CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1953/04/03

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02026924
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: July 15, 2019
• Document Release Date: July 22, 2019
• Publication Date: April 3, 1953

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SECUR1 NFOR/viATION
3 April 1953
Copy No.
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE 1J CLASS. y
DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANCED TO: TS
NEXT REVIEW DATE:
AUTH: HR 70-2e
DATE ar21477_ REVIEW r
lowly/
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TOP SE � T
SECUR1 ORMAT1ON
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$ECUR1TY INFO
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SUMMARY
GENERAL
1. Comment on additional Soviet conciliatory moves (page 3)0
Britain views current Soviet proposals as tactical, but genuine
(page 3).
SOUTHEAST ASIA
3. Burma to control rubber exports in deference to uy resolution
(page 4).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
4. Iraq rejects Turkish proposal to establish MEDO without Egypt
(page 5).
WESTERN EUROPE
VComment on reported change in Soviet line on Trieste (page 5).
LATIN AMERICA
6. Prospects for amicable settlement of Deception Island affair
considered poor (page 6).
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ECURITY INFORM�ATION--
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GENERAL
1. Comment on additional Soviet conciliatory moves:
Soviet conciliatory moves continue to appear,
suggesting a new tactical approach to numerous cold war problems.
3.3(h)(2)
On 31 March an official
of the Norwegian Ernbii tWnmgtonreceived a second Soviet
assurance'of the sincerity of Chou En-laits peace proposal from a
member of the Soviet Embassy. General Chuikov on 1 April invited
the American and French High Commissioners to join the British in
the Berlin Conference on the air corridor incidents.
In the UN, the Soviet Union has opened the way
to discussion of the disarmament question, and Vyshinsky expressed
the hope that the current session would promote further useful results
which could strengthen the UN and improve friendly relations of all
nations.
The new Communist tactics appear designed
to open negotiations on some outstanding East-West issues. The
tactics are also probably intended to disrupt the anti-Communist
coalition by conciliatory moves during the period in which the new
regime consolidates its position.
2. Britain views current Soviet proposals as tactical, but genuine:
The British Foreign Office regards the recent
Soviet and Chinese proposals as genuine, and 3.3(h)(2)
believes that the present Soviet regime may be
seeking a period of relaxed East-West tension.
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London sees no reason to think that there has been any change in basic
Soviet objectives, but considers that if the new Kremlin leaders are
actually trying a more flexible foreign policy, they may be prepared
to make some real concessions.
The American Embassy in London notes that
the "peace" moves are having a substantial impact on British public
opinion.
Comment: There is no indication that the
British are concerned over the possibility that the USSR may be trying
to divide the Western allies.
SOUTHEAST ASIA.
3. Burma to control rubber exports in deference to UN resolution: 3.3(h)(2)
ccording to a cabinet minister, Burma's
ecision on 1 April to establish export controls
n rubber and other strategic materials was
aken because the government felt that it
should abide by the embargo resolution in view of its pending appeal
on Chinese Nationalist aggression. The controls will apply to an order
for rubber placed by Peiping with a Burmese firm on which 5,000 tons
have not yet been shipped.
Comment: The Burmese Government has cited
its neutral foreign policy as justification for its refusal to interfere with
the shipment last week of 1,500 tons of rubber to China.
The Burmese decision to observe the UN em-
bargo should strengthen Indonesia's intention not to accept a rubber-rice
deal offered by Peiping.
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RITY INFORMATION
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
4. Iraq rejects Turkish proposal to establish MEDO without Egypt'
Iraq has sent a "definitely negative" reply
to Turkey's proposal of 28 February to join
it in establishing MEDO without Egypt,
according to the Turkish Foreign Office.
Iraqi Minister of Defense Nun i Said has told
the British Ambassador in Baghdad, however,
that Iraq will not wait indefinitely for Egypt.
Nun i de ii'�haTiiiany case Iraq wants US funds now to purchase
British arms as part of a military aid program similar to Turkey's
before the latter joined NATO. Iraqi forces could later be integrated
into a Middle East defense organization.
3.3(h)(2)
Comment: Evidently General Nun, who favors
Arab-Western defense planning on the basis of the Arab Collective Se-
curity Pact, is not yet prepared to challenge either Arab popular opinion
or Egyptian leadership by moving ahead of Egypt on MEDO,
WESTERN EUROPE
5. Comment on reported change in Soviet line on Trieste:
ossibility 013.3(h)(2)
a change m e Soviet line on Trieste, which until now has been support
of the establishment of an Independent Free Territory as provided for
by the Italian Peace Treaty. r 1
Trieste Communist leader Vidali told an Italian newspaperman on 24
March that"Russia would not oppose the move" if Italy obtained a re-
affirmation of the 1948 Tripartite Declaration from France, Britain,
and the United States. On the same day an Italian newspaper reported
that Togliatti, Italian Communist chief, had returned from Moscow with
information that Russia accepts the Tripartite Declaration.
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Neither of these men would necessarily have
foreknowledge of a change in Soviet policy, and dissemination of such
rumors may be merely an attempt to gain votes for the Communists in
the forthcoming Italian elections. Nevertheless, such a shift by the
USSR would embarrass the Western governments, which no longer
consider implementation of the declaration feasible, and would appeal to
Italian irredentist feelings.
LATIN AMERICA
6. Prospects for amicable settlement of Deception Island affair considered
poor:
The Chilean Foreign Ministry informed the 3.3(h)(2)
American Embassy on 1 April that the latest
British note on the Deception Island affair
"ends any hope for an amicable settlement."
The Foreign Ministry sees no other recourse than to invoke the 1947
Rio de Janeiro Treaty "to see what the Organization of American States
(OAS) is worth." For the time being Chile will limit itself to such action.
Comment: Formal introduction of this issue into
the OAS could be embarrassing to the United States.
with Argentina and Chile
Guatemala on 23 February expressed solidarity
3.3(h)(2)
TOP SECRET
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