LETTER TO JOHN A MCCONE FROM U. ALEXIS JOHNSON

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R002900290008-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 14, 2002
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: August 18, 1963
• Content Type: LETTER

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Au z,.zst 18, 17b3
Thank you for your letter of May 28, 1963, on improving
intelligence collection capabilities in Africa. I certainly share
the interest of the intelligence community in improving those
capabilities to meet both present and future needs of the government.
It is my understanding that discussions are going forward among
members of the intelligence community on the implementation of the
bulk of the USIB recommendations. In this letter I am outlining the
Department of State's action to date on the two recommendations on
which your letter of May 28 focused.
The Department has continuously sought to increase diplomatic
and consular representation in Africa. There are Embassies now in
all 33 independent countries of the continent, as well as 26 consular
posts in those countries and in the remaining dependent areas. The
Department requested 103 additional personnel for African posts for
FY 1964, but the House Committee on Appropriations has denied funds
for these positions. At the same time, the Committee approved the
establishment of five additional posts in Africa, to be staffed by
drawing personnel from other posts. The Committee's disallowance
of additional positions is being appealed. The Department will
continue exerting every effort to expand diplomatic and consular
representation in Africa, but it will be a while before we know
exactly what can be done in this regard.
Late last year Defense provided the Department an Attache
augmentation plan for Africa. I will not go into detail on this,
since Secretary McNamara outlined the proposed expansion in his
letter to you of July 9, 1963, which has been forwarded to me
through USIB channels. When the plan was received, the Department
sought the views of each of the interested missions in Africa on the
augmentation, and there have been continuing discussions within the
Department and between the Department and Defense on the problem.
The Honorable John A. McCone,
Chairman, United States Intelligence Board,
Washington 25, D. C.
State Dept. review completed
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There is no disagreement with the validity of the Defense
Department's requirements for additional assets in Africa for the
collection of military intelligence. In view of unstable conditions
in many countries we are suggesting to Defense that in present and
future collection efforts an objective which should be stressed is
biographic information on the officer personnel of newly established
armies of the independent African states. An intensive effort to
become familiar with and to analyze the motivations, ambitions and
capabilities of the various national African officer corps is
certainly of key importance, in view of possible future military
coups, and subversive movements.
Recognizing Defense's intelligence needs, the Department wishes
to be as helpful as possible in assisting it to implement its attache
staffing program for Africa in those cases in which military attache
representation is justified and feasible. As of this time, a number
of Defense's requests for attache offices have been agreed upon by
the Department, and a few are now awaiting the approval of the host
governments. In other areas, we are seeking to meet Defense's needs,
at least partially, through dual accreditation.
We find that the establishment of any new military representation
in Africa must be reviewed carefully against the background of the
political and psychological factors characteristic of the newly
independent countries of Africa. These countries tend to be suspicious
of the purposes of a Western military presence, and do not wish such
a presence to suggest an identification in the East-West conflict
which will subject them to Communist agitation or propaganda.
Reflecting this sentiment, a few of the African countries have placed
a limitation on the size of foreign diplomatic missions, thus
precluding us from adding Service Attaches to our Embassies. In the
same connection, some of our Ambassadors have urged that the size
of their Embassies be limited whenever possible in order to avoid
establishing a pattern which might obligate the host governments to
accept sizable Soviet bloc missions. Finally, in a few instances
the political sensitivities of the countries concerned make it
inadvisable to raise the question of attache representation with them.
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The above factors illustrate the problems involved. In cases
where the opening of Service Attache offices may be impossible at
this time, changes in the political climate may permit such action
in the not too distant future. Tne Department will continue to give
this important matter priority attention.
Sincerely yours,
CIA-Rb
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