PROPOSED OBSERVER STATUS FOR OFFICE OF SPECIAL ACTIVITIES AT CERTAIN SPECIAL GROUP MEETINGS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81B00961R000100120067-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 13, 2000
• Sequence Number: 67
• Publication Date: August 31, 1962
• Content Type: MF

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4.T>MORANDUIS.A FOR : Acting Director of Central Intelligence
Deputy Director (Research) /HS/
I concur if it can be
arranged.
=tl.>J CT Proposed Observer Status for Office of Special
A rtiviti,as at Certain Special Group Meetings
I. This m zemorandum contains a recommendation for your approval
Paragraph 6.
E. During the evolution and growth of our overflight activities, the
cial Group has come to play a most important and authoritative role in
the affairs of the Office of Special Activities and its predecessor organiza-
tion. Not only have our proposed operations come under scrutiny by the
=1pecial Group, but our support planning has also recently been a subject of
their deliberations; i. e., OSA cover stories. Much of the staff activity in
is concer v: i with the preparation of documents for 1-3pe cial Group
,--,onside ration and such followup as is called for from the Director's office.
la the instance of the Special Group meeting on u3 August 1962, for exa}a:a.ple,
entire agenda of the Special Group concerned itself solely with activities
It is true that C;IA as an Agency is adequately represented in the
:3pecial Group :meetings by either th Director or the DDCI, and it follows
that the Special Group Secretariat in due course does advise USA of thr
conclusions reached at a given meeting, but it is not fair to assume that
either the Director or the DDCI should be requested to inform USA in detail
of the discussions and conclusions reached at these meetings.
4. The representative oz the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colonel Ralph L.
teakley, USAF, is present at each of tse
Approved
cial Group meetings for the
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OSA. 1099-6Z
purpose of presenting programs of interest and concern to JCS and the JRC,
but at the same time he is able to be in effect better informed on political
cisions affecting his opposite number, the Assistant Director/Office of
Special Activiti=es, than the latter is. Mindful, thee.erefore, of the important
role played by the Special Group in the day-to-day operational activities of
OS.A., we are moved to request that we be permitted to send an observer to
the Special Group meetings when that body is taking up a matter, the ultimate
responsibility for which lies with GSA.
ii. It is our feeling that this move would not only permit a shortening
of the lines of information, but would also enable the Group to call upon this
observer for supplemental information in support of a given topic with which
the Office is concerned. We hasten to add that there is no indication here that
we would take action upon special Group decisions without the formal approval
through appropriate Agency channels by which decisions are now made known
to us.
Recommendation: In the light of the statements above, it is
:recommended that you approve in principle the dispatching by the Office of
Special Activities of an observer to Special Group meetings when action
matters involving OSA are on the agenda.
JAMES A. CUNNINGHAM, J.R.
Acting Assistant Director
(Special Activities)
15X'1 H
A ItIiAILS.CAITIR .._.~ ~?
Acting Director of Central Intelligence
Distribution:
AAD / OSA
I .. A.DCI
I-
2 ...DID / R
I - R13 / OSA
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