CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00975A011200100001-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 16
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 8, 2003
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: May 22, 1968
• Content Type: REPORT

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DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Central Intelligence Bulletin
STATE review(s) completed.
Secret
54
22 May 1968
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No. 0162/68
22 May 1968
Central Intelligence Bulletin
CONTENTS
Vietnam: Situation report. (Page 1)'
France: De Gaulle reportedly not planning to re-
organize cabinet now. (Page 3)
Sweden - North Vietnam: Stockholm will recognize
Hanoi soon. (Page 4)
Guinea - Mali - Communist China: The two African
states are trying to get Peking to build a rail
link. (Page 7)
Afghanistan: The weak Etemadi government is causing
dissatisfaction in Kabul. (Page 8)
USSR: Negotiations for cultural exchange (Page 9)
Brazil-USSR: Detention of Soviet ship (Page 9)
South Korea: Cabinet reshuffle (Page 10)
Eastern Europe: Crop prospects (Page 10)
Haiti: Overthrow attempt failing (Page 11)
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Khe Sanh
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SOUTH VIETNAM
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r Vietnam:
South Vietnam: Huong may already be running
into some snags in trying to induce well-known
political figures to join his cabinet.
Ha Thuc Ky, leader of the Revolutionary Dai
Viet Party based in the northern provinces, is.
balking at an offer to serve as first minister of
state without substantive duties,
and is seeking a voice
in the selection o the entire cabinet. The Huong
cabinet is still mostly in the rumor stage, but he
may decide to tread cautiously regarding positions
held by senior military officers.
The northern provinces continue to be the
scene of heavy enemy shellings and small-scale
clashes.
On 21 May, for the third day in a row, us bases
in this region were struck by Communist mortar or
rocket fire. Camp Eagle, five miles southeast of
Hue, received a 300-round barrage, followed by a
ground probe that left 13 Americans and 54 enemy
dead. Nearby, the major US headquarters at Phu
Bai was struck by over 150 mortar rounds.
Allied forces from Khe Sanh to the area south-
west of Da Nang report sharp encounters with enemy
units. Prisoners captured in the fighting around
Khe Sanh now indicate that all three regiments of
the North Vietnamese 304th Division.have moved-into
positions near the base. Documents captured near
Da Nang, which suggest the presence of newly in-
filtrated elements of the 308th Division, provide
further evidence of Communist plans for a major
buildup targeted against installations around that
city.
(continued)
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The recent capture of two light-artillery
weapons and a sand table model of the Hue citadel
suggest that the Communists still intend to make
another assault on Hue. The timing of any such
operation may depend upon re-establishment of the
enemy supply route from the A Shau Valley.
North Vietnam: The Vietnamese Communists are
continuing to give wide publicity abroad to their
recently created Alliance of National, Democratic,
and Peace Forces. In the past several days, brief-
ings have been given to the press in Paris and
Prague and to diplomats in Hanoi claiming that the
alliance is attracting South Vietnamese intellec-
tuals and that it will become the basis of a coali-
tion government in Saigon. In addition, to strengthen
Viet Cong claims of territorial control, Hanoi Radio
on 18 May announced that "people's liberation com-
mittees" are now administering 170 newly liberated
villages in four of South Vietnam's delta provinces.
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France: De Gaulle reportedly plans no immedi-
ate cabinet reorganization to meet the present
crisis.
National Assembly President Chaban-Delmas has
said he is confident that the censure motion will
fail and that De Gaulle will not immediately dis-
miss ministers under fire. Chaban-Delmas expects
De Gaulle eventually to replace certain ministers
who have been criticized for their handling of the
student and labor unrest.
Gaullist confidence that the Pompidou cabinet
will survive is based on the assessment that only
one or two left-wing Gaullists will defect with
Rene Capitant and that discreet government intima-
tions of a future role for the center will win
over enough of that group to ensure a government
majority. This could explain the reported decision
of over 20 centrists to refrain from voting for
censure, thus ensuring a government victory.
Chaban-Delmas also says that De Gaulle is
thinking of presenting a referendum to the people
in order to regain the initiative. Such a move
would entail definite risks, however, and would
have no beneficial effect. Although De Gaulle has
effectively used this device in the past, all ear-
lier referenda concerned issues on which he had
broad public support. Given the depth of opposi-
tion to Gaullist economic and social policies, he
will probabl be reluctant to resort to a nation-
wide vote.
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Sweden - North Vietnam: The Swedish Govern-
ment has evidently eci ed to extend diplomatic
recognition to North Vietnam within the next few
weeks.
Foreign Minister Nilsson, in a recent radio
statement, asserted that there are no divided opin-
ions within his ruling Social Democratic Party on
this issue and that the only question now is one
of timing. The US Embassy in Stockholm speculates
that the timing might be pegged to progress in the
Paris talks or that a decision might be announced
at the party's national conference on 9-15 June.
Recognition would reflect the sympathetic at-
titude taken by the Swedish Government toward Hanoi
in recent months. Although Sweden continues to
recognize South Vietnam, it decided last fall to
break with its former practice of accrediting its
ambassador to Thailand to South Vietnam as well.
The Swedish Government reportedly has decided to
permit the South Vietnamese National Liberation
Front to open an "information office" in Stockholm.
The recognition of North Vietnam would be
mainly for domestic political reasons. Party lead-
ers hope it would unify the party and exert a strong
appeal on other leftist elements whose -support is
necessary if the Social Democrats are to remain in
power after the national elections this Se tember.
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Proposed Guinea-Mali Rail Link
SPANISH
SAHARA
I A
14 1 Nfmmkchott
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Guinea - Mali - Communist China: Mali and
Guinea may be trying to persuade Peking to finance
and construct a 200-mile rail line to link Guinea
with nearby Mali.
The arrival of the Guinean and Malian foreign
ministers on an undisclosed "joint mission" in
Peking on 18 May, and a recent week-long visit by
a Chinese economic delegation in Conakry, lend
substance to reports that the project is under
active consideration.
Guinea and Mali have previously raised the
subject of the railroad's construction with both
Moscow and Peking. Although the Guineans have
probably made available an extensive survey com-
pleted by the Soviets on the proposed line in
1962, the Chinese are unlikely to commit them-
selves fully to the project before undertaking
feasibility and cost studies of their own.
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Afghanistan: The uninspired performance of
Prime Minister Etemadi's government is causing
restlessness among politically aware elements in
Kabul.
In recent weeks, the government has seemed
unwilling to exert leadership over pressure groups
and parliament. Students, through demonstrations
backed by the legislature, have forced the govern-
ment to accede to some of their demands. Leftist
newspapers have stepped up criticism of the govern-
ment and, by implication, the King. An unusual
number of labor demonstrations and strikes have
occurred, one erupting in violence. These activi-
ties have rankled powerful traditionalist elements.
Parliament is becoming increasingly critical
of the government. Etemadi reportedly bowed to the
legislature in accepting the resignation of one of
his minor ministers in the wake of corruption
charges. Fairly firm evidence indicates that fric-
tion within the cabinet has arisen over Etemadi's
failure to stand up for the minister.
The key to future developments lies primarily
with the King. he is deeply wor-
ried about the political situation. If difficulties
continue, moderate elements may call on him to do
something to reassert the powers of government.
Conservatives may even urge a termination of his
"experiment in democracy," a step the King would
probably take only if he believed his own position
were threatened.
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NOTES
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USSR: Moscow has agreed to begin on 3 June
the oft-delayed negotiation of a new US-Soviet cul-
tural exchange agreement, according to "informal"
word from a ranking Foreign Ministry official. The
Soviet proposals indicate that Moscow wants a new
two-year program basically the same as the previous
one. A Soviet bureaucratic log-jam on the issue may
have been broken by Foreign Minister Gromyko, who
last week told Ambassador Thompson that he would
check into the matter of getting talks under way.
Brazil-USSR: The Soviet space event support
ship Kegostrov was still being detained by the Bra-
zilians on 20 May, 16 days after it was first es-
corted into the port of Santos. A Soviet note of
apology for the ship's "inadvertent" violation of
Brazilian territorial waters apparently failed to
satisfy the navy minister. The views of the Navy
and Foreign ministries seem to be in conflict and
President Costa e Silva has been asked for a de-
cision. Brazil has been increasingly touchy about
the frequent intrusions of Soviet ships, particu-
larly fishing trawlers.
(continued)
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South Korea: President Pak's reshuffle of
the ca inet yesterday appears aimed in part at
tightening the administration of internal security
affairs. Transportation Minister Pak Kyong-won,
a former career army officer who has served the
President loyally in various cabinet positions,
was named to the important position of home minis-
ter with control over the police. Other changes
include the transfer of experienced administrators
to head such security-related ministries as com-
munications and transportation.
Eastern Europe: Recent rainfall has provided
temporary relief drought conditions in some
areas of southern East Europe, but the wheat crop
in Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Rumania, and Albania has
been damaged. Spring crops, including corn, sugar
beets, fruits, and vegetables, will benefit from
the rainfall, but prospects are uncertain even for
these crops.
Rumania and Bulgaria will be compelled to
draw on grain reserves and Bulgaria may even have
to import grain. Bulgarian officials have tried
through public addresses to allay public fears
that food might be rationed. Even if the Yugo-
slav wheat crop reaches the currently forecast
level of 3.8 million tons, Belgrade will have to
purchase several hundred thousand tons of wheat
on the international grain market during the crop
year beginning next July.
(continued)
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regained control of the Cap-Haitien airfield in.
northern Haiti which had been held briefly by-the
insurgents. They also captured two aircraft used
by the invasion force, which reportedly numbered
more than 50 men. Although details are sketchy,
at least five exiles are said to have been killed
in the operation and the remainder are being pur-
sued by military units. Port-au-Prince remains
calm as a roundup of suspected antigovernment ele-
.1 The attempted overthrow of the Duvalier
government by Haitian exiles appears to be failing.
According. to Haitian Government officials, security
forces, reinforced by troops from the capital, have
ments continues.
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Secret""'
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