NFAC COMMENTS ON 'SATELLITE RECONNAISSANCE SECURITY POLICY ALTERNATIVES'

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81B00401R002000130007-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 15, 2003
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: September 7, 1978
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2004/01/20 : CIA-RDP81 B00101 R00?000130007-2
CXNTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WASaIweTOw.D.C. 2O5Oe
7 September
25X1 MEMORANDUM FOR:
1978 s
NFAC Representative to the Intelligence
Community Civil Space Policy Working Groups
SUBJECT . NFAC Comments on "Satellite Reconnai sauce!
Security Policy Alternatives"
REFERENCE : IC 78-5244, 5Sep78, Same Title as Subject
1. In general, the paper presents an adequate st4mnary'of the benefits
and risks associated with potential declassification of thel"fact of",
and release of imagery from, satellite photographic relconna4asance systems.
2. We believe, however, that the benefit cited for declassification
of "fact of" is inadequately discussed. Given that tie "fact of" is a
notorious non-secret, it appears improbable that declassification of
only the "fact of" would allay public concern that wecan a4equately
verify Soviet compliance with the terms of a SALT II 48reem4nt. Informed
opponents of such an agreement are aware that certain qualitative limita-
tions require more than satellite photography to moni~or So*iet compliance.
Such opponents could combat the strategy of releasing;"fact;of" by
stating the limitations of such photography in the motiitorirjg task and
accusing the administration of taking an evasive action to clover up an
inherently weak case for SALT. This could, in turn, cause increased
pressures to reveal other sources to rebut such atatements.'
I
3. Since the only benefit cited for declassifying "fat of" concerns
allaying public concern with US monitoring capabilities , th a section of
the paper needs to be addressed more fully. If there is in4eed some
significant chance that the objective/benefit would no be achieved,
it would hardly be worth taking the risk involved.
-App owed For Release '20'04/011201 CIA-RDP81 B00401 R002