CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1956/05/25

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03185117
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2019
• Document Release Date: October 31, 2019
• Publication Date: May 25, 1956

Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 C03185117
z TOP SECRET
CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
25 May 1956
Copy No. 03
DOCUMENT NO
NO CHANGE �N CLAS'S.
iI DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S f
NEXT REVIEW DAT,=�
ite IKEViEWES:
AUTH' B
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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CONTENTS
1., MARSHAL ZHUKOV CIT7 CHANGES IN SOVIET ARMED
FORCES (page 3).
2. EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER PREDICTS "NEW PHASE"
OF POLICY (page 4).
3. CHINESE COMMUNISTS SEEK DEFECTram NTATT7NALIST
DIPLOMATIC PERSONNEL IN CAIRO (page 5).
4. NUWAR BECOMES HEAD OF JORDAN'S ARAB LEGION
(page 6)0
5. USSR REPORTED PROMISING ARAB STATES "VOLUNTEERS"
IF ISRAEL ATTACKS (page 7).
6. JAPAN NEARING DECISION TO EXCHANGE TRADE MISSIONS
WITH PEIPING (page 8)0
7. OPPOSING LAOTIAN LEADERS MAY POSTPONE MEETING
TO MID-JUNE (page 9).
8. HONDURAN GOVERNMENT TAKING STEPS TO PREVENT
VIOLENCE IN CAPITAL (page 10).
25 May 56
* * * *
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(page 11)
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10 MARSHAL ZHUKOV CITES CHANGES IN SOVIET
ARMED FORCES
In a recent speecn to political cancers
of the Soviet army, Marshal Zhukov
said,
that a basic transformation in the
soviet armed torces had resulted from new scientific achiev-
ments in the field of armaments and military equipment. He
made the point that while the numerical strength of the Soviet
forces has been reduced, qualitative strength has been raised.
He said that relations among branches of
the armed forces have changed substantially, and that the
importance of aviation, tank and mechanized forces has in-
creased significantly. The navy is being rearmed with rocket
equipment and "in the near future" will be powered with atomic
energy.
Comment Zhukoves statement reflects the impact
of modern scientific and technical de-
velopments--especially the development of nuclear weapons--
on the organization of the Soviet armed forces.
At the 20th Party Congress, Zhukov, while
reaffirming the traditional Soviet concept of combined arms,
stressed the importance of air power in future wars and said
that the USSR was giving "special attention" to developing the
Soviet air forces. For three years the ground forces have
been undergoing a reorganization which has emphasized in-
creased firepower and mobility.
Khrushchev recently stated that the most
suitable naval weapon was the guided-missile submarine and
that this weapon would be emphasized in the future develop-
ment of the Soviet navy. Zhukov's speech, however, is the
first statement by a high-ranking official that the Soviet navy
will utilize atomic propulsion. (Concurred in by OSI)
25 May 56
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.4111
2. EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER PREDICTS "NEW PHASE"
OF POLICY
Egypt's Foreign Minister Fawzi told
Ambassador Byroade on 23 May that the
United States would see in the next few
weeks evidence of a new phase of Egyptian
foreigii policy which would please the United States. Fawzi
said he would not be more specific, since it was premature
to inform other governments about these plans. He made
these statements in the context of remarks about Egypt's at-
titude toward the Baghdad pact.
Fawzi stated that the Aswan High Dam
project remained of paramount importance and that Egypt
wanted to accomplish it in exclusive co-operation with the
International Bank, the United States and Britain.
Comment Fawzi is usually more optimistic on the
prospects for improving Egypt's rela-
tions with the West than are more influential members of the
Nasr regime. However, it is possible that Nasr is consider-
ing what he conceives to be pro-American gestures to offset
the bad effects he may feel were created by Egypt's recogni-
tion of Communist China.
25 May 56
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SECRET
3. CHINESE COMMUNISTS SEEK DEFECTION OF NATIONALIST
DIPLOMATIC PERSONNEL IN CAIRO
Nationalist China's former ambassador to
Egypt, Ho Feng-Shang, has informed an
American embassy official that the Chinese
Communists are making "very active" ef-
forts/to induce him and members of his staff to defect and take
the embassy files with them. He stated that the Communists
were offering large sums of money and important positions in
the new Chinese Communist embassy and that he himself had
been offered the position of Peiping's ambassador to Egypt.
Comment Peiping would count on publicity concern-
ing the defection of embassy personnel in
Cairo to depress morale on Taiwan and among Nationalist
diplomatic personnel in other posts.
25 May 56
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111110 '40
4. NUWAR BECOMES HEAD OF JORDAN'S ARAB LEGION
King Hussain% promotion of his young
ultranationalist adviser, Lieutenant
Colonel Nuwar, to major general and
chief of staff of the Arab Legion indi-
cates that Nuwar and his associates in
the "Free Officers' Movement" are now
in a position to assert their power and
influence openly. Nuwar's promotion
follows the installation of a new Jordani-
n cabinet in which key appointments were reportedly in-
fluenced by Nuwar's group of Legion officers. Significant
mong the appointments is that of former major general
Ajluni, reportedly the choice of Nuwar's group, as minister
of defense and interior.
Nuwar is expected to bring Jordan closer
to Egypt in military and probably political matters
25 May 56
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TOP SECRET A
5. USSR REPORTED PROMISING ARAB STATES
"VOLUNTEERS" IF ISRAEL ATTACKS
Lebanese president Chamoun told Am-
bassador Heath in Beirut on 23 May that
he was "authentically informed" that
Soviet ambassador Kisilev had promised
remier Nasr ttiat the USSR would support the Arab states
with unlimited armaments and "Moslem Soviet volunteer
specialists" in the event of an Israeli attack on any Arab
state. Kisilev reportedly stated during a discussion with
Nasr regarding the Anglo-Soviet talks in London that the
Soviet volunteers would service and employ the modern arm-
aments which the USSR would send. Kisilev also indicated
that the USSR would approve of all Moslem countries making
a common "holy war" against Israel if Israel attacked.
Comment The reported Kiselev conversation with
Nasr took place at a time when Egypt was
concerned over the Soviet statement of impartiality in the
Middle East situation.
Rumors that Soviet "Moslem" volunteers
would participate in an Arab-Israeli war have been wide-
spread. The Lebanese have a definite interest in relaying
or exaggerating such reports in the hope that the West will
prevent Israel from precipitating war.
25 May 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 7
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6. JAPAN NEARING DECISION TO EXCHANGE TRADE
MISSIONS WITH PEIPLNG
� The Japanese government is moving
rapidly toward the exchange of unoffi-
cial trade representatives with Commu-
nist China. A high Japanese official
contirmea to me American embassy on 23 May that Foreign
Minister Shigemitsu and Minister of International Trade and
Industry Ishibashi had agreed in principle to the exchange.
No cabinet decision has yet been reached,
but the restraining influence of the Foreign Ministry has been
weakened by Shigemitsu's recent change in attitude on rela-
tions with the Communist bloc, and early government approval
is likely. According to the Foreign Ministry, Shigemitsu's new
approach is influenced by his fear of isolation within the gov-
ernment party and his desire to be identified with a more pop-
ular foreign policy for the forthcoming upper house elections.
The Chinese Communists have been insist-
ing on official status for their mission, but in the face of con-
tinued Japanese resistance may decide to abandon this demand
for the time being. In any event Peiping would probably count
on the activities of its mission to bring additional pressure on
Tokyo for restoration of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations
and the abolition of strategic trade controls.
25 May 56
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4, FOP 9QRFJT TA
7. OPPOSING LAOTIAN LEADERS MAY POSTPONE
MEETING TO MID-J'UNE
Comment
the
Indians were actively participating in secret arrange-
ments to bring about a meeting between Souvanna Phouma
and Souphannouvong on 22 May.
Souvanna Phouma is anxious to settle the Pathet Lao prob-
lem through private negotiations with Souphannouvong and
his other half-brother, Prince Petsarath, a Pathet sym-
pathizer now exiled in Thailand. The Laotian premier is
believed inclined to accept Communist proposals which would
include return of the two northern provinces to government
control in exchange for adoption of a neutral policy by the
Laotian government.
25 May 56
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8. HONDURAN GOVERNMENT TAKING STEPS TO PREVENT
VIOLENCE IN CAPITAL
The Honduran government expects vio-
lence during the convention, beginning on
25 May, of the Communist-influenced
faction of the Liberal Party� led by Ramon
illeda Morales. Police have been ordered to set up road-
blocks outside the capital and permit only bona fide delegates
to pass. They will also patrol the capital and disband any un-
authorized gatherings. They have been issued tear gas gre-
nades. About 500 Villedistas are expected.
Chief of State Lozano has announced that
elections for a constituent assembly will be held in October.
The assembly is expected to elect a president and re-establish
constitutional government. Lozano wants to head the new ad-
ministration, but is being strongly challenged by the Villedis-
tas.
The Communists, who apparently support
Villeda, are reportedly planning a general strike in the im-
portant north coast area during the election. While
� the Communists are probably capable of instigating localized
strikes, they probably could not promote a general walkout.
25 May 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 10
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.NI4 ET
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(Information as of 1700, 24 May)
beeretary uenercu i tretzi (J1 LIM yrIcui
Foreign Ministry has informed Ambassador Moose of the Arab
position on UN secretary general Hammarskjold's report formu-
lated at the recent four-power Arab meeting in Damascus. If
the Security Council merely notes Hammarskjold's report and
thanks Hammarskjold, no Arab action is contemplated L If, how-
ever, the Security Council approves or adopts the report, the
Arabs will have to "clarify their position" since Hammarskjold's
report is "liable to misinterpretation!' If the Security Council
suggests further moves, such as a new Hammarskjold mission
with expanded terms of reference, the Arabs will oppose them
on the grounds that Hammarskjold has done all that can be ac-
complished now.
25 May 56
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