that all foreign troops be withdrawn from
a reunited Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary,
that their security be guaranteed, and that their national
forces be limited and controlled. He asserts that NATO should
not be dissolved merely because of Germany's withdrawal. Pub-
lication on 25 April of Gaitskell's book including the plan will
bring increasing attention in Britain to the idea. On 25 April
the influential London Times endorsed its substance, advising
that "something of this kind is the only way forward in Europe."
The government would be especially
vulnerable to wide popular pressure on this issue because the
Gaitskell plan appears to draw its inspiration from proposals
offered by Eden at the 1955 "summit" talks. Eden called for
limitations and controls on all military forces in Germany and
its neighbors and also suggested a demilitarized zone, appar-
ently in Germany. The British government soon dropped this
approach and now cautions against anything that might lead to
a weakening of NATO.
This growing interest in the neutral belt
concept will provide the USSR with further opportunities to press
its proposals for a European zone of limitation and inspection
of armaments as a step toward a collective security system for
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Europe. Soviet Soviet spokesmen continue to claim that their plan
is based on Eden's summit proposals. Soviet delegate Zorin
told the American representative at the London disarmament
conference on 16 April that establishment of a zone of limita-
tion and inspection would set the stage for a collective security
agreement and political settlements in Europe, and recalled
that Britain had earlier proposed this. In his 20 April letter
to Prime Minister Macmillan, Premier Bulganin stated that
the USSR is ready "to resume discussion" of the Eden plan as
a first step toward a collective security system.
Moscow probably will exploit interest
in the neutral belt idea to counter the trend toward Western
European integration and, with an eye to the West German elec-
tions in September, to encourage the Germans to believe that
the USSR would make considerable concessions on reunification
if Bonn would withdraw from NATO and agree to the neutraliza-
tion of a united Germany within a European security system.
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6. MIKOYAN HINTS USSR DESIRES SUMMIT CONFERENCE
Comment on:
conference.
Soviet deputy premier Mikoyan's re-
marks to Austrian officials on 24 April
support other indications that the Soviet
leaders intend to propose a top-level
tie said that ways to a detente with the West "will
simply have to be found" and suggested in this connection the
possibility of a wide demilitarized zone in Europe. In con-
trast, he called the US proposal to ban further manufacture
of atomic weapons without destroying present stockpiles
merely a device to perpetuate Western superiority.
Mikoyan repeatedly stressed the USSR's
conviction that the United States genuinely desires world
peace, and said that American efforts on behalf of peace dur-
ing the Suez crisis had made a powerful impression on the
Soviet government and people.
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0 SE
7, JAPAN TO PROTEST COMING AMERICAN
NUCLEAR TESTS
Comment Agitation against the Nevada tests is not
likely to reach serious proportions, al-
though the Japanese maintain that any type of nuclear test can
be dangerous to humanity and that prior registration of tests
is a needed step toward an ultimate ban on the testing and use
of nuclear weapons. Japan has proposed that a UN committee
determine whether all nuclear tests can be detected by scien-
tific means, and if so, that all future tests be prohibited.
Even the Socialists joined in general Jap-
anese criticism of Moscow's contentions that the recent Soviet
tests were not objectionable since they were held within Soviet
territory and necessary preventive measures were taken.
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8. SUMATRAN LEADER SETS CONDITIONS FOR SETTLEMENT
WITH DJAKARTA
Comment on:
In a defiant speech in Padang on 23 April
before a gathering which included Prime
Minister Djuanda, Lt. CoL Hussein of
Central Sumatra listed 11 specific condi-
tions for the settlement of differences
betwee the Djakar government and the non-Javanese prov-
inces. These conditions included the "immediate abolition of
centralism," recognition of the Central Sumatran governing
council and legalization of actions it has taken since December,
the return of former vice president Hatta to a position of joint
national leadership with President Sukarno, a "proper finan-
cial understanding" between Djakarta and the provinces, and
the organization of Sukarno's proposed national advisory coun-
cil into a senate which would represent the provinces.
Three of the conditions dealing with the
army call for severe restriction of the authority of the army
chief of staff, General Nasution. These particular terms prob-
ably reflect the demands which will be presented by Sumatran
and other dissident leaders during the current army conference
in Djakarta.
Sukarno is quite unlikely to accept the 11
conditions or even to use them as a broad basis for compromise.
The outlook is for a continued deadlock as long as the provinces
can maintain themselves economically and can resist efforts by
Sukarno and Nasution to undercut provincial authority.
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9. MILITARY JUNTA SEEN IMMINENT IN HAITI
Comment on:
Mounting tension and continued deteri-
oration of the political situation in
Haiti will probably necessitate mili-
tary control of the government in the
near future. The army reportedly
failed in an attempt to set up a mili-
tary junta on 26 April, possibly because
of reluctance of most of the army offi-
cers and because of opposition from at
least two of the leading presidential
candidates,
The 11-member executive council of
government, composed of supporters of five presidential candi-
dates, has been unable to deal with the continuing political and
economic crises since it took office on 6 April. Constantly
shifting loyalties and political maneuvering among the candi-
dates and army officers apparently preclude the development
of a stable government under the present administration.
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10. ALLEGED CHINESE BRIBERY BECOMING EFFECTTVE
CAMPAIGN ISSUE IN PHILIPPINE POLITICS
The opposition Liberal Party's charges
that government officials have accepted
bribes on behalf of the Chinese refu-
gees whose Philippine visas have ex-
pired are gaining public credence because of the Nacionalista
Party's inept reaction,
In protesting
his own innocence, President Garcia has fostered the impres-
sion that such other important Nacionalistas as Senate president
Rodriguez and Senator Laurel may be guilty. In addition, Na-
cionalista opposition to Liberal demands for a congressional
investigation have strengthened public suspicion of government
corruption.
The charges have stimulated intense
public interest, and this is-
sue may well decide the November election in their favor if it
can be kept alive.
Comment The practice of "soliciting" and ac-
cepting Chinese funds has been preva-
lent among Philippine officials in the past. The awkward Na-
cionalista response to the Liberal attack stems partly from the
desire of rival bidders for the Nacionalista presidential nomi-
nation to use the charges against each other. In any event, the
successful pinning of the corruption label on the Nacionalistas
could be an important, and possibly decisive, factor in the
November elections as the Liberal Party knows from bitter ex-
perience.
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