CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1957/09/22

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03190611
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2019
• Document Release Date: December 20, 2019
• Publication Date: September 22, 1957

Approved for Release: 2019/12/10 C03190611e
A. NJ �
CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
3.5(c)
22 September 1957
Copy No,, 13G
nOCUMENT NO. _
CHANGE IN CLASS.
I iic.L.ASSIF1ED
CLASS. (HAN6'11) TO. TS S0
rsil, FICVIEW
AU TN: 1472-2,.
DATE.r .V) REVIEWER:
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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CONTENTS
'K2) 1. SOVIET ARMS TO ARRIVE IN SYRIA ON 3 OCTOBER
(page 3).
2. EGYPTIANS STEP UP FEDAYEEN ACTIVITY IN JORDAN
(page 4).
isOz_ 3. GROMYKO'S SPEECH BEFORE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
page 5).
),0 4. SITUATION IN THAILAND
(page 6).
5. INDONESIAN REGIONAL LEADERS D0717L OF ANY
RAPPROCHEMENT WITH DJAKARTA (page 7).
6. BELGRADE OFFICIAL EXPLAINS YUGOSLAV POSITION
ON BALKAN ENTENTE PROPOSAL (page 8).
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SOVIET ARMS TO ARRIVE IN SYRIA
"the Soviet authorities have declared
that they cannot send the arms and ammu-
nition by air."
509000 automatic rifles, 29000 submachine
guns, and 50,000,000 rounds of ammunition would arrive at
Latakia by sea
Comment
Syria's interest in air shipment apparently
reflects its concern over the present Mid-
dle East situation.
In view of the size of the Syrian army,
50,000 men, this is a large order. Since the army already
has enough arms for its basic needs, these arms are probably
destined for the "popular resistance" groups--formed at the
time of the Israeli invasion of Sinai and now being reactivated--
and possibly for use by subversive groups in neighboring coun-
tries.
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2. EGYPTIANS STEP UP FEDAYEpNhc TIVIeTY!
IN JORDAN
On 21 September the Jordanian govern-
ment announced the seizure of large numbers of Czech-
manufactured machine guns, time bombs, and other muni-
tions at Ramtha near the Syrian border.
Comment Both the Syrians and the Egyptians have
for some time been carrying out sub-
versive activities against King Hussayn's government, as well
as that of President Chamoun in Lebanon. Egyptian President
Nasir has stated that he intends to bring about the assassination
of Hussayn and pro-Western Jordanian leaders�
The seizure of Czech arms in Jordan and
the Lebanese confiscation of Belgian NATO-type rifles recently
Imported by the Syrian army indicate that Syria is actively
fomenting internal strife in Lebanon. The arms seized in Jor-
dan were probably sent in for use by the fedayeen.
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3, GROMYKO'S SPEECH BEFORE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
In his opening speech to the UN General
Assembly on 20 September, Soviet For-
eign Minister Gromyko's presentation of
Soviet views on major problems contained
no hints of any changes in the established lines of Soviet foreign
policy, and the tone of his speech, while firm and at times
touched with sarcasm, did not suggest any general shift toward
a harder. line.
The most noteworthy aspect of Gromyko's
discussion of Middle Eat problems was his apparent effort to
mobilize General Assembly support for recent Soviet diplomatic
moves to forestall any foreign military intervention in Syria.
He placed the Syrian situation in the context of the Suez crisis
and called on the General Assembly to "make another useful con-
tribution" by raising its "powerful voice in defense of the inde-
pendence of other states" in the Middle East and by condemning
Western actions in that area. He said that any General Assembly
approval of the USSR's proposal for a four-power declaration re-
nouncing the use of force and interference in the internal affairs
of Middle East countries "might have an important salutary ef-
fect on the situation." It is probable that these remarks were
designed to prepare the way for a formal Soviet resolution con-
demning alleged Western plotting against Syria and endorsing
Moscow's call for a four-power declaration.
The USSR's confidence that it stands to score
important propaganda gains in the General Assembly's debate on
disarmament was reflected in Gromyko's stress on the need to
broaden the membership of the Disarmament Commission and its
subcommittee and to conduct future negotiations "in an atmosphere
of wide publicity." In an effort to bring greater pressure on the
Western position and to stimulate General Assembly support for
Soviet proposals for a first-step agreement, Gromyko proposed
a five-year prohibition on the use of nuclear weapons in place of
Moscow's previous insistence on a permanent ban. He repeated
his 10 September strictures against aerial inspection and stated
flatly that the West's final proposals at the London talks "can-
not provide a basis for agreement."
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4. SITUATION IN THAILAND
Comment on:
The selectiOn of Pote Sarasin as
Thailand's provisional premier pend-
ing elections in December has been
made by the Sarit army group and the
King in an apparent effort to emphasize
that there is to be no change in Thailand's
foreign policy. Pote, who is considered
competent, was out of the country for five
years prior to assuming his job as SEATO
secretary general this summer, and thus
managed to stay out of the bitter factional
strife which led to the overthrow of the
Phibun regime last week.
Pote's friendship for the United States and
his close identification with SEATO may prove useful to the
new regime in emphasizing the continuity of Thailand's pro-West-
ern orientation and facilitating the regime's efforts to obtain inter-
national recognition.
Prior to his designation, Pote told Ambas-
sador Bishop that he had agreed to have his name placed in nom-
ination only on condition that there would be no change in Thai-
land's foreign policy and no pro-Communists in the cabinet.
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5. INDONESIAN REGIONAL LEADERS DOUBTFUL OF
ANY RAPPROCHEMENT WITH DJAKARTA
Comment on:
oug ndonesian government offi-
cials are claiming that the recently
concluded round-table conference to
restore national unity was at least
a "psychological" success, recent re-
ports indicate that disaffected regional
leaders remain highly skeptical of the
conference's value.
Separatist leaders have described the
results of the meeting as "generalities" and have expressed
doubt that Djakarta will implement its promise to give the
provinces a better political and economic deal. More specif-
ically, they reportedly now feel that their chief demand--re-
establishment of the Sukarno- Hatta partnership--is virtually
impossible to achieve and are prepared to recast the issue in
terms of demanding that Hatta eventually form his own govern-
ment. In addition, these leaders are holding firm to their de-
mands that the national council be transformed into a senate
with strong legislative powers, that Communist influence be
removed from the government, and that Chief of Staff Nasution
be replaced.
An American observer who has just re-
turned from Sumatra where he talked to high-ranking officials
states that the next 60 to 90 days will be critical so far as the
provinces' relations with the central government are concerned.
He also reports that the dissident Sumatrans are considering a
direct, high-level approach to the United States for assistance.
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64 BELGRADE OFFICIAL EXPLAINS YUGOSLAV POSITION
ON BALKAN ENTENTE PROPOSAL
Franc Kos, a high-level Yugoslav
Foreign Ministry official, told a
US embassy officer in Belgrade that
Tito's acceptance of the Rumanian pro-
posal for a Balkan states meeting was purposely hedged
with conditions which give him an out. Moreover, Kos,
whom the embassy considers an informed and reasonably
authoritative source, expects the Turks and Greeks to re-
ject the invitation and feels that the Yugoslays "certainly"
did not plan to attend in their absence.
Kos feels that the timing of the invita-
tion was designed by the Kremlin to detract attention from
the recent Tito-Gomulka meeting and the Balkan pact which
the Yugoslays are determined to uphold. The US embassy
officer believes that although Kos could not be drawn to the
point of saying the Rumanian invitation was a Soviet or Ru-
manian trick, his remarks carried this clear implication.
Comment Another Yugoslav official has said that
the wording of Tito's reply to the Ru-
manian proposal was so general as to leave him a way out in
the event the Greeks and Turks refused to accept the proposal.
It is difficult to believe, however, that Tito was not well aware
that the Turks and Greeks were almost certain not to accept it.
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