REQUEST FOR UPDATE OF NIE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP98-00244R000300210044-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 30, 2012
• Sequence Number: 44
• Publication Date: February 6, 1985
• Content Type: MEMO

- Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/11/30: CIA-RDP98-00244R000300210044-3
(M7 DE E INTELLIGENCE AGE( Y
S-7504/DE-4
TO:
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20301
6 FEB 19e5
?Dr 0 0 762 -ES
Mr. Robert M. Gates
Chairman, National Intelligence Council
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D.C.
SUBJECT: Request for Update of NIE
1. (S) Admiral James D. Watkins Chief of Naval Operations has requested
an update of NIE 3-2-84 "World Oil Market Outlook: Key Political and
Economic Dimensions". The request stems from studies submitted to the CNO
suggesting a recent change in the oil market outlook. Indications are that
at the present time the oil market is the most unstable it has been since
late 1979, with OPEC probably no longer capable of exerting much influence.
2. (S) Since the publication of the recent NIE on the "World Oil Market
Outlook" there has been a significant downward pressure on the price of
oil. Additionally, this NIE does not address itself to the national
security concerns expressed by Admiral Watkins. His major concern is the
availability of resources, in the event of a conventional war with the
Soviet Union, and the vulnerability of major sources of oil to Soviet air
strikes. DIA believes that an estimate covering the CNO's concerns would
prove highly useful to a wide variety of policy makers as well as defense
planners.
4. (S) I would appreciate your giving serious consideration to this
request.
FOR THE DIRECTOR:
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Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/11/30: CIA-RDP98-00244R000300210044-3