CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1953/03/12

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02050132
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: July 15, 2019
• Document Release Date: July 22, 2019
• Publication Date: March 12, 1953

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4
12 March 1953
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CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLASS. iyi4
El DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS
NEXT REVIEW DATE:
AUTH: H 70-2
DATE:
REVIEWER:
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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SUMMARY
SOVIET UNION
1. Propaganda build-up of Malenkov begins (page 3).
FAR EAST
2.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
3, Viet Minh attack aggainst northern Laos indicated (page 4).
4, Burmese Premier reportedly sees crisis in American-Burmese
relations (page 4).
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
5. Comment on Italian court decision on Trnnian nil (map SI
6.
7. Turkey presses Iraq for commitment on MEDO (page 6).
WESTERN EUROPE
8. Bonn government confident of treat a royal b Bundesrat a. e 7
9.
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SOVIET UNION
1. Propaganda build-up of Malenkov begins:
The American Embassy in Moscow reports
indications already appearing of an effort
to build up Malenkov's prestige. Pravda on
10 March printed a picture of Stalin, Mao,
and Malenkov at the 0 signing of the Sino-Soviet Treaty. A com-
parison with the original shows that a wholesale retouching job has
placed Malenkov next to Mao by eliminating three persons between
them. The original has also been trimmed to remove Molotov at
Stalin's right hand and Vyshinsky seated in front of Mao.
2.
The 9 March Pravda featured quotations
from Malenkov's report at the 19th Party Congress in heavy black
type similar to that used in quotations from Stalin.
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SOUTHEAST ASIA
3. Viet Minh attack against northern Laos indicated:
French intelligence believes that Viet
Minh reconnaissance activities indicate
preparation for an attack on Sam Neua
in northern .Laos. Two division would
probably be employed as the striking
�force, with an additional division in support.
Comment:
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Since the threat to Sam Neua in January, French Union
defenses there have reportedly been strengthened by the construction
of a ring of fortresses around the town and improvement of the air-
field. However, an enemy task force of the size indicated would far
outnumber the French Union forces stationed there.
Such a Viet Minh objective may be a step
toward the eventual establishment of a large "liberated area" in-
cluding northern Laos which would be relatively immune to French
ground action.
4. Burmese Premier reportedly sees crisis in American-Burmese
relations:
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a crisis is approaching in American-- 3.3(h)(2)
Burmese relations. Unless the United States
Government brings about the removal of Chi-
nese Nationalist troops from Burma, the Rangoon government will
terminate the American aid program.
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Comment: Last week Nu publicly threatened
that unless the United States moves quickly to halt Nationalist activi-
ties, a serious rupture in American-Burmese relations would result.
Although the possibility that the Burmese may
take some rash action against the United States cannot be discounted,
current threats are probably intended to stimulate efforts to solve the
Nationalist problem quickly and thus relieve internal political pressure
over the issue.
NEAR EAST - AFRICA
5. Comment on Italian court decision on Iranian oil:
The decision of the Venice court on 11 March
that the Italian company, SUPOR, had legally purchased the oil carried
on the Miriella provides Prime Minister Mossadeq with an opportunity
to obtain popular support for any line he may choose to take in the Anglo-
Iranian oil talks.
Although the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company
announced that it would take the case to a court in Rome, Mossadeq
can use the Venice decision as evidence that the British "blockade"
is broken. SUPOR intends to move more oil from Abadan; the Miriella
transited the Suez Canal eastbound on 28 February. Other potential
purchasers, who have been deterred by threats of British legal action,
may now be encouraged to buy.
Iran's financial position will not be improved
substantially by the relatively small amounts of oil which might be sold
through a series of small contracts.
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7. Turkey presses Iraq for commitment on MEDO:
According to the Turkish Charge in Baghdad,
Turkey expects an official response to its
28 February proposal to Iraq that the two
countries associate in establishing MEDO.
He was told by the Iraqi Foreign Minister that this matter was being
considered by the Council of Ministers in Baghdad.
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The Charge stressed Turkey's role as the
leader of Middle East defense, and re-emphasized his country's
desire to have MEDO headquarters on Turkish soil. He said that
any suggestion that the headquarters be located in Egypt would be
unacceptable to Turkey for reasons of prestige as well as defense.
Comment: The Charge's remarks,
apparently reflecting offiairaiinking, are the clearest indication
of Turkey's current disagreement with Western estimates of Egypt's
Importance to Middle East defense. Iraq, on the other hand, would
prefer to follow Egypt's lead in joining MEDO.
WESTERN EUROPE
8. Bonn government confident of treaty approval by Bundesrat:
West German coalition leaders believe
that the Bundesrat or upper house will
ratify the Bonn and Paris treaties prior
to the federal elections. They also feel
that the opposition Social Democrats will still seek a constitutional
ruling on the treaties, but will refrain from asking for an injunction
which would prevent the Federal President from signing the treaties
Into law.
In the opinion of these coalition leaders,
the Social Democrats will count on the French Parliament to "kill"
the treaties, and therefore will not choose to risk popular censure
in hamstringing national defense measures just prior to elections.
Comment: The 13undestag is expected to
approve the treaties on the third and final reading, now planned for
19 March, Early Bundesrat action will depend on the attitude of the
leader of the key Bundesrat delegation, Reinhold Maier, who in the
past has opposed consideration of the treaties until after the elec-
tions, but whose current attitude is unknown.
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