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Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C02000174 Sihanouk for a 14-nation conference on Laos. Communist China has sent letters to the 1954 Geneva Conference cochairmen--Great Britain and the USSR--asking immediate action on the Sihanouk proposal. The Chinese, like their bloc colleagues, probably feel that if such a conference does eventually take place, it would have little immediate effect on the military situation in Laos and would provide a forum for condemnation of the United States. They may also see the proposed conference as a convenient means for hedging against any suggested solutions to the Laotian crisis that might favor the West. Khrushchev, took favorable note of French support for a wide coalition government in Laos and appealed for French cooperation in stopping "American military interference." Moscow radio is denouncing the introduction of T-6 aircraft into Laos as a "deliberate provocation" and has called for the "most resolute measures" to check this "dangerous Washington enterprise." A Soviet commentary beamed to Europe on 13 January noted that the United States justified this action as a means of "self-defense" for the Boun Oum government and asked, "Cannot the lawful government of Laos, which is the victim of aggression, act likewise?" Peiping on 14 January quoted Kong Le as warning that if the US does not halt such "aggressive acts," he will "appeal to the fraternal countries and peoples. . . to supply the Souvanna Phouma government with similar arms." According to Western press reports from Laos, Kong Le's headquarters claims some Laotians have left for Moscow to receive pilot training. While these statements may be intended to prepare the ground for increased bloc military commitments to counter the arrival of the T-6s, there is as yet no evidence of preparations to introduce similar bloc aircraft into Laos. Soviet transports continued to fly into Laos through 15 January. Ten Soviet military LI-2 transports have arrived TOP SECRET 16 Jan 61 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN Page 4 Approved for Release: 2020/08/11 C02000174

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