CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1955/08/27

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03448357
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: September 20, 2019
• Document Release Date: September 26, 2019
• Publication Date: August 27, 1955

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C03448357
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27 August 1955 3.3(h)(2)
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Copy No. I 9
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO. _57
NO CHANGE IN CLASS.
[I DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS ' S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE. 20.10
ALITH: HR 70-2
DATE: PA/80 REVIEWFS�
Office of Current Intelligence
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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CONTENTS
I. FRENCH MAY HALT AIR SUPPLY OF LAOTIAN
FORCES AT MUONG PEUN (page 3).
2.
YUNNAN (page 4).
SITUATION IN
3. POSSIBILITY OF ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW SOVIET
AND AFGHAN CONSULATES (page 5).
4. COMMENT ON ISRAELI-EGYPTIAN BORDER
INCIDENTS (page 6).
5. SOVIET FARM DELEGATION ACCEPTS INVITATION
TO VISIT VENEZUELA (page 7).
27 Aug 55
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1. FRENCH MAY HALT AIR SUPPLY OF LAOTIAN
FORCES AT MUONG PEUN
General Archimrault, chief of the
French air force in the Far East, is
reliably reported to have stated on
22 August that in the event of a "ma-
jor development" in the royal govern-
ment's conflict with the Pathet Lao, it would remain
French policy to withdraw its air support of the Laotian
army.
The American army attach�n Vien-
tiane points out there is immediate danger that govern-
ment forces of about eight battalions in the Muong Peun
area may be cut off from the logistic support now being
provided by French C-47's if these aircraft should be-
come a target of Communist antiaircraft fire.
Comment The government's overland line of
communications to the Muong Peun
area presents serious physical obstacles to adequate
logistic support, and is constantly subject to Pathet Lao
harassment.
During the Pathet Lao attack on Muong
Peun in early July, the French refused to fly in Laotian
reinforcements and the royal government was forced to
charter civil aircraft at heavy expense. In addition to
the problem of its cost, the local commercial transport
capability is believed insufficient for full-scale logistic
support.
27 Aug 55
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2.
YTTPJNAN
SITUATION IN
Comment
Peiping's "loyalty and honesty" cam-
paign is part of an intensified Chinese
Communist effort to eliminate unreliable party members,
to force the intelligentsia to support the party line, and
to silence opposition to the regime's stringent food col-
lection and socialization policies in the countryside.
27 Aug 55
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 4
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3. possmuury OF ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW SOVIET
AND AFGHAN CONSULATES
Afghanistan is considering opening
consulates in Bokhara, Merv, and
Tashkent in the USSR, according to
a low-ranking official of the Afghan
Foreign Ministry. The statement was made to the first
secretary of the Iraqi embassy in Kabul.
The American embassy comments
that this may be an outgrowth of the Soviet-Afghan transit
agreement and that, if true, it could presage opening of
Soviet consulates in Mazar-i-Sharif, Herat, and possi-
bly Kandahar.
Comment This report of Afghan intentions may
be another effort to alarm Pakistan
and Western nations and to force the lifting of Karachi's
undeclared economic blockade.
Even if Afghanistan were to allow
opening of Soviet consulates at Mazar-i-Sharif and Herat,
however, agreement would be unlikely to Soviet represen-
tation at Kandahar in the south, where Russian influence
has never been permitted and where there is no commer-
cial justification for a consulate.
Bokhara, Merv, and Tashkent are all
on Soviet railroads leading to the Afghan border. Mazar-
i-Sharif and Herat are on the main roads from the Soviet
border to other parts of Afghanistan.
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4. COMMENT ON ISRAELI-EGYPTIAN BORDER INCIDENTS
he incidents along the Gaza border
n 25 and 26 August reported by Israel
s having been at Egyptian initiative
do not appear to be more serious than
other border raids which have occurred
during the past year. The actions prob-
bly were taken in retaliation for earlier
incidents on 22 August, which each side
accuses the other of starting. They may also have been
Intended by Cairo to add force to its announcement that
Egypt will not continue border talks with Israel So long as
it feels Tel Aviv seeks primarily "political gains' rather
than an easing of tensions.
The Israeli reaction so far indicates
that Tel Aviv will not use these incidents as an excuse to
make a full-fledged attack on Egypt. However, some kind
of new Israeli retaliation probably can be expected.
27 Aug 55
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5, SOVIET FARM DELEGATION ACCEPTS INVITATION TO
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Comment
The Venezuelan government, which
broke relations with the Soviet Union
in 1952 and has only negligible trade with the Soviet bloc,
is the only Latin American government known to have in-
vited the Soviet farm delegation.
Venezuela has few friends among
Western nations. It may hope to increase its prestige
by publicizing its immense building and public works pro-
gram in connection with a Soviet visit.
27 Aug 55
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 7
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