CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1957/04/28

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03160446
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2019
• Document Release Date: December 20, 2019
• Publication Date: April 28, 1957

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CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
3.3(h)(2) 1/4/
3.5(c) 28 April 1957 //
/
W/17/7/01/A
p y t.dO1NO j-
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CBANGE 01_,NSS.
n DEDLASSWIED
CLASS. CI-IANGO TO: TS
NE-.)(TREVIAN DATE: --
AUTIk.70-24
DAT *NAENNE
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TOP SECRET
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CONTENTS
l. COMMENT ON LATEST SOVIET DISARMAMENT PROPOSAL
(page 3).
2. DEVELOPMENTS IN JORDAN
(page 5).
3. HONDURAN-NICARAGUAN BORDER DISPUTE ERUPTS
AGAIN (page 7).
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. COMMENT ON LATEST SOVIET DISARMAMENT PROPOSAL
The USSR's latest disarmament proposal,
resented in a bilateral discussion with
the US on 26 April in London appears, ac-
cording to the preliminary impression of
he US delegate, to be "the beginning of hard, difficult negotiat-
ing in a genuine attempt to put together a limited partial agree-
ment." As such it may be a Soviet effort to force negotiations
to a higher level with the addition to the agenda of such other
subjects as European security and the Middle East.
The Soviet proposal for a partial disarm-
ament agreement is less conciliatory than the Western delegates
had expected, than Soviet delegate Zorin had hinted before his
recent trip to Moscow, and than Soviet propaganda had suggested.
In general the USSR proposes more disarmament and less in-
spection and control than the Western powers have indicated
would be acceptable.
Zorin explained to the US delegate that
cessation or suspension of nuclear tests and a pledge not to use
atomic and hydrogen weapons of any type is prerequisite to any
partial disarmament agreement. Implicit in the wording of a
declaration proposed by the USSR is the intention of all signa-
tories eventually to eliminate all such weapons from their ar-
senals.
With regard to conventional weapons, the
USSR proposes a 15-percent reduction in armaments and defense
budgets instead of the US proposal of 10 percent, and a commit-
ment to proceed from Western force level proposals of 2,500,000
for the US, USSR and China and 750,000 for the UK and France
to a second stage of 1,500,000 and 650,000. Claiming that Soviet
forces have been reduced by 1,840,000 in the past year and a
half, the Soviet proposal contrasts the geographical size of the
US and the USSR and their length of borders, and concludes that
the USSR "is therefore unable to agree to an equal level of forces
if there is no substantial reduction."
On inspection and control of the proposed
disarmament measures, Moscow's proposal appears to regress.
The inspection functions would be handled "within the framework"
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of the Security Council, with its built-in great-power veto,
and during the first stage would include only "receiving and
examining" the information provided by those states disarm-
ing. Moreover, during this stage, control posts at key points
would not include airports and would be limited to the western
border regions of the USSR, the territories of France and
Great Britain and other members of NATO and the Warsaw
treaty as well as "the eastern part of the US." Inclusion of
airports as key control points would come with reduction to
1,500,000 in the armed forces but must also "be related to the
complete prohibition of atomic and hydrogen weapons and their
elimination from national armaments."
Responding to the US proposal for aerial
inspection and photography, the USSR modifies the zones sug-
gested by the US both in Europe and the Far East. In Europe,
the Soviet proposal includes a much smaller section of Soviet
territory than the US had proposed. In the Far East, the
Soviet proposal substantially expands the area suggested by
the US so as to include approximately equal areas of each coun-
try, including better than two thirds of the continental United
States.
SOVIET AND JIJS AERIAL INSPECTION PROPOSALS
28 APRIL 1957
28 Apr 57
EUROPE
SOVIET
US
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2. DEVELOPMENTS IN JORDAN
Comment on
No significant demonstrations occurred
in Jordan over the week end, and the
curfew restrictions have been eased
slightly. King Hussain, accompanied
by Foreign Minister Rifai, left Amman
on 28 April to visit Saudi Arabia in an
attempt to counter any doubt that may
have been planted in King Saud's mind
by Syrian president Quwatli and the Egyp-
tian officials who talked to Saud on 25-Z4
Hussain's specific object is to
convince Saud of the reality of Egyptian
and Syrian participation in the plots
against the Jordanian crown.
A banal communiqu�rom Damascus
following Quwatli's return there suggests
that the Syrian-Egyptian mission did not
make much headway with King Saud. The
communiqu�tates merely that Syria,
Egypt and Saudi Arabia will "continue to
be in cbnstant contact in order to watch events in Jordan" and
to take "sound steps." During his stay in Cairo before seeing
Saud, Quwatli reportedly expressed fear that if Hussain wins
out in Jordan the present Syrian government will collapse "even
without US interference." Egyptian president Nasr attempted to
calm Quwatli, but the news of the sailing of the United States
Sixth Fleet aggravated the Syrian president's nervousness.
As of 28 April, King Hussain had not yet
requested the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Jordan, although
consideration had been given to such action. Hussain and his ad-
visers believe that the Syrian cabinet has a withdrawal under review
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and that it would be preferable to have the move made on
Syria's initiative if action is taken within a resonable time.
Internally, Hussain has moved in sev-
eral ways to strengthen his position. A decree proroguing
the lower house of the Jordanian parliament was issued on 28
April, possibly as a first step toward eventual new elections.
An investigation reportedly is under way of the activities of
the dissolved political parties. The search for unapprehended
political leaders continues; ex-prime minister Nabulsi is said
to be staying inside his house, and the government has so far
been unwiling to send police inside after him. The king is also
continuing to try to rally personally the support of army offi-
cers.
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3. HONDURAN-NICARAGUAN BORDER DISPUTE
ERUPTS AGAIN
Comment on:
Renewal of the border dispute between
Honduras and Nicaragua, a volatile is-
sue in both countries, has seriously
exacerbated relations between the two
governments. Honduras was reported
moving troops to the border on 27 April
after Nicaragua rejected its energetic
note protesting alleged depredations by
Nicaraguan troops in the disputed area.
The Honduran ambassador in Nicaragua
as been recalled "for consultation."
The Honduran military junta is appar-
ently being pressured into strong action
y the strength of military and popular
eeling on this issue and by the plotting
of a mili ry clique which may be attempting to oust moderate
junta member Roberto Galvez. This clique may have incited
the mob of youths which invaded the Nicaraguan embassy in
Honduras on 27 April.
Nicaragua, in the midst of preparations
for the 1 May presidential inauguration, fears that Honduran
moves may be co-ordinated with revolutionary plans of Nicar-
guan exiles in Honduras.
many members of the opposition in
Nicaragua believe that exiles are plotting an assassination at-
tempt during the inaugural ceremonies.
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