CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1957/06/04

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03169426
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2019
• Document Release Date: December 20, 2019
• Publication Date: June 4, 1957

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CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE -
BULLETIN

4 June 1957
Copy No.
,14
3:(27
DOCUMENT NO.
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CLASS. CHANGED TO: TS
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NEXT REVIEW DATE:
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TOP SECRET
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CONTENTS
ASR STATES VIEWS ON COMMUNISM
(page 3).
2. SOVIET SUBMARINES LEAVING BALTIC MAY BE HEADED
FOR EGYPT (page 4).
3. CHINESE NATIONALISTS WARN OF POSSIBLE INCIDENT
IN QUEMOY AREA '(page 5).
4� DEPUTY PREMIER KATAY CHOSEN TO FORM LAOTIAN
0
GOVERNMENT (page 6).
5. WEST GERMANS EXPRESS FEARS ON AERIAL INSPECTION
0+1\ PROPOSALS (page 7).
6, KING SAUD SEEKING TO POSTPONE VISIT TO JORDAN OUT
OF FEAR OF ASSASSINATION (page 8).
7. USSR PLANNING LARGE MOSLEM PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA
(page 9).
R 8, AFGHAN KING TO VISIT USSR IN LATE JULY
9. WORLD PEACE COUNCIL MAY LOCATE IN FINLAND
r\ page 11).
0\*S10� ANNOUNCEMENT OF BRITISH NUCLEAR TEST
(page 12).
4 June 57 Current Intelligence Bulletin
TOP SECRET
(page 10).
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Nose
1, NASR STATES VIEWS ON COMMUNISM
Reference:
In a lengthy interview with Ambassador
Hare on 28 May, President Nasr reit-
erated his opposition to the growing
strength of Egyptian Communists, who,
he said, feel that he will not move against
them for fear of harming Soviet Egyptian
relations. He stated that the Egyptian
government appreciates Soviet assistance,
/but that to avoid too close an identification with the USSR, he
had refused an offer three months ago to exchange 10,000,000
Egyptian pounds ($28,000,000) for the equivalent in gold to pro-
vide Egypt with foreign exchange.
Nasr also said that despite the present
satisfactory relationship with the Soviet Union, his govern-
ment "understands the .expansionist aspect of international
Communism and wants none of it in Egypt." However, he
added that because of America's "hostile policy," Egypt can
run the risk of taking an all-out stand against the Corn-
munitits and then find itself facing the US on a "second front."
Nasr intends to visit Moscow in September.
Plans for a visit were originally announced in August 1955,
but the trip has been repeatedly postponed.
4 June 57
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2. SOVIET SUBMARINES LEAVING BALTIC MAY BE
HEADED FOR EGYPT
A Soviet naval force consisting of
two long-range submarines, one short-
range submarine, a minesweeper, and
a tanker left the Baltic on 31 May. Af-
ter refueling operations on 2 June in the North Sea, the
tanker reversed course and the remainder of the force con-
tinued toward the English Channel.
Comment The most likely destination of this force
is the Mediterranean area, where one or
more of these units may be transferred to Egypt. An attempt
to deliver a short-range submarine to Egypt last fall under
Polish colors failed because of the hostilities in the Suez area.
At least two submarines were ordered by Egypt in the initial
arms agreement with the Soviet bloc in 1955, and Egyptian
naval personnel have received submarine training in Poland.
4 June 57
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3, CHINESE NATIONALISTS WARN OF POSSIBLE
INCIDENT IN QUEMOY AREA
The Chinese Nationalist foreign
and defense ministers have sep-
arately warned American officials
of the dangers to British ships
which might attempt to enter Amoy
and Foochow. Foreign Minister
Yeh told Ambassador Rankin that
the recent relaxation of trade con-
trols by the British might result in increased shipping into
these two ports, and that Britain should understand that such
movements might heighten tension in an already tense area.
Defense Minister Yu asserted that the
Chinese Communists have intensified their artillery fire in the
Quemoy region and increased their reconnaissance of nearby
Tatan and Erhtan Islands, possibly in preparation for an assault.
Comment
Two Chinese Nationalist warships
on patrol near Quemoy Island claim
to have "crippled" a vessel identified as a 1,500-ton "Commu-
nist transport" on 31 May. This ship may have been a British
merchantman, possibly the 1,288-ton White Bee, which is re-
ported to have run past Nationalist-held islands into Amoy har-
bor on the night of 27 May. Yu mentioned the 31 May incident
in his presentation and his description of it suggests that the
Nationalists either know or suspect that the ship was British
and are trying to justify their action. The Admiralty has in-
formed all British-flag ships declaring for Amoy of the dangers
of the passage and warned them not to make an attempt.
There is no evidence that a Commu-
nist attack on Erhtan and Tatan is imminent, although the Com-
munists have the capability to take both islands with little or no
warning. If a British ship was involved in the 31 May incident,
strong official reaction from London is improbable.
4 June 57
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4� DEPUTY PREMIER KATAY CHOSEN TO FORM
LAOTIAN GOVERNMENT
Corn ent on:
uty Premier Katay, Nationalist
arty leader and advocate of a tougher
Pathet Lao policy, has been chosen by
the crown prince to form a new govern-
ment. Although the situation remains
uncertain, Katay's prospects of obtain-
ing the required two-thirds vote of ap-
proval in itte National Assembly appear
to be fairly good. He is apparently assured of Independent
Party support, and there is a reported disposition within the
Democratic Party to join the Nationalists and Independents in
a strong anti-Communist policy.
Outgoing prime minister Souvanna Phouma,
who controls a large faction of the Nationalist Party, has evinced
little desire to succeed himself. He reportedly has stated that
he would support Katay, who has been his most vigorous critic,
if the latter would follow the policy of accommodation of the
Pathet Lao. Katay has refused to enter into such a deal, but
would probably be willing to offer Souvanna a prominent post
in his cabinet in view of the latter's strong bargaining position.
4 June 57
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5, WEST GERMANS EXPRESS FEARS ON AERIAL
INSPECTION PROPOSALS
Comment on:
Commenting on the current London
disarmament talks, Wilhelm Greve,
chief of the Political Department of
the West German Foreign Ministry,
told the American charge that Bonn is worried over the
implications of any proposal for aerial inspection of West-
ern Europe. He added that Germany's chief problem is
that such an inspection would probably involve a multilat-
eral treaty in which the USSR would insist that the East
German government take part. Grewe said his govern-
ment was still not entirely clear on the details of the US
proposals and wanted more time to consider them. He
said Bonn hopes that the United States, in initial talks with
the USSR, will not go beyond discussing aerial inspection
of Arctic regions.
Embassy officials comment that Bonn is
faced with a dilemma on this issue, since in the current
Bundestag election campaign Chancellor Adenauer must sup-
port disarmament but at the same time oppose any disarma-
ment agreement for which German reunification is not a pre-
requisite.
Adenauer said on 31 May that Bonn would
agree to an inspection zone comprising areas of East and
West Europe, but that the zone would have to be "consider-
ably larger than Europe," which is "only a fraction of a de-
fense belt."
4 June 57
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6. KING SAUD SEEKING TO POSTPONE VISIT TO JORDAN
OUT OF FEAR OF ASSASSINATION
Comment on:
King Saud fears possible attempts to
assassinate him on his projected visit
to Amman, scheduled to begin on 8 June.
King Hussain and the Iraqis are believed
eager to have Saud's visit take place as soon as possible in
order to strengthen the prestige of Hussain's new regime in
Jordan. Saud's apprehension however, indicates that he has
been deeply impressed by recent signs of Egyptian and Pales-
tinian conspiracy against the Arab monarchies.
4 June 57 Current Intelligence Bulletin
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7. USSR PLANNING LARGE MOSLEM PILGRIMAGE
TO MECCA
Comment on:
The Soviet government is planning
to send 500 to 750 Soviet Moslems
to Mecca for the annual pilgrimage
in June and July
The pilgrims would go
by air via Cairo.
Last year only 20 Soviet Moslems went
to Mecca in the pilgrimage. During the past year, however,
more Moslems from the Sino-Soviet bloc have visited the
Moslem world than in any recent comparable period. Mos-
cow undoubtedly sees in the pilgrimage a useful means of
convincing Islam of Soviet religious freedoms, despite con-
tinuing criticism of Moslem religious rites within the USSR
by the Soviet provincial press.
Moscow may also consider the problem
of transporting such a large group as a useful means for in-
creasing its pressure on Greece and Yugoslavia for regular
flight corridors between the Soviet bloc and Egypt over one
of these countries.
4 June 57
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8. AFGHAN KING TO VISIT USSR IN LATE JULY
Reference:
The Kabul press announced on 29 May
that King Zahir Shah will visit the _USSR
for two weeks beginning on 15 July. The
king plans to vacation in Western Europe
in early July. His visit will follow shortly after Foreign Min-
ister .Naim's, previously announced for June.
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9. WORLD PEACE COUNCIL MAY LOCATE IN FINLAND
The French ambassador in Helsinki
believes the World Peace Council (WPC)
is planning to move its headquarters to
Helsinki in the near future. As evidence
to support this belief, he cites the arrival of 30 WPC func-
tionaries in Finland in mid-April to work on preparations
for the WPC's plenary session in Ceylon, and the construc-
tion by the Finnish Communist Party of two large buildings
costing approximately $3,000,000, in which Soviet engineers
are installing equipment for simultaneous translations into
eight languages.
The French have suggested a combined
approach to the Finnish government by the West, including
the Scandinavian countries.
Comment Since the Austrian government expelled
the WPC from Vienna in February, it
has had its headquarters in Prague. The WPC would pre-
fer to be located in the free world, thereby avoiding close
association with the Communist bloc.
The Finns decision will be based pri-
marily on how it will affect their relations with the USSR--
not by any pressure or suggestions from the Scandinavian
governments, which in any case would be reluctant to inter-
fere in Finnish affairs.
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10. ANNOUNCEMENT OF BRITISH NUCLEAR TEST
The second explosion in the current
series of British nuclear tests oc-
curred about 400 miles south of Christ-
mas Island on 31 May, according to an
official announcement. As it did follow-
ing the first test on 15 May, the UK announced that the de-
vice had been exploded at "high altitude."
According to the US Atomic Energy
Detection System, preliminary analysis indicats that the
device yielded approximately twice the explosive power of
that detonated on 15 Mv which is now estimated to have
yielded about 270 KT.
4 June 57
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