ABOLITION OF THE PLANNING COORDINATION GROUP

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00036R001000030013-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 30, 2013
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: December 12, 1955
• Content Type: MEMO

? Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/09/30: CIA-RDP83-00036R001000030013-6
WIII
12 December 1955
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT: Abolition of the Planning Coordination Group
There is attached a full memorandum discussiag the various
drafts and positions which have been taken with regard to the termination
of the PCO. The matter has new been boiled down to difference of
view on one point. i.e.. what officials shall he charged with giving
policy approval to major covert programs under MSC 5412/1 as
it may be revised.
Nets.* Rocket*Uses position has been that the giving of
such approval and the arranging for support of CIA programs should
be the function of the designated representatives of the Secretaries
of State and Defense and himself. Mr. Hoover has bikes: the position
that it should be merely the designated representatives of the Secretaries
of State and Defense and that Mr. Rockefeller should not be included.
The last Rockefeller proposal is that the procedure should be the
same as existed prier to the creation of PCO. This means in substance
that the whole OCS would be charged with responsibilities under 5412/1
including, of course. Mr. Rockefeller.
The position which you have taken heretofore is that you did
not wish to express any view as to whether Mr. Rockefeller should
or should not be concerned with approval of major covert programs
and would leers the solution of that matter to others. It is recommended,
however, that you dissent from Mr. Rockefeller's last proposal, e..
to reinstate the whole OCB. There are present at the OCB lunches,
which is presumably the time when OCIS would act on covert programs,
a number of people who have so need-to.know. Furthermore, having
these matters come up atthe OCB Washes puts them into the OCR
mechanism so that Elmer Staats prepares special minutes which ere
circulated to all OCIS members. This procedure is not necessary
and might result in compromise of the secrecy of CIA operations.
While it is true that there are cases in which it is desirable to advise
ICA and sometimes USIA regarding covert operations, the overwhelming
bulk of cases involves only State and Defense and it is easy enough to
arrange to cut in ICA (which of course is a part le,sState) and USIA in
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Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/09/30: 6IA-RDP83-00036R001000030013-6
Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/09/30: CIA-RDP83-00036R001000030013-6
thou few cases which they' need to know about. There is attached to
this memorandum a paper dated October 10. 1955, which I drafted
sad which disatsses the revision of the 5412 procedere, suggests
specific ansesdnaents to 5412/1 and proposes operating procedures
under sock an anteadment. You read this paper and told me on
October 31 that you approved. it was drafted on the assumption
that Nelson Rockefeller woeldbalactudad in the policy approval
group. If it is decided that he will sot be included, the section is
brackets is the draft amendment would be omitted. I believe that
the amendment which we proposed sad the operating procedsras
described in my memorandum weidd be satisfactory to both State
and Defense. The only Less* to be resolved is whether or sot
Mr. Rockefeller is included is the approval mechanism. U he is
to he included, it is much better to have him specifically included
together with the representative* of State and Defuse rather than
to throw the whole matter back into the OCS mechanism.
Attachments
SA/DCl/ WOJackson/mb
Distribution:
Orig. & 1 - DCI
1 - DD/P
1 - SA/DCI
1 - RI
4,2 te)
Wayne 0/. Jackson
Special Assistant to the Director
5t-A,
Declassified and Approved For Release 2013/09/30: CIA-RDP83-00036R001000030013-6