LETTER TO JAMES W. MOORE FROM(SANITIZED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP87-00058R000400070004-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 23, 2012
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: July 21, 1986
• Content Type: LETTER

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/23: CIA-RDP87-00058R000400070004-1
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TRANSMITTAL SLIP
TO:
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REMARKS:
FROM:
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EX-
FORM NO. REPLACES FORM 36-8 (47)
1 FEB 56 24 1 WHICH MAY BE USED.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/23: CIA-RDP87-00058R000400070004-1
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/23: CIA-RDP87-00058R000400070004-1
Central Intelligence Agency
July 21, 1986
Mr. James W. Moore
Assistant Archivist for Records Administration
National Archives and Records Administration
Washington, D.C. 20408
Dear Mr. Moore:
In your April 29 letter to me you proposed a change in the
way CIA Requests for Records Disposition Authority tandard
Form 115) provide for eventual transfer to the Na tonal Archives
of those CIA record series approved for permanent retention. The
reasons you propose a specific date for such transfers are
evident. The considerations are practical and real. Your ability
to schedule your workload is important to the efficient operation
of your Agency.
We cannot, however, $upp-rt any such proposal that calls for
the inclusion on the 115s of a specific date of offer for
permanent series. Our inability to comply with your proposal is
forced by statutory requirements. The National Security Act of
1947, requires that the Director of Central Intelligence protect
intelligence sources and methods from unauthorized disclosure,
50 USC 403(d)(3). The records of the CIA frequently contain
information which, if made public, would disclose an intelligence
source or an intelligence method. The date when damage to
national security is no longer possible is frequently determined
by circumstances over which CIA has no control. That being the
case, the Agency cannot set an arbitrary date after which it will
no longer be concerned with the consequences of disclosures. In
brief, the statute cited earlier makes arbitrary deadlines
impossible. In the same vein, we should point out that
declassification of CIA records does not automatically ensure that
such records in aggregate can then be made public.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/23: CIA-RDP87-00058R000400070004-1
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/23: CIA-RDP87-00058R000400070004-1
The current statement on the 115s, regarding the offering to
the National Archives of permanent items in five-year blocks when
national security considerations permit, provides in our view the
most expeditious means by which CIA records can be offered to the
National Archives. The CIA is committed to a systematic review of
its permanent records under its Historical Review Program. This
ongoing program is dedicated to reviewing CIA permanent records to
determine their eligibility for declassification and transfer to
NARA at the earliest possible date. With the OSS records as an
example, we have been and are committed to offering CIA permanent
records to the National Archives when and if national security
considerations permit.
DDA/OIS/IRMD,,
16 July 1986
STAT
STAT
Distribution:
Original - Addressee
/j - D/OIS Subject
1 - IMB Subject: NARA 1986
1 - IRMD Chrono
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/23: CIA-RDP87-00058R000400070004-1
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/23: CIA-RDP87-00058R000400070004-1
Natioml
h
ives
rc
Washington, DC '20408
April 29, 1986
Director of Information Services
Central Intelligence Agency
1236 Ames Center
Washington, DC 20505
We are writing to suggest a change in the way CIA Requests
for Records Disposition Authority (Standard Forms 115)
provide for the eventual transfer to the National Archives of
those record series approved for permanent retention.
At present, SF 115s submitted by CIA include the following
statement:
All PERMANENT items in this schedule are arranged
chronologically and will be offered to NARA in 5
year blocks when national security considerations
permit.
This wording is at variance with our normal procedures which
call for the inclusion on SF 115s of a specific date of offer
for permanent series, such as: Offer to NARA in 5 year
blocks when 20-25 years old. We fully recognize that the
special sensitivity of most CIA records precludes such
specificity. However, we believe that there are alternatives
that will address CIA's needs and responsibilities but also
will ensure the transfer of permanent records to NARA at the
earliest possible time, consistent with national security.
We would like to propose for your consideration the following
transfer statement, which very closely parallels the wording
used on National Security Agency schedules:
Offer to the National Archives entire records series
or 5 year blocks thereof if unclassified and/or de-
classified in accordance with national security
regulations and guidelines when 50 years old or sooner.
Records series for which special protection has been
extended beyond 50 years will be re-reviewed for de-
classification every 10 years thereafter until
releasable or when 100 years old, whichever occurs
first. The entire series of these records or 5 year
blocks thereof will then be transferred to the
National Archives.
STAT
STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/23: CIA-RDP87-00058R000400070004-1
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/23: CIA-RDP87-00058R000400070004-1
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/23: CIA-RDP87-00058R000400070004-1