USCIB; 14.1/31 

~ORMDUI-1: FOR THE MEMBERS OF USCIBEC: 

Subject: Revision of the UKUSA Agreement. 

Aff'B!lmiB BCOBMSffi:' 0 Olf'i'l\INS 

G OBEWORE> H!.":esRIAf. 

6 December 1954 

Reference: USCIB 14.1/24 of 15 September 1954. 

10 Pursuant to USCIBEC decision on the re~erenced proposal at 

its 22nd meeting, the enclosed presentation by the NSA member, which 

sur"'11rts his recoilllllendation that "F" and "K" be considered technical 

Appendices is forw·arded for consideration by vote sheet. 

2. It is requested that vote sheet replies on the NSA t..fember1 s 

recommendation be forwarded to this office not later than 1200, Wednesday, 

15 December 1954. 

Enclosure 

a/s 

USCIB: 14.1/31 

\ 

A.i>m1Di:C J;) cx;m4i:NT C Q}iT.~Di~ 

GOBEWOHB !f:!':P:SRIAfi 

24 

Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 03-18-2014 pursuantto E .0. 1352a 

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BACKGROUND 

REF ID:A59194., 9 TOP SECRET FROTilW 

REVISION OF UKUSA AGREEMENT 

1. USCIB 14.1/24 contains a proposal by the Director whereby 

a note would be added to the Introduction to the UKUSA Appendices. 

According to the note, the Directors, NSA and GCHQ, would be 

authorized to change or interpret by mutual agreement certain 

11technical 11 Appendices (C, D, E, F, K, L, and M). 

2. As indicated in USCIB 14.1/28 USCIBEC considered the proposal, and recommended to USCIB that Appendices C, D, E, L, and M 

be considered technical appendices, with the understanding that 

all members of USCIB will be informed in writing through the 

Executive Secretary, USCIB, of every change in these appendices 

that may be agreed between NSA and GCHQ. USCIBEC recommended, 

further, that Appendices F and K tentatively be considered policy 

appendices subject to further consideration at the next. meeting 

of USCIBEC. 

3. The USCIBEC recommendations contained in 14.1/28 were app~oved by USCIB on 5 November 1954 (as indicated by 14.1/30). 

4. Notification of the actions summarized above has been sent 

from NSA to GCHQ, and the Director, GCHQ, has commented that he is 

unaware of any reasons why F and K should no~ be grouped with the 

technical appendices. 

CURRENT CONSIDERATION 

5. Appendix F govems the exchange of COMINT and coordination 

in translation. The provisions of Appendix F cover three general 

areas: 

... / .. / .. / 

EO 3.3(h)(2) 

PL 86-36/50 USC 3605 

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TOP REF ID:A5919. ,.....,,..l"'l>...,m ...,l"'l>"'m{ 15EC1\E 1 l' ICU 1 n 

'i'OP 6FrlRHP FH:Oif'II 

b. Guidance on how\ 

EO 3.3(h)(2) 

PL86-36/50 USC 3605 

(1) Exchange channels are specified in .A.ppendlj.x F. Use 

of the specified channels would not be en~irely 

consistent with current UKUSA policy. NS.A. and 

GCHQ should be enabled to make the necessary 

corrections for USCIB and LSIB, and by doi*g so, 

NSA and GCHQ would be implementing! the poli.cy, 

instead of formulating the policy. 

(2) Additional guidance is flexible and broadly 

stated, with the net effect that exchanges Will 

be continuous, current, and without request 

unless otherwise arranged in specific instances. 

Such flexible guidance implies that USCIB and 

LSIB recognize that the conduct of exchanges 

between NSA and GCHQ is a technical matter which 

may be regulated by NSA and GCHQ in accordance 

with existing UK.USA policy, th.e intelligence 

requirements of the consumers, and the technica.l 

requirements of the producers, 

(3) Appendix F refers to Appendix K for guidance on 

S andardization. 

.e po icy ecision o 

ermine ogy is s ated in the Introduction 

to the Appendices. The selection of terms, such as those mentioned 

above, should not be considered a matter of policy, but instead 

should be regarded as a technical implementation of policy. According 

to Appendix F, other matters of standardization affecting the exchange 

of COM.INT, and are left up to NSA and GCHQ. 

- 2 -

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7. It should be noted that all changes of F and K would be in 

accordance with established UKUSA policy; that notification of all 

such changes would be furnished to the members of USCIB. 

8. The reasons for regarding F and K as "policy" append.ices are 

not lmown. 

TOP SECRE'T FROTH