Reciprocal Communications Rights to Selected Foreign Governments

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78S05450A000100160012-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 9, 2001
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: August 5, 1955
• Content Type: MF

Approveor Release 200416'81b&
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
THROUGH: Deputy Director (Pa
SUBJECT: Reciprocal Communications Rights to Selected
Foreign Governments
1. Recently there was organized under the aegis of the Assistant
Director of the Office of Defense Mobilization for Telecommunications,
an ad hoc committee to study ways and means of enabling the State
Department to assure itself of the minimum essential facilities for
reliable exchange of telegraphic communications with and among U. S.
Foreign Service posts abroad. Numerous instances of civil strife in
foreign countries, which usually result in disruption of communication
channels, such as that recently experienced in Buenos Aires, make
such facilities mandatory. The availability of facilities which can
assure an uninterrupted flow of communications, particularly in times
of emergency, is of grave concern of the Department of State
I 25X1
2. The ad hoc committee, comprised of representatives from ODM,
OSD, FCC, FBI, CIA and State, considered various aspects of the prob-
lem and concluded that a staff paper setting forth all relevant detail should
be prepared. A small working group from CIA and State have prepared
such a paper which is attached. This study will be presented to the Bureau
of the Budget as the basis for White House approval of a plan to include
in the Administration's legislative program, modification of the Communi-
cations Act of 1934 to permit the granting of reciprocal radio communica-
tion rights to selected foreign governments when deemed to be in the
best interest of the United States.
3. Prior to formal presentation to the Bureau of the Budget, the
Assistant Director for Telecommunications, ODM, has asked that the
staff study be circulated informally to the agencies concerned and con-
currence obtained. It is then intended to transmit the staff study for-
mally, under cover of a letter from the Department of State, to the
Agencies of interest with a request for formal concurrence. It is my
lA-RDP78 450A0001001610
1 -9~
7 - dqr~
55
25X1
25X1
25X1
Approved For Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP78SO545OA000100160012-9
 Approver Release 2004/05/05 : CIA-RDP78SQl50A000100160012-9
Subj: Reciprocal Communications Rights to Selected Foreign Governments.
understanding that the Department of Defense, and the FCC have agreed
not to interpose any objections to the foregoing action. A previous staff
study prepared within the Agency recommending the granting of recipro-
cal communications rights to selected nations was concurred in by the
DD/I, DD/P and the Legal Counsel.
4. Since it is impossible to anticipate when disruptions may occur in
the provision of vital communications services abroad, resolution of this
problem appears to warrant early action by all concerned. Unless advised
to the contrary, I intend to concur informally in the attached paper, and
I recommend your formal concurrence when it is presented to you in the
near future.
25X1
Attachment
Staff Study
25X1A9A ~---
CA-f 111"
3 QA.ZO* A" 14 S' i.
25X1
25X1
c
Approved For Release 2004105/05: CIA-RDP78