CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1956/01/24

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03171967
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2019
• Document Release Date: October 31, 2019
• Publication Date: January 24, 1956

Approved for Release: 2019/10/21 C03171967
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4.7 3.5(c)
24 January 1956
3.3(h)(2)
CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO
Copy No. I 0 3
NO CHANGE IN CLASS el
[ I DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS S C
NEXT REVIEW DATE. 111
AUTH: HR 70-2
DATE; 1% -Z-13 08 REVIEWER: .
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
P SECRET
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CONTENTS
I. THE BOMBAY RIOTS
(page 3).
2. KING SAUD REITERATES HIS POLICY TOWARD US
(page 4).
3. FRENCH ARMY IN ALGERIA SUFFERS LARGE LOSSES
(page 5).
4. NEW SOVIET AMBASSADOR TO PAKISTAN
(page 6).
24 Jan 56
* * * *
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(page 7)
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 2
-rop-sEeRLET
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CUPIYIDLIVTIAL
1. THE BOMBAY RIOTS
Following a week of rioting in Bombay
and other cities of India, the Congress
Party executive committee, which fre-
quently speaks for the government of
India, announced on 23 January that the government would
not alter its decision to divide Bombay state into three new
states--namely, Bombay City, Maharashtra, and Guj erat--
as part of the plan to revise state boundaries throughout
India along linguistic lines.
This decision is not likely to be altered
unless violence increases throughout India, in which case
the government might suspend all efforts at reorganization.
In dividing Bombay state, the government
would accede to the desires of Mahrattis in the south and
Gujeratis in the north for independent states of their own.
At the same time, by creating a separate state of Bombay
City, the government hoped to end bitter disputes between
Mahrattis and Gujeratis for possession of the city as capi-
tal of their respective states.
Actually, it appears that the government's
plan to divide one of the richest states in the country would
bring it no obvious benefit. Moreover, the announcement of
the plan has provided the Communists with an issue that they
are able to exploit to the discredit of the Congress Party. It
seems doubtful that the Congress Party can maintain in the
three new states the organization and loyalty which previously
gave Bombay the reputation of being the best administered and
politically the second most influential state in India.
24 Jan 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 3
-rONFIDENTIAL--
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2. KING SAUD REITERATES HIS POLICY TOWARD US
King Saud of Saudi Arabia reiterated
to his ambassador in Washington on
16 January his strong desire to main-
tain close friendship with the United
States. He stated that "up to the
pres,ent the Americans have showed us nothing except a
co-operative attitude whether in the Buraimi matter or
in respect to the arms.... If we obtain what they have
promised us, it would be out of the question for us to ex-
change their friendship for that of others:,
The king said that the USSR has been
making offers "night and day" and is prepared to give aid
at any moment. He concluded that should the United States
reject Saudi Arabia's requests, he believed that arms could
be obtained easily from the USSR.
Comment This statement to his ambassador of
Saudis policy toward the US is consistent
with his earlier statements to American officials.
24 Jan 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 4
TOP SECRET
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4
3. FRENCH ARMY IN ALGERIA SUFFERS LARGE LOSSES
Heavy fighting in eastern Algeria in
the last few weeks resulted in about
400 French army dead and wounded,
Although the French encircled some
groups of rebels, a Moroccan regiment in the French ar-
my permitted the bulk of the Algerian rebels and their
leaders to escape. All tribes in the locality are said to
have joined the rebels, and sabotage of communications
has increased.
The rebels have excellent intelligence
on French troop movements, while the French are unable
to obtain advance information on rebel activities.
Comment
the Algerian situation is worsening.
News reports, which are based on French press releases,
however, continue to emphasize rebel casualties and play
down French military difficulties and losses.
24 Jan 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 5
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4. NEW SOVIET AMBASSADOR TO PAKISTAN
Ivan F. Shpedko, the new Soviet
ambassador to Pakistan, served in
Kabul from 1949 to 1953 as senior
counselor and charg�t the Soviet embassy and is be-
lieved to have been in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
in Moscow since then. Since the USSR has publicly sup-
ported Afghanistan and India against Pakistan, his re-
ception by the Pakistani government is likely to be cool.
Should the USSR, however, offer
Pakistan economic and technical aid, the growing feel-
ing in Pakistan that neutrality pays better dividends than
firm adherence to the West would probably cause govern-
ment leaders to give consideration to the offer in the hope
of obtaining stronger support from the West.
24 Jan 56
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 6
CONFIDENTIAL
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A 1012 SECRE,1.
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
23 January)
No significant military incidents have
been reported.
A Jerusalem radio report that Syria is
planning army maneuvers near the Syrian-Israeli border and
has evacuated civilians and declared martial law in the area
is not confirmed.
two unidentified "but apparently Israeli" military air-
craft violated Saudi airspace on 10 January in the vicinity of
Tebuk near the Saudi-Jordanian border. The Saudi government
said that instructions had been issued to shoot down military air-
craft which flew over this area without permission, and asked
the Jordanian government to lifform it of any foreign military air-
craft flying over these regions.
Secretary General Hammarsiqoia ot the
United Nations, who has been holding talks with Egyptian pre-
mier Nasr in Cairo, told the American embassy that agreement
has been reached regarding the United Nations proposals for
the El Auja demilitarized zone. Although details were not given,
the agreement reportedly provides for demarcation of the bound-
ary, withdrawal of Egyptian troops from the Sinai border region
adjacent to the demilitarized zone, and reduction of Israeli strength
within the zone to the status prevailing on 3 October 1955. UN
truce supervisor General Burns has been attempting to obtain
Israeli-Egyptian agreement to these proposals since early Novem-
ber, following the Israeli attack of 2-3 November on an Egyptian
outpost at El Auja. In a letter of 4 January to General Burns,
Israel "confirmed" acceptance of the UN proposals. This agree-
ment, if maintained, should greatly reduce incidents in this area.
Egyptian premier Nasr told Marshal Tito that the prospect of an
Arab-Israeli settlement had worsened over the past year. Nasr
said that the Baghdad pact had loosened the ties between the Arab
states and that he could not undertake steps toward settlement
when no other Arab leader, would go along.
24 Jan 56
'Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 7
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