CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

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Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP79T00975A001600120001-0
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RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
T
Document Page Count: 
8
Document Creation Date: 
December 15, 2016
Document Release Date: 
January 6, 2004
Sequence Number: 
1
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
June 8, 1954
Content Type: 
REPORT
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PDF icon CIA-RDP79T00975A001600120001-0.pdf288.39 KB
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8 June 1954 25X1 100 25 80 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN ) CUMENT NO. _ 12 Z .?;.. NO CHANGE IN CLASS. (ri DECLASSIFIED CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S C NEXT REVIEW DATE: AUTH: HR 70-2 DATE: - REVIEWER; Office of Current Intelligence CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 0.11 DIA and DOS review(s) completed. / 25X1A Approved For Rel' a 2004/02/10 :CIA-RDP79T00975A0 00120001-0 SUMMARY GENERAL 1. Comment on Molotov proposals for Korean settlement (page 3). 2. New French minister for Associated States favors partition of Vietnam (page 3). 3. Britain may propose partition of Cambodia and Laos (page 4). NEAR EAST - AFRICA 7. Iraqi Communists reported planning election day violence (page 6). WESTERN EUROPE 8. Paris observers foresee early fall of Laniel government and new elections (page 7). LATIN AMERICA 9. Guatemalan Communists attempt to mobilize mass support for government (page 8). 25X1A 25X1 Approved For Release 2004/02/10 : CIA-RDP79T00975A001600120001-0 Approved For Rel a 2004/02/10 : CIA-RDP79T00975A001 00120001-0 25X1A GENERAL 25X1A1. Comment on Molotov proposals for Korean settlement. Molotov's five general principles for a Korean settlement introduced at Geneva on 5 June appear designed to prolong the Korean phase of the conference and em- posals for a neutral commission as well as for proportional repre- sentation were previously presented by the Communist negotiators in late May. Molotov's presentation of them continues to gloss over the fact that the Communists would hold a veto power in the all-Korean Commission which would set up the election machinery. arrass the with reasonable" Communist proposals. The pro- Molotov's proposals are presented in such a way as to exploit differences among the United States, South Korea, Britain, and France. During the past week Communist propaganda has :been following the line that the United States is trying to maneuver the other UN members into breaking off the conference, 2. New French minister for Associated States favors partition of 25X1 A Vie nt nam: Edouard Frederic-Dupont,, the new French minister for the Associated States, indicated to Ambassador Heath in Geneva on 5 June a decided preference for partition as a solution of the French military effort if the "free world should decide it was necessary to continue the fight against Communism in Indochina," but that he favored a partition line at Col de Nuages, just north of Tourane in central Vietnam. to the war in Vietnam. He said he was ready to envisage continuation He added, however, he would resist any effort to partition Cambodia and Laos and claimed that French public opinion supported his views. 25X1A Approved For Releape 1600120001-0 8 June 54 Approved For Rel se 2004/02/10 : CIA-RDP79T00975A00 00120001-0 25X1A Comment-. During the past three weeks, there has been a noticeable increase in French willingness to accept some form of partition as a solution to the Indochina war. Frederic- Dupont's support of partition of Vietnam is a further indication that French policy now is aimed primarily at a cease-fire with controls. 3. Britain may propose partition of Cambodia and Laos-. 25X1A Former French commissioner general Dejean recently told the American charge at Saigon he has information that the British "con- template proposing" at Geneva the occupation of "certain zones" in Cambodia and Laos by Viet Minh forces in the event of an Indochina armistice. . Comment. The Communists have insisted that both military and political-settlements must include Laos and Cambodia as well as Vietnam. Their proposals for regrouping are tantamount to partition of the three states. This is the first report from a reliable source that Britain may be prepared to agree with this Communist position. The report may, however, be a French trial balloon. So far, Britain has taken a middle course by maintaining that the situation in Laos and Cambodia differs from that in Vietnam,' while not calling specifically for a Viet Minh with- drawal from the two states. Britain might move toward the Communist position, however, if the Communists resist compromise long enough. 25X1 Approved For Releaiffi d4J02/10 : CIA-RDP79T00975A001600120001-0 8 June 54 25X1 Approved For Release 2004/02/10 : CIA-RDP79T00975AO01600120001-0 Approved For Release 2004/02/10 : CIA-RDP79T00975AO01600120001-0 25X1 25X1A 25X1A Approved For R NEAR EAST - AFRICA Iraqi Communists reported planning election day yiolence* Iraqi Communists are planning to stage armed demonstrations in Baghdad during the election 25X1 on 9 .Tune, The Communist-directed United Front expects to win about 20 of the 135 seats in parliament and is using the elections to publicize the party's program and to agitate for a "Government of National Union." 25X1A Approved For Releo P00120001801une 54 25X1 25X1A Approved For Rel se 2004/02/10 : CIA-RDP79T00975A001 _ 0120001-0 Comment- The Communist Party, which is outlawed, cannot overthrow t. e government and it.:, front group may not be able to win as many as 10 seats. Nevertheless, the Communists will probably emerge from the elections as the only effective opposition to the conservative, pro-Western leaders, whose listlessness in the elec- toral. campaign has been in marked contrast to the vigor with which the Communists k-av? electioneered. WESTERN EUROPE 25X1 A 8. Paris observers foresee early fall of Laniel government and new elections., Ambassador Dillon in Paris reports growing be- lief among qualified observers that the fall of the Laniel government is imminent and that pros- pects have increased for new parliamentary elections. Prospects for the formation of a new government in the present assembly remain slim. The ambassador sees reason to hope that, be- cause of the success of pro-EDC candidates in recent by-elections, a new assembly would be considerably more favorable to EDC than is the present alignment. Comment., Although parliamentary dissatis- faction with Laniel has been rising since the 13 May vote of confidence, it will still be difficult for the opposition to muster the 314 votes needed to overthrow him if a new vote of confidence follows this week's Indochina debate. The premier is reported to have stated before the 13 May vote that he would not resign if beaten by a simple majority. The recent by-election victories were more the result of anti-Communist solidarity than of pro-EDC sentiment. There is, a good possibility that if a general election were held now, the Communists could capitalize on center and right dissension to increase their parliamentary representation. Approved For Relea ~b h102/10 : CIA-RDP79T00975A00160012000 O' une 54 Approved For R ase 2004/02/10 :CIA-RDP79T00975A00 00120001-0 LATIN AMERICA 25A A Guatemalan Communists attempt to mobilize mass support for government: The Communist-controlled labor and peasant con- federations in Guatemala began on 4 June to mo- bilize their followers for possible armed defense of the Arbenz administration. Ambassador Peurifoy comments that this move may be designed primarily to demonstrate mass support for the adminis- tration, but that another motive may be to provide the government with .an excuse for arming civilians. He notes that the Communist and other pro-Arbenz forces are gaining the initiative in "Guatemala's war of nerves," and that the administration is "demonstrating it has the sinews for defense and in- tends to use them." Comment: Communist efforts to create a militant following sufficient to neutralize the army have been noted since last December. As the best-organized progovernment civilian groups, the Communist-led confederations would be the likely beneficiaries of any de- cision to arm civilians to defend the government in a crisis. President Arbenz has favored such a policy in the past. might weaken the army's position. are likely to resist providing civilian groups with additional arms which The Communists are believed already in possession of some weapons, but not sufficient to provide defense of the administration against an army revolt at this time. Top military leaders 25X1A Approved For Rele 25X1A 600120001-0June 54