CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN - 1957/04/07

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Current/Central Intelligence Bulletin Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03160441
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2019
• Document Release Date: December 20, 2019
• Publication Date: April 7, 1957

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CURRENT
7 INTELLIGENCE
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7 N E X T R E: V Ett,ILLETIN AUTH HR 70-
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OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE /
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CONTENTS
Jo . MIDDLE EAST DEVELOPMENTS
" (page 3).
062, BULGARIAN REGIME RE70113.TED HIC7._,Y CONCERNED
OVER PEASANT UNREST (page 5).
6 153. GOMULKA'S RESIGNATION RUMORED AS IMMINENT
(page 6).
4. SITUATION IN INDONESIA
M 5. SECOND SOVIET ATOMIC EXPLOSION IN WEEK
(page 8).
page 7).
6. SYRIAN AMMUNITION READIED FOR SHIPMENT TO
ALGERIAN REBELS (page 9).
7 Apr 57
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1. MIDDLE EAST DEVELOPMENTS
Comment on:
Apprehension and uncertainty over
Israeli intentions, and over repeated
Western-backed attempts to remove
pro-Egyptian factions from control in
Syria and Jordan, appear to have been
responsible for Nases reported deci-
sion on 4 April to institute a "general
alert" of military and civilian employees
of the Egyptian government. An air raid
drill in Cairo on 5 April�the first since
hostilities in Sinai--is reported to have
been part of this alert.
Reports of new Egyptian troop move-
ments into Sinai have not been confirmed;
they may refer to the deployment in mid-
March of a, 1,800-man battalion combat
team to El Arish.
Egypt probably intends to ex-
pand this force to an infantry brigade group
of about 3,500 men--still only one tenth of
the force in Sinai in October 1956.
American service attaches in Israel report
that as of the afternoon of 6 April,there were no unusual activi-
ties in the Tel Aviv area or in the southern sector.
Introduction of tighter control measures in
Egypt together with heavy press denunciation of Israeli "provo-
cations" and"threats" could facilitate suppression of pro-Western
7 Apr 57
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1 'Jr MICTM-I
elements in Syria and Jordan as well as in Egypt, and may
presage a new Arab initiative opposing the American doc-
trine for the Middle East. A Syrian foreign ministry offi-
cial informed an American embassy officer in Damascus on
6 April that the Arab states�presumably Egypt, Syria and
Jordan�would in a few days make a "dramatic" announce-
ment of an "Arab doctrine" to counter the American doctrine.
Meanwhile, Jordan's progressive integra-
tion with Egypt and Syria into an anti-Western bloc is evi-
denced by the Nabulsi cabinet's announced intention to estab-
lish diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union; by a reported
agreement that Jordan will receive arms from the Soviet bloc
by means of Egyptian and Syrian credits; by King Hussain's
inability thus far to obtain support for an alternative to the
Nabulsi cabinet; and by current moves to unify the Syrian and
Jordanian military staffs.
In this situation a desperate attempt by the
king to dismiss the anti-Western cabinet could precipitate a
breakdown in internal order� which would in turn invite an
Israeli move on West Jordan and possibly Aqaba. The king
does not, however, appear to have sufficient political or mil-
itary support to initiate effective action.
7 Apr 57
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r
IAL
2. BULGARIAN REGIME REPORTED HIGHLY CONCERNED
OVER PEASANT UNREST
he Bulgarian cabinet and the party cen-
ral committee have met recently to con-
ider emergency measures to deal with
ulgarian peasants who are forcibly re-
sisting intensified government "terrorist tactics" aimed at
accelerating collectivization, according to the Greek lega-
tion in Sofia. Two central committee members were dis-
patched to supervise operations in troubled areas. The Greek
legation reported that peasants were fighting police and mil-
itia in northeastern Bulgaria.
Comment These steps by the government and the
confirmed large-scale deportations of
"unreliable elements" from Sofia in March indicate the Bul-
garian leaders are taking strong action to keep unrest from
becoming a serious problem.
Although there has been no previous in-
dication that the regime is pressing the collectivization drive
so strongly as to cause major unrest, many of the peasants
among the 20 percent who have so far escaped collectiviza-
tion are probably more rebellious than those already in col-
lectives. They may, therefore, be offering strong resistance
to the government's efforts to make Bulgaria the first Satel-
lite with fully socialized agriculture.
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BENTIAL
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NNW
3. GOMULKAYS RESIGNATION RUMORED AS IMMINENT
First Party Secretary Gomulka reportedly
will soon resign for one year ostensibly
for reasons of health
omulka will be re-
placed by Premier Cyrankiewicz after
tendering his resignation at a plenary ses-
sion of the party central committee in late
'April. He reportedly is prompted by an internal economic
crisis and by Soviet pressure on Poland to change its policies.
Comment
It is possible that Gomulka has threat-
ened to resign as a means of giving
greater force to his efforts to establish discipline and unity
within the party. He is unlikely to resign, however, unless
a combination of pressures from within the party and the
Soviet Union forces him out. These circumstances probably
do not exist at present. The economic situation, while not
good,probably is not sufficiently grave to force Gomulka out;
and his recent actions, particularly the crackdown on ex-
treme liberal elements and his statements on Hungary, have
suggested that he is following; a line more acceptable to Soviet
leaders.
Gomulka still retains a high degree of
popularity with the Polish people, and any efforts to force him
out at this time could lead to a revival of the explosive tensions
of last October.
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CONEWENTIAL #11%
4. SITUATION IN INDONESIA
Comment on:
The government reportedly is laying
plans to deal with any insurgent action
after President Sukarno announces his
cabinet, which he has promised to do
"in a few days." To this end,
a
joint planning board composed of mem-
bers of the army, navy, air force, na-
tional police, and the attorney general's
office, has been established in Djakarta.
Sukarno is continuing his consultations
with various political figures in an effort to form a workable
"emergency cabinet." He apparently is still determined to
have leftist representation in the cabinet; there are reports
that he has included in the talks more Nationalists, Commu-
nists, and Communist sympathizers than other party repre-
sentatives. He doubtless expects that Moslem opposition to
Communist participation in the cabinet could erupt into vio-
lence.
General Nasution, the army chief of staff,
reportedly gives every indication of supporting Sukarno. Al-
though Nasution does not have the personal support of all the
territorial commanders, whose reactions will determine the
success or failure of Sukarno's plans, none of these disaffected
commanders is reported willing to make a personal denuncia-
tion of Sukarno.
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5. SECOND SOVIET ATOMIC EXPLOSION IN WEEK
an atomic explosion
occurred in the vicinity of the Soviet nu-
clear weapons proving ground near Semi-
palatinsk at about 0825Z on 6 April.
(NOFORN)
Comment This is the fourth atomic test of the cur-
rent Soviet test series and the geennri
to be reported
in the past wee.
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6. SYRIAN AMMUNITION READIED FOR SHIPMENT
TO ALGERIAN REBELS
4,000,000 rounds of ammuni-
tion would be at the port of Latakia ready
for loading on 28 April. The arrangement
had been made pursuant to instructions to reach an agreement
with the Syrian general staff to send arms and ammunition to
Cairo for transshipment to Algeria.
a ship to transport
the cargo, or permission to divert one of the Egyptian ships
expected at Latakia.
Comment Such a shipment would be offloaded prob-
ably at Libya or Tunisia where facilities
would be provided for overland transportation to the hinter-
land of Algeria. Syria made 12 tons of munitions available to
the Algerian rebels last summer. the Syrians
were quibbling about transportation
arrangements for an unspecified "consignment" to Egypt. The
Syrians were demanding a method to guarantee secrecy to pro-
tect Syria should the shipment become known.
7 Apr 57
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