13-00000 also indicated that additional and Soviet equipment and assist- facilities to be built at Brazi ance. In reporting the progress will include a number of petro- of construction at these plants, chemical installations: an however, the Rumanians gave more -ethylene-propylene plant prob-. attention to the Western assist- ably purchased from Italy, a ance than to the Soviet contribu- polyethylene plastics plant from tions. the UK, and, an ethylene oxide So : and ethylene glycol unit from The belated open recognition o Italy. Brazi, along with another the Western role in Rumania's eco- combine at Borzesti, will be the nomic development undoubtedly re- main centers for chemical pro- flects Rumania's desire to expand duction based on petroleum. further its trade ties with the West. Rumanian officials have con- Dej also visited numerous stantly reiterated Bucharest's' other industrial installations interest in purchasing modern tech- which have received both Western nical machinery and equipment. (SE a“ CRET) tees) Wee Ae Reka, PF SBS | AE Mo b 5 eet 2I4A/LW EAI 6 t-22 > Les ish \ | SECRET 26 Nov 63 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE DIGEST. > Page 6
SECRET Peiping Approaches Cambodian risis Carefully The Chinese Communists are showing considerable caution in their reactions to Prince Sihanouk's apparently unsolicited outbursts concerning his inten- sions to turn to them for aid, although they are attempting to appear responsive to his position. In a 21 November government state- ment, the Chinese carefully avoided any real commitment to Cambodia and were studiously vague about the extent to which they intend to support Sihanouk. The Chinese hesitated for over two weeks before issuing their statement and they is- sued it then because of the pressure of a situation over which they have no control. The statement avoids the ques- tion of economic or technical aid. It does offer "all-out support" for Cambodia in the event of an invasion by the US, COMMUNIST ASIA South Vietnam, or Thailand. Even this high-sounding promise, however, is carefully hedged with a preliminary reference to the 1954 Geneva agreements, sug- gesting that "all-out support" ‘Iwould be restricted to propa- ganda calls for joint action under the International Control Commission and would not include unilateral Chinese Communist military aid. While Peiping probably could supplant US aid to Cam- bodia, its enthusiasm is appar-. ently considerably dampened by Sihanouk’s unpredictability. The Chinese are well aware that previous expressions of similar desires by Sihanouk were used as pressure tactics to enhance Cambodia's position. Although in the present crisis Sihanouk appears more serious than in earlier ones, the Chinese are unwilling to leap in before they are certain of the outcome. (CONFIDENTIAL) NBR et ~ SECRET 26 Nov 63 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE DIGEST Page 7
13-00000 SECRET .Viet Cong Activity in South Vietnam The accelerated tempo of Viet Cong activity in the post- coup period continues. While the 149 Viet Cong attacks recorded during the week ending 18 November are a drop from the previous week's record high of 233, the number is still about 50 percent above normal for this year. Most of the attacks continue to be on — a small scale. They are tar- geted primarily against strate- gic hamlets and outposts, with government paramilitary forces bearing the brunt. On 24 No- vember, however, a reportedly - large Communist force overran prominent figures who sided Sen Us AKA 24 - V5S, 22 Van 6-5 (Ls, OPERAS 39 ancl ¥/, *? the ¢ & Cove) SOUTHEAST ASIA a post northwest of Saigon where special forces were train- ing under US auspices. The Saigon government ap- parently is proceeding with a purge of military officers holding high military, intelli- gence, and provincial posts under Diem. On 22 November it announced the suspension of 31. officers. Some of these are under arrest. The purges may be partly in response to the demands of student and Buddhist groups seeking revenge against with Diem during the Buddhist crisis. (SECRET) Noa SECRET 26 Nov 63 CURRENT INTELLIGENCE DIGEST Page 8
13-00000 SECRET NOTES Communist China - Australia: for 1.1 million tons of grain from Australia worth about $66 million--China's first major grain purchase for 1964 delivery The Australian announcement stated that terms of the sale were similar to previous Sino- Australian grain deals. China' 1963 grain crop will at most be no better:thah last year's medi- ocre crop and thus China would have to import more than the 5.5 million tons of grain it bought last year from the West, if it is to have available as much grain per person. (CONFI- MSN DENTIAL NO FOREIGN, DISSEM ey: PEPE Veit 22 fri Cw) Cosmos 22, launche rom the Tyuratam rangehead on 16 November, was: recovered on 22 November during orbit 95. un nned satellite to be re- covered. ‘All recoverable sat- ellites have been launched from the Tyuratam rangehead, and de- orbited after three to ten days in flight. (SECRET) ALNDEA RAB 24L(502 Lhe 6 6A) Japan: | The 21. November “genera éction brought no significant shift in the bai- ance between the ruling. Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) -and the opposition leftist parties. The small Democratic Socialist Party's unexpected capture of six seats more than it picked up in the last election suggests that it has increased its poten- tial as a moderating force on the left. LDP's slight loss will make Premier Ikeda vulner- able to attacks on the quality of his leadership from rival ew oS party factions. (CONFIDENTIAL) Mee: F805 I! Toya 7D 25th0 65: Algerfa:\| A group of Alge- Yian army officers reportedly 26 Nov 63 | SECRET CURRENT INTELLIGENCE DIGEST C3 ‘ we, are srortad cous against Pres- ident Ben Bella, according to a usually reliable clandestine source. The source. claims that Colonel Boumedienne, minister of national defense and second most influential man in Algeria, not only: supports but is leading the plotters who,’ like the colonel , represent military elements which did not fight inside Algeria dur- ing the revolution against France. While there has been no public clash between Boumedienne and Ben' Bella, there has been a growing number of reports that a falling- out between the two men may be im- minent, and Ben Bella has made sey without consulting Boumedienne, SECRET NO FOREIGN DISSEM) . . ave Ae 23- BU lib es (Lf ai or the second time® n Egyptian aircraft. apparently has attacked Sauditér- ritory near the Yemeni borde : A: small village was bombed: and strafed on 21 November, and-‘the Saudis have formally complained | te the UN Observation Mission and. £0 the US Embassy: The Egyptian. ‘at- tacks will “probably increase Cro wr E10: ig when the latest extension of the UN Mission's mandate expires. ECRET a Meo thet Sy8, P¥lhn 6 3 Cod ary 9 ® Cuba: Fidel Castro's two- _ hour speech of 23 November on Pres ident Kennedy's assassination re- flects apprehension that US policy toward Cuba may become even toughe than in the past. He pointed out that President Kennedy's alleged promise not to invade Cuba has bee strongly attacked by "“reactionarie and stated that the President's death could lead from a bad situa- tion to a worse one... (CONFIDENTIA S FECES fae KY Cm? Cove) ) 6/68 Page 106
13-00000 | own 4 LIA 26 Nov 63 SECRET Developments in Laos A well-coordinated clearing action launched north of Vien- tiane on 21 November by neutral- ist, Lao Army, and Meo guerrilla .@lements has met with consider- able success. Government forces have. secured Vang Vieng, long held by the Pathet Lao. Although an earlier push by a similar combination of government forces in the Plaine des Jarres area did not attain comparable successes, the Pathet Lao position at Xieng Khouang -CRET NO FOREIGN DISSEM) Tce § - 856 S60), Aap 507, PO Abies (C4 “Fe ) . SOUTHEAST ASIA town remains surrounded and threatened. Overt Communist reaction to these developments has been limited, thus far, to propaganda blasts at the "perfidy" of the — neutralists in the current tenu- ous series of negotiations. There are, however, uncon- firmed reports of North Viet- namese troop reinforcements in the Plaine des Jarres area. (SE~ 7 SECRET CURRENT INTELLIGENCE DIGEST ° Page 9