CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1957/10/20

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03178392
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2019
• Document Release Date: December 20, 2019
• Publication Date: October 20, 1957

CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
20 October 1957
Copy NID� 138 3.3(h)(2)
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OFFICE OF CURRENT 1t&NCE:-
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
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CONTENTS
)1,0 I. BRITISH FEAR POSSIBLE MIDDLE EAST HOSTILITIES
BY MISCALCULATION (page 3).
2. SYRIAN COMPLAINT IN THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
(page 4).
042� 3. HARDING TO BE REPLACED AS GOVERNOR OF CYPRUS
(page 5).
4. SAUDI GROUP PRESSING FOR JAPANESE PARTICIPATION
IN OIL DEVELOPMENT (page 6).
5, SOVIET GUIDED MISSILE EXPECTED TO BE EXHIBITED
IN 40TH ANNIVERSARY PARADE (page 7).
6. HUNGARIAN REGIME TAKES PRECAUTIONS AGAINST
DEMONSTRATIONS ON ANNIVERSARY OF UPRISING
(page 8).
POLISH REGIME CRACKING DOWN ON JOURNALISTS
(page 9).
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1, BRITISH FEAR POSSIBLE MIDDLE EAST HOSTILITIES
BY MISCALCULATION
Reference:
Top British officials believe the Soviet
/Union does not want the Syrian-Turkish
tension to lead to hostilities, but seri-
ously fear that a miscalculation might
bring that result.
In discussing the Syrian crisis, NATO
Secretary General Spook, whose official visit to the United
States begins on 24 October, told American Ambassador
Burgess in Paris that all NATO members must be informed
of the plans of any one of them which, if carried out, would
involve others. He said he could not understand why Turkey,
which has been threatened by the USSR and which has in effect
appealed for NATO support, should now be opposed to the is-
suance of a statement that NATO would do everything in its
power to find peaceful solutions to outstanding issues. He
added that there seemed to be grounds for suspicion that
"another Suez might be brewing."
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2, SYRIAN COMPLAINT IN THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Comment on:
rab states strongly favor limit-
ing UN General Assembly discussion
of the Syrian complaint. They want to
discuss only the situation on the Syrian-
Turkish border and not broaden the de-
bate to include investigation of indirect aggression and Soviet
activities. The duties of the investigation commission should
also be limited to the Syrian-Turkish border. Friendly Arabs
believe this course of action is the only way to avoid close
public Arab-Soviet alignment. The Canadian and Norwegian
UN delegations also believe such limitation will avoid putting
the Arabs and the USSR "in the same boat."
The Arabs believe the composition of the
investigation commission should be limited to about three "neu-
tral" members. The Iraqi UN delegate pointed out that no
Arab could serve on this commission, and suggested it con -
sist of a Latin American, an Asian, and a Swede. This coin-
cides with the Canadian view that the commission be composed
of three individuals, rather than states, namely Mexican For-
eign Minister Nervo, an Indian, and a Swede. These views
contrast with an idea advanced earlier by the United States and
Britain to name the six nonpermanent members of the Security
Council to the commission. Syria considers it desirable that
neither the USSR nor the United States be a member and ap-
proached the Greek ambassador in Damascus on 15 October
stressing the desirability of Greek membership on an inter-
national commission.
Syria's UN delegate told Ambassador Lodge
that Damascus expects the investigation to be conducted on "both
sides of the Syrian-Turkish border." However, the Turkish UN
delegation has expressed uncertainty about Ankara's willingness
to agree to an investigation on its own soil.
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3. HARDING TO BE REPLACED AS GOVERNOR OF CYPRUS
Comment on:
Press reports from Kingston, Jamaica,
state that 50-year-old Sir Hugh Foot,
a career Colonial Office official and gov-
ernor of Jamaica since 1951, will succeed
Field Marshal Sir John Harding as governor of Cyprus Hard-
ing's replacement would remove the symbol of Britain's military
response to the Cyprus problem. Foot's assignments have in-
cluded the post of colonial secretary of Cyprus from 1943 to
1945. During 1944 he was acting governor of Cyprus.
London presumably hopes that the return
of a civilian as governor after Harding's two years would be
taken as a conciliatory gesture by Greece and the Cypriots.
Britain probably anticipates also that the shift would be a dem-
onstration of its confidence that the EOKA underground can be
contained by present policies.
Athens and EOKA would probably react
favorably to Harding's departure as a possible sign of an eas-
ing of Britain's stand, while Ankara conversely would view it
with some foreboding. Neither government would be influenced,
however, to alter its objectives regarding Cyprus.
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4. SAUDI GROUP PRESSING FOR JAPANESE PARTICIPATION
IN OIL DEVELOPMENT
Comment on:
A government-backed Japanese oil group
is apparently successfully negotiating
with the Saudi Arabian government for
rights to develop the offshore area of the
Saudi-Kuwait Neutral Zone. Saudi nego-
tiators have reached agreement with the
Japanese group "on terms more favorable
than those of the American companies."
he Saudi ne-
gotiators urged the crown prince to support the agreement with
the Japanese, since "introduction of a non-American element
into this question is to the advantage of the government."
Earlier, on 10 August, the crown prince's
intercession was sought to ensure that the agreement was con-
cluded with the Japanese and not left to competitive bidding.
The crown prince was advised at that time that "everyone" was
in favor of the agreement with the Japanese. The crown prince
is reportedly close to Saudi Petroleum Director Tariki, who
favors award of the concession to the Japanese. The crown
prince's influence will presumably be brought to bear on King
Saud, who will make the final decision.
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5. SOVIET GUIDED MISSILE EXPECTED TO BE
EXHIBITED IN 40TH ANNIVERSARY PARADE
American officials in Moscow are con-
vinced that the USSR's 40th anniversary
parade on 7 November will be a tre-
mendous display of force designed to
emphasize Soviet antiaircraft and tac-
tical atomic missile capability. Observation of the follow-
ing items during the first large-scale rehearsal on 17 Octo-
ber supports this belief:
1. Two canvas-covered trailers 60-70 feet long,
believed to be for guided missiles.
2. Eight tracked, amphibious rocket-launchers,
with a chassis similar to an amphibious tank, appearing to
mount Honest John-type rockets.
3. Six 122-mm. assault gun-type chassis with can-
vas-covered tubes, which could be rocket-launchers or heavy
guns.
4. Three similar type chassis mounting rocket-
launchers, electronic gear, and apparently a hydraulic ele-
vating mechanism.
5. Sixteen armored, amphibious, full-tracked assault
vehicles mounting heavy, air-cooled machine guns.
Comment Other recently observed ground equipment
which may be displayed in the parade in-
clude a new heavy tank and a new full-tracked amphibious armored
personnel carrier. Recent Soviet development of ground weapons
and tactics has concentrated on cross-country maneuverability and
increased firepower.
The 40th anniversary parade is also expected
to be the occasion for a spectacular military display of air and
naval weapons and equipment.
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6. HUNGARIAN REGIME TAKES PRECAUTIONS AGAINST
DEMONSTRATIONS ON ANNIVERSARY OF UPRISING
Comment on:
The Hungarian regime is taking drastic
steps to prevent any demonstrations of
popular hostility or display of national
mourning on the anniversary of last year's
national uprising on 23 October. Top-
level functionaries have repeatedly warned
the public against any demonstrations of
any kind. Reliable party officials report-
edly have been placed on the alert. The
workers militia has been ordered to be
ready to cooperate with the armed forces.
Students have been a target for special
warnings. Minister of State Marosan on 16 October urged
University of Budapest students to "deal" with any fellow stud-
ents who wear black arm bands on 23 October. He threatened
to expel any student who cuts classes that day and declared
he would personally check on compliance with his orders.
The regime's extreme fear of student disturbances has report-
edly been intensified by the recent riots in Warsaw.
According to the American legation in
Budapest, minor party officials from each Budapest apart-
ment were recently assembled and given instructions for the
anniversary period. They were told to turn all Hungarian or
black flags over to the police, to compile new lists of all res-
idents in their buildings, and to report immediately all gather-
ings of more than two or three persons. All flags or placards
displayed on 23 October are to be reported at once. The police
have reportedly collected all black ties and crepe arm bands
from stores.
In view of these extreme precautions and
the continued presence of six mechanized divisions of Soviet
troops in Hungary, any serious disturbances are unlikely dur-
ing the anniversary period.
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7. POLISH REGIME CRACKING DOWN ON JOURNALISTS
According to the American embassy in
Warsaw, the Polish regime, sparked by
Gomulka's distrust of a free press, is at-
tempting to force journalists to be more
amenable to official controls and to intimidate some of them
who maintain close contacts with Western correspondents. Un-
der pressure of the regime, cuts are being made in the staffs
of three of the most outspoken liberal publications, accord-
ing to reports received by the embassy.
Gomulka is particularly annoyed over
leaks by Polish reporters to Western correspondents. One
Polish journalist who maintained close contacts with an Amer-
ican correspondent has been arrested, and there are rumors
in Warsaw that five others with such contacts have also been
arrested.
Comment The Polish government has been very sen-
sitive to the reporting of its domestic
affairs in the West. If the regime fails in its effort to control
Western correspondents' sources of information, it is possible
it may ask some of them to leave Poland. In the past year the
regime has ousted one Western correspondent, warned several
others, and temporarily withheld the visa of still another. Only
last week, the Polish Foreign Ministry vigorously criticized the
publication of a recent interview granted by Premier Cyrankiewicz
to a New York Times writer, claiming a distortion of content as
well as asserting that the material was not for release in the first
place.
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