Modification of Security Classification

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84B00506R000100050075-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 1, 2000
• Sequence Number: 75
• Publication Date: August 21, 1974
• Content Type: MF

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.21 Aug 74'
NRO DECLASSIFICATION/RELEASE INSTRUCTIONS ON FILE
iEInR;y;~~~~I FOR: The Honorable Henry A. Kissinger
Assistant to the President for
National Security Affairs
the Security Controls for the Products of
Photographic Reconnaissance Satellites,
dated 23 November. 19 73
1. The referenced memorandum contains the. President `s
"The fact that the United States Government conducts
a photographic satellite reconnaissance program for
foreign intelligence collection be classified SECRET.."
2. The purpose of this memorandum.is to seek Presidential
REFERENCE Your Memorandum, Subject: . Modification of
SUBJECT" i'Iodification of Security Classificaticin
na:.ssance program. One of these changes provided that..
controls: related to the U. S. photographic. satellite recon-
approval of modifications of some of.the special security
thenceforth:
respect to this question.
Intelligence Community and the Departments affected with
be unclassified.. There is a difference-of opinion within the
continued or changed to provide that the "fact of".the program
instructions as to whether the above provision shall. be
r
. .4escs , and the pub .? C . I nport u' nt :aspects of he ,aro'gra:n, such,
is the resolution, s at' width, frequency, etc., should remain
c? assif ied, but these can remain classified in the same fashion
3. The fact that the U. S. Government conducts a. photo-
graphic satellite reconnaissance program is widely known and
is frequently the subject of press and nub is co:.;;ent.
Retention of the classification places Gcve' ??~ ffic a s
th sition of vi oiat:i_^_y the classification or being
.:nreaso` ably reticent in discussions .;I Congress
r the
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as communications intelligence programs re Gain classified
??Spz'te unclassified (and. statutory) recognitio-n that ti-,.
S S. con:' acts communications intelligence op eratio 1S . De-
classi lying the "fact of" the program would also open the
oor unity of declass_Eving individual products of the
r ~~ra for public release where necessary classi-f-led
are no revealed., permitting greater public understanding of
nun oer of importan political or military matters. The
erroneous disclosure of the U-2 photography over Cuba in 1962,
and its value in convincing the world of the presence there
0f-fens
i e Missiles, was a dramatic example of the potential.
use of such material. Finally, it is almost impossible to
"
justify' ,ire retention of a classification for the it fact or
the program under Executive Order 11632 standards for
classification.
4. Objection to .the declassification of the "fact of"
the program rests on two major arguments. The first is the
possibility that official admission by the U. S. of such
progra-^s could produce difficulties in our relationships with
certain of the nations photographed. Tine question could
become an issue in the United Nations over "unauthorized
survezi I lance'' of 'national territories, and the Soviet Union
could be particularly disturbed by public recognition of
this capability, which it has veiled under the euphemism of
'rna t io~nal technical r eans of verification" in the Strategic
nis Limitation Agree'1ei ts. The second reason is that de-
classification. of the "face: of" the program could loosen the
disciplinary tradition which has. grown up within the Intel-
ligence Community and its customers around this program as a
.hole. The fear is that this could then result in the
exposure of details and related aspects of the program which
continue to require the hicrhes t classification, e.g., SIGILiT
satellite reconnaissance, ieSolti.on, etc. 1-n this -view
declassification, of the "fact of" would be apt to encourage
:.folic discussion o --n z s field and lead to :-:-n e.-_ of
- .3 Sec _. it standards i Cr n e . ^arac ? f , aS'weCS y
lo}?ie_r echelons :Jhere to e subtie_d.y of declassification o
Ytt f s
. r . . . . . . . " : k a r t o -.. e l o s t
t..
5- his !n e 17 as fay sse,y in o e ~1 ail at the
an'_. i1 e 3 . _ _ l J J, 7 :~ n S O ._ v i ;v
Z ov _.. ;7 '.. i_ ...,.. I ..:~i_sed -:3- S ._:.'D Sa o t:!.'.,t 1
c , d cr _ t tRe 'rn? o ieiwi ,,;hen presenting he question
deris lore.
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'iscussad at the
6. r recommend that this yL.iest_1on be
forthcoming meeting of the National Security Council.
Intelligence Co mi t ee . M o,,7n _' com en a ? do is to declass i ]Ey
i~ r of" ~. ni satellite reco: ~'aissan Ce by the
~?i _e .._, o~ p1.ot.ograph- _
,j, S. 1. IDelip-,re this shout d be done %aS =ol-? is
he ''~ Rt ent t: On
a. he President be ack'isad of
above and issue, a decision that the fact :hat the J. S.
Government conducts a photograohiC satellite recon-
naissance program for foreign intelligence collection
will L-e unclassified.
b the change be implemented siply b- changing
the appropriate security regulations.
C. There be no official public announcement of the
change, and an effort be made to minimize publicity.
about. it.
d. All other aspects of the U. S. satellite
reconnaissance program for the collection of foreign
intelligence remain classified in accordance with
existing re.gmulations .
/s/ Bi11
.W, E. Colby{
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