PROPOSED TRANSMISSION OF OXCART SURFACING BACKGROUND INFORMATION TO U. S. AMBASSADORS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81B00879R001000130066-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 13, 2002
• Sequence Number: 66
• Publication Date: February 29, 1964
• Content Type: MEMO

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29 February 1964
fEMORANTDUM FOR: Deputy -lirector (Science and Technology)
Proposed Transmission of OXCART
Surfacing Background information to
U. S. Ambassadors
1. This memorandum contains a recommendation for your
approval. Such recornmendation is contained in paragraph 4.
2. We learned late on 20 February that the Department of
State (U. Alexis Johnson) had proposed to the Director the following
actions to be undertaken by the Department:
a. Transmit the tef:t of the announcement to be made
by the President to each of the Ambassadors.
b. Transmit to each c_ the Ambassadors the list
of questions and answers prepared for Mr.
Salingers s background information.
c. Acknowledge to each of the Ambassadors that
CIA in fact has been the manager of the program.
3. We understand chat the Director approved a and b above
;ut disapproved c on the strength of our recommendation against
doing so. Upon further reflection we would take strong exception
to the proposal that the Ambassadors be provided the questions
and answers. The reasons for our objection follow.
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We could not possibly expect each and every
Ambassador to properly interpret and reflect
the intent of the questions and answers, 1. e.
protection of the OXCART progrram.
b. It is most im .o'ra'cle tl: t forelon governments
would exyDact a given Ambassador to be prepared
to respond factually or otherwise beyond the
context of an announcement concerning a new
weapons systerr_.
c. ~,Vithout such background inforrnation, the
Ambassadors are L_a a better position to respond
truthfully that they know nothing beyond the
content o the release. Othervvi se a variety of
conflicting views could be surfaced in the world
forum.
An intelligent review of the ouestions and answers
could lead to the conclucion that CIA is in fact
the behind-the-scene ma ager.
e. We are concerned over the lack of complete and
effective communications security throughout
the entire De '- ur_t cc_rnr~_~zicatio 1s network,
_ r;___1thereby raising 'Oh-,_- possibility of intercept by the
.CivVief,S.
4. t is recommender that the Director be approached
%uit 1 a strong plea that the Dec~ar-;mer t not transmit the background
:1uestions and answers to the Ambassadors. If however the
Director is still of the view that the Ambassadors should have
this background information, :.:yen a minimum they should be
instructed not to comment beyond the actual content of the announcement.
,Signed)
?`N'"JACK C. LEDFORD
Colonel USAF
Assistant Director
(Special Activities)
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The recor mendation contained in
paragraph 4 is approved:
Deputy Director (Science and Technology)
EO/OSA
jn (29 Yeb 6Q
Distribution:
Cy #1 -- PS/OSA
#2 - RB/OSA
Approved For Release 2003/02/27 : CIA-RD~P81 B00879R001?000130066-9
SECRET