PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS FOR REVIEW OF HSC AND SSC DRAFT PAPERS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-00300R000100060026-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 16, 2002
• Sequence Number: 26
• Publication Date: December 16, 1975
• Content Type: SUMMARY

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16 December .1975
SUBJECT:. Principles and Standards for Review of HSC and
SSC Draft Papers
taken. (See especially paragraph 4.j
1. The Agency expects to have an opportunity to .
review draft reports of both the HSC and SSC. This will
apply to both review for declassification for publication,
and for handling in classified form. In the.forner-in-
stance comments will concentrate on protection of intelli-
gence sources and nethods,.and in both instances the Agency's
factual corrections are requested. Unclassified publication
entails some exposure in any event, but the Agency's review
and comments must be professional, sound and defensible. The
purpose of this. memorandum is to discuss the approach to be
which.-security questions may. arise-are below:
2. As a general practice, we will. continue to propose
sanitization or paraphrasing to (1) protect 'sensitive
sources and methods, (2) protect foreign liaison relations,
and (3) protect the names of cooperating. individuals and
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then, if overruled, we will still seek to minimize
that damage in careful sanitization.
d. Specific identification of Agency employees
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below the top command level, or descriptions that
make their identity readily ascertainable (e.g.,
---Specific mention, 'of proprietary-type
entities.--is obiectionabie. as would be descriptions.
discussion,-of the existence of pro tietaries canno
be. ob_j ected to,_.
able, specific identification will be accepted e.g.,
"the Air America complex") ; hot ever, publicity -- even
by a Congressional committee -- does not of itself
serve to declassify.
f. Description of cover arrangements should be
kept very general, avoiding any detail that would
_.revea1..1ocaL strengths or serve to pinpoint individuals,
.or that permit compromise of cooperating cover organ-
izations.
g. Reference to classified intelligence reports.
and studies, in the report, should be studied care-
fully to ensure that they do not reveal intelligence
sources and methods. In some instances, a given piece
of information may be known to only a very few indi-
viduals, and publication of it in unclassified form
would permit identification of the source. In other
instances, certain information could be known only
through technical collection systems. It is doubtful
that any one bit of intelligence would contribute
much to most discussions, generalized summaries suf-
ficing to make whatever points the HSC has in mind,
but there may be instances in which this problem is
presented.
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n. The interests of other government agencies
and departments will. be kept in mind, to ensure that
their interests are considered for coordination.
Where reference is made to other departments or
agencies, it is appropriate for CIA to comment when
it-relates to CIA activities. It also is appropriate
to volunteer factual corrections. In such instances,
our comments should note an assumption that these
will be properly coordinated with those organizations.
The above list of questions is intended as.a sample of the
sort of issues that may arise. The nature of the subject
matter-is such that a comprehensive list cannot be pre-
pared in advance, and the issues will have to be dealt with
as they arise.
3. As there is some concern on the part of the HSC
Staff members that the security review agreed between
Chairman Pike and the, President may constitute some form
of censorship, care should be exercised to raise only real
issues of security, where,it is proposed that the draft is
intended for unclassified publication. The manner in which
the Agency handles its security revi.e: also will have an
effect on the attitude of the HSC Staff- members, so state-
ments of security reservations must be sober and professional,
with clear alternatives being offered for how the questio
can be resolved. The Agency's purpose is to facilitate.
publication of a properly sanitized, declassified report,
where unclassified publication is intended.
4.. A relatively consistent response by the Agency
will facility e exchanges-, with -HSC- .and.-SSC.:-Staff- members...
The above- discussion is intended .to. contribute .to:this
Additionally, - it will also- help if the, Agency:' s.. format for
conveying its cori-nents is consistent: -=To-this end-,. comments.
should be made on a separate paper, each comment keyed to
the pose and line- of the draft,-.first stating the ,problem
raised,--by. -the statement .in questzon,_ ,h~~:.nits- uncLassif:ied..=
publicat-ion--in--that form-Is- -subject o reservation,'~an.d
proposi pg-:either a way' to resolve the -pr'able n . ed1itorially
-by : reph--, a5; _n;s. th. ge -..i _or simply- T _ e .. .4
a- passa~ b} d ~,e.~zn~ cexta~n
speci i statemercts where- the-:r _do_r,ot impair---the : thrust.
of -the.-pa or the flo.,r of. i,rriting, phis' ttiould serve as
the basis for discussions with HSC and SSC Staff members,
giving them a complete statement on each issue in order to
prepare for further exchanges.
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ub1 is=-domain, but--.has ~ not been confirmed....by of
classified .HSC..:report,: unless. textual treatment-,.-.,--
-.raises- other- issues of security; if it is in-the
no reason --to ob3-ect-.._to- its publication in the un-..._
g -information- has been- released- officially --these i-s=
i. Appraisals of the performance character-
istics of Communist or other foreign military
equipment should be carefully considered before
regiment=to release in unclassified form. If, the
h.. Reference to specific intelligence gaps
that will reveal U.S. capabilities in areas im-
portant to the national interest.
tec-?,r,;c_al. collection capabilities. It may be that
estimated performance characteristics may reveal
ficial publication, its inclusion in the report
should be considered carefully. Publication of.
cap-abilities and intentions, and estimates of these,
shc.%u.ld be revieivred closely for discussion with the
HSC Staff. National policy-level materials, which
may compromise national interests, 'must be handled
specially.--=
k. Specific organizational descriptions must
be studied carefully. In this context, any detailed
sumsmary of overseas organization and activities must
be reviewed for unintended disclosures, or obvious
revelations.
core in.- discussion" of a current policy issue-
the BACKFIRE bomber), which would raise additional
questions of classification.
i. Reporting on recent or current foreign
"puhi ication of performance characteristics .Would.-
m. Inclusion of non-CIA paper, coming from
th.c Executive level of government, should be iden-
ti=xied for appropriate clearance. -
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5.. It is anticipated that working sessions- will be
arranged following the initial review, to address the
questions raised by the comments. -
6: The HSC and SSC Staff people have indicated an
interest in Agency comments on the factual accuracy of
the drafts, although it is not yet clear that the Agency
will be requested to conduct such a review in every in-
stance. This question is sure to. arise in the review of..
reports planned for unclassified publication, but the
preparation of classified reports by the HSC does not
require review by the Agency. There is nothing at present
to prevent the Agency from offering.comm.ents on factual
accuracy or, for that matter, on conclusions when the
opportunity presents itself; however, neither committee
is obliged to accept these comments. Any factual cor-
rections that are offered should be handled*-as are the
security co.- ents, separately, soberly and professionally.
7. The Review Staff will undertake to. coordinate
the distribution of papers for review, to monitor progress;
and" assist in working reviews of comments with I-ISC and SSC
Staff members that follow the review.
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