CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1956/12/01

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03169432
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2019
• Document Release Date: October 31, 2019
• Publication Date: December 1, 1956

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CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This document contains classified information affecting
the national security of the United States within the
meaning of the espionage laws, US Code Title 18, Sections
793, 794, and 798. The law prohibits its transmission
or the revelation of its contents in any manner to an un-
authorized person, as well as its use in any manner
prejudicial to the safety or interest of the United States
or for the benefit of any foreign government to the detri-
ment of the United States.
1 December 1956
Copy 1
12 5(h)(2)
(c)
opy Noo ,
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CL, SS. 71%,�.
CLASS. CHANGED TO: IS S C
13 DECLASSIFIED
NEXT REVIEW DATE: -------
DATE: REVIEWER:
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CONTENTS
1. USSR TIZRNISH SYRIA WITH TRAINING PERSONNEL
(page 3).
2. USSR TO SUPPLY EGYPTIAN AND SYRIAN FUEL NEEDS
(page 4).
3. ANTIGOVERNMENT DEMONSTRATIONS SPREADING IN
IRAQ (page 5).
4. rBRIhrAIN MAY LOAN JET FIGHTERS TO LEBANON
(page 6).
5. USSR DETAINS. AMERICAN ARMY TRUCK CONVOY AT
BERLIN CHECK POINT (page 7).
6. REVOLUTIONARY OUTBREAK IN CUBA
7. POLES READY TO NEGOTIATE US AID
(page 8).
(page 9)0
8. EAST GERMAN PARTY NEWSPAPER ATTACKS POLISH
WRITER FOR IDEOLOGICAL ERRORS (page 10).
9. SOUTH KOREA SEEKS MILITARY ALLIANCE WITH NATION-
ALIST CHINA (page 11).
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Veser
ISH SYRIA WITH TRAINING PERSONNEL
The Soviet Union will supply Syria with
160 Soviet training personnel, but has
"not agreed" to provide technicians to
"fight with the equipment" as requested
by Syria.
At least 52 men will be furnished to
train Syrian air force personnel. This includes eight air-
craft instructors, four of them specifically for MIG-17 air-
craft. The inclusion of 15 specialists for assembling air-
craft indicates that the MIG-17's which Syria has requested
from the USSR will be delivered by sea.
The Soviet group also includes about 40
navy specialists, which suggests that Syria has recently de-
cided to place increased emphasis on the development of naval
units. The USSR has already agreed to supply. Syria with at
least six motor torpedo boats.
The remaining personnel are assigned to
ground force training. Specialists for weapons include a
large number of maintenance men as well as instructors for
artillery, communications and radar equipment.
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2. USSR TO SUPPLY EGYPTIAN AND SYRIAN FUEL NEEDS
On 15 November, Syria concluded a
contract with Moscow for fuel oil, and Moscow stated that
the first delivery would be made at Baniyas by 3 or 4 Decem-
ber.
Comment Although the number of tankers deliver-
ing cargoes to Egypt in November and
December represents no increase over the rate of delivery in
August, September and October, the cargoes will be composed
exclusively of fuel oil and kerosene, whereas at least 25 per-
cent of former deliveries were composed of crude oil for the
Suez refinery.
Soviet shipments to Egypt were resumed
in mid-November when two Soviet tankers delivered fuel oil
and kerosene to Alexandria. These deliveries are probably
being made under the existing Soviet-Egyptian contract for
large quantities of fuel oil concluded in August.
The first Soviet delivery to Syria will in-
clude 11,000 tons of fuel oil to be discharged at Baniyas. Re-
liable sources report that facilities for storing 50,000 tons at
this port are being prepared for the receipt of Soviet petroleum
products. Continued monthly shipments of 50,000 tons would
practically eliminate Syrian dependence on other sources.
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3. ANTIGOVERNMENT DEMONSTRATIONS SPREADING
IN IRAQ
Antigovernment and pro-Nasr demon-
strations in Baghdad, which were
touched off by the Anglo-French inter-
- i azention n Egypt, have now spread to
other sections of Iraq. The govern-
ment has reinforced military units
around the city and moved troops south
to support local police. Baghdad radio
announced on 30 November that martial
law had been proclaimed in four northern
provinces.
A change of prime ministers reportedly
is under discussion in Baghdad. Since no former prime
minister appears willing to assume the liabilities of Null.%
pro-British policies, the palace may try to ride out the
storm with Nuri Said. Crown Prince Abdul Illah told Am-
bassador Gallman on 26 November that even if Nun i were
replaced, there would be no change in foreign policy. He
said membership in the Baghdad pact should be maintained
as well as close relations with the West.
The Iraqi government has the police
power available to control antigovernment demonstrations.
The American army attach�eports that the Iraqi air force
has been "buzzing" Baghdad with jet planes for several days,
probably to intimidate the populace against further demonstra-
tions.
1 Dec 56 Current Intelligence Bulletin
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AN JET FIGHTERS TO LEBANON
The British embassy in Beirut has
recommended to London that 12 Hunter
jet fighters be loaned to the Lebanese
air force to replace its present seven
Vampire jet fighters. The British of-
ficial who gave this information to the American army at-
tach�n Beirut believes London will approve immediate
delivery of the Hunters, and also an increase in the size
of the British training mission in Lebanon.
Comment As a consequence of recent develop-
ments in Syria and Jordan, the British
are anxious to strengthen Lebanon's military position and
to improve their relations with Beirut. The proposed
"loan" of jet fighters would be in addition to the recent de-
livery of 300 rifles and 3,000,000 rounds of ammunition.
Tanks are reportedly also awaiting shipment in London,
and the British have agreed to supply a total of 500 Sten
guns, 500 automatic rifles, and some 17-pounders.
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5. USSR DETAINS AMERICAN ARMY TRUCK CONVOY AT
OINT
An American army truck convoy return-
ing from West Germany to Berlin which
had cleared the East German border
check point at Marienborn without dif-
ficulty was detained at the check point near Berlin on 29
November, according to a report from the American mis-
sion in Berlin. A Soviet lieutenant colonel stated that the
vehicles would have to be inspected, and that he had in-
structions to search vehicles to look for concealed persons.
The convoy commander refused to permit inspection. The
convoy was finally allowed to pass, but the Soviet officer
in charge of the check point stated that in the future con-
voys would not be permitted to proceed without inspection
of the interior of the vehicle.
Comment Soviet authorities have not been demand-
ing the right to inspect military truck
convoys traveling between West Germany and Berlin.
Since the night of 24-25 November, Allied
military trains have passed Soviet check points with only
short delays upon presentation of Russian translations of
travel orders and identity documents.
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6. REVOLUTIONARY OUTBREAK IN CUBA
The fighting in Santiago de Cuba, the
second largest city in the island republic,
on 30 November may have been intended
to trigger a full-scale revolutionary at-
tempt against the Batista regime. Par-
ticipants in the attacks on government
buildings included many persons identi-
fid with the "26th of July" movement of
revolutionary exile Fidel Castro, who
has been actively plotting against Presi-
dent Batista for some time. The Cuban
army claims to have the situation under
control although uprisings in other areas
have been rumored.
all military and police are on alert, and authorities are ex-
pecting a landing attempt by revolutionaries.
The Santiago outbreak may be related to
a revolution which is to begin
on 4 December at strategic Camp Columbia in Havana
involve simultaneous uprisings throughout the island.
all insurrection groups, united under Castro,
were well organized and had sufficient arms; he added that
the conspiracy included elements in the navy, the police,
and the military at an army post in Havana. Planes and ad-
ditional men and arms were expected from Mexico, Haiti,
and the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica.
While it appears that Batista retains the
loyalty of a majority of the armed forces, there have been
reports of dissatisfaction and plotting, particularly within
the army, a key factor in the situation.
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0 NEGOTIATE US AID
Polish deputy foreign minister Winiewicz
on 29 November told American ambassa-
dor Jacobs that his government was pre-
pared to send experts to the United States
in the near future to discuss economic aid. He stressed again
that Poland was unwilling to accept any American "controllers
or advisers" in relation to aid, though this did not preclude
Investigation of Polish capabilities to repay purely commer-
cial loans.
Winiewicz added that the experts to be
dispatched to Washington would also like to discuss with of-
ficials of the International Bank and the International Mone-
tary Fund the possibility of Polish membership.
Comment Winiewicz had told Jacobs on 13 Novem-
ber that Poland was interested primarily
in receiving short-term credits (two to five years) from the
United States for the purchase of grains, fats and oils, cotton,
fertilizer, and coal mining machinery.
The Kremlin reportedly agreed during
the Moscow discussions with Gomulka that Poland might seek
aid from the West.
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8. EAST GERMAN PARTY NEWSPAPER ATTACKS POLISH
WRITER FOR IDEOLOGICAL ERRORS
The East German party newspaper
Neues Deutschland bitterly attacked
Polish writer Edda Werfel on 27 Novem-
ber for her recent article in praise of
the Polish road to socialism.
Her article was attacked for holding up
the Polish "revolution of 1956" as a model
for all brother parties, and representing
it as beginning a "new period in the inter-
national workers' movement!' The paper
also accused Werfel of associating lierself with those who
wish to slander the Soviet Union by identifying the personality
cult with the Soviet system, and put her in the same category
with Ruth Fischer, Koestler, and "other renegades!'
Comment On 28 November, Moscow radio repeated
the East German criticism in its Polish
broadcast as a warning to the Poles and others against going
too far. This is the first public response by Moscow to the
recent spate of Polish articles critical of the USSR.
Gomulka in a speech of 29 November in-
dicated that the Polish regime's attitude is hardening toward
the present outspokenness of Polish journalism. He warned
against "reactionaries trying to ride the wave of democratiza-
tion," and said that anyone who opposed the Communist program
of socialism is on the "other side of the barricades." Attacks
against party members as Stalinists, he said, are in reality at-
tacks against the party.
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9, SOUTH KOREA SEEKS MILITARY ALLIANCE WITH
NATIONALIST CHINA
Ambassador Rankin in Taipei reports
that South Korea has again proposed a
military alliance to Nationalist China.
As a basis for such an alliance, South
Korea requested Nationalist China to agree to consultations
on possible simultaneous military action against the Chi-
nese Communists and North Koreans, to press for the abro-
gation of the Korean armistice, and to adopt an anti-Japanese
policy.
A provisional reply by the Nationalists--
given even before reference to Chiang Kai-shek- -noted that
Taipei has no present plans to launch an offensive against
the Communists and that it preferred not to link its Korean
and Japanese policies. The reply indicated receptiveness,
however, to an open military alliance which would take ac-
count of obligations to the United States and assured Seoul
that Taipei would continue to support its opposition to the
armistice agreement.
Comment An attempt by Taipei to conclude a good-
will treaty with Korea last August fell
through when President Rhee included unacceptable condi-
tions. While the Chinese Nationalists share Rhee's distrust
of Japan, they have adopted a policy of friendship and co-
operation with Tokyo because of the need for its political
support and the importance of mutual trade.
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