LETTER TO WILLIAM H. WEBSTER FROM SAM NUNN

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP89G00643R000900190045-9
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
K
Document Page Count: 
5
Document Creation Date: 
December 23, 2016
Document Release Date: 
December 21, 2011
Sequence Number: 
45
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
August 18, 1987
Content Type: 
LETTER
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP89G00643R000900190045-9.pdf177.22 KB
Body: 
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/21: CIA-RDP89GO0643R000900190045-9 TRANSMITTAL SLIP DATE TO: ROOM NO. BUILDING REMARKS: EXA 2 4 AUG 1987 ADDA DDA i AU +U 198 ( DDA/Registry OCA has action. D/OS received info copy. FROM: ROOM NO. BUILDING EXTENSION FORM NO. REPLACES FORM 36-8 (47) 1 FFR FR 9A1 weiuiru 1A AV or Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/21: CIA-RDP89GO0643R000900190045-9 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/21: CIA-RDP89GO0643R000900190045-9 EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT ROUTING SLIP ACTION INFO DATE INITIAL 1 DCI 2 DDCI 3 EXDIR x 4 D/ICS 5 DDI 6 DA X 7 DDO X 8 DDS&T 9 Chm/NIC 10 GC 11 IG 12 Compt 13 D/OCA 14 D/PAO 15 D/PERS 16 D/Ex Staff 17 I DC X 18 J)/Securit y X 19 AGC/DO X 20 21 22 D/OCA plans to prepare a response for DCI signature. STAT 21 Aug '87 Date Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/21: CIA-RDP89GO0643R000900190045-9 I 1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/21 : CIA-RDP89GO0643R000900190045-9 LAWTON CHILES FLORIDA WILLIAM V ROTH JftDELAWARE SAM NUNN GEORGIA TED STEVENS ALASKA CARL LEVIN MICHI,AN WI.;IAM S COHEN MAINE JIM SASSER TENNESSEE WARREN B RUDMAN, JOHN GLENN. OHIO. VICE CHAIRMAN ILES FLORIDA WILLIAM V ROTH, J.. CHIGAN DELAWARE I DAVID PRYOR ARKANSAS NEW HAMPSHIRE R, TENNESSEE TED STEVENS ALASKA GEORGE J WTCHEI L MAINE JOHN HEINZ PENNSYL NIA DAVID PRYOR. ARKANSAS WILLIAM S COHEN. MAINE JEFF BINGAMAN. NEW MEXICO PAUL S TR:SLE. J. VIRGINIAnlt ~tate~ senate GEORGE J. MITCHELL MAINE WARREN B RUDMAN. LEONARD WEISS, STAFF DIRECTOR NEW HAMPSHIRE JO ANNE BARNHART. MINORITY STAFF DIRECTOR COMMITTEE ON PAUL S TRIG LE. J.., VIRGINIA GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS ELEANORE J HILL. CHIEF COUNSEL DANIEL F RRBEL. CHIEF COUNSEL TO THE MINORITY SENATE PERMANENT SUBCOMMITTEE ON INVESTIGATIONS WASHINGTON, DC 20510-6250 August 18, 1987 The Honorable William H. Webster Director Central Intelligence Agency Washington, D.C. 20505 As you are well aware, I have been concerned for some time about our government's handling of those individuals who have defected or are otherwise political refugees from the Soviet Union and other communist-bloc countries. Due to that concern, I have commissioned an investigation by the staff of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations into this matter. The results of that inquiry are intended to be presented to the Subcommittee in public hearings set for September 15th and 16th, 1987. In the course of our investigation, it has became apparent that the vast majority of those who flee communist regimes are neither intelligence officers nor of such interest to our national security and national intelligence mission that they fall within the purview of your agency for support and resettlement. Nevertheless, our investigation has shown that there are a discreet number of refugees who through their background and training offer unique and important insights into the communist system that are of importance to other branches of government, academia and our society as a whole. Unfortunately, it appears that no government agency is currently entrusted with the responsibility to assist or otherwise tap this pool of insight into the communist world. Due to your current position as well as your prior experience as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, I feel that your testimony leading off our September 15th hearings is essential for the Subcommittee to understand the context in which the non-intelligence defectors are handled. It is important that your perspective as the head of the U.S. intelligence community is properly conveyed to Congress and the public at 'Large on this important issue. Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/21: CIA-RDP89GO0643R000900190045-9 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/21: CIA-RDP89GO0643R000900190045-9 The Honorable William H. Webster Page 2 In particular, I feel that your presentation would be useful in order to clarify the role of the CIA in regards to those individuals outside of the purview of Section 7 of the CIA Act of 1949. Your thoughts and suggestions on ways to assist these individuals while utilizing their unique attributes would also be of great assistance to the Subcommittee. In conclusion, I would once again like to reiterate my feeling that your appearance before the Subcommittee would be of great value to us in analyzing this important issue. Chief Counsel, Eleanore J. Hill and Deputy Chief Counsel, John F. Sopko of the Subcommittee staff may be contacted at 224-3721 if your staff should have any questions concerning this request. n am Nun Chairman Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/21: CIA-RDP89GO0643R000900190045-9 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/21: CIA-RDP89G00643R000900190045-9 OCA 87-3619 20 August 1987 STAT NOTE FOR: The Director FROM: Dave Gries SUBJECT: Senate Select Subcommittee on Investigations Hearings on Defectors Previously we discussed Senator Nunn's request for your testimony at a public hearing of his Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Senator Nunn wants you to discuss unclassified aspects of the handling of refugees and also of the handling of defectors who do not qualify for Intelligence Community support. He is interested in hearing your testimony because of your current position at CIA and your previous position at the FBI. We have labored unsuccessfully for two months to convince Subcommittee staff that CIA is only a bystander and not a direct participant in the affairs of those organizations--the Tolstoy Foundation, the Jamestown Foundation, to name the two best known--committed to the support and resettlement of refugees and defectors. These lengthy negotiations yielded a more satisfactory definition of what the Subcommittee would like you to talk about, but also produced a second invitation from Senator Nunn for your public testimony. The hearing will probably take place in late September or October. Given Senator Nunn's interest, I believe you should accept, even though it is highly unusual for a Director of Central Intelligence to testify in public. Director Casey did so only once and then only to speak in support of an Intelligence Museum. Our records are not perfect for other directors, but there is no known instance of additional public testimony except during the investigations of the mid-1970s. Since previous directors have refused in anticipation of being asked classified questions, Senator Nunn's invitation places us in unchartered waters, the subject being unclassified. Unless you advise to the contrary, we will begin shaping testimony. Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/21: CIA-RDP89G00643R000900190045-9