CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1953/03/22

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02050141
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: July 15, 2019
• Document Release Date: July 22, 2019
• Publication Date: March 22, 1953

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22 March 1953
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Copy No. GO
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLASS. dg
D DECLASSIFIED
CLASS, CHANGED TO�,_.T_S___Sn.CiArg__
NEXT F1EVIEW DATE:
AUTH: HR 70-
DATE
REVIEWER.
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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SUMMARY
SOVIET UNION
1, Comment on new USSR Party Secretariat (page 3).
FAR EAST
2. Japan to ask revision of Administrative Agreement with US (page 3).
SOUTHEAST ASIA
V. Viet Minh offensive believed imminent (page 4).
SOUTH ASIA
4. China seeking renegotiation of treaty between Nepal and Tibet (page 5).
WESTERN EUROPE
5. Submarine training reportedly starts for East Germans (page 5).
6. Chancellor Figl reportedly dropped in efforts to form Austrian
Government (page 6).
LATIN AMERICA
bel* . Panama threatens to air Canal Zone case in international body (page 6).
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SOVIET UNION
1. Comment on new USSR Party Secretariat:
Malenkov's exit from the Secretariat of the
Soviet Communist Party, announced on 20 March, May indicate a
diminution in his power, but it ig also possible that he turned over
this important administrative position to trusted subordinates in order
to concentrate his full efforts on policy matters.
Both Stalib and Malenkov advanced to leader-
ship from positions in the Secretariat where they were able to control
key personnel appointments and important party organizational affairs.
While Stalin's title of General-Secretary was apparently dropped in
1939, the continual appearance or his name at the top of Secretariat
lists since then has made the title of "first" secretary a symbol of
party leadership to outside observers. Although it is surprising that
Malenkov gave up this position, he may have considered that he could
continue his close supervision of important party organizational matters
and appointments from his top ranking post on the USSR's highest policy
organ, the Party Presidium. It would seem unlikely that he could have
been forced out of the very position through which his claim to the suc-
cession was established.
In the new Secretariat, Khrushchev, Shatalin
and Ignatiev seem to be particularly close associates of Malenkov and the
the other two members, Suslov and Pospelov, have both had a long asso-
ciation with him in party affairs.
FAR EAST
2. Japan to ask revision of Administrative Agreement with US:
japan intends to request revision of the Admi3.3(h)(2)
istrative Agreement with the United States after
it becomes a year old on 28 April, The Foreign
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Office has hinted that changes will involve the articles which grant the
US criminal jurisdiction over its forces in japan and those concerned
with "rent free" facilities now being used by the American forces for
the Korean war.
Comment: Such a request would probably be
designed to strengthen Japan's position in negotiating similar provisions
In the United Nations Forces Agreement, and at the same time could be
used during the current election campaign to refute charges that the
present government is subservient to the United States.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
3. Viet Minh offensive believed imminent:
Viet Minh military operations in northern Indochina are imminent.
In addition, there have been indications that
training programs begun after the last campaign were to be terminated
sometime this month.
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SOUTH ASIA
4. China seeking renegotiation of treaty between Nepal and Tibet:
Communist China is still pressing for the est.13.3(h)(2)
ment of diplomatic relations with Nepal and is now
seeking renegotiation of the Nepalese-Tibetan
treaty, according to Ambassador Bowles in New
Delhi,
Comment: On 17 February the Nepalese Foreign
Secretary stated that twice recently the Chinese commanding general in
Lhasa had approached the Nepalese representative and suggested treaty
revision.
The question of diplomatic relations and treaty
revision has arisen periodically since 1951. As recently as 7 March,
however, a Tibetan delegation arrived in Kathmandu bearing the traditional
annual tribute to the King of Nepal, thereby suggesting that the Chinese
are not yet ready to force an issue with that country.
WESTERN EUROPE
5. Submarine training reportedly starts for East Germans:
Submarine training for the East German Sea 3.3(h)(2)
� Police is reported to have started at Sassnitz on
Ruegen Island, with advanced training to take
� place in the USSR.
3.
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Comment: This is the first indication that sub-
marine training has actually begun in East Germany, although units of the
East German Sea Police were said to be receiving instruction in submarine
operations in Kronstadt, near Leningrad, in December. In January, the
commanding officer of the Sea Police Coastal Patrol division reportedly
announced to a class of students that four former German submarines of
250 tons displacement were lying in Sassnitz awaiting transfer to the Sea
Police.
6. Chancellor Figl reportedly dropped in efforts to form Austrian Govern-
ment:
Foreign Minister Gruber has informed the 3.3(h)(2)
American Embassy in Vienna that the People's
Party has decided to replace Chancellor Figl
with Party Chairman Julius Raab in deference to
demands from the members for "stronger leadership."
Ambassador Thompson is hopeful that negotia-
tions next week between the People's Party and the Socialists on the for-
mation of a new government will be successful, but he warns that a "most
dangerous situation" will result if either party now increases its demands.
Comment: People's Party leaders probably feel
that Raab, a former Heimwehr (Fascist) leader and head of the industrialist
element of the party, would be better able to cope with the Socialists in a
two-party coalition. It is also probable that he will be far more willing
than Figl to turn to the right extremists as coalition partners should So-
cialist demands appear "excessive."
LATIN AMERICA
7. Panama threatens to air Canal Zone case in international body:
President Remon has threatened to bring his 3.3(h)(2)
case for revision of the 1936 Canal Zone treaty
with the United States to the forthcoming Inter-
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American Conference in Caracas or to the United Nations. He is reportedly
requesting other Latin American countries to support Panama's claims.
Comment: Virtually all Panamanian opinion ap-
proves Remon's avowed effort to revise the 1936 treaty in such respects
as the size of the annual payment made by the United States and the rights
of Panamanian citizens in the Canal Zone. Remon, who is basically pro-
US, has wanted for some time to discuss the problem personally with
President Eisenhower and has become increasingly bitter at what he feels
is official US discouragement of a Washington visit.
Remon will probably not take his case to the Inter-
American Conference or to the UN unless he feels balked in his efforts to
"obtain justice" for Panama through bilateral negotiations.
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