,. 

USCIB: 29.20/10 

17 May 1955 

T9P SB9REH' 

MEMORANDUM FOR THE MEMBERS OF USCIB: 

Subject: US-UK COMINT Activities in Germany. 

References: (a) USCIB 29.20/6 of 4 May 1955. 

(b) USCIB 29.20/7 of 13 May 1955. 

(c) USCIB 29.20/9 of 16 May 1955. 

1. In anticipation of the possibility that USCIB may wish to ~end 

LSIB a message based on consideration of the references the enclos1u~~ has 

been drafted to facilitate that process and is presented for consideration 

together with the references at the forthcoming meeting of USCIB on 20 May. 

2. The enclosed. draft is based on the background presented in 

reference (a), the problem raised by reference (c) and the assumption that 

recommendations along the lines of those presented in reference (c) may be 

adopted. 

Enclosure 

a/s 

USCIB: 2.9.20/10 

Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 05-16-2014 pursuantto E .0. 1352a 

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DRAFT 

WP SIGRBP 

MD10RANDtM FOR SUKLO I WASHINGTqN: 

Subject: Future Status ot U.K. SIGINT Units in Germany. 

I would be grateful if you would pass the following message from 

USCIB to your Board in response to the message contained in your MOP 4589 

of 10 May 1955: 

111. USCIB HAS NOTED THE DECISION OF LSIB: 

A) TO PLACE ALL U.K. SIGINT UNITS IN WEST GERMANY IN THE ORDER 

OF BATTLE OF U.K. FORCES CONTRIBUTED TO SACEUR1S COMlIDlD: 

B) TO INFORM THE WEST GERMAN GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE BRITISH 

AMBASSADOR, IN GENERAL TEaMS, OF THE SIZE LOCATION AND 

PURPOSE OF THF.SE UNITS: 

C) TO INFORM A.C. OF S. (I) SHAPE OF THE ACTION BEING TAKEN 

AT A) ABOVE. 

112. USCIB PERCEIVF.S IN THE ABOVE DECISION A POSSIBILITY OF SERIOUS 

DIFFICULTIES WITH REGARD TO THE POSITION OF U.S. COMINT UNITS IN GERMANY 

MANY OF WHICH ARE UNSUITABLE FOR THE SACEUR 1Y1 EFFORT AND THEREFORE NOT 

INTENDED TO BE PLACED IN THE ORDER OF BATrLE OF U.S. FORCFS CONTRIBUTED 

TO SACEUR'S COMMAND. USCIB FEELS IN ADDITION THAT UNILATERAL ACTION ON 

THIS Y1ATTER BY EITHER THE U.S. OR U.K. SHOULD BE AVOIDED. 

"3. AS REGARDS THE JURIDICAL POSITION, USCIB DOES NOT CONOUR IN THE 

INTERPRETATION THAT THESE UNITS MUST EITHER BE PLACED UNDER SACEUR1S 

FORMAL COMMAND OR BE SPECIFICALLY EXllNPTED FROM THAT COMMAND BY THE 

NOR'l'H ATLANTIC COUNCIL. ON THE CONTRARY USCIB IS OF THE OPINION THAT 

COMINT BASES IN NATO COUN'mIES IN SAOEUR•S AREA NEED ONLY BE REPCRTED 

TO T~ NCR'l.'H A'?LAN'l'!C ~COUNCIL AS RETAINED TlWDER NATIONAL C~IAND TOGETHER 

WITH A BlOAD S'l'AT.EUEN'l OF THE REASONS THEREFOR. THUS USCIB S!ES NO REASOU WHY 

NEGOTIATlONS WITH THE WEST GEHMAW STATE FOR PERMAN.15N'l' J:MSE .tUGHTS CANNOT 

BE ENTERED INTO. IN THIS CONNEC'fION USCIB NOTES THAT THIS SITUATION WAS 

ANTICIPATED IN PARAGRAPH 12 OF ANNEXURE Pl TO APPENDIX P WHEREIN IT IS 

PROVIDED THAT: '" 

•EACH NATION WITH FORCES SERVING UNDER SACEUR MAY INDIVIDUALLY 

ARRANGE WITH THE AUTHORITlES CONCERNED TO OPERATE IN THE THEATRE 

NATIONAL COMINT UNITS NOT PROVIDED SPECIFICALLY OR EXCLUSIVELY 

FOR DIRECT SUPPORT OF THE FORCES UNDER SACEUR. THESE UNITS WILL 

NOT OPERATE AS PART OF THE SACEUR Y STRUCTURE AND WILL NOT BE 

SUBJECT TO THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR INTER-ALLIED CO-OPERATION.' 

Enclosure with USCIB 29.20/10 dtd 17 May 1955. 

TOP SECRE'f' 
Subject: Future Status of U.K. SIGINT Units in Germ.any. 

114. IN VIEW OF LSIB1S DECISION IN THIS MATTER USCIB IS NOW REVIEWING 

THE STATUS OF COMINT UNITS IN WEST GERMANY FROM A POLITICAL POINT OF VIEW. 

IN ORDER TO ACCELERATE THIS PROCESS .AND TO EVOLVE ITS POSITION IN COORDINATION WITH LSIB, USCIB WOULD LIKE TO SEND A TEAM COMPOSED OF NSA A.i"ID 

STATE DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES TO LONDON TO DISCUSS THESE PROBLEMS wrrH 

APPROPRIATE U.K. AUTHORITIES." 

DRAFT 

RUFUS L. TAYLOR 

Captain, U. S. Navy 

Executive Secretary, USCIB 

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