CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00975A002300420001-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 31, 2000
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: January 4, 1956
• Content Type: REPORT

NOT RELEASABLE TO
FOREIGN NATIONALS
CONTINUED CONTROL
CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
4 January 1956
SC No. 00005/56
Copy No.
1Q..
OMEPNO. 42
NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
(: ? DECLASSWIED
CLASS. CHANGED T
NE Q: T9 S C
XT REVIEW DATE . C)1
ARJTM: MR 70-2
DATE: _ N \ IEWER: 019360
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This document contains information affecting the national
defense of the United States within the meaning of the espio-
nage laws, U. S. Code title 18, Sections 793, 794,and 798,
the transmission or the revelation of the contents of which
in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
THIS DOCUMENT MUST BE KEPT IN COMMUNICATIONS
INTELLIGENCE CHANNELS AT ALL TIMES
It is to be seen only by U. S. personnel especially indoctrinated
and authorized to receive COMMUNICATIONS INTELLIGENCE
information. The security of this document must be main-
tained in accordance with COMMUNICATIONS INTELLIGENCE
REGULATIONS.
No action is to be taken on any COMMUNICATIONS INTELLIGENCE
which may be contained herein, regardless of the advantage to be
gained, unless such action is first approved by the Director of Central
Intelligence.
0 / 0 8 T2QVGVAPKW?t 0 0 1)'Zll~
 R ,
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Comments and interpretations in this publication are
based on all sources, including COMINT, and repre-
sent the immediate views of the Office of Current In-
telligence. The classification of a comment is noted
separately only when it is higher than that of the re-
port commented on.
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25X1A
1. FRENCH ELECTIONS INCREASE PARLIAMENTARY
INSTABILITY (page 3).
25X1A
2. VIET MINH CONGRATULATES LAOS ON ADMISSION
TO UN - (page 5) o
25X1A
3. LIBERIA CONSIDERING SOVIET OFFER TO ESTABLISH
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS (page 6).
25X1A
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
- (page 7)
25X1A
4 Jan 56 Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 2
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25X1A
25X1A
1. FRENCH ELECTIONS INCREASE PARLIAMENTARY
INSTABILITY
Comment on:
The 50-percent increase in Commu-
nist representation in the French
National Assembly and the unexpected
success of the extreme right Poujade
antitax candidates in the 2 January elections rule out the
possibility of a stable majority when the assembly con-
venes on 19 January.
While the extremists of both right and
left will control about the same percentage of seats as in
1951, the center is more widely split, and the bitterness
of the electoral campaign will make agreement on a gov-
ernment coalition difficult. Under attack from both ex-
tremes, the center parties will be obliged to rely on ma-
jorities whose composition will fluctuate depending on the
issue.
The urgency of the Algerian problem
will probably force the Faure-Pinay coalition to reach some
compromise with the Mendes-France forces. There are in-
dications that influential members of Pinay's Independent-
Peasant bloc want to try to bring the Socialists into the
government to discourage any attempt to form a popular
front with the Communists. The increase in the Social-
ists' popular vote has fostered a rumor that President
Coty will ask them to make the first attempt to form a gov-
ernment.
The Poujade group picked up even more
seats than its leader claimed during the campaign. Its
deputies will probably be a source of disorder when the as-
sembly convenes, but they will probably be isolated as the
4 Jan 56 Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 3
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Gaullists were in 1951. The right wing of the Faure-
Pinay forces can be expected eventually to try to influ-
ence them to work with the government,
The wide range of views on key issues--
Algeria, government subsidies to industry and agriculture,
aid to church schools, European integration and defense
spending--will continue to plague any center coalition; and
both Communists and Pou'adists will be in a position to ex-
ploit these differences.
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Page 4
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25X1A
2. VIET MINH CONGRATULATES LAOS ON ADMISSION.
TO UN
25X1A
The Viet Minh has sent a message 25X6
congratulating Laos on its admission
to the United Nations,
25X6
Ambassador Yost points out that this
gesture is "at least curious," coming concurrently with
violent Hanoi radio attacks on the Laotian government and
with the increased preoccupation of Chinese Communist
propaganda with the improved American position in Laos.
The ambassador sees a possibility that
Viet Minh premier Pham Van Dong will re-extend an invi-
tation--first brought up at Bandung--for Laotian premier
Katay to visit Hanoi. Yost believes Katay might accept such
an invitation.
Comment The Viet Minh's congratulatory message
may have been intended to cause confu-
sion in Vientiane over the government's policy toward the
Communists and possibly to underscore, for the Laotians,
the Soviet role in the success of their UN bid.
In addition, with the, government having
successfully held its elections for a national assembly and
with Pathet Lao morale reportedly low, the Communists may
feel it advisable to lay the groundwork for a possible shift in
policy. They are in a position to offer a superficially attrac-
tive deal involving an agreement to disband the Pathet Lao
armed forces in return for Communist participation in the
government,
25X1A
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25X1A
3., LIBERIA CONSIDERING SOVIET OFFER TO ESTABLISH
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
25X1A
President Tubman of Liberia informed
Ambassador Jones on 2 January that
he "cannot afford to reject" the Soviet
Union's proposal for the exchange of
ip oma is representatives informally advanced by its dele-
gation now in Liberia for the presidential inauguration.
Tubman said that in replying to the Russians, he would of-
fer to request legislative authorization and to "give consid-
eration to their request as soon as an appropriation is avail-
able.
Comment Some high Liberian officials were re-
ported in September to be considering
the establishment of diplomatic relations with the USSR,
but Tubman recently expressed his determination to resist
any Soviet move in this direction.
25X1A
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THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(Information as of 1700, 3 January)
ican army attache in Tel Aviv.
25X1A
No significant military activity on the
Arab-Israeli borders has been reported. Israel claims that
Egyptians opened fire on Israeli patrols and that two Egyp-
tian Vampire jets violated Israeli air space in the Gaza area
on 2 January. These are daily events, according to the Amer.-
25X1A
The same attache reported that on 1 Janu-
ary an unidentified "brigade" was observed in the process of
receiving combat equipment and departing by bus for an un-
known destination. He suggests that this unit may have been
called u for routine training; or rotation purposes.
25X1A
25X1A
The attache also reports that an Israeli 25X1 A
broadcast of 31 December announced that conscripts "with
letters A to K inclusive" were to report on 1 January 1956 in-
stead of 1 April as originally scheduled. This acceleration of
call-ups may be in line with Prime Minister Ben-Gurion's an-
nouncement on 2 January that another year had been added to
the military draft period of 2-1/2 years' service.
In reviewing his government's foreign and
defense policy before the Knesset on 2 January, Ben-Gurion
warned that war could break out at any time. He also stated
that Israel would not give up the principle of retaliation for Arab 25X1 A
25X1 C incursions on Israel's frontiers.
25X1 C an initial contingent of Egyptian naval officers
has left for training in the Soviet bloc--probably in Poland--
and a larger group of naval personnel is scheduled to go very
soon. Delivery from the Soviet bloc to Egypt of a small num-
ber of destroyers, submarines, motor torpedo boats and mine-
25X1 A sweepers may follow completion of this training.
25X1A
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