LETTER: THIS IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR LETTER OF 3 JANUARY 1997
Originator: CIA
From: JOHN F. PEREIRA CHIEF, HRG
To: DAVID G. MARWELL
Document date: 01/28/1997
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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1704-10330-10077

2023 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

SECRET

Central Intelligence Agency

Wtishinglun, D.C. 20S0S

28 January 1997

Mr. David G. Marwell

Executive Director

Assassination Records

Review Board

600 E Street, NW

Washington, DC 20530

Dear David:

This is to acknowledge your letter of 3 January 1997 to the

Director of Central Intelligence concerning the Assassination

Records Review Board's recent formal determinations with respect

to CIA Records.

The appropriate Agency components have again

reviewed the

documents that the Board has decided to release either totally or

with some information postponed.

While the Agency does not plan

to appeal to the President for additional postponements at this

time, we ask that the Board reconsider its decisions with respect

to six documents. These documents contain information relating to

foreign government provided data,

foreign liaison relationships,

and intelligence sources--information that we believe merits

protection under current standards set by the Board.

A list of

these six documents, together with Agency comments concerning

them, is enclosed.

We plan no further action on these documents pending

discussion with your staff and review by the Board.

she Persin

John

F. Pereira

Chief,

Historical Review Group

Enclosure

UNCLASSIFIED WHEN

SEPARATED FROM ENCLOSURE

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SECRET

i

ENCLOSURE

(We request that this enclosure be returned to CIA once the

Review Board has

completed its

deliberations on the issues

discussed below.)

(U)

The Central Intelligence Agency requests that the

Assassination Records

on the six documents listed below:

(U) 1. 104-10012-10080 and 104-10009-10224

(substitute--language for a foreign country document).

(S)

The foreign government in question has expressed

strong concern about USG and CIA's inability to keep secrets,

and current relationships are very tense. If we are required

to

release the date and/or narrow the geographic choices too

closely, the foreign government will be able to identify the

document as theirs. Because this document is scheduled for

another review in July 1997, we request that the ARRB reconsider

the inclusion of the date of the document and designation of the

country of origin as "Pacific Rim Country"

and accept our.-

originally submitted wording:

(U) 2. 104-10051-10106 (release of location)

We request reconsideration of the release of the

location identified in the last three words in the eleventh line,

paragraph eight.

This CIA base currently is undeclared to the

host government.

3.

104-10055-10072 and 104-10054-10007 (foreign

government activity/liaison).

(S) Regarding the release of the reference to the passport?

camera on page 3. it is not the USG's position to confirm that a

foreign government undertakes such activity. In addition this

is

an on-going operation.

Further, releasing the words in question

would establish a

CL BY: {0185904, 3

DECL ON:

CL REASON: 1.5(c)

DV FM: AHB 70-9 MULTIPLE

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tending to confirm the liaison relationship

We request that the

last seven words of line four, paragraph "h"

• be replaced with

substitute wording such as "the public security facilities".

(U) 4. 104-10004-10213

(source)

(S)

We request that the ARRB reconsider releasing the word

"agent" in this context (page 32); suggested substitute,

"contact." Nielson was not a paid agent of the REDSKIN

project

and does not appear to have worked for the Agency in any other.

capacity.

To describe him as a CIA agent could cause danger

either to him or his family, especially if they are still in

Russia.

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