CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1953/02/04

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02026916
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: July 15, 2019
• Document Release Date: July 22, 2019
• Publication Date: February 4, 1953

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4 February 1953 4
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59
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUNIEN'T
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Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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01 /17 rEcoP sINFORMAZ 107,1713#17 A
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SUMMARY
SOUTHEAST ASIA
I. Reduction in Viet Minh military operations indicated (page 3).
2. Burmese Communists anticipate additional defections
(page 3).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
3. Kuwait firm offers two tankers to move Iranian oil (page 4).
4. Arabs reportedly oppose Turkish sponsorship of MEDO
(page 4).
LATIN AMERICA
5. Brazil disturbed over IBRD's attitude on railway loans
(page 5).
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SOUTHEAST ASIA
1. Reduction in Viet Minh military operations indicated:
Comment: The bulk of the Viet Minh forces
engaged in the fall campaign in western Tonkin have withdrawn to
the northwest of the French defense perimeter where,
they are undergoing additional training and are
being resupplied.
The pattern of previous campaigns suggests
that the Viet Minh will not undertake another major offensive in
Tonkin before March at the earliest.
2. Burmese Communists anticipate additional defections:
The Burmese Communist Party expects
more of its members to surrender to the
government in the near future
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Comment: Although the Burmese Com-
munists have been on the defensive against constantly growing
government pressure during the past three years, less than 10 per-
cent of all insurgents who have surrendered have been Communists.
Recently, however, there has been a slight but noticeable increase
in Communist defections.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
3. Kuwait firm offers two tankers to move Iranian oil:
offers to buy oil
early December
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A Kuwait firm notified the National 3.3(h)(2)
Iranian Oil Company that 3.3(h)(2)
It had an option on two 10,000-ton tankers
and was prepared to conclude financial
arrangements.
Comment: This is another of several
or to furnish tankers that Iran has received since
The Kuwait firm claims to represent a
large American company.
4 Arabs reportedly oppose Turkish sponsorship of MEDO:
Arab circles in Paris oppose Turkey as
a sponsoring member of MEDO because
it might be entrusted with the defense of
the Suez Canal zone and other strategic
areas,
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if Turkey can-
not be excluded from the initial phase, the addition of Greece and
Italy as sponsoring members of MEDO would emphasize that the
Nagib government "has freely chosen its partners."
Comment: Turkey has shown an interest
in assuming a helpful role in the Near East; reports from Arab
sources, however, often reflect resentment and suspicion.
Should the Arabs insist on the inclusion
of Greece and Italy in MEDO, Middle East defense plans would
be complicated still further, since Britain, the United States and
Turkey have objected to their membership.
LATIN AMERICA
5. Brazil disturbed over IBRUs attitude on railway loans:
Brazilian Finance Minister Lafer fore-
sees "grave political results" if the
International lank for Reconstruction
and Development refuses to change its
attitude on certain Brazilian railway
loan applications recommended by the Soint Brazil-United States
Economic Development Commission and the commission is then
labeled a failtire.
Lafer said that the commission, which he
hopes will not be allowed to expire on the scheduled date of 31
March, is regarded by President Vargas and his administration
as well as by the public as the measure of US sincerity in helping
razil solve its economic problems.
Comment: Most competent observers
agree with Lafer's evaluation of the commission's importance
for Brazil's economic development and the improvement of its
relations with the United States.
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The proposed raillay reorganization,
impossible without foreign economic assistance, would greatly
increase Brazil's ability to make strategic minerals available
for Western defense.
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