CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1953/10/10

Document Type: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
02869427
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
U
Document Page Count: 
7
Document Creation Date: 
July 15, 2019
Document Release Date: 
July 22, 2019
Sequence Number: 
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
October 10, 1953
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PDF icon CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULL[15677525].pdf204.17 KB
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rr.,:arSINFoRmAREI8694W ,----- Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 I / / 3.5(c)eed 0 // 0 4/ //// . /. 0 0 3.5(c) . 0 / I CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN oactimerallo NO CHANGE R4 CLASS. er ri OECASSOPEO CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S t'OCT REVIEW DATE- 2.0 o 9 MTH: MR 70-2 DATE REVIEWER: REVIEWER: 3.5(c) 10 October 1953 Copy No. Office of Current Intelligence CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY TOPS- RE SECU INFORMATION Y Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2869427 Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2869427 LJ 1- L.IVE,J. ECURITY INFORMATION 3.5(c) SUMMARY GENERAL ti;e Sweden breaks off trade talks with Czechoslovakia (page 3). British to propose study of tactics for Korean conference (page 3). SOVIET UNION 3. Rubber coating may reduce vulnerability of Soviet submarines (page 4). NEAR EAST - AFRICA . 4. Iran unable to solve critical currency shortage (page 4). 5., Iraqi foreign minister urges ban on French air traffic (page 5). 'IX Anglo-Egyptian talks face new delays (page 5). EASTERN EUROPE 7. Hungarian peasants' struggle against collectives may be intensified (page 6). WESTERN EUROPE 3.3(h)(2) * * * * -2 -1"Q.PsECRET 10 Oct 53 3.5(c) 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2869427 � Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2869427 I. SECURITY INFORMATION 3.5(c) GENERAL 1. Sweden breaks off trade talks with Czechoslovakia: Sweden broke off trade negotiations with Czechoslovakia on 7 October, with no provision for their resumption. The Swedish government considers that since Czechoslovakia and Poland have apparently found an alternate source of iron ore in Brazil, the Swedish bargaining position will be weakened, and that in any further negotiations the Orbit may increase Its demands for strategic commodities. 3.3(h)(2) Comment: The question of Czech com- pensation for nationalized Swedish property has been a key issue in the negotiations, which began on 1 May. Czechoslovakia is negotiating for about 120,000 tons of high-grade iron ore from Brazil. Sweden contracted to ship 500,000 tons to Czechoslovakia last year, but suspended ship- ments of iron ore to both Czechoslovakia and Poland in October 1952 because of their difficulties in making payment. 2. British to propose study of tactics for Korean conference: The British Foreign Office is preparing to suggest to the United States that a conference be held immediately to develop tactics for a Korean political conference In case the Communists make a surprise announcement that they will attend. The British feel that such agreement might come just before the 28 October deadline for the political conference and that it should not catch the UN napping. The British believe that the tactics should be worked out by the United States, Britain, France, Australia and one Asian nation, and that their findings should be submitted to an early meeting of all 16 members of the United Nations Command. -3- 10 Oct 53 3.3(h)(2) 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2869427 Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2869427 TOP CRET CURITY INFORMATION 3.5(c) SOVIET UNION 3. Rubber coating may reduce vulnerability of Soviet submarines: Comment: Rubber coating can reduce up to 60 percent the effective range of American sonar submarine detec- tion equipment and thereby seriously hamper antisubmarine operations. The coating of a large number of submarines could be taken as an indication of the imminence of submarine warfare, since the life of such a coating is limited. German experiments during World War II were based on a life of one year. NEAR EAST - AFRICA . Iran unable to solve critical currency shortage: Iranian finance officials are unable to suggest a solution of Iran's critical rial shortage, according to Point IV director Warne, unless the proposed new notes are backed by an additional American loan. Comment: The stability of Zahedt's government is seriously threatened by the rtal shortage, which prevents it from meeting Its financtal commitments. The American government has informed Iran that the use of dollars as a backing .for the currency is financially unsound. Minister of Finance Amini, how- ever, in an apparent attempt to spur more aid, announced on 5 October that the government wanted to issue a billion rials against dollar security. The next day the "rump" Majlis approved this plan. 10 Oct 53 3.3(h)(2) 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2869427 Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2869427 No, 1 SECURITY INFOR 3.5(c) 5. Iraqi foreign minister urges ban on French air traffic: Bakr believes this would refute the charges of other Arab delegations that Iraq is not sufficiently Interested in Arab problems because it supported Turkey's membership for the Security Council against the wishes of most Arab countries. Comment: The suggested move seems more closely connected with an to strengthen Iraq's position in the Arab League than with any recent French action. While the other Arab states would probably be slow to act on such a proposal, the League's Political Committee, appointed a subcommittee to study the effect on the Arabs of a boycott against France. 6. Anglo-Egyptian talks face new delays: Egyptian spokesmen feel that it may take six months to draft a definitive Suez agreement. Egypt has agreed to consider a British memorandum covering such points as the time at which British technicians are to be replaced by inspectors, and RAF staging facilities. They believe that these points must be considered in detail before an Anglo-Egyptian agreement is possible. 3.3(h)(2) 3.3(h)(2) 3.3(h)(2) 3.3(h)(2) Comment: In view of Egyptian impatience, any delay in reaching agreement offers serious problems. Ambassador Caffery has observed that the Egyptian representatives do not share the British "poker game" concept of the negotiations and might impulsively throw down their cards and walk out. 10 Oct 53 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2869427 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 20191071100O2869427 .1. 1/4.) r IkE., I Napo CURITY INFORMATION EASTERN EUROPE 7. Hungarian peasants' struggle against collectives may be intensified: 8. The American legation in Budapest ex- 3.3(h)(2) pects the Hungarian decree of 3 October, under which peasants may leave collectives, to intensify the struggle between peasants and government. The decree gives farmers a legal basis for resisting government and party pressure but is sufficiently ambiguous to permit the use of terror methods by party bosses to prevent withdrawals. Comment: Evidence is mounting that the government will be forced to lake coercive measures to prevent large- scale withdrawals from cooperatives this fall. This situation may well result in physical violence and mass arrests this winter. In order to prevent similar difficulties, the other Satellites have carefully avoided promising peasants the right to withdraw. WESTERN EUROPE 3. 3(h)(2) 10 Oct 53 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2869427 Approved for Release: 201-9/07/10 CO2869427 SECURITY INFORMATION - 7 - TC3.,SrECET 10 Oct 53 Approved for Release: 2019/07/10 CO2869427