PRESIDENT MOVES TO CURB UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91-00561R000100040133-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 23, 2012
• Sequence Number: 133
• Publication Date: January 13, 1982
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/27: CIA-RDP91-00561 R000100040133-0
ARTICLE JLP.PEAREED
ON PAGE or.
By PHIL GAILEY
SgdeltOTAeNVV- YWk7rVM
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 - President
Reagan, asserting that unauthorized
disclosures of classified material had
hampered the conduct of foreign policy,
today ordered a series of measures to
protect national security information.
In a statement released by the White-
House, Mr. Reagan said the unauthor-
ized disclosure of classified information
had become a "problem. of major pro.
portions" and vowed to use "all le~ai,
means" to Identify and discipline orf1-
cialswhoviolatedthenewrules.
The President ordered :that these
steps be taken:
c3Any official involved in national se -
NEW YORK TIMES
13 JANUARY 1982
curity policy will be required to cbtala Disclosure onTaiwaaC[ted
approval from a senior official before
a reporter
After the inter- Pressed for an example
talking to
Mr
Gergen
.
,.
.
.
view, the official will have to write a 1 cited the disclosure of the Administra.1
antees on freedom of the press and indi- i liam P. Clark.Jr., the. President's new 1
vidual liberties- and said he would at- (national security adviser, said that in
tempt to carry out the directive in "a some cases the publication of classifi
balanced and careful manner." information "rules out a foreign polio
i "I do not believe, however," Mr. Rea- option, or jeopardizes an ongoing poll
gan? added, "that the Constitution enti cy."
ties Government employees, entrusted Mr. Clark said that reporters had:
with confidential information critical to been doing a better job of, collecting
I the functioning and effectiveness of the classified information than Government.
Government, to disclose such inforaa- officials had in protecting it, adding,
tion with impunity. Yet this Is precisely "These limited measures are designed
the situation we have. It must not be al- ' to restore a balance that has been lost." -
lowed to continue." Asked If Mr. Reagan was fol'.owing
David R. Ge ben, WhiteHo use com- the exarapleof President Nixon, who au-
municatlons director, said some of the, thorized a group, called. the "White
disclosures that. had caused. the Press- House plumbers!-' to investigate "leaks
dent to act had resulted In the compro. to the media,':: Mr. Gergen. replied,
raise of sensitive intelligence. sources "Every President has been-concerned
and information, including some cases about thi3 problem. Every- President
where lives were endangered -has taken remedial steps to deal with It
This President is attempting to do lt.'.'
memorandum on what mat:ers were
discussed.
qThe number of officials with access
to national security and Intelligence in-
'formation will be kept "to the minimum
essential to the orderly conduct of the
Government's business," the statement
said.
9 When an unauthorized disclosure oc-
curs, all Government employees with
access to the information.will be subject
to investigation. Mr. Reagan said "all
legal means" would be used to Identify
the source of the disclosure. White
House officials declined to elaborate.
The President's directive will apply to
all national security officials in the ex-
ecutive branch, including those in the
State and DefenseDeeartments. -
In his statement, Mr: Reagan said he
was mindful of the Constitution's guar-'
tar
yaircrafttoTaiwan.
He said the details for the enforce.
ment of the new policy were still being
worked out, such as whether the Federal
Bureau of Investigation would be used
to investigate violations and how to re-
strict the number of officials with ac-
cess to classified inf ormaticn.
Mr. Gergen, in response to questions,
said. the Administration did not antici-
pate "a vast expansion of classified In-
formation" under the policy, which he
said.would apply to material ranging
from "top secret" to" confidential: '
Beyond that, White House officials
said Mr. Reagan felt that. the' disclo
sores were hampering the Admlaistra-
ti
n'
a
t
o
o
bility
s
o c
nduct foreign policy.
In. a supporting statement released at
the same time by the White House, Wil-
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/27: CIA-RDP91-00561 R000100040133-0