CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1957/09/25

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03153721
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2019
• Document Release Date: December 20, 2019
• Publication Date: September 25, 1957

CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
R e,.a,s1e : 201A9/12/ t1 C 0315372; /)1117
3.3(h)(2)
.L ir
3.5(c)
25 September 1957
Copy No.
136
DOCUMENT NO.
NO CHANGE IN CLASS. 7
DECLASS;FIED
GLASS. CHANGED TO: TS 61 0
NEXT REVIEW DATE:
NINA: HR 7)102
DATE/L.1 REVIEWER:
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TOP SECRET
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CONTENTS
1. LATEST SOVIET NUCLEAR TEST
(page 3)
X-0 2. KING SAUD REFUSED TO VISIT EGYPT EN ROUTE TO
SYRIA (page 4).
EQUESTS RENEGOTIATION OF US BASE RIGHTS
FLIBYAff(page 5).
)1---c) 4. SOVIET BLOC MERCHANT SHIPPING TO SYRIA INCREAS-
ING (page 6).
6-1t 5. PROVISIONAL THAI GOVERNMENT FORMED
(page 7).
25 Sept 57
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1. LATEST SOVIET NUCLEAR' TEST
a Soviet nuclear explo-
sion occurred at 0900 GMT on 24 Septem-
ber in the vicinity of Novaya Zemlya.
TASS an-
nounced on 23 September that atomic and hydrogen warheads
had been exploded in various weapons in uninhabited areas and
at great altitudes in conformance with the combat training plans
of the Soviet army and navy.
Comment These tests bring to lithe number of Soviet
nuclear experiments detected this year. The
24 September test is the second in the Novaya Zemlya area this
month and may be associated with the extensive Soviet air-sea
maneuvers taking place in the vicinity of Novaya Zemlya. A
Soviet announcement on 2 September stated that these exercises
were to involve the use of various types of modern weapons.
25 Sept 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 3
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Name *glue
2., KING SAUD REFUSED TO VISIT EGYPT EN ROUTE
TO SYRIA
King Saud,
formed Saudi Royal Councilor Yusuf
Yasin that it was "not reasonable to
expect us to pass through Egypt because
of insinuations in the press and broadcasts and in the speech
of the President, which have been largely reponsible for our
maintaining silence regarding our attitude." The King said
such a visit would be interpreted as an effort on his part to
please the Egyptians, "whereas it is their duty to please me."
Saud said,, however, that his "pan-Arab policy," his agree-
ments with Egypt, and his sympathies would not change under
any circumstances.
Comment Saud apparently was commenting on an
Egyptian approach, but he instructed Yasin
to convey his reply to the Egyptians only if they persisted.
Saud's refusal to visit Egypt probably will further irritate
Nasir, who reportedly was angered by the fact that Saud did
not call at Cairo on his way to West Germany. Saud is sched-
uled to arrive in Damascus on 25 September.
25 Sept 57
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3. LIBYA REQUESTS RENEGOTIATION OF US
BASE RIGHTS
The Libyan under secretary of finance
has informed the director of the United
States Operations Mission in Tripoli
that the prime minister proposes to open
discussions soon regarding renegotiation of the military base
agreement with the United States. The Libyan official said that
Libyan leaders are dissatisfied with the American aid pro-
gram and claimed that "informal" offers of aid had been made
by the USSR. He added that the publicity which the USSR is
giving to its offers places the Libyan government in a "deli-
cate position!'
Comment The Libyan-American agreement of 1954
under which Wheelus air force base is
operated is to extend to 1971. The United States is obligated
to pay a total of $40,000,000 to the Libyan government during
this 17-year period. Total US aid to Libya from 1954 through
1957 has been about $61,0009000.
The British financial adviser to the Libyan
government, who reportedly is resigning under fire, has said
the Libyan government intends to terminate the base agreement.
It seems more likely, however, that the Libyans have chosen
this time as opportune to try to extract additional American aid.
25 Sept 57
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Neiv4 Noire
4. SOVIET BLOC MERCHANT SHIPPING TO
SYRIA INCREASING
dimmed' on:
A review of bloc merchant shipping
activity shows that thus far this year
at least 61 Soviet and satellite freight-
ers have made deliveries to Latakia
compared with 45 in all of 1956. Many of the 1957 ship-
ments have involved military materiel.
A new $8,000,000 harbor installation
in Latakia provides a more secure area for Soviet arms
deliveries and, except for bulk petroleum products, frees
Syria from dependence on the Lebanese port of Beirut for
deepwater facilities to handle its maritime commerce.
Soviet
technicians are studying petroleum storage facilities at
Latakia and may recommend the installation of sea lines to
permit the offloading of bulk petroleum products.
Under new Syrian trade agreements with
the USSR, East Germany, Poland, Rumania, and Commu-
nist China, the number of bloc ships calling at Latakia can be
expected to continue to increase.
25 Sept 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 6
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5. PROVISIONAL THAI GOVERNMENT FORMED
Corn
The extent of Field Marshal Sarit's
present dominance is indicated by the
composition of Thailand's new provi-
sional cabinet announced on 23 Septem-
ber. Although Sarit holds no position
in the government, in keeping with his public pose as a "sim-
ple soldier" who is not interested in politics, 15 of the 29
portfolios are held by his military subordinates. Chief among
these are his two closest followers, Generals Thanom and
Prapat, who have the key posts of defense and interior re-
spectively. The other portfolios are about evenly divided
among nonpolitical careerists, royalists, and members of the
Unionist party, organized last June with Sarit's backing.
Of the civilians in the cabinet, the most
prominent are Prince Wan, whose retention as foreign minis-
ter gives added emphasis to the new regime's claim that Thai-
land's foreign policy is unchanged, and Premier Pote Sarasin.
Pate was also named finance minister, probably as a precau-
tion against anticipated charges during the impending election
campaign that the army group overthrew the Phibun regime
merely to gain additional opportunities for graft.
25 Sept 57
Current Intelligence Bulletin Page 7
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