THE CIA AND FREEDOM...

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-00498R000100080020-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 17, 2007
• Sequence Number: 20
• Publication Date: March 17, 1977
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

example. His contention is that the
revelation of the secret payments
damaged the confidence of many
foreign countries in the U.S. But
shouldn't the public know of such
payments?
Turner would like to see some sort
of penalty against government offi-
cials who disclose national security
secrets to the press- a sort of "Offi-
cial Secrets Act" as the British
have. Vice President Walter Mon-
dale quite properly. disagrees with
that theory. He .would oppose such
restrictions. -
. WITII ITS emphasis on open gov.-
ernment, the democratic process is
not easy. But it is what distinguishes
us from most of. the world., where
:.authoritarianism is growing.-
The inherent tension between?.a-'
free press and government is best
preserved for the protection of';:._',
American liberties.'.:;- - - '
If, as time goes.-on, -Turner's per-
formance reflects an understanding
of this, he will be'greatly enhancing
the CIA's credibility r
The Central Intelligence Agency's
director, Admiral Stansfield Turner.
seems to be examining the CIA's
problem of maintaining an intelli-
gence system in an open society.
He says he would like to make
public as much information as possi-
ble, quite in contrast with CIA direc-
tors of the past who maintained a
sort of iron curtain about the agen-
cy. He also,wants an area of "priva-.
Approved For Release 2007/04/17: CIA-RDP99-00498R0 -
TUE HONOLULU ADVERTISER
17 larch 1977 T
Cy."
TURNER SEEMS conscious of the
rights of the press to inform the pub-
lic what government is doing, as
guaranteed under'the First Amend-
ment to the U.S. Constitution. He
promises these will not be violated.
In the matter of _-leaks" he would
not try to hold the press responsible.
nor would he suggest 'sanctions
,%
against the media.
The problem of disclosure,. Turner
said, must remain the responsibility
He pointed to the case of the CIA
payments. to King ,Hussein as an
? matron.. ~ .,,-~..;~ -':: _?:: -... -,Y.?.- ..t.? .
the U.S.t:. ; .~
in foreign countries.
as agents or paid sources 'of infor- free flow of information, as -well as
cast a shadow over. honest friends`of-
news reporters and 'editor;s' abroad subvert our national policy on the
vaac u? cu .. ..... .. ..
responsive enough is' in the'use of foreign journalists. That continues to
'`This is of special concern:becaiise
the U.S. must stand for the-free-flow.-
of information in the world uncon-
trolled by governments for their own
ends. We can't do that honestly by
using those 'who handle that news as
intelligence agents.
IN THE FACE of past revelations
and protests from American news
organizations, the CIA reportedly
has terminated such relationships
with American news personnel.
But the agency has so far refused
-With so much talk of a new moral- ?=
? ity in American foreign affairs, the
continuing CIA policy.-stands in iron-':-is contrast--to these words. from
President Carter's inagural address:'
"We will not behave in foreign"
places so as to violate our rules and
standards here at-home,' for we
know that the trust which our nation
earns is essential to our strength.
By ending its use of foreign jour- -
nalists, the CIA would only be prac-
ticirig.what the President is preach-
STAT