Untitled report on Soviet movements in Lebanon

182/1

Beirut, 28/6/1949 - No. 149

1. I learned from a reliable source that the Russian Legation received a new batch of Russian gold ingots to sell in the Syrian and Lebanese markets to pay for its secret operations, and that part of these ingots will be on offer in Sursok, Raad and Hani markets in the next two says.

2. Mr Issagolov and his assistant Vinogradov arrived from Damascus and held a meeting yesterday afternoon at the Russian Legation chaired by Mr Solod, and attended by Khan Likov and Piesrenko.

I learned that their discussions focused on the dangerous situation in Syria and on the detailed report they plan to send to Moscow today.

3. When I visited Mr. Ivanov in his office the day before yesterday, I saw on his desk a dossier containing photographs of a number of Syrian officers. When he saw me looking at it he explained that he had received instructions from the management of the Red Army newspaper asking for photographs of a number of Syrian leaders for publication. The truth, however, is that they simply needed to have photographs of Syrian leaders.