CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1956/04/22

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02995606
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2019
• Document Release Date: October 31, 2019
• Publication Date: April 22, 1956

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CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
22 April 1956
Lopy NO. 103
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLAS
. DECLASSIFIED
CLASS. CHANGED TO: IS
NEXT REVIEW DATE:
REVIEWER:_j-1
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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CONTENTS
1. SOVIET LEADERS MAINTAIN GENEVA POSITIONS IN
INITIAL TALKS WITH BRITISI (page 3).
2. FLOW OF REFUGEES OF CONSCRIPT AGE FROM EAST
GERMANY REACHES HIGH POINT (page 5).
3, TURKISH PRESIDENT SUGGESTS $100,000,000 AMERICAN
LOAN 'page 6).
4. LIBERIAN PRESIDENT DECIDES AGAINST VISIT TO
MOSCOW (page 7).
* * * *
22 Apr 56
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(page 8)
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 2
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1. SOVIET LEADERS MAINTAIN GENEVA POSITIONS IN
INITIAL TALKS WITH BRITISH
In their first private meeting with
British leaders in London on 19 April,
the Soviet leaders made no new pro-
posals on the two main subjects dis-
cussed, East-West contacts and Germany. Khrushchev
took the lead in presenting the Soviet position, with Bulganin
interjecting only a few brief comments.
According. to an official of the British
Foreign Office, Khrushchev made an "impressive" reply
to Eden's opening statement that Soviet attacks on Britain's
colonial record seemed to belie their friendly protestations.
Khrushchev maintained that the USSR was not unfriendly,
that it was not seeking to divide the United Kingdom from
its allies and was pleased to see that the British are assist-
ing some colonial peoples to independence. He argued,
however, that the USSR must maintain its anticolonial prin-
ciple regarding areas which are still being denied independ-
ence.
Eden's reference to the Satellites as a
cause of tension evoked a sharp reaction from Khrushchev,
who insisted that the Satellites are sovereign and independ-
ent nations. He said that if the British desire information on
these countries they should inquire of their respective diplo-
matic representatives in London. Bulganin, in one of his
rare comments, objected to the term "Satellites."
Khrushchev's comments on German uni-
fication were completely negative and merely reiterated the
Soviet position at the Geneva conferences. He contended
there is no connection between unification and European se-
curity and again urged the withdrawal of foreign troops from
Germany and declared that unification was a matter for nego-
tiation by "the two Germanies."
The general impression of British offi-
cials after thisfirstmeeting was that the Soviet leaders are
22 Apr 56
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well entrenched and sure of themselves. At one point in
the discussion, the Russians remarked that the circumstances
no longer exist, if in fact they ever existed, where the West
can impose its will on the USSR.
22 Apr 56
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2. FLOW OF REFUGEES OF CONSCRIPT AGE FROM
EAST GERMANY REACHES HIGH POINT
During the week of 6 to 12 April, 972
East Germans between the ages of 17
and 24 took refuge in West Berlin.
This is the largest number of refugees
in this age group in any week since the
beginning oi November 1955. The total number of refugees
who registered in West Berlin during this week was 3,882.
Comment
The sudden rise in military-age-refu-
gees, despite the security controls
over persons of this age group, indicates that strict border
controls and a check of trains leading to West Berlin are not
sufficient to prevent young people from leaving to escape
military service.
Since 1 January 1955, 42,080 East Germans
of military age have escaped to West Berlin alone, and about
as many have fled directly across the West German border.
Approximately three fourths of these refugees, or enough to
man six East German army divisions, are male.
22 Apr 56
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�LA �I A _s_
NES
3. TURKISH PRESIDENT SUGGESTS $100,000,000
AMERICAN LOAN
President Bayar of Turkey sug-
gested that the United States
consider giving a $100,000,000
loan or grant "to permit Turkey
o co peels present (domestic development) proj-
ects," during a private informal conversation with
Director Riley of the US Overseas Mission on 18 April.
Riley reports that Bayar also indi-
cated he had no intention of dealing further with the
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development,
and that regardless of Soviet pressure he will not ac-
cept Soviet economic assistance "so long as he is in
power!' The president also said that the forthcoming
visit of the International Monetary. Fund (IMF) represent-
atives to Turkey would only increase popular suspicions
that currency devaluation was imminent, an action he
would never authorize.
Comment This latest Turkish approach for a
substantial increase in American
economic assistance indicates that Ankara is as adamant
as ever in its opposition to American recommendations
for stabilizing the Turkish economy. Bayaris attitude
offers little hope for any practical accomplishment dur-
ing the visit of the IMF representatives to Ankara.
Bayar and Prime Minister Menderes
are the two most influential men in Turkey. Menderes has
consistently pressed for an even larger American loan.
22 Apr 56
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4. LIBERIAN PRESIDENT DECIDES AGAINST VISIT
TO MOSCOW
resident Tubman informed the Amer-
can ambassador in Monrovia on 20
pril that he had declined the Soviet
nvitation to visit Moscow not only for
himself but also for the vice president and the speaker of
>the House of Representatives. He cited internal political
and constitutional considerations which made the trips im-
possible.
Comment
It is clear
hat as recently as 7 April
Tubman personally tavorea sending Liberian emissaries
to Moscow and was certain that the USSR would not secure
any benefit from such a visit because of Liberia's "avid"
opposition to Communism.
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JEI JL I AI A
THE ARAB-ISRAELI SITUATION
(Information as of 1700, 22 April)
The American embassy in Tel Aviv
believes that Israel feels that the crisis with Egypt is tempo-
rarily at an end. Road blocks on the approaches to Tel Aviv
have been discontinued, the home guard brigade has been de-
mobilized, and a portion of the reservists have been returned
to inactive status.
Israeli attitudes toward the future, how-
ever, remain pessimistic, and Israeli forces retain a high
capability for immediate action on all borders.
Israel's assessment of the situation is re-
flected in a statement by the minister of labor to an Israeli
youth conference in Jerusalem on 21 April that it would be
"criminal folly for Israel to assume that the UN had achieved
anything more than a postponement of war in the Near East."
(Press)
UN secretary general Hammarskj old re-
turned to Lebanon after, completion of conferences with Israeli
leaders, and prepared for discussions with the governments of
Syria and Jordan during the coming week. (Press)
In recent discussions with Harnmarskjold,
Israeli premier Ben-Gurion is reported to have reiterated his
country's intention of resuming work on the Jordan water diver-
sion project at Banat Yacov, an action which Syria has declared
it would consider an act of aggression. An official in Ben-Gurion's
office had previously expressed Israel's determination to begin
work on the project by 15 May, while other reports indicate that
Syrian troops opposite the site of the diversion project, at Banat
Yacov, have standing orders to open fire if Israel resumes work
within the demilitarized zone. The American embassy on 19
April re-emphasized the "explosive situation" which could devel-
OD from the Banat Yacov nrnhlprn iicvr'imr'm Ivrc I/'v1TI
According to tue.zgypuctn press a mimary
delegation from Jordan, led by the chief of staff of the Arab Legion,
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will arrive in Cairo within a few days for conferences on joint
military plans. King Hussain reportedly is unwilling to permit
these talks to result in conclusion of military pacts which would
bring Jordan into the Egyptian-Saudi-Syrian alliance. However,
a strong faction of Arab Legion officers is believed to desire
closer military co-operation with Egypt.
Egypt, Saudi Aralna, ana Yemen nave con-
cluded a military alliance, according to press reports from Cairo.
In addition to adding another Arab country to the military alliance
against Israel, the alignment has strong anti-British overtones.
Both Saudi Arabia and Yemen have serious territorial disputes
with Britain, and Nasr is strongly anti-British. (Press)
Egyptian military camps in the Suez Canal
Zone which were formerly empty now appear to be occupied, ac-
Although no
training has been observed, there has been an apparent increase
in personnel and equipment, probably connected with rail move-
ments from the Cairo area last week.
An Israeli ship was to leav6 Britaid on 22 April
carrying 750 tons of military equipment and explosives, including
16 Bofors light antiaircraft guns, according to press reports
from London. (Press)
"1.
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