CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00975A019000040001-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 1, 2003
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: May 11, 1971
• Content Type: REPORT

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DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Central Intelligence Bulletin
Secret
N2 040
11 May 1971
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 Approved For Release 2003/019DC-
No. 0112/71
11 May 1971
Central Intelligence Bulletin
CONTENTS
LAOS: Communist military activity is on the increase.
Page 1)
USSR: The Soviets will display the TU-144 and the
MI-12 helicopter at the Paris air show. (Page 5)
GREECE: Athens continues to improve relations with
its Balkan neighbors. (Page 6)
OKINAWA: Reversion politics (Page 7)
TURKEY: Improved security situation (Page 7)
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THAILAND L
`
V
Communist-controlled territory
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LAOS: Communist military activity is on the
increase in southern Laos.
The Communists have continued to move westward
on Route 9 after capturing Muong Phalane early this
month. Government units in the Dong Hene area--one
battalion of irregular troops and three regular army
battalions--probably are not strong enough to stem
a major enemy attack.
Government strength in this region has been re-
duced somewhat by the temporary assignment of units
to northern Laos. The Communists may be trying to
take advantage of this to extend their control along
Route 9 or they may hope to force the government to
return the southern-based units that have been active
in the Luang Prabang and Long Tieng areas. An of-
fensive along Route 9 presumably would also be de-
signed to keep government forces off balance and to
preclude government harassment against the western
portions of the Communist infiltration corridor.
The Communists also seem to be planning new
attacks further south on the Bolovens Plateau.
_
Ban Houei Sai, the
principal government base on the northern approaches
to the plateau, may be the Communists' first objec-
tive. In past years, the Communists have managed
to maintain military pressure near the Bolovens well
into the rainy season in contrast to north Laos,
where longer lines of communication and more diffi-
cult terrain have slowed down the tempo of the war
during the monsoons.
The North Vietnamese are running into some new
problems in the south this year. In the past two
months over 200 Pathet Lao (PL) troops have rallied
to the government at Pakse. The latest group of 55,
which rallied on 10 May, included field-grade offi-
cers and political cadre. The ralliers have helped
11 May 71
Central Intelligence Bulletin
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to locate North Vietnamese troop and supply concen-
trations for air strikes and have provided useful
information on the strength and composition of NVA
units in the area.
The decision of the ralliers to switch sides
apparently stems from what they view as North Viet-
namese mistreatment and increased levies on Lao
villagers as well as their belief that the North
Vietnamese were responsible for the death of a
widely respected Pathet Lao general. The latter
story was trumped up by the government.
There have been relatively few defections among
Laotian Communists during the course of the war, and
these are the first instances of unit-size defections.
It is too early to tell whether this is an isolated
problem or is a sign of widespread disaffection in
Communist ranks. Communist propaganda reflects
North Vietnamese sensitivity to the problem, and be-
cause the North Vietnamese depend on the PL for lo-
gistic and rear security support, they will probably
redouble their efforts to keep their restive allies
in line.
11 May 71 Central Intelligence Bulletin 3
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TU-144 Supersonic Transport
Length ....................................................................190 feet
Wing span .................................................................92 feet
Cruising speed ....................................................1,260 knots
Maximum payload ........................................20,000 pounds
Range (with 20,000 lb. load) ...................approx. 2,000 NM
MI-12 Helicopter
Main fuselage length ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 125 feet
Main rotor diameter ...............................................115 feet
Cruising speed ...................................................... 120 knots
Cargo capacity ............................................. 47,000 pounds
Range (with 47,000 lb. load) ................................. 215 NM
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USSR: The Soviets will display the TU-144
supersonic transport and the large MI-12 Homer
helicopter at the Paris air show, according to
French and Soviet officials. The TU-144 will fly
two demonstration flights there early in June but
the activity of the MI-12 helicopter has not yet
been announced.
Although the TU-144 was first flown in Decem-
ber 1968, the aircraft was not displayed at the
last Paris air show in the spring of 1969. The
upcoming showing will not, however, be the first
time that the TU-144 has been displayed for West-
ern observers. Several viewings for foreign dip-
lomats, newsmen, and SST specialists have been
conducted in the USSR over the past two years.
The Paris showing will be the first public
display of the MI-12 helicopter. The MI-12 is
the world's largest transport helicopter and is
capable of -lifting about 47,000 pounds of cargo--
more than twice as much as the largest US heli-
copter. The MI-12 was first identified in 1968
11 May 71 Central Intelligence Bulletin 5
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GREECE: Athens continues to improve its rela-
tions with its Balkan neighbors.
Albania recently agreed to restore diplomatic
relations with Greece. Greek-Bulgarian relations
have continued to brighten; both countries want to
expand economic ties and there have been a number
of reciprocal visits by top government officials.
Greece and Romania signed a bilateral trade agree-
ment in January, and
Foreign Minister Manescu will
visit reece in June. Greek-Yugoslav relations
are basically good despite periodic strains over
conflicting views of the Macedonian problem, and
Athens is pursuing economic negotiations with Bel-
grade.
The Athens regime views good relations with
its Communist neighbors as necessary because of the
Soviet threat in the Mediterranean area and the
general instability of the eastern Mediterranean.
Despite the Greek Government's anti-Communist pos-
ture, it wants to benefit from improved economic
ties with the Balkans and probably hopes such a
policy will reduce the chances of trouble along
its borders.
11 May 71
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OKINAWA: Chobyo Yara, Okinawa's leftist-backed
chief executive, is in for rough sledding. Alleged
corruption and threats of resignation by key govern-
ment officials recently have seriously embarrassed
Yara's administration. The opposition conservatives,
the local arm of Japan's ruling conservative party,
have been instructed from Tokyo to keep up their
public attacks on Yara.
The conservatives have decided to stop short of
forcing his resignation, probably because of fears
that preparations for Okinawan reversion to Japanese
control, expected in about one year, would be set
back by the collapse of the Yara government and the
ensuing distractions of an election campaign. The
conservatives would rather have Yara and his leftist
supporters the targets of public reaction to any un-
popular aspects of the reversion arrangement.
I
TURKEY: The security situation has improved
markedly in recent days, amid increasing signs that
martial law will continue for an extended period.
Investigations and arrests are continuing at a de-
liberate pace and could run as high as 3,000. Mar-
tial law authorities may also assume jurisdiction
over pending civil cases bearing on the recent crisis.
Although press censorship has been avoided for the
time being, a veiled threat of official action against
the news media has made self-censorship the watchword.
In parliament, early passage of the new and tougher
ed
led
h th
g
e p
martial law bill appears certain wit
support of the two major parties.
11 May 71
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