(UNTITLED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-01617A006000040042-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 15, 2005
• Sequence Number: 42
• Publication Date: August 14, 1948
• Content Type: SUMMARY

Approved For Release 2006/03/16 : CIA-RDP78-01617A006000040042-2
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ORIGINAL DOCUMENT MISSING PAGE(S):
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State Department review completed
Approved For Release 2006/03/16 : CIA-RDP78-01617A006000040042-2
Approved For Release 2006/03/16 : CIA-RDP78-01617A006000040042-2
14 AUG 1948
46
TSIP_SEGRET
GENERAL
1. Two Benelux leaders rt :firm western stand ?Belgian
Premier Speak has pressed tofiriatagiTo7 Kirk his
approval of the US handling of the Moscow negotiations.
Speak feels that the western powers hold two trump cards:
the Rubs: and the West German Government; Speak hopes
at the West realizes the necessity of hanging to these
trumps. Speak believes that penetration into control of the
Ruhr is the major objective of Soviet diplomacy and that de-
feat or delay of the formation of a west German state is a
close second.
Kirk reports that Luxembourg Foreign Minister Bech
has expressed a similar view of Soviet objectives. Bech
advises the western powers to be cautious and not let con-
siderations of prestige in Berlin or corn ssiet toward the
erliners to lead them to make even Blight concessions on
the R br or a west German state in order to obtain a tempo
raring easing of tension. Bech's view is that "continued
Allied firmness" will eventually result in a shifting of Soviet
pressure toward a different weak point, probably eastward.
'
763
2. 'US 2aL-esses its mesttion on colonial towstion to ItalLy---The
Wpartment '-ol-gtate hasisirrEirelrEel aAMMi-eiiiment
that after consideration of Italian views as to the disposition
of former Italian colonies and in recognition of the importance
which the. Italian people attach to this questLin, the 'US is now
prepared to take a final decision only as regards Italian Somali-
land and the scaithern portion of Eritrea. The US will support
Italian trusteeship for Italian Somaliland and will support the
cession of southern Eritrea to Ethiopia. Because of the com-
plex factors involved in the disposition of Northern Eritrea
and Tripolitania, the US has concluded that decision anthese
colonies should be postponed to permit further study by the
UN. In the case of Cyrenaica, the US feels obliged to respect
the British pledge to the Serums' and to support the UK in
carrying out this pledge.
Document No. 31
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Approved For Release 2006/03/16 : CIA-RDP.08411M40061)0111040C42-2
Auth: DDA REG. 77 /1 r7E*7
Date! 5 MAR 1:14
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Approved For Release 2006/03/16: CIA-RDP78-01617A006000040042-2
TOP-SECRET?
NEAR EAST-AFRICA
3. PALESTINE: Immediate aidimes11$2.Utaltre--US
Consul GenerarM7C"ozaiald?in Jerusalem expresses the opinion
that the Palestine Arab refugees currently constitute the most
important political question in Arab Palestine; he considers
Immediate action to alleviate their plight essential. Macdonald
says that the UN and the US are widely blamed for the situation.
He suggests that effective assistance would be the best means
of demonstrating continued US friendship for the Arabs and
would also tend to arrest the deterioration of the US position
in the Middle East.
THE AMERICAS
4. NICARAGUA: hja_usipalastriutionaries-t-
25X1
25/4
a band of guerilla-revolutioicaries,
'apparently'
arme
pianclfrom Guatemala, have crossed
the Honduran
town. General
wifaragua and sacked a nearby
Somoza of Nicaragua has already flown reinforcements to the
area and believes the invasion "can easily be contained."
(CIA Comment: CU concurs with General Somoza 's
estimate. However, the Presidents of the Dominican Republic,
Nicaragua and Honduras--the "dictator" countries?on the
one side and Cuba Haiti, Venezuela, Costa Rica and Guatemala
on the other are informally committed to support one another
In the event of revolutionary attack. The invasion will further
embitter the relations between these opposing groups. In the
unlikely event that it touches off a formal conflict, with Guate-
mala and Nicaragua i as the principal contestants, the superior
air strength of the 'dictator" countries will be a decisive
factor.)
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TOP--SErRET
Approved For Release 2006/03/16 : CIA-RDP78-01617A006000040042-2