NOTE: URGENT: POINTS FOR DDO DECISION RE JFK BOARD
Originator: CIA
From: LEE S. STRICKLAND. OIM
To: DON CRYER
Document date: 09/29/1998
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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

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CL BY: 492272)

CL REASON: Section 1.5 C

DECL ON: X1

DRV FRM: HUM 4-82

From the Desk of Lee S. Strickland

Chief, Information Review Group / CIA

NOTE FOR:

FROM:

OFFICE:

DATE:

Donald R. Cryer@DO

Lee S. Strickland

OIM

09/29/98 11:39:08 AM

SUBJECT: URGENT: Points for DDO Decision re JFK Board

Don,.

As you know, OlM has been working with the JFK Board to ensure that all critical DO equities are

protected despite the Board's penchant to release everything even remotely related to the JFK

assassination. However, in the last few days of the Board's tenure, their demands have become more

strident and we need your approval on the following strategies for negotiations today.

1. The Walt Elder document. This is a summary of the Agency's entry into the French Embassy

in Washington with "Iden" substituted for the words French and the name of their intell rep. The details

left in the document reveal that it was an entry in Washington. We believe we may be able to have the

Board defer release if we provide an oral, classified briefing on the facts to the 5 cleared Board members

- as we have on several other occasions this year on other matters. If you approve this classified briefing,

we would also advise the Board that if they do not agree to defer, we will, without question, recommend an

appeal to the President.

2. The Mexico City Station History. Largely agreed, the sticking points are a few segments

which contain the root part of the relevant crypt (LICASA) and other details which reflect that our asset

(was the code clerk and that we got lots of good stuff, etc. We ask your concurrence to compromise on the

base of the crypt (CASA) since it reveals nothing more than has already been released BUT stand fast

and firmi on the details of the source and the goodness of the take and tell the Board -- nicely of course --

that they may release "CASA" but we will again go to the President on the remainder.

3. The Administrative Traffic. Surely one of their more ridiculous demands. However, they

have the authority and the precedent since the FBI gave them tons of such material. They want every

scrap of paper which documents the Agency's processing of the Board's requests. It could cover, for

example, all of my and your e-mail which concerns the Board. We would like to say no and seek their

agreement by addressing only the 57 cables which concern our (and the Board's interaction) with the

(Mexican service on their requests AND the 5 underlying declarations that were completed recently and

which formed the basis for the ExDir's public declaration. Each of these documents would be properly

redacted before release. This is a prudent compromise in my view since it well preserves the CIA's

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position that internal deliberative type documents will not be released (as in the Chester || ISCAP case).

These strategies have been developed by Barry Harrelson, the DO's JFK Team, and Chuck

Briggs who is our most senior annuitant on the project. Ed Cohen and I agree that these positions make

sense from a perspective of best protecting core DO equities. We need your approval on the above

approaches and any similar compromises that may be necessary today and tomorrow as we move in a

"white heat" on the Board's final demands in the closing days of their tenure.

Many Thanks.

LEE

CC:

• William H. McNair@DO

Gloria Boyd @DO

Ramona Dunn-C-@DCI (bcc: James R. Oliver)

Sent on 29 September 1998 at 11:39:08 AM

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