CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1957/09/12

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03153715
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2019
• Document Release Date: December 20, 2019
• Publication Date: September 12, 1957

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CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
V
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3.3(h)(2)
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12 September 1957
Copy No. 136
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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C ONTENTS
1. TURKISH OFFICIAL SES INVASION AS ONLY SOLUTION
TO SYRIAN QUESTION page 3).
2. GROMYKO STATEMENT ON MIDDLE EAST AND DIS-
ARMAMENT page 4).
A-0 3. JAPAN TO PROPOSE UN CALL FOR SUSPENSION OF
NUCLEAR TESTS (page 6).
61-k---4. MIKOYAN DISCUSSES SOVIET ECONOMY
(page 7).
641e.- 6. MIKOYAN MAY BECOME SOVIET PREMIER
(page 8).
6142- 6� BRITISH 7.FICIAL BELIEVES TITO MOVING CLOSER
TO USSR ) (page 9).
7� FURTHER DEVALUATION OF FRENCH FRANC FORE-
CAST ) (page 10).
&-k- 8. FRENCH MINISTER FOR ALGERIA REVERSES STAND
ON PROPOSED STATUTE page 11)0
9. LIBYA MAKES URGENT REQUEST FOR AMERICAN
MILITARY EQUIPMENT (page 12).
10. NEW ZEALANDERS COOL TO BRITISH FAR EASTERN
DEFENSE PLANS (page 13).
12 Sept 57
* * * *
THE TAIWAN STRAIT
(page 14)
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 2
MP .UTRIFT
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1. TURKISH OFFICIAL SEES INVASION AS ONLY SOLUTION
TO SYRIAN QUESTION
The only solution to the Syrian crisis, in
the opinion of Ahmed Korur, acting chief
of the Turkish National Security Service
and adviser to Prime Minister Menderes,
is for the Turkish army to march directly into Syria.
'I 1
Comment
dom.
The opinion expressed by Korur is probably
widely shared throughout Turkish official-
The Turks are gravely concerned, espe-
cially over the stockpiling of Soviet materiel in Syria which
they believe makes them vulnerable to a possible two-pronged
attack.
Turkey is not likely to precipitate military
action against Syria, �either unilaterally or in cooperation with
one or more neighboring Arab countries, without at least the
tacit approval of its Western allies. The extensive military and
air "maneuvers" planned by Turkey to take place soon in the
vicinity of the Syrian border could result in a chain of incidents
that might be difficult to stop.
12 Sept 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 3
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2. GROMYKO STATEMENT ON MIDDLE EAST
AND DISARMAMENT
Comment on:
Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko's
lengthy statement on Soviet and West-
ern disarmament policies in Moscow on
10 September apparently is intended as
a preview of the USSR's line in the forth-
coming UN General Assembly debate. His denunciation of
Western moves in the Middle East probably is aimed at
countering recent American statements and actions, at stif-
fening the Syrian regime's resistance to pressures from its
neighbors, and at supporting Soviet bloc charges that the UN
debate on Hungary has been arranged by the United States to
divert world attention from aggressive Western designs in the
Middle East.
Gromyko's charge, backed by even blunter
accusations in the Soviet press, that the United States is pre-
paring plans "aimed at stifling Syria as an independent state"
apparently is intended to inhibit US freedom of action in deal-
ing with the Syrian situation.
Complaining that Turkish forces are con-
centrating on Syria's frontier, Gromyko asked Ankara "how
would Turkey feel if troops of a foreign state were being con-
centrated on her frontiers?" He warned that developments in
military technology have increased the danger that local con-
flicts might develop into a general war and noted that Syria
"has numerous and reliable friends:"
Gromyko's criticism of the UN Disarma-
ment Subcommittee's heavy NATO representation suggests
that the USSR will again seek to enlarge the subcommittee.
He listed as priority subjects for General Assembly considera-
tion the cessation of nuclear tests, the withdrawal of foreign
troops from Germany and other European countries, the liqui-
dation of all foreign military bases, and the establishment of
12 Sept 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 4
STCRET
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1181
ground control posts to prevent surprise attack. Gromyko
asserted that aerial inspection of the US, the USSR, and other
countries could not begin until the "last stage of disarmament"
when the "necessary confidence has been established." He
made no reference to earlier Soviet proposals for limited
aerial inspection as part of a first-step agreement.
12 Sept 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 5
STCR T
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3, JAPAN TO PROPOSE UN CALL FOR SUSPENSION
OF NUCLEAR TESTS
The Japanese foreign minister is con-
sidering a resolution for submission to
the UN General Assembly calling for sus-
pension of nuclear tests and for resump-
n 01 nego la io s for subsequent supervision and inspec-
tion procedures.
Ambassador MacArthur reports that
Foreign Ministry officials, when they gave him a transla-
tion of the resolution as drafted, explained that public opin-
ion throughout the world is more concerned with nuclear tests
than with any other disarmament problem. They said that
strong public pressure in Japan is forcing the government to
this action.
Comment Japan previously had agreed with the United
States on the need for an effective inspection
and control system prior to the suspension of tests. The pro-
posed resolution also does not provide for agreement on stop-
ping production of nuclear weapons, which is considered vital
by the West.
Aside from its desire to accommodate pub-
lic opinion, the Japanese government hopes to increase its
international prestige by playing a leading role in attempting
to ease world tensions.
12 Sept 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 6
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MIKOYAN DISCUSSES SOVIET ECONOMY
Deputy Premier Mikoyan told Senator
Ellender on 9 September that the USSR
has decided to plan for only one
year at a time until 1960, thus sidestepr
ping the revision of the Sixth Five-Year Plan called for
at the December 1956 central committee plenum.
Mikoyan admitted that the five-year plan
had received "great criticism" from the various republic's
and regions and he implied there had been "great difference
of opinion in Moscow" about it. By 1960, the planners hope
to be prepared to issue the Seventh Five-Year Plan based on
the reorganized administrative structure with the participa-
tion of the regional sovnarkhozy.
Crop prospects were generally good this
year despite difficulties in some areas, according to Mikoyan.
He said that yields on the new lands proved much better in the
first year than in succeeding years, but asked the senator to
give no publicity to this statement as "this was out of his field."
Mikoyan indicated that the USSR planned to open 25,000,000-
30,000,000 more acres of new lands, chiefly in Siberia. He
said he had not "heard of any plans" for a major change in the
collective or state farm systems.
12 Sept 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 7
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5. MIKOYAN MAY BECOME SOVIET PREMIER
According to the Warsaw correspondent
of the London Daily Telegraph, citing "well
informed" Polish Communist sources, Pre-
mier Bulganin will soon be replaced by Dep-
uty Premier Mikoyan. The same sources
indicate that Bulganin will be appointed to the sinecural post of
chairman of the Supreme Soviet Presidium replacing the 76-
year-old Voroshilov, who will retire.
Comment In the event of a change, Mikoyan would be a
likely candidate to replace Bulganin. The
party central committee reportedly gave Bulganin a "last chance"
censure in June for vacillating in his support of Khrushchev
against Malenkov, Kaganovich, and Molotov.
Mikoyan went to East Germany with Khru-
shchev. in August after the Soviet press had announced that
Bulganin would go. On 9 September, Mikoyan talked with US
Senator Ellender for an hour and a half and discussed Soviet
policy on a wide range of topics in an authoritative manner con-
trasting sharply with that of Bulganin in recent months.
Previous reports have mentioned Defense
Minister Marshal Zhukov and Party Control Committee chair-
man Nikolai Shvernik as possible replacements for Bulganin.
12 Sept 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 8
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6, BRITISH OFFICIAL BELIEVES TITO MOVING
CLOSER TO USSR
the British view that Tito
has been moving closer to the Soviet Union
in recent months,
while the Yugoslays are determined to retain
their independence, they will probably side
with the USSR on most international issues when their own inter-
ests are not directly involved.
although Belgrade and Moscow agreed in general
on major international issues, they did not necessarily agree on
details. The British had the distinct impression that the major
significance of the latest Tito-Khrushchev meeting was Tito's
� agreement that he would not "push matters" in Eastern Europe.
12 Sept 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 9
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7� FURTHER DEVALUATION OF FRENCH
FRANC FORECAST
The French government will be forced
to devaluate the franc further in the next
two months, probably to 500-520 for the
dollar,
Comment
When Premier Bourges-Maunoury deval-
uated the franc 20 percent on 10 August,
there were rumors that a further devaluation would follow.
The figure would place the franc slightly
below the 490-per-dollar ratio now considered to be the real-
istic value. The government's difficulties in winning national
backing for its fight against inflation, however, may raise some
doubts in Paris concerning the long-run effectiveness of a sec-
ond reduction, despite pressure to make French prices more
competitive in the world market.
12 Sept 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 10
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8. FRENCH MINISTER FOR ALGERIA REVERSES STAND
ON PROPOSED STATUTE
French Minister for Algeria Robert
Lacoste now favors retaining the exist-
ing system of separate balloting for
European and Moslem voters in Algeria,
Lacoste also insists that 411 executive powers
of the future Algerian territories be held by a minister resi-
dent and that the proposed Algerian central assembly have
only coordinating powers.
Comment Lacoste's draft basic statute had eliminated
electoral discrimination on the assump-
tion that gerrymandering would provide safeguards for the
European minority. He may be influenced now by growing
pressure from European extremists in Algeria and by the in-
creasing optimism of French officials over the effectiveness
of his pacification program. His reported reversal will reopen
the split in his own Socialist party and further complicate the
government's attempt to get an Algerian statute through the Na-
tional Assembly when it reconvenes in special session on 17
September,
12 Sept 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 11
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9. LIBYA MAKES URGENT REQUEST FOR AMERICAN
MILITARY EQUIPMENT
Libya has requested American military
equipment for 1,000 men
In making tms request, roz-
eign Minister Wahbi al-Bun i said that his country urgently
needs "at least" uniforms and small arms.
Burl stated that since the United States
had recently sent supplies to other Near Eastern countries,
he felt that Libya's request could be met immediately. He
added that his government had "special reasons" for the re-
quest.
Comment Al-Buri's request and the reference to
"special reasons" may be related to
Soviet and Egyptian offers first made last year to equip the
Libyan army. The Soviet military attache in Libya report-
edly has indicated a continuing interest in the subject.
, the Egyp ians
were to furnish King Idriss' royal guard with arms and ar-
mored cars.
Following the British decision to curtail
subsidies to Libya, the United States and Libya on 30 June
signed a military aid agreement under which the United States
is obligated to furnish arms and equipment "in accordance with
such terms and conditions as may be agreed."
12 Sept 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 12
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10. NEW ZEALANDERS COOL TO BRITISH FAR EASTERN
DEFENSE PLANS
The secretary of the New Zealand external
affairs department, A. D. McIntosh, has
told the American embassy in Wellington
that the recent talks with British Defense
Minister Sandys produced few constructive
results, and that Sandys" explanation of the United Kingdom's
new nuclear defense policy has strengthened the impression in
New Zealand that British power in the Pacific is declining.
According to McIntosh, New Zealand sees
little point to the Sandys proposal to maintain the ANZAM
(Australia-New Zealand-Malaya) alliance for the defense of
Malaya since independent Malaya will probably request the
withdrawal of Commonwealth forces within a few years. Mc-
Intosh stated that the defense of Commonwealth interests de-
pends largely on the effectiveness of SEATO, and that New
Zealand's own interests are adequately served by membership
in SEATO and by the ANZUS treaty with the United States.
Comment The secretary's remarks underscore the
considerable reorientation of New Zealand's
defense thinking�away from traditional reliance on Britain
and toward greater coordination with American defense policy.
This trend is apparent in the recent New Zealand white paper
on defense plans, and Australia has already taken steps in the
same direction. Both countries have been concerned over the
possibility of a British request to increase their contributions
to Malayan defense.
12 Sept 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 13
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'No
SUMMARY
15 August 11 September. 1957
THE TAIWAN STRAIT
Report of the IAC Current Intelligence Group
for the Taiwan Strait Problem
There were no significant developments in the area
during the period.
12 Sept 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 14
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