LOGNOTE....PANAMA BUREAU....17 JULY 1986

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP94-00798R000200340007-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 14, 2012
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: July 17, 1986
• Content Type: MISC

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/14: CIA-RDP94-00798R000200340007-1
OPER ATIO G OUP FILE
LOGNOTE ..................Panama Bureau .............. 17 July 1986
(Naguin) VISIT TO C TECH CONTROL -- On 16, b,tef Technician
STAT
Chief Teletypist Teletypist STAT
and I visited the U.S. Army In ormatiit t Systems STAT
Command (USAISC) Tech Control unit for orientation. lagg our visit
we met with Lieutenant Colonel Wetzel, Chief of USA!SC's Plans and
Operations. Division, and were escorted by senior Tech . control personnel.
On 7 July the bureau's Mode V primary communications.c#uit was
We wanted to visit Tech Control to observe the tone a ~t configuration
as well as to meet some of the personnel whom we des with daily.
In my'discussions with Tech Control supervisors Lieutenant Price
and Master Sergeant Scully, I noted that many Tech Control personnel
do not seem familiar with FBIS and seemingly do not know what to do
if we call'them with a communications problem. Lt. Price explained
that many of her people are new and that the best way to handle
communications problems is for our people to ask for the shift
supervisor, who assuredly will be familiar with FBIS' circuit. She
also said she, would make 'information about FBIS' circuit ;more
available to Tech Control. personnel.
We also-discussed the Army-MUX communications system,... Sgt.. Scully
said the-sy,stem.was, undergoing testing now and experiencing a few
problems.. Apparently, the.problems are related to the commerical
carrier 14UX will be using. -Nevertheless, MUX is expected to be
operational in"two'to three weeks." Scully noted that Nelson
Smith is, coming to Panama soon and planned to stay until the system
was working. We discussed the bureau's plan to be included in MUX,
and Scully showed us where the FBIS port was located. He also
noted that it was his belief that our current Mode V-circuit would
be discontinued'upon activation of Mode I into the MUX and that
if we wanted'to keep the Mode V as bac TSO would have to be
initiated. After our visit, researched. this question,
and it does appear we will have to initiate a .TSO if we wish to
keep the Mode V as a backup system. I plan to discuss this issue
further with.C/ESG during his upcoming visit.
cc: C/Communications
C/ESG
C/Ops
C/.FBS/FED
STAT
STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/14: CIA-RDP94-00798R000200340007-1.,
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/14: CIA-RDP94-00798R000200340007-1
LOGNOTE ..................... Panama Bureau ................15.July 1986
(Naquin) INTERCOMSA VISIT -- On 15 July, and I visited
Jose Guanti, the INTERCOMSA representative working with us on the
Internet project. introduced me to Mr. Guanti and the three
of us began to discuss the status of our frequency allocation
request for Internet. and I noted that we had asked the American
Embassy this week to c eck on the status of both frequency allocation
requests and had been told that the requests had easily passed
through the Foreign Ministry and had been in the Justice Ministry
since mid-June. The Justice Ministry, in turn, informed the embassy
that a response would be coming "soon." In reality, however,
Mr. Guanti believes the requests are currently somewhere within the
bureaucracy of the Panamanian Defense Forces (PDF). This
corresponds with information provided by the Office of Treaty Affairs
which noted that the PDF had recently assumed jurisdiction on
frequency allocation matters from the Justice Ministry. Mr. Guanti
stated that unless stronger inquiries are made, "this could drag on
forever." reiterated headquarters' position that we wish to stay
within diplomatic channels if at all possible. Mr. Guanti also told
us that both frequency allocation requests -- for satellite and
microwave link were being considered together. We not sure
where he got this information, however. In any case, reiterated
that the requests were not related and that the timing was coincidental.
Still, because it has been some time since the requests left the
Foreign Ministry, it appears quite possible that they are in fact
being considered together.
A second topic of discussion was C/ESG's upcoming visit. We told
Mr. Guanti that C/ESG, whose office is in charge of the Internet
project, would be visiting the bureau 11-12 August and that he
wished to meet with Mr. Guanti and Mr. Santomeno, the General
Manager and Vice President of INTERCOMSA. Mr..Guanti said a meeting
will be arranged at C/ESG's convenience anytime after 1000 on
11 or 12 August. I will inform Mr. Guanti after I receive C/ESG's
itinerary.
cc: C/ESG
C/OPS'
C/FSB/FED
C/Communications
q1C t s
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/14: CIA-RDP94-00798R000200340007-1
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/14: CIA-RDP94-00798R000200340007-1
STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/14: CIA-RDP94-00798R000200340007-1