CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1957/04/30

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03150417
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2019
• Document Release Date: December 20, 2019
• Publication Date: April 30, 1957

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CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
30 April 1957
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OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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Nine
CONTENTS
I. THE SITUATION IN JORDAN
(page 3).
42. SOVIET FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT ON JORDAN
(page 5).
43. ISRAELI-SYRIAN BORDER INCIDENTS INCREASING
(page 6).
4. POSITION OF KEY ANTILEFTIST OFFICERS IN SYRIAN
ARMY STRENGTHENED (page 7).
/145. INDONESIA PREPARING TO WELCOME VOROSHILOV
I ' (page 8).
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1. THE SITUATION IN JORDAN
Comment on.
King Hussain has approved additional
measures to strengthen the administra-
tion of martial law by appointing two
martial-law courts with extraordinary
powers and six military governors to
administer the country's principal re-
gions. The military governor general
of Jordan has, meanwhile, ordered dis-
solution of all National Guidance Com-
mittees, which functioned as front or-
ganizations for the four left-wing
nationalist parties which dominate the
legislature. Parliamentary immunities
were reported abolished on 27 April,
and some leftist deputies are reported
to have been among the several hundred
individuals detained. The curfew was
lifted throughout the day for the first
time on 29 April in Amman and other cities. It may be re-
laxed further to permit the celebrations from 1 to 3 May
observing the end of Ramadan.
The king's decree suspending the ex-
traordinary session of the legislature will permit the pres-
ent cabinet of Ibrahim Hashim to function, postponing the
requirement for a vote of confidence until the ordinary ses-
sion in November.
While tightening his hold on Jordan, King
Hussain moved to reduce the appearance of discord among -
Arabs.
Jordan's border with Syria was opened on the morning of 29
April. The joint communiqu�issued following Hussain's
meeting with King Saud in Riyadh, merely reaffirmed adher-
ence to the principles of Arab solidarity. Nevertheless, it
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represents a victory for Hussain.
Hussain had presented Saud with evidence of
Syrian and Egyptian efforts to overthrow the Jordanian mon-
archy, and Saud has recently expressed displeasure over
Egyptian intrigue in both Jordan and the Saudi kingdom.
a "Free Jordan
Army" is being organized in Syria under former army chief
of staff Nuwar.
According to Ambassador Mallory, sta-
bility in Jordan depends on "the mortal existence of one
young man, without whom the country would promptly become
a shambles."
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2. SOVIET FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT ON JORDAN
The Soviet Foreign Ministry statement of
29 April on Jordan is chiefly a call for
Arab cohesion against "imperialist intrigues"
and an effort to encourage Syrian and Egyp-
tian attempts to undermine King Hussain's
position. A comparatively mild recapitulation of recent Soviet
propaganda on Jordan, the statement avoids direct personal crit-
icism of Hussain or the Hashim government.
The declaration censures the Western pow-
ers, the "United States above all." It also singles out Israel
and Iraq for criticism and reflects Moscow's concern over the
possible disruption of the Egyptian-Saudi-Syrian pact.
In conclusion, the Soviet Foreign Ministry
warns of possible "dire consequences" and calls the dispatch
of the US Sixth Fleet an "overt military demonstration against
the Arab east which is further aggravating the situation." How-
ever, there is no suggestion of any specific Soviet counteraction.
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3. ISRAELI-SYRIAN BORDER INCIDENTS INCREASING
Israeli armed forces are engaged in con-
tinuing provocative activity along the
Syrian border, according to information
from UN truce team personnel in Syria.
On 26 April the third dangerous incident
in two days occurred on the northeastern
shore of Lake Tiberias when the Israelis
directed machine gun and 120-mm0 mortar
fire against a Syrian frontier post. UN
observers were endangered by fire from both sides; the
Israelis, however, demonstrated an especially belligerent
attitude toward UN personnel and refused to accept a mes-
sage from the chief of the Israeli-Syrian mixed armistice
commission telling them to stop provocative maneuvering.
Comment Tension in the areas along the Israeli-
Syrian border around Lake Tiberias and
Lake Hula has increased considerably during the past month.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry has expressed irritation with a
report by the UN truce team that new bridge construction by
the Israelis in the demilitarized zone south of Hula is pre-
sumably for civil purposes, and has threatened to take this
issue to the UN Security Council.
A number of incidents have also occurred
on the Israeli-Jordanian border, but the Israelis appear to be
playing these down for the moment in line with their stated
desire to do nothing to embarrass King Hussain's efforts to
strengthen his position. There have been very few incidents
of any significance along the Gaza strip border where the
UNEF is participating in border patrols. General Burns, the
UNEF commander, recently stated, however, that the Israelis
are engaged in a systematic attempt to discredit UNEF despite
the absence of any fedayeen terrorist activity.
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4. POSITION OF KEY ANTILEFTLST OFFICERS IN
SYRIAN ARMY STRENGTHENED
Three antileftist Syrian army officers
have been reassigned to more influential
command positions in what seems to be
the beginning of a second round of trans-
iers to counter leftist influence in the army,
General Daghestani reporteaiy
has been moved to dual command of the Damascus and
Qatana garrisons; Col. Bashir Tabaa to command of the
brigade at Baniyas; and Col. Mahmud Shawkat to replace
Daghestani at the Israeli front.
Comment These men are believed to be members
of the "Damascene officers" group which
supports Chief of Staff Nizam al-Din and President Quwatli
against both the Sarraj and Nufuri officer factions. The
transfer of Daghestani to command of both the Damascus
and Qatana troops would strengthen the control of the chief
of staff over them and, consequently, weaken proleftist in-
fluence. There have been previous reports that a second
round of transfers was planned following the recent detente
between the various factions. President Quwatli and Nizam
al-Din may be taking advantage of the Jordanian situation
to better their position inside Syria.
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5. INDONESIA PREPARING TO WELCOME VOROSHILOV
Comment on:
Indonesian officials are preparing for a
19-day visit by Kliment Voroshilov, titu-
lar head of the Soviet state, who will
arrive in Indonesia on 6 May accompanied
by a large delegation. Voroshilov's tour will be limited to
areas of Indonesia which are under Djakarta's control--Java,
Bali, and North Sumatra. A special committee is trying to
match the variety of entertainment, mass meetings, and
speeches which the Soviet Union lavished on President Sukarno
last year.
Sukarno probably hopes Voroshilov's visit
will popularize the Soviet Union in Indonesia and reduce resist-
ance to the $100,000,000 Soviet technical aid agreement which
was signed in September 1956 but has never been submitted to
the Indonesian parliament for ratification. The government
has wished to avoid an acrimonious parliamentary debate and
also has been unsure as to how to fit the $100,000,000 into its
development program with adequate safeguards. Sukarno and
the central government, however, are now eager for additional
funds to finance projects in the disaffected provinces and are
therefore likely to be less wary about the terms on which they ac-
cept Soviet aid. There are also strong indications that the
government may approach the United States for more aid.
Meanwhile, army headquarters reportedly
has almost completed its preparations to intensify the drive
against anti-Sukarno and antigovernment "subversives" through-
out the country. Any attempt to extend the drive to the leaders
of the autonomous provinces�particularly Sumatra�would
probably precipitate open conflict.
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