CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00975A000200020001-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 4, 2003
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 20, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

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CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
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NEXT REVIEW DATE: ~'~
AUTH: HR 70-2
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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SUMMARY
GENERAL.
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1. US Ambassador reports serious US-French disagreement over mili-
tary program (page 3).
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NEAR EAST
3. Shah reaffirms confidence in Iranian Prime Minister Ala (page 5).
WESTERN EUROPE
5. Abductions of Austrians in April now total six (page 6).
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GENE,..
1. US Ambassador reports serious US-French disagreement over military
program:
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US Ambassador Bruce in Paris reports the pos-
sibility of a "very damaging crisis" in US rela-
tions with France over the amount and method
of US assistance to the French rearmament pro-
gram. Foreign Minister Schuman told the US Ambassador on 15 April
that the French Cabinet is "puzzled and resentful" over the situation and,
in order to deal with it, has scheduled discussions "with difficult and un-
fortunate implications;' [to deal with it]. All members of the US Embassy,
the Military'Assistance Advisory Group and the ECA Mission who deal
with this question are "acutely aware" of the "dangerously surcharged
atmosphere. The Ambassador believes an urgent necessity exists to
terminate this state of affairs, in view of: (a) Gaullist criticisms that
the present French Government is "totally subservient" to US instruc-
tions; (b) the necessity of insuring mutual confidence at the Foreign Min-
isters Conference which is "probably approaching"; (c) constant negoti-
ations with the French over military installations; and (d) "many other
political objectives of major importance" requiring the kind of close under-
standing and French faith in US leadership which "simply does not exist
at present. " This "discouraging" situation, according to the Ambassador,
stems primarily from conflicting interpretations of the military assis-
tance agreement reached last October in Washington and also from mis-
understandings of unilateral actions taken by both governments under
that agreement. He feels that it is "comparatively irrelevant" whether
the fault for a failure of US diplomacy at this juncture would lie basical-
ly with the French.
Comment: Periodic reports on the disagreement
over this matter have been received in the past few months, but the tone
of extreme urgency in the Ambassador's message is unexpected. Re-
cently, the French Government has also resented the fact that it was ex-
cluded from preliminary US-UK talks on Eastern Mediterranean and Yugo-
slav problems. Furthermore, there has been ample evidence that US
influence in Indochina is already feared by French officials, including
General do Lattre himself, and that the French Government will be in-
creasingly hard pressed in the pre-electoral period to defend its policy
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of military colaboration with the US against Gaullist and Communist
attacks? The reported developing ''.'crisis" in relations with the US
need not be expected, however, to weaken France's firm orientation
toward the West or its growing support of Western rearmament.
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NEAR. EAST
3. Shah reaffirms confidence in Iranian Pr.ime_Minister Ala....
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On 17 April, the Shah of Iran informed US Am-
bassador Grady that he will back Prime Min-
ister Ala on any and all measures to crush
activities of the pro-Soviet Tudeh Party and
to destroy the effectiveness of the Fedayam Islam.(a fanatic Moslem
organization). Despite what the Ambassador had been told earlier re-
garding the Shah's alleged plan to ask for Ala's resignation and to in-
stall Seyyid Zia Ed Din Tabatabai in his place, Grady no* states that
the Shah shows no evidence of such an attitude. Grady added that.
while the Shah might later have to call on Seyyid Zia, he had definite
reservations concerning him.
Co_: The Shah's continued confidence in
Prime Minister Ala is an encouraging sign for stability in Iran. Ala's
task will remain difficult, however, and agitation for his replacement
will undoubtedly continue. Apparently, the report that the Shah planned
to replace Ala with Seyyid Zia at this time is little more than a rumor
circulated by Seyyid Zia's supporters in an effort to procure the pre-
miership for their candidate.
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WESTERN. EUROPE
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5. Abductions of Austrians in ,Apri1.no3E total si
volved six victims to date, all of whom were obscure persons. The
abductors have included Communist members of the`Austrian criminal
police (acting under Soviet orders), commandeered Austrian police ac-
companied by Soviet officers, and, in one case, an unknown agent in
civilian dress.
US Minister Donnelly in Vienna reports that
the current epidemic of Soviet abductions,
which began on 5 April and which.is troubling
Austrian Interior Minister Helmer, has in-
Comment: A description of the victims re-
veals no discernible pattern in these abductions, apart from the fact
that at least three of the victims had some prior contact with US per-
sonnel in Austria. The Soviets may therefore have wished to warn the
Austrians against too close association with the US or they may have
desired to obtain particular information which they believed the victims
possessed.
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