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AAC

1104-10326-100

2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

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98-0430861

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ERBi

STAFF

CONF : IMS/ESG

CIC/LA, CIC/OG, CIC/OGUCT, CIC/ PRC,

INFO: CE/R/IO, CIC/CEG, CIC/CEGEUR, CIC/CEGLA,

DC/EUR, DO/IRO, EUR/DCCI, EUR/SG,

EUR/SGF, IMDORECORD, LA/FIG, LA/FIGSC, LA/MXG, LA/MXO, LA/MXSTB, LIMITED,

MDSX, ODPD, FILE, C/EUR, C/LA, CE/R, CE/R/XO,

CIC/EUR

98 0430861

ASO

TOT: 041406Z FEB 98

DIRECTOR 674771

SECRET

STAFF

TO:

041407Z DIRECTOR 674771

IMMEDIATE MOSCOW, PARIS, MEXICO CITY, BUENOS AIRES.

FROM: LIMITED DISSEM IMS/ESG INFO DO/IRO, CHIEF/LA, LA/FIG,

LA/FIGSC, CIC/LA, CIC/EUR, EUR/SG, EUR/SGF, CHIEF/EUR, DC/EUR,

C/CE/R/XO

SLUGS: WNINTEL

SUBJECT: CONTINUED PROTECTION OF COVER AS METHOD

REF: NONE

TEXT:

1.

ACTION REQUIRED:

NEED YOUR RESPONSE

NLT 9 FEBRUARY, TO

MEET THE BOARD-IMPOSED DEADLINE.

THE<JFK ASSASSINATION>RECORDS REVIEW BOARD (ARRB) IS A

PRESIDENTIALLY-APPOINTED BOARD WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR RELEASING

*ALL RECORDS RELATING TO THE<ASSASSINATION>OF<PRESIDENT KENNEDY>

WITH A VERY FEW LIMITED EXCEPTIONS. THE MOST RELEVANT EXCEPTION

FOR THE AGENCY IS WHERE THERE IS "

... CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE

THAT THE THREAT TO THE CONDUCT OF US INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES AND

FOREIGN RELATIONS OUTWEIGHS THE PUBLIC INTEREST AND THAT

DISCLOSURE WOULD REVEAL, AN INTELLIGENCE METHOD CURRENTLY UTILIZED

AND NOT OFFICIALLY DISCLOSED. "

LAST WEEK, THE DDA AND THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE

FOR ADMINISTRATION WERE CALLED TO TESTIFY ON THE CONTINUED

WITHHOLDING OF INFORMATION IHAT WOULD OFFICIALLY CONFIRM THAT CTA

IS MAKES STATE CINCIUDTNE SPECIRICALLY CONSULAR) COVERS THIS CASE

IS MADE DIFFICULT BY THE FACT THAT STATE COVER IS

SO WIDELY

DISCUSSED IN THE PUBLIC MEDIA INCLUDING THE MANY BOOKS AUTHORED

FORMER CIA EMPLOYEES; HOWEVER, THE USG HAS NEVER OFFICIALLY

RELEASED THE FACT OF STATE COVER. ALTHOUGH THE ISSUE WAS BRIEFED

IN DEPTH,

THE BOARD HAS REQUESTED ADDITIONAL CONCRETE DAMAGE

VIS-A-VIS THE COUNTRIES SPECIFIED IN THE DOCUMENTS AT

ISSUE--MOSCOW, PARIS, MEXICO CITY AND BUENOS AIRES.

ACCORDINGLY,

WE NEED YOUR SPECIFIC ASSESSMENT OF THE

DAMAGE THAT COULD ARISE IF OFFICIAL USG DOCUMENTS WERE RELEASED

-WHICH-CONE-ERMS-CIA-USE OF STATE COVER.

THAT DAMAGE COULD TAKE-THE-

FORM OF HAPM OR INTERFERE WITH CURRENT DIPLOMATIC INTERESTS

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98-0430861

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IND :

FOLLOWING QUESTIONS MAY ASSIST IN THE FORMULATION OF YOUR

OF COURSE, INPUT

FROM STATE COLLEAGUES WOULD BE WELCOME

(AND IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT STATE FEELS VERY STRONGLY ON THIS

ISSUE AND HAS ALSO FILED A PERSONAL, STATEMENT BY THE SECRETARY OF

STATE) .

WOULD THIS DISCLOSURE!

IF THE STATION IS UNDECLARED,

LEAD TO CLOSER EMBASSY SCRUTINY OR OTHERWISE INTERFERE WITH

OPERATIONS? GIVE EXAMPLES.

(B) OTHERWISE,

IS CIA UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE HOST

GOVERNMENT TO REDUCE PRESENCE, OR MORE FULLY DECLARE PRESENCE,

UNDERTAKE NO UNDECLARED ACTIVITIES?

DESCRIBE PRESENCE.

THOSE ACTIVITIES TO RESTRICT CIA

SERVICE TO SERVICE,

LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES, OPPOSITION POLITICAL INITIATIVES, AND

MEDIA ACTIVITIES .)

(C) DESCRIBE SOME PARTICULAR ACTIVITIES WHICH COULD BE

IMPERILED?

(D) ARE THERE NEW INITIATIVES WITH THE HOST GOVERNMENT AND

SERVICE WHICH COULD BE IMPERILED (E.G., COUNTER-NARCOTICS WHERE

PREVIOUSLY NONE? DESCRIBE.

(E) IS CIA PRESENCE INKERENTLY SENSITIVE

BECAUSE OF HOSTILE POPULATION ELEMENTS OR POLITICAL ACTIVITIES?

(E) IS THERE POSSIBILITY OF HOSTILE USE (E.G., RUSSIAN ON

CUBAN) TO DISCREDIT US EMBASSY AS A "NEST OF SPIES OR SIMILAR?

(G) HAVE THERE BEEN PAST IMBROGLIOS OVER CIA PRESENCE OR

ACTIVITIES THAT THIS RELEASE COULD RESURRECT?

(H) HAVE OFFICIAL USG RELEASES SUCH AS FOIA EVER APPEARED IN

THE LOCAL MEDIA (E.G., JAPAN AND CAMPAIGN FINANCING OR PERU AND

FOIA RELEASED CONCERNING VLADIMIRO MONTESINOS TORRES) .

REFERRED

TO BY HOST GOVERNMENT EITHER ON THE RECORD OR OFF THE RECORD.

5. FILE: NONE. INDEX: NONE. CL BY: 2103140, CL REASON:

1.5 (C), DECL ON:

X1, DRV FROM: LOC 4-82 .

CABLETYPE :

RELNO: DORELS0100880721

ORIG:

IMS /ESG (KNUTSOM, 44596) ; AUTH: C/IMS/ESG (FREDRICK C.

WICKHAM) ; COORD: CE/R, LA/MXO, LA/FIGSC, EUR/SGE, ;

INFO:

DO/TRO:— REL C/IMS/$5G

(FREDRICKC WICKHAM)

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