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REF ID:A59629 

S£CRET • 

SECRET = II s EYES OblU" 

SUBJECT NUMBER 

USGIB: 13.5/49 

Subject: 

Item C (Not on Agenda) for the lOlst Meeting of USCIB, 

held on 12 March 1954. 

Distribution of COMINT Documents. 

GENERAL CANINE informed the members that he had several comments on 

this subject, and proceeded to make the following statement: 

"I noted the discussion at the Executive Conunittee's February 

meeting regarding the need for tightening COMINT security controls 

within the member agencies of USCIB. The Executive Secretary 

recommended certain steps be taken in an attempt to reduce the 

number of COMINT consumer publications in circulation and to limit 

their distribution; and also to restrict to the minimum the number 

of Cm1INT documents distributed by the National Security Agency and 

other producing agencies. 

"I want to make it a matter of record that I subscribe fully 

to the spirit and intent of the Executive Secretary's recommendations. But I invite your attention to the fact that the decision 

on the matter reached by the Executive Conunittee represents only a 

partial, preliminary step towards the solution of a critical 

security problem. I am willing to undertake the review reconnnended 

by the Executive Committee, but it must be understood that this 

survey, explicitly restricted in its scope to a limited area, will 

not accomplish much. 

"During January 1954, I published and distributed to qualified 

recipients over three million pages of translations and reports. 

To compound the problem, consumer agencies find it necessary to 

duplicate portions of this material and to publish these portions 

in their own COMINT summaries. It becomes difficult even to 

estimate the aggregate of C~1INT documents circulating world-wide 

among the members of USCIB, our international colleagues, and our 

associates in the field. It should be abundantly clear that this 

staggering volume of material presents an almost insuperable 

problem so far as security control is concerned. 

11The action of the Executive Committee seems to recognize the 

existence of the problem. But its action does little more than 

that. Because of the vital importance of COMINT security control, 

I would like to have the Board record its support of the Executive 

Secretary's recommendations, and take action now to establish an 

ad hoc committee composed of representatives from the Department of 

Defense and CIA as suggested by the Executive Secretary- and do so 

move. 11 

USCIB: 13. 5/49 = 16 = 

SECRET 

Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 02-25-2014 pursuantto E.O. 1352a 
REF ID:A59629 

• TOl~, ElECRET • 

8Esm' l:J. 6. E¥E8 ONI:i! 

USCIB: 13.5/49 

The ensuing dis cuss ion indicated a lack or enthusiasm on the part 

of most members for the view expressed by General Ca.nine, the general 

opinion being that control of distribution and security is a matter 

for intemal action on the part of each individual member. 

THE ACTING CHAIRMAN'S (General Erskine's) inquiry on a second to 

General Canine's motion received no response. 

DECISION: (12 March 1954) USCIB noted the remarks of the NSA Member, 

but did not concur in the recommendations contained therein. It was 

the consensus of the Board that present security control procedures are 

in need of improvement and that each member department and agency of 

USCIB should examine its own procedures to determine ways and means of 

effecting such improvement. 

The meeting adjourned at 1704. 

USCIB: 13.5/49 - 17 -

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