CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1957/11/08

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03177758
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2019
• Document Release Date: December 20, 2019
• Publication Date: November 8, 1957

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CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
8 November 1957
Copy NO.
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
1 3 S 3.5(c)
3.3(h)(2)
0
TJCT
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INN al I k
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W.- L.&4 A.
CONTENTS
. TURKS ANNOUNCE MANEUVERS
(page 3).
2. MAO TSE-TUNG ENDORSES KHRUSHCHEV'S MAJOR DOMES-
TIC POLICIES (page 4).
. RANKING CHINESE COMMUNIST MILITARY LEADERS FLY
TO MOSCOW (page 5).
4. THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS CONFERENCE IN NEW
DELHI (page 6).
. PROGRESS IN ANGLO-EGYPTIAN FINANCIAL TALKS FORE-
SHADOWS RESUMPTION OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
(page 7).
A6. SITUATION IN LAOS (page 8).
7. SECURITY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
(page 9).
SITUATION IN THAILAND ASSESSED
(page 10).
,Ok9. LABOR UNREST IN PERU MIGHT CAUSE MILITARY TAKE-
OVER (page 11).
ANNEX- -Conclusions of the Watch Report of the Intelligence
Advisory Committee
(page 12).
8 Nov 57 Current Intelligence Bulletin
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limo"
1. TURKS ANNOUNCE MANEUVERS
Comment on:
The Turkish General Staff has con-
firmed a press report that Turkey
will hold joint forces maneuvers, in-
cluding the simulated use of atomic
weapons, in southeastern Turkey dur-
ing November. Military units currently on the Syrian
border will participate in exercises expected to begin
about 15 November and to last about ten days, according
to the American army attache in Ankara.
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2. MAO TSE-TUNG ENDORSES KHRUSHC HE WS MAJOR
DOMESTIC POLICIES
Comment on:
Speaking to the anniversary session of
the Supreme Soviet in Moscow, Mao Tse-
tung made an unusual endorsement of
domestic Soviet policies, thereby back-
ing Khrushchev on issues which may still
be controversial among the top Soviet leaders. He described
as "wise steps" Khrushchevis plans to decentralize and dele-
gate additional powers to regional republics, the agricultural
development program, "struggles" against antiparty groups,
and "the improvement of political indoctrination in the army."
8 Nov 57
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3. RANKING CHINESE COMMUNIST MILITARY LEADERS
FLY TO MOSCOW
Comment on:
Nine of Communist China's top military
leaders, including the armed forces chief
of staff and the commanders of the air
force, navy, and armored forces, unex-
pectedly left Peiping for Moscow by jet
lane on 6 November. They presumably were summoned by
ao Tse-tung and Defense Minister Peng Te-huai to join in
igh-level talks with Soviet leaders.
The talks could result in closer Sib-
Soviet cooperation in the military field. Mao's anniversary
speech in Moscow on 6 November in which he gave full sup-
port to Khrushchev'S major domestic policies has set the
stage for new Chinese requests for more aid.
Two Chinese delegations, already in
Moscow, are pressing for a Sino-Soviet agreement on sci-
entific cooperation. Marshal Yeh Chien-ying, deputy leader
of the military group which just left Peiping, has declared
that Soviet missile successes are "priceless assets of all
the countries of the socialist camp'
8 Nov 57
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%WW1
4. THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS CONFERENCE
IN NEW DELHI
Comment on:
The seating on 7 November of a Chinese
Nationalist delegation at the International
Red Cross Conference in New Delhi cli-
maxed a bitter struggle over the represen-
tation issue which has split the conference
since its opening on 28 October. The Chi-
nese Communist delegation immediately
left the conference and was joined by the
Indian presiding officer. Following defeat of a Soviet resolu-
tion that the conference be dissolved, 16 other delegations in-
cluding the Soviet bloc, Yugoslavia, Syria, Egypt, and Indo-
nesia also walked out.
While the Nationalists avoided a defeat
which might have been interpreted as sentiment in favor of
Chinese Communist admission to the UN, it is doubtful that
the final vote reflected the real sentiment of the conference,
and the resulting split has perhaps damaged the universality
of the Red Cross. US delegate McClintock notes that US
threats to walk out if the Nationalists were not seated were
greeted with "incredulity tinging on resentment." Friendly
countries had hoped to avoid such a showdown.
The Sino-Soviet walkout suggests that the
Chinese representation issue will be even harder fought in
future international conferences. The Peiping government
has again made it clear that it will not accept a "two Chinas"
solution to this problem.
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5. PROGRESS IN ANGLO-EGYPTIAN FINANCIAL TALKS FORE-
SHADOWS RESUMPTION OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
Comment on:
Resu ption o diplomatic relations between
Britain and Egypt seems closer as a result
of progress in their current financial talks
in Rome. A British Foreign Office official
expressed optimism on 6 November that a
financial agreement with Egypt would be
reached within ten days, and intimated that
diplomatic relations would then be resumed
but that Britain would send a charge d'affaires rather than an
ambassador to Cairo.
The Egyptians have shown a willingness to
compromise since the negotiations resumed on 4 November.
Tacit agreement to drop Egyptian claims for war damages and
British claims for seized military stores appears to have been
reached already.
Nasir is said to have instructed the Egyptian
delegation to seek agreement in principle in a way which would
"save face" for London, leaving the details to be worked out later.
British officials have long asserted that Egypt is under pressure
to come to terms because of its need for the sterling balances
totaling approximately $307,000,000 which Britain is blocking.
8 Nov 57 Current Intelligence Bulletin
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6. SITUATION IN LAOS
Comment on:
The American ambassador in Vientiane
doubts that Laotian Crown Prince Savang
can withstand pressure to recall the Na-
tional Assembly within the next few days
for an extraordinary session to install a coalition govern-
ment including the Pathet Lao. It seems probable that the
assembly will give its approval unless there is some miscal-
culation on the part of the Pathet Lao or. Prime Minister
Souvanna Phouma. The most influential conservative lead-
er, Interior Minister Katay, now takes the position that since
the assembly has approved the settlement with the Pathet Lao,
the cabinet must accept it.
Savang ostensibly remains adamant in
his opposition to the settlement along its present lines and
is predicting that Souvanna will be overthrown by the assem-
bly before the settlement is finalized. His basic premise,
however, is apparently the conviction that the United States
will discontinue aid to Laos, which he assumes would make
it impossible to pay the army and police and would lead to a
revolt against the government.
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7. SECURITY SITUATION IN SOUTH VIETNAM
Comment on:
South Vietnamese security officials
have informed the American embassy
in Saigon they do not believe the danger
of anti-American terrorism has passed
since the 22 October bombings which injured 13 MAAG per-
sonnel. They recommend, however, that security measures
designed for the long term replace the temporary alert. In
accordance with these recommendations, restrictions on
Americans moving about Saigon have been lifted, but travel
of any kind in the provinces is to be approved in advance by
an appropriate American official.
Sporadic assassinations of local Vietnam-
ese officials and other acts of terrorism continue in South
Vietnam, especially along the Cambodian frontier. These
incidents have been attributed by investigating officials to
elements of dissident religious sects as well as to Commu-
nist military cadres. The wave of terrorism began several
months ago and coincides with information obtained by the
Diem government that the Communist underground has been
directed to launch a terrorist campaign including the assassi-
nation of Vietnamese and American officials.
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8. SITUATION IN THAILAND ASSESSED
Reference:
The American embassy in Bangkok
believes that the military group
headed by Marshal Sarit which dom-
inates the Thai government is, on the
whole, in favor of Thailand's continued alignment with the
free world. The embassy cautions, however, that the pol-
icies of the coup group appear to be influenced less by
ideological considerations than by personality and power
struggles stemming from individual efforts to obtain con-
trol of lucrative government and private business opera-
tions. It points out, moreover, that there are "fairly per-
sistent indications" that some of the leading members of
the coup group, including Defense Minister Thanom and
Interior Minister Prapat, are powerful enough together to
override Sarit on important policy matters.
All evidence available to the embassy
points to continued collaboration between Marshal Sarit
and the royalists and to the King's increased interest in
political developments since the ouster of Premier Phibun.
Sarit's ties with the royalists may be causing some concern
to his military associates.
The embassy believes it unlikely that
Phibun could, or would, return to the premiership by reach-
ing a compromise with Sarit, since the King and the royalists
would undoubtedly resist such a step. Phibures political and
administrative abilities are highly regarded by many in the
military group, however, and there is a possibility that at
some future date he may be able to re-enter politics as the
only man capable of managing the government.
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9. LABOR UNREST IN PERU MIGHT CAUSE
MILITARY TAKE-OVER
Comment on:
Peruvian authorities are seriously con-
cerned over the wave of strikes by labor
organizations linked with the Communist
party and with the leftist but non-Commu-
nist APRA party. Peruvian military lead-
ers have stated that a military take-over of the government
would be justified if the civilian government were unable to
control labor unrest.
Increasing food and fuel shortages are be-
ginning to be felt in the central mountain region as a result of
the Central Railway strike which began on 24 October. A fed-
eration including virtually all organized office and retail trade
employees in the Lima-Callao area has announced it will strike
in sympathy with railway workers if the railway strike is still
unsettled by 11 November. The Communist-led national federa-
tion of construction workers engaged in a 24-hour strike on 6
November protesting the government's recent repressive action
against strikers at the Toquepala copper development in south-
ern Peru.
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New, Nine
ANNEX
Watch Report 379, 7 November 1957
of the
Intelligence Advisory Committee
Conclusions on Indications of Hostilities
On the basis of findings by its Watch Committee, the
Intelligence Advisory Committee concludes that:
A. No Sino-Soviet bloc country intends to initiate hostil-
ities against the continental US or its possessions in
the immediate future.
B. No Sino-Soviet bloc country intends to initiate hostil-
ities against US forces abroad, US allies or areas per-
ipheral to the orbit in the immediate future.
C. Unstable conditions and tensions stemming from devel-
opments concerning Syria continue to create possibilities
for conflict in the Middle East. Although major Turkish
forces continue to be deployed near the Syrian border and
there has been some augmentation of small Syrian forces
in northern Syria, we have no evidence that Turkey has
reached a decision to launch an attack.
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