CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00975A004400460001-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 16, 2002
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: May 6, 1959
• Content Type: REPORT

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6 May 1959
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
6 May 1959
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Rifai took over the leadership in the spring of 1957.
Rifai. IBusayn's support of 'the Bedouin may alienate vociferous
segments of the population, and open the way for resumption of
instability in the government and army which -was.: c:hron:c: before
IL ASIA-AFRICA
Jordan: Premier-designate Hazza Majalli has formed
a newr cabinet following the resignation of Premier Rifai on
5 May. The King's designation of Majalli appears to tie the
King more closely to the militant Bedouin minority which dom-
inates the army the monarchy's principal support. Majalli,L
British protege,, who briefly served as premier during the un-
successful atfe'inpt to take Jordan into the Baghdad Pact in
December 1955, is related to some of the Bedouin army offi-
cers who have intrigued against Army Chief of Staff Shara and
II
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mend
trade ties with Britain. Qasim seemed genuinely pleased by
British willingness to sell arms but made no substantive com-
the British expectations _ that'. Iraq would remain free of
Communist control, keep oil flowing to Europe, and impro
Iraq: #COn 3 May, the British ambassador informed
Qasim o London's decision to sell Iraq arms including
tanks and Canberra bombers. The ambassador reiterated
,/ at a rate of more than 2,400 barrels per day. 2
Libya: Libya may soon develop into a major new oil
area W
. latest discovery well by Standard Oil Company
of New Jersey, located 200 miles south of Ben aoi tested
2
Libyan oil could be highly competitive
with other Middle East crude.
Malaya. Recent Chinese-Malay riots on an island off the
Malayan coast highlight the serious underlying racial tensions
in the Federation of Malaya. Communal disorders could also
develop on the mainland as a result of political agitation dur-
ing the state and federal election campaigns now under way.
6 May 59
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The USIB has taken note of the following conclusions reached
by its special committee on the Berlin situation. The committee
pointed out that its conclusions were to be used in context: with
SNIE 100-2-59 (24 February 1959) and with the review of that es-
timate in SNIE 100-2/1-59 (17 March 1959):
IV. CONCLUSIONS OF SPECIAL USIB COMMITTEE
ON BERLIN SITUATION
1. The USSR appears to be concentrating more on
the issue of West E,erlin in anticipation that this rather
than the question of a peace treaty will be its strongest
card at the Geneva foreign ministers' meeting. Howevei fl
there are indications that the. USSR will attempt to have
the West discuss the draft Soviet peace treaty for Germany
paragraph by paragraph.
Soviet propaganda media are attempting to under-
cut the Western concept of an indissoluble package on re-
unification, European security, disarmament, and Berlin
before the talks begin, to divide the Allies, to build pres-
sures on Western governments to move toward Soviet
positions, and to prepare the ground for blaming the West
for any failure to reach agreement.
2. Debate in the French National Assembly provided
a strong demonstration of support for De Gaulle's posi-
tion on Berlin and related German questions.
3. The May Day Freedom rally in West Berlin, with
an estimated crowd of at least half a million--as large or
larger than those led by Reuter during the 1948 blockade--
indicates morale in West Berlin remains strong. There
were no significant changes in West Berlin's economic
situation.
III. THE WEST
4. While it is highly improbable that the USSR will
turn over access controls to the GDR unless there is a
6 May 59
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breakdown in East-West negotiations9 the physical
transfer could be accomplished with little or no warn-
ing.
5. There are no reliable indications of a bloc in-
tent in the near future to blockade Allied or West German
access to West Berlin, or to seal off West Berlin from
the bloc. Howeverg the USSR could take such actions
with little or no warning.
6 May 59 DAILY BIUEF
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I. THE COMMUNIST BLOC
No Back-up Material
II. ASIA-AFRICA
4400460001-2
Hazza Majalli Forms New Jordanian. Cabinet
Premier-designate Hazza Majalli has formed a new cabi-
net, following the resignation of Premier Rifai on 5 May for
reasons of "health." The new cabinet was scheduled to be
sworn in on the morning of 6 May. CAlthough the 60-year-old
Rifai endured three mild heart attacks during the last year,
his resignation actually was intended as a maneuver to obtain
the King's reaffirmation of his authority, including the premriie `
support of Army Chief of Staff Major General Sadiq Shara. Shara
had been accused by Bedouin army officers of plotting against
the monarchy. Rifai had also been at odds with the "palace
clique," which has long sought his replacements He had been
premier since May 1958; he was de facto government strongman
for the year before that as deputy premier to ailing Ibrahim
Hashim.
The King's selection of Majalli would appear to commit the
King more closely than ever to the militant Bedouin minority
whose domination of the army has ensured the monarchy's surviv-
al. The Bedouin number about 300,000 out of Jordan's total popu-
lation of 1,500,000. Among the Bedouin, the officers of the Bani
Sakhr tribe form the most potent bloc. This group, during Husayn's
absence on his world tour, further enhanced its position through
accusation and arrest of members of a rival officer clique from
northern Jordan--the maneuver which led to the resignation of
Rifai.
Hazza Majalli, C former British protege] who served briefly
as premier in December 1955 during the unsuccessful attempt to
take Jordan into the Baghdad Pact, is distantly related to the
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prominent Bedouin officers of the Majalli family in the Bani
Sakhr tribe, who led the intrigues against Shara and Rifai.
He has in the past had fairly good relations with the pro-UAR,,,
ultranationalist National Socialist party, and this might im-
prove the prospects for a normalization of relations with the
UAR. Unless some accommodation to the nationalist view is
made, Husayn's decision to go along with the Bedouin in this
instance could narrow further the basis of the monarchy's sup-
port in Jordan. It might thus open the way for a resumption of
instability in the government and army which was chronic before
Rifai took over government leadership.
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American Embassy Assessment of Iraqi Situation
developments in Iraq during the past five wee KS ea e
US Embassy to conclude that the drift toward a Communist
state is continuing at a steady rate. Ambassador Jernegan
now feels that Premier Qasim is the only possible force in
Iraq capable of turning the government away from its left-
ward course.
/asim said on 3 May that Britain's agreement to sell Iraq
heavy military equipment was a "new page turned in British-
Iraqi relations" and reiterated that his government intends to
remain "free of both East and West." Both Qasim and anti-
Communist Foreign Minister Jawad have told the American
ambassador within the past week that Iraq would not "go Com-
munista
#,Ey and large, however, strong anti-Communists have been
liquidated by arrests, purges, and forced retirements. Real
control of the army appears to be in the hands of pro-Commu-
nists and political neutrals, and members of the Communist
party will probably be included in the cabinet soon. The
Communist-controlled Popular Resistance Forces are grow-
ing both in size and effectiveness; Communist-directed mass
organizations, having received at least an indirect blessing from
Qasim, are continuing to expand. The Communists already
control the propaganda media, are consolidating their control
over the educational system, and are maneuvering to bring the
economy under the control of a Soviet-model planning system.-/
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-b ,MALTA
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MEDITERRANEAN SEA
TiZ~LI
BENGASI
DAHRA B-1-32
?CFP NO.B-1.49 ?STANDARD(N.J.)
NO.1 ZELTEN
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Libya's Oil Prospects Become Increasingly More Favorable
Discoveries in Libya during the past 18 months have indi-
cated the presence of oil in commercial quantities. Libya
awarded its first concession on 20 November 1955.
Seven successful wells have been drilled thus far: three
along the western border near French Sahara and Tunisia and
four located 50 to 100 miles south of the Gulf of Sirte. One of
these four drilled, by Standard Oil Company (N. J.) tested at
more than 2,400 barrels per day.
The other three important discoveries have been made in
this area by the Oasis Oil Company, which brought in three
promising wells less than 75 miles south of the Gulf of Sirte.
Together, they have an estimated potential of 2,200 barrels per
day. Additional drilling is under way to determine the extent
of the fields.
Since 1955 most of the major international oil companies
have acquired concessions in Libya, but earlier hopes that sub-
stantial quantities of oil would be quickly discovered in western
Libya near the French Saharan fields have faded somewhat.
Despite the Libyan prohibition against companies owned or con-
trolled by foreign governments, British Petroleum and Cie.
Francaise des Petroles, both largely government owned, have
been granted concessions. Thus far the foreign-government pro-
vision has been invoked only against the Italian firm Ente Nazion-
ale Idrocarburi.
Libyan oil could be highly competitive with other Middle East
crude since it is closer to European markets.
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Riots in Malaya Underscore Racial Tensions
The Malayan Government's concern over racial tensions is
reflected in Prime Minister Abdul Razak's hurried visit on
3 May to the scene of the Malay-Chinese communal riots on
Pangkor Island about 100 miles northwest of Kuala Lumpur.
Further indications of this concern were the government's ef-
forts to suppress the news and later to play down the racial
aspects of the riots.
The trouble apparently began on 1 May when a Malay mo-
lested a Chinese girl. The subsequent riot spread rapidly and,
according to press reports, soon involved nearly all of the is-
land's 3000 Inhabitants,. One person was killed and ten injured.
The situation was finally brought under control by 200 police re-
inforcements, including a special riot squad.
The incident highlights the serious underlying racial ten-
sions in Malay, where 37 percent of the population is Chinese.
These tensions are likely to increase as a result of political
agitation during the current campaigns for the state elections
in May and June and the federal elections in August. Wide-
spread disorders could destroy the ruling multiracial Alliance
party and with it the concept of Malay-Chinese political coop-
eration upon which stability in Malaya depends.
The last serious riots in Malaya took place in November
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THE PRESIDENT
The Vice President
Executive Offices of the White House
Special Assistant for National Security Affairs
Scientific Adviser to the President
Director of the Budget
Office of Defense and Civilian Mobilization
Special Assistant for Security Operations Coordination
Board of Consultants on Foreign Intelligence Activities
Special Assistant for Foreign Economic Policy
Executive Secretary, National Security Council
The Treasury Department
The Secretary of the Treasury
The Department of State
The Secretary of State
The Under Secretary of State
The Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs
The Deputy Under Secretary for Political Affairs
The Deputy Under Secretary for Administration
The Counselor
Director, International Cooperation Administration
The Director of Intelligence and Research
The Department of Defense
The Secretary of Defense
The Deputy Secretary of Defense
Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs
The Secretary of the Army
The Secretary of the Navy
The Secretary of the Air Force
The Chairman, The Joint Chiefs of Staff
Commandant, United States Marine Corps
The Director, The Joint Staff
Chief of Staff, United States Army
Chief of Naval Operations, United States Navy
Chief of Staff, United States Air Force
Assistant to Secretary of Defense for Special Operations
Director for Intelligence, The Joint Staff
Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Department of the Army
Director of Naval Intelligence, Department of the Navy
Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Department of the Air Force
Supreme Allied Commander, Europe
Commander in Chief, Pacific
The Department of the Interior
The Secretary of the Interior
The Department of Commerce
The Secretary of Commerce
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Director
Atomic Energy Commission
The Chairman
National Security Agency
The Director
National Indications Center
The Director
United States Information Agency
The Director
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