DECLASSIFICATION

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 01481972
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: August 7, 2017
• Case Number: F-2007-00094
• Publication Date: April 16, 1975

Approved for Release: 2017/01/18 c01481972 16 April 1975
/, inj
haZit RIM �� Ut1f.1
(b)(3)
SUBJECT: Declassification
1. In January 1971 Dr. Kissinger, as National Security Advisor,
issued a directive to the appropriate agencies, CIA included, calling
for an interdepartmental study and appropriate revision of Executive
Order 10501 which provided for classifying and protecting national
security information. An ad hoc group comprising representatives
of Justice, State, Defense, CIA, AEC and NSC was formed to study
"Procedure for Declassification and Release of Official Documents."
The study group was chaired by Assistant Attorney General William H.
Rehnquist. CIA was represented by of the Office of
Security. It was clear from the directive that the main objective of
the exercise was to get rid of overclassification and permanent
classification practices.
2. The committee proceeded with its work through the ensuing
months. In June 1971 the Pentagon Papers' issue evolved. It was
directly as a result of this that the President attended a meeting of
the committee in June or July of that year (1971). He directed that
there be strict limits on the numbers of government employees
authorized to classify information and the new Executive Order
(11652) incorporated that feature. In December 1971, with the
nomination of Mr. Rehnquist to the Supreme Court, Mr. David Young
took over as chairman of the study group. The new Executive Order
11652, supplanting EO 10501, was finally approved on 8 March 1972.
3. In September 1971 Director Helms had a conversation with
the President and Mr. Ehrlichman with regard to the possible
declassification of documents relating to United States actions in
various areas in times past. These included the "Bay of Pigs",
the "Lebanon Landings", the "1962 Cuban Missile Threat", and
two Special National Intelligence Estimates. The Director again
met with Mr. Ehrlichman on 1 October 1971 and described to him
the nature of the documents available stating that materials such
as these cannot be declassified for public release. The Agency has
attempted to recover these documents from the White House on
several occasions, the latest on 18 February 1975. A draft memorandum
NAL USE ONLY
Approved for Release: 2017/01/18 C01481972
--If2len ATIIIC. IlifftnbA; tit
Wpproved for Release: 2017/01/18014814972
from Director Helms to the President on the above matter dated
29 September 1971, which did not go forward, reflects the resistance
that the Agency had for declassification of these documents. (Copy
attached).
4. In his 7 December memorandum to the Honorable John D.
Ehrlichman on the subject of declassification, Director Helms sub-
mitted an outline summary of the problem and a possible solution.
He explained that an intelligence service needs (and strives) to
protect the techniques it employs in going about its business and the
human assets, especially, foreign nationals, it uses or has used in
the past. He further pointed out that some disseminated intelligence
and almost all intelligence operational traffic should not and cannot
be declassified without a highly inappropriate disclosure of intelli-
gence sources and methods. The true names of our agents and the
precise techniques of our operations should in no event be disclosed
even after many years.
5. Attached herewith for possible background use are five
documents namely:
a. A history of the development and issuance of
Executive Order 11652 authored by
Associate General Counsel, CIA dated 4 October 1974.
b. Memorandum from the Attorney General on "Procedures
for Declassification and Release of Official Documents", dated
18 February 1971.
C. Memorandum from the DCI to the Honorable John D.
Ehrlichman on "Declassification", dated 7 December 1971.
d. Executive Order 11652, approved on 8 March 1972.
e. Draft Memorandum from Director Helms to the
President dated 29 September 1971 (not forwarded).
Attachments a/s
- 2 -
-INTERNAL USE ONLY
Approved for Release: 2017/01/18 C01481972