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SUBJECT NUMBER 

TENTATIVE 

EO 3.3(h)(2) 

PL 86-36/50 USC 3605 

USCIB: 29.3/34 

Subject: 

Item 5 or the Agenda for the 103rd Meeting of USCIB, 

held on 14 May 1954. 

French Connnunications Security. 

'!HE ACTING CHAIRMAN (General Cabell) informed the members that Mr. 

Armstrong wished to present inf orma.tion on this subject for consideration 

by the members. 

MR • .ARMSTRONG stated that on 22 May 1954 the Secretary or State had 

received the British Ambassador, Sir Ro er Makins who. had been instructed 

b the Forei Off ice to raise the 

L-__,...--....,..,.-----:---:--=---=---:-:---:-'. Secretary Dulles, he s.aid, had taken 

no e o the request, informing the Ambassador that he would refer the 

matter to appropriate authorities and provide an answer as soon as he 

could. 

Mr. Amstrong continued by saying that he had discussed the request 

with Mr. Allen Dulles prior to making a recommendation to the Secretary 

and, since that time, has obtained the Secretary's views, which are to the 

effect that this is an inopportune time to make such an approach \because 

of (1) the uncertain status of the present French Government, and\(2) the 

situation which now obtains as a result of the recent Security discussions 

in Paris. He said that the Secretary favors a reply which wil.l in:t'onn the 

British that we cannot agree to their proposal at this t:ime, and added 

that he had prepared a draft memorandum from the Chairman, USCIB, to the 

Secretary or State which he would like to read for consideration by the 

members. His draft memorandum. was as follows: 

111. The United States Communications Intelligence Board (USOIB) 

has considered carefully the UK proposal -- presented to you on 

Ma 8 1954 Sir Ro er Makins -- that immediate st s be taken to 

"2. As you know, a combiner II$-I1K nJan to imnrove French 

communications security without Jwas 

set in motion last March at the government level; and technical 

talks covering three agreed phases of this plan were concluded with 

the French only on May 1, 1954. It is believed that these talks 

have been effective, particularly with reference to French practices 

USCIB: 29.3/34 - 14 -

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Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 04-21-2014 pursuant to E. 0. 1352B 
.... . .. -.=oP~cI&t6i¥(6tH I 

'fOP 3E6R:E'f PRO'fH • t:J. S. EYEiS ONfiY E03.3(h)(2) 

PL 86~36/50 USC 3605 

USCIB: 2$.3/34 

in Indochina. It is also believed that a reasonableperiod o:r time 

must be allowed for the French to take action on the faet,s resented 

to them, and for the 

Finally, it is believed that an approach to the French 

along the line suggested by the British Ambassador could have a 

deleterious effect on the stepB already taken and, especially at 

this time, might even have a poor effect on US-UK relations with 

France. 

"3. USCIB recommends, therefore, that the British request be 

refused at this time.~ 

The members approved this reply. 

The members noted the information presented. 

OGA 

DECISION: (14 May 1954) USCIB considered the British request presented 

by Mr. Arm.strong and agreed to reply, via memorandum from the Chairman, 

USCIB, to the Secretary of State, with a recommendation that the British 

request be refused at this time. It was agreed that the text o:f the 

memorandum would be as proposed and read by Mr. Armstrong. 

This item to be dropped from the agenda. 

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