LETTER OF INFORMATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00586R000300230009-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 15, 2013
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: May 17, 1962
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/07/15: CIA-RDP83-00586R000300230009-7
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S-E-C-R-E-T
17 May 1962
MEMORANDUM FOR: Bureau Chiefs
FROM : Chief, IBIS
SUBJECT : Letter of Information
GENERAL
1. IBIS performed an unusually broad variety of special services for Agency
consumers during April including specially flagged "Voice of Thailand People"
Clandestine summaries to the Thai desk, Far East Division, reportage on the In-
ternational Man in Space Association meeting in Milan to OSI's Space Division,
and a collation of BIS material on Caen broadcasting developments to Western
Hemisphere Division. Special arrangements were made for week-end delivery of
the 27 April World Reaction Report on theUSa sin the Pacific to
the White House Situation Room and the Director. 50X1
2. In response to an urgent requirement levied on IBIS by the Defense In-
telligence Agency, field bureaus filed significant references to the CENTO
Council Session held the last week in Anril in tnndon directly to the U.S. Army
Attache, American Embassy, London. 50X1
3. The State Department's concern over strained relations between Cairo
and Teheran, exacerbated by stepped-up clandestine radio activity, was reflected
in a high priority request from the UAR/Syria Desk Officer for close scrutiny of
Iranian broadcasts in Arabic for indications of direct reaction to the vitriolic
"Free Voice of Iran" Clandestine located in Egypt. State expressed appreciation
for surveys of Arabic output from both Teheran and Ahwaz Radios prepared by Med-
iterranean Bureau at Headquarters request. These surveys, forwarded directly to
State, were later published in the Daily Report. Additionally, beginning in
mid-April daily program summaries of the clandestine "Voice of the Arab Nation"
were also sent to the UAB/Syria Desk. 50X1
4. Photo Branch, Graphics Register, OCR, Which acts as a service of common
concern in evaluating and disseminating photographs for the intelligence community,
has arrangements with virtually every important newsphoto gathering service, in-
cluding the major U. S. magazines, whereby their relatively sophisticated take
passes through the Branch within a few days after the event, sometimes even
before it reaches the agencies' home offices. In view of these arrangements,
as well as those with the military attache services Whose highly-refined photo-
graphs constitute the basic working tools of Graphics Register's consumers for
military hardware reporting, bureaus currently monitoring television should
forward still photographs only when the quality isrn7odand there is strong
likelihood that they will be the first received. 50X1
S-E-C-R-E-T
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/07/15: CIA-RDP83-00586R000300230009-7
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S-E-C-R-E-T
SUBJECT: Letter of Information
5. FBIS budgeting for communications modernization provides that in FY
1962 a limited amount of 100 wpm equipment will be made available to Tokyo, East
Coast and West Coast Bureaus; that in FY 1963 a considerable addition to equip-
ment in this category will be made at most Bureaus; and that the 100 wpm program
will be completed in FY 1964, to include relay-type equipment for the specialized
communications functions of Tokyo and London Bureaus and the Headquarters Tele-
type Section. It is not planned to convert to KW 26 equipment unless absolutely
required. 50X1
6.
50X1
to acquaint 50X1
faculty people in the Asian and Soviet studies fields with the work and re-
cruiting requirements of RPB. In general, the professors exhibited a gratifying
interest in FBIS' current analysis activities, and several graduate students were
suggested as possible propaganda analysts. 50X1
7. FBIS continued its service to the Agency representative with the U. S.
disarmament delegation in Geneva, with significant texts supplied daily by field
bureaus, roundups prepared Monday through Friday by the London Bureau, and Drpp-
e,ganda-analysie cables supplied Sunday through Friday by RPB. 50X1
8. Following the flareup of hostilities in Laos, propaganda-analysis items
on the Wire responded to requests from the OCI representative on the Watch Committee
and from ONE for information on communist bloc treatment on the fall of Nam Tim
and reaction to the U. S. military moves in Southeast Asia. Field Bureaus are
continuing to service the U. S. delegation to the Laos conference in Geneva with
texts of significant items; propaganda-analysis support remains on a standby
basis in the absence of the Agency representative. 50X1
9. Consumer requests filled during the month from RPB's War Themes card
file included texts of Soviet leaders' statements on the USSR's "global rocket"
and a sampling of Khrudhchev statements that "only a madman" would start a nu-
clear war, both for the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. Arrangements are
being made to microfilm this card file, Which now contains some 6,000 Soviet and
Chinese Communist statements, in order to make it more readily available to the
increasing number of offices desiring to use it. 50X1
10. Other propaganda analysis services included information supplied to
DD/P on Moscow propaganda treatment of the Spanish strikes.
U. The CPSU's May Day slogans were analyzed in a Radio Propaganda Report
in the regular series on the semiannual slogans. Highlights of the slogans were
discussed in a "Comment on Bloc Propaganda Item" on the Wire in advance of the
published report.
12. Of 182 items included in the Current Intelligence Digest during April,
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50X1
50X1
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JUBJECT: Letter of Information
68 By percent) were based solely or in part on FBIS monitoring.
50X1
13. The Okinawa Bureau cruising room has been moved to the northeast wing
of the Operations Building in the area formerly occupied by the electronics
shop. 50X1
14 Agreement with the U. J. Navy has been reached to move to new and more
commodious quarters on the U. C. Naval Station at Key West. Plans and specifi-
cations for renovating the assigned building and erecting antennas have been
developed and equipment has been requisitioned. The new cnsee viii Rccommodate
the new video tape television recording equipment. 50X1
15. A survey team consisting of Engineer and Information soxi
Specialist are conducting tests in Florida and exploring sites which 50X1
might have good signal reception from Latin American stations. Special equipment
for measuring signal strengths of stations in absolute terms is being used with
exact testing procedures. 50X1
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/07/15: CIA-RDP83-00586R000300230009-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/07/15: CIA-RDP83-00586R000300230009-7
U-N-C-L-A-S-S-I-F-I-E-D
SUBJECT: Letter of Information
EDITORIAL COMMENT
1. A World Reaction Series supplement on U. S. resumption of atmospheric nu-
clear tests was issued 2/ April. A prepublication roundup was filed on the FBIS
Wire the day before.
2. The Okinawa Bureau's news flash on the attempted assassination of Indo-
nesian President Sukarno 14 May was received in Washington via allocated channels
four minutes after it had cleared the Okinawa wire, beating AP and REUTERS by approx-
imately 45 minutes. All concerned are commended for this excellent performance.
3. When Headquarters levies on the field a requirement emanating from the
White House, it will always designate such source as the "highest level." This
will always mean the President, and the term will not be used for any other recip-
ients of FBIS services.
It. Use of the Arabic element "al" in rendering the name of the Kurdish leader
Mufla Mustafa Barzani should be avoided even when transliterated from Arab sources.
Preferred spelling of the tribal affiliation is "Barzani," and not "Barazani."
5. Communist bloc commentaries on critical subjects (Sino-Soviet-Albanian
relations, Laos, nuclear arming of NATO, etc.) normally warrant texting when re-
ception permits. Only from text can positive statements be made as to significant
omissions by the commentator. Fullest possible processing is indicated for any
bloc item that breaks a pattern in regard to a critical issue -- for example, a
Moscow commentary on Albania monitored after a period of silence on the subject.
When less than text results from poor reception, this fact should be noted for
headquarters' information.
6. Bureaus are requested to observe the style of ellipses given in para-
graphs 9.61.1 of the GPO Style Manual.
7. Since identical city (and transmitter) names exist in more than one
Latin American country, it would be helpful to indicate the country as well as
the city when reporting material in short FYI's from such sources. For example,
"San Cristobal, Venezuela, Radio Junin reports... ."
PROPAGANDA ANALYSIS COMMENT
1. The Okinawa Bureau's comparisons between NCNA English and Chinese ver-
sions of major items have been greatly appreciated. This type of comparison has
been particularly useful in bringing out CPR sensitivities to particular lines
or subjects. Information provided in these FYI's has been used in RPB's period-
icals, as well as in connection with some of the branch's special services.
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U-S-C-L-A-S-S-I-F-I-E-D
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U-N-C-L-A-S-S-I-F-I-E-D
SUBJECT: Letter of Information
2. The branch has derived continuing benefit from the Austrian Bureau's
FYI 's regarding PRAVDA coverage of foreign communist party statements on Albania,
China, and the antiparty group. On a related topic, the German and Austrian
Bureaus supplied useful material for an article in the 3 May SURVEY on satellite
reactions to the CPR National People's Congress.
3. Bureaus monitoring bloc materials are reminded of the branch's con-
tinuing interest in Radio Moscow or TASS pickups of authoritative Peking comment,
particularly PEOPLE'S DAILY editorials and CPR leaders' speeches, and in Radio
Peking or NCNA pickups of authoritative Soviet comment. Each side's treatment
of the other's major statements continues to be one of the best sources for
analysis of the Sino-Soviet quarrel.
FIELD OPERATIONS AND EICIXEERIIC
1. Bureaus are requested to include experimental coverage in the semi-
monthly coverage reports filed to Headquarters. Under the heading: "EXPERI-
MENTAL," include coverage which is being sampled. Such entries are to be kept
current through standard remarks concerning additions and deletions.
2. The Broadcast Information Section's Revision No. 40 to the Communist
World schedule book is the first application of automation to the production of
BIS radio schedules. The Moscow and Peking language schedules contain many items
which are repeated from season to season. By storing such schedule information
on Flexowriter tape, the typist need only insert changes instead of retyping the
entire schedule. This results in an estimated saving of 75% of typing time.
3. A VHF radio receiver, model CEI 904-1 and associated manually rotatable
dipole antenna have been installed at Austrian Bureau. Reception of Czecho-
slovak, Hungarian and Austrian FM and TV signals is at a 4,4 average. Good re-
sults have been obtained in monitoring audio portions of Czechoslovak TV trans-
missions. A Beverage wave antenna for improving signals from Berliner Welle
has been set up and put into operation at German Bureau.
4. The London Bureau elevator was completed, tested and put into regular
operation on 10 April 1962.
5. To meet Division wide need for cruising of VHF signals in the range
from 30-300 MC/s, a remotely controlled directional antenna and bearing indi-
cating system has been requisitioned.
ADMINISTRATION ?,24.14 is ezt_0426417,1/4?. Of Oil
1. FBIS polic3i n modes of travel time limitations between assignments
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/07/15: CIA-RDP83-00586R000300230009-7
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SUBJECT: Letter of Information
U-N-C-L-A-S-S-I-F-I-E-D
will continue to be as set forth in
weeks limitation for combined travel
and entrance on duty in headquarters
only in case of urgent personal
same overseas bureau the deci
be made by the bureau chief.
-8 dated 3 March 1958. The six
e leave between overseas departure
stand, and exceptions will be made
cases of home leave and return to the
ngth of absence from the bureau will
2. The following FBIS regulatory
Notice No.
Subject
issuances were disseminated:
Date
STAT
Personnel
Assignment
STAT
1.
New Employees
Clerk Typist
Production Unit, Editorial Branch
Administrative Assistant
Administrative Staff
2.
Reassignments
From
To
AdminAssistantSTAT
Admin Assistant
London Bureau
Tokyo Bureau
Clerk Typist
Clerk Stenographer
BIS, Field Operations
Field Operations
Staff
Staff
Teletype Operator
Clerk Typist
Teletype Unit
BIS
Editorial Branch
Field Operations Staff
Editor
Analyst
Far East Section
Saigon Bureau
Editorial Branch
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/07/15: CIA-RDP83-00586R000300230009-7
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U-N-C-L-A-S-S-I-F-I-E-D
SUBJECT: Letter of Information
Reassignment
From
To
Editor
Editor STAT
USSR & Eastern Europe
Mediterranean Bureau
Section, Editorial
Branch
Editor
Editor
ME, Africa, WE & LA
German Bureau
Section, Editorial
Branch
Editor
Editor
East Coast Bureau
London Bureau
3.
Separations
Assignment
Intelligence Analyst
STAT
Support Section
Radio Propaganda Branch
Editor
USSR & Eastern Euro Section
Editorial Branc
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STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/07/15: CIA-RDP83-00586R000300230009-7