CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1957/10/15

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03190613
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2019
• Document Release Date: December 20, 2019
• Publication Date: October 15, 1957

,Approved for Release: 2019/12/10 C03190613
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15 October 1957
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CURRENT
INTELLIGENCE
BULLETIN
DOCUMENT NO.
OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
TOP SECRET
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Stass *NS
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CONTENTS
1. USSR REPORTEDLY PRESSING SYRTA TO SEEK UN
SUPPORT AGAINST TURKEY (page 3).
6)-4K-- 2. SYRIAN INTERNAL SITUATION
)1,0 3. TURKISH-SYRIAN BORDER SITUATION
(page 5).
(page 4).
-K-0 4. SAUDI ARABIA DELAYS JORDAN SUBSIDY PAYMENT
(page 6).
0-4t 5. KING SAUD REPORTED IN'CRGL,ASIN Y PRESSED BY
PRO- NASIR ADVISERS (page 7).
NI_ 6. NEW VIOLENCE ON CYPRUS POSSIBLE AFTER
UN DEBATE (page 8).
OAL 7. SOME YUGOSLAV OFFICIALS CONCERNED OVER
TITO'S PRO-SOVIET POLICY (page 9).
erfc 8. AGITATION AGAINST US TROOPS IN SOUTH KOREA
SEEN PROMOTED BY FOREIGN MINISTER
(page 10).
&V_ 9. THAI PREMIER GIVES VIEWS ON SOVIET EARTH
SATELLITE AND THAI POLITICAL SITUATION
(page 11).
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1. USSR REPORTEDLY PRESSING SYRIA TO SEEK UN
SUPPORT AGAINST TURKEY
Comment on:
The USSR is "putting pressure" on Syr-
ia at all levels at the United Nations and
in Damascus to bring the Turkish-Syrian
situation into the UN General Assem 1
or Security Council
oviet Foreign Minister
romy o and UN delegate Kuznetsov
have ',pressed Syrian Foreign Minister
Bitar to introduce a complaint, but Bitar reportedly "feels
lost" and has not received instructions from Damascus.
A formal Syrian complaint against Tur-
key would provide the USSR with a further opportunity to
call upon the United Nations to condemn alleged Western
plotting against Syria and to endorse the Soviet proposal for
a four-power declaration renouncing the use of force and in-
terfepence in the internal affairs of Middle East countries.
During the opening days of the General
Assembly session, Syrian delegates reportedly complained
of being "loved to death" by Soviet bloc delegates. The only
step taken by Syria so far has been a letter to the UN secre-
tary general on 8 October pointing to the "massing" of Turk-
ish troops. The letter requested no formal UN action.
Although Soviet leaders continue to warn
against Turkish intervention, they appear to believe there is
a greater likelihood of an internal coup than of foreign mili-
tary intervention to overthrow the Damascus regime. Khru-
shchev did not
expect that the United States and Britain would encourage
Syria's neighbors to invade, but would instead attempt to
bring about a coup, followed by an appeal by the new leaders
to Syria's neighbors to send military forces to support the
new regime. "
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2. SYRIAN INTERNAL SITUATION
Comment on:
The election of Baathist leader Hawrani
as speaker of the Syrian parliatnent on
14 October places him in line to succeed
the politically impotent President Quwatli
should the President resign as a result of the pressures
building up in Syria.
While the election of the anti-Western
Hawrani, who has feuded with local Communists, does not
presage an improvement in Syria's relations with the West,
it will prove an obstacle to pro-Soviet Defense Minister
Khalid al-Azm, who also aspires to the premiership and
the presidency.
The defeat of the former speaker, Dr.
Nizam al-Qudsi, whose Populist party is the largest in the
chamber, puts a formal seal on the defeat of conservative
elements in Syria. The forthcoming 15 November municipal
elections are being boycotted by the Populists, in tacit ad-
mission of their political impotence.
In the field of inter-Arab relations Haw-
rani's elevation, taken with the arrival of Egyptian froops in
Syria, may tend to offset Soviet influence by reminding the
Syrian public their country has an ally other than the USSR.
King Saud, however, will find little comfort in this victory
of a man who has maligned him so often in the past.
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3. TURKISH-SYRIAN BORDER SITUATION
Reference:
Turkish military maneuvers originally
scheduled for 15 October have been
postponed until the end of the month, ac-
cording to the American air attache in
Ankara. A Turkish general officer indicated to him that
the maneuvers, concentrated in the sensitive area on the
Syrian border, now are scheduled to begin on 29 October
or 1 November.
These dates would postpone the maneuvers
until after the Turkish national elections on 27 October.
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4. SAUDI ARABIA DELAYS JORDAN SUBSIDY PAYMENT
Saudi Arabia has delayed payment on
the $6,950,000 balance of its annual
subsidy to Jordan because of the Saudi
government's shortage of foreign ex-
change, according to a Jordanian government statement
to the Ottoman Bank. The bank, the official
repository for Jordanian government funds, had been
alerted early in September to expect payment.
Comment
Faced with a serious financial crisis
at home, Saudi Arabia apparently now
intends to pay the balance of its $13,900,000 subsidy to
Jordan in five monthly installments beginning in November.
It may stretch out payment over an even longer period and
delay the first payment beyond November.
Seizing on the Saudi government's di-
lemma, Cairo radio has broadcast reports that the pay-
ment will not be made. Neither Egypt nor Syria has made
any payment on its share of the Jordanian subsidy.
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Cidfl NTr. f771177iTrily 71.
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5. KING SAUD REPORTED INCREASINGLY PRESSED
BY PRO-NASIR ADVISERS
Comment on:
Reports from Jidda indicate that King
Saud is under strong pressure from
four key royal counselors to turn away
from the United States and rPvprt fn
Con-
u inessmen ave expressed
concern that the United States has been losing ground in
Saudi Arabia in recent months, and that the extremely
beneficial effect of Saud's trip early this year to the United
States is wearing off.
The four pro-Egyptian counselors are
said to be Deputy Foreign Minister Yasin, Finance Minister
Surur, and the King's uncles, Princes Abdulla and MuSaid
Abd-al-Rahman. Two of the King's brothers, Communica-
tions Minister Prince Sultan and Education Minister Prince
Fahad, are reported closely tied to this group. More mod-
erate pro-Nasir influence is probably also exerted by the
r Crown Prince Faysal, and his supporters.
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6. NEW VIOLENCE ON CYPRUS POSSIBLE AFTER
UN DEBATE
Comment on:
the Greek Cypriot underground or-
ganization has selected targets for
terroristic activity and warned its members to be ready
for action in case the result of the UN General Assembly
debate later this fall does not meet Greek Cypriot de-
mands.
�At this time,
it appears unlikely that the General Assembly will do
more than call on the interested parties to continue ne-
gotiations leading to a settlement of the Cyprus problem.
EOKA suspended its campaign of
violence last March. the un-
derground organization at present is beset by petty quar-
reling and dissatisfaction within its ranks. It is possible
that EOKA leaders, fearing that inactivity is having an
adverse effect on members' morale, may conclude that a
resumption of terrorism is necessary to prevent complete
deterioration of the organization.
if violence is renewed, "spectacular damage" could
be done in the first weeks, but that the security forces cotild
ultimately control the situation.
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7 SOME YUGOSLAV? OFFICIALS CONCERNED OVER
TITO'S PRO-SOVIET POLICY
Comment on:
President Tito% policy of closer
association with the USSR as
shown by,Yugoslavia's decision to
recognize East Germany on15 Octo-
ber- is said to be causing concern within the Yugoslav
regime. Some officials fear that such a policy ulti-
mately will lead to Yugoslavia's complete dependence
on the USSR.
Tito and his intimates are
aware of this possibility but believe they will be able
to persuade the United States to continue its economic
aid.
a feeling
is growing among what is as yet a small minority of
the top Yugoslav leadership that Tito was hoodwinked
when he promised to support Khrushchev's foreign
policies. This group believes Khrushchev has never
forgiven Tito for the break with the USSR in 1948 and
will use him as long as needed and then crush him.
Differences within party ranks
� over the long-term effects of rapprochement with
the USSR may have caused the recent postponement
of the seventh party dongres8 from November to April,
but do not threaten the stability of Tito's government.
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8. AGITATION AGAINST US TROOPS IN SOUTH KOREA
SEEN PROMOTED BY FOREIGN MINISTER
Comment on:
Ambassador Dowling believes that
although the South Korean reaction to
recent incidents involving American
military personnel and Korean civil-
ians stems basically from growing
nationalism, the "irresponsible at-
titude" of Foreign Minister Cho Chong-
hwan has aggravated pliblic feeling.
Cho,who is believed to be working for a South Korean
US status-of-forces agreement to further his personal
ambttions, is exploiting distortion of these incidents by
the local press to stir up popular agitation for such an
agreement.
Despite the new emphasis on these
incidents, less than half as many have occurred this
year as in 1956, and there have been less than a third
as many fatalities, accoeding to American military au-
thorities. Magnification of the incidents, however, threat-
ens to develop significant anti-American sentiment for the
first time since the Korean war.
Most incidents have occurred during
Korean attempts to steal American military supplies and
equipment. General Decker, the UN commander in Korea,
has stated publicly that American military supplies worth
$2,000,000, including 1,500,000 gallons of gasoline, have
been stolen since January 1956 and that monthly losses now
average� $95,000. Following General Decker's statement,
the press reported on 12 October that the South Korean gov-
ernment has urged provincial governors and police chiefs to
make greater efforts to prevent thefts.
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9. THAI PREMIER GIVES VIEWS ON SOVIET EARTH
SATELLITE AND THAI POLITICAL SITUATION
Thai Provisional Premier Pote Sarasin
told Ambassador Bishop in Bangkok on
9 October that he hopes to withdraw from
Thai politics after the December elections
and return to the post of secretary general of SEATO, even
though Marshal Sarit and others are urging him to stay on as
premier. Pote expects the elections to result in a "coalition
government" comprising Sarit's military group, the pro-
Sarit Unionist party, and the conservative Democratic party
of Khuang Aphaiwong. The principal bond uniting these groups
is antipathy to the regime of former premier Phibun.
Pote believes that either Khuang or Unionist
chief Sukit Nimmanhemin, currently economic affairs minister,
will take over as premier, Pote described Sukit as an econo-
mist with moderate "socialigtic inclinations," which he thought
would be held in check by the "inherent conservatism" of the
military group. Bishop believes Pote is unduly optimistic on
this last point.
Pote told Bishop the Communists have
made "important advances" in Asia during the past three years
at the expense of the West, a trend reflected in the fact that So-
viet and Chinese Communist accomplishments were "on every-
one's lips." He added that previously "no one would even think
of the USSR as approaching the US in strength and technical
advances." He said many leading Thais now cite the Soviet
launching of an earth satellite as an indication that the USSR
is ahead of the US in technological development.
Pote informed Bishop, however, that the
Thai government was planning three television and radio pro-
grams, one of which would be devoted to Hungary as an ex-
ample of what can happen to a Communist-dominated country.
The other two are to point out the value to Thailand of SEATO
and American aid.
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