COMMERCE PROJECT ON EAST-WEST TRADE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP61S00527A000100130014-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 15, 1998
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: June 30, 1953
• Content Type: MEMO

"4.0Fmamm,
Sanitized - Approved For 'Release : CIA-RDP61S00527A0V100130014-8
Chief, AdLnietrativc Staff
THRU Chief, Service+, Division
Chief, OF Services Division
25X1A1
25X1A1a
Commerce Project on Beet :est Trade
1.
To provide funds for tht cantiru
Security Agency (and/or it, successor agenoy)
Commercels Project Trade Between the Free Wor
9
24. 3ackgronn
The project plan is divided into three parts: (a) CoapU.tion of
bdo statistics from the national ststietics avails le trma Individual
untries (at a T.O. (b) Tabulationxylmat&EA
etatietical information reported by COCOM (at a T.O.
( Analysisot trade informatn dereoped in (a), plus baaic and current
of trade agreements and export control ems (at a T.O. cost of
Comore *h i4 additional 1.u. cost pita about 25X1A1a
non-reCurring coats
The etatistica comibed for pert (a) serve as one of the indispensable
benchmmarks for the Trade end Finance Branch, Services Division, in providing
strategic intelligence on Soviet Bloc trade and finance. The Department of
Commerce possesses peculiar advantages in undertaking this pert of the pro-
ject. It is the established focal point for official trade statietice for
the entire government end has a wen-developed etatictical librery. It has
long em)erienue in blandin6 diverse trade data from di variety of foreign
langua&; uources into uniform statistical studios. But even with tbese
dvantages it has taken the Department of Commerce well over a yenr to re-
cruit, train and orgalLise its present project staff into a emnoth function-
ing unit.
In the it the Department of Camerae LI
project, CIA would need to peeves the same service
Commerce experience, CIA would probably be unable to eatis.fctorily develop
a similar service before sometime in the fiscal year t955.
The stattstical tabulations for part (b) are essential for the intent-
gene support furnished by the Economic Defense Division, to the Secretary of
Commerce and the Director for Mutual Security in their administration of the
?sport Control Act and the Battle Act.
The analysis of trade infonestiors, trade agreements, and export contra
systems has not materialised in a form usable for CIA to date.
Sanitized - Approved For Release : CIA-RDP61S00527A000100130014-8
Sanitized - Approved For Release : CIA-RDP61500527A000100130014-8
aseasattione:
It le reeommended that the
inued for FY 1954* The eervice
EA and sitit and could not be
the T.O. cost alone on parts (
25X1A1a
for this rojt be
d rom Commerce in indlspensablo
limbed in CIA daring FT 1954.
and b of the project exceeds
?mended allocation of funds by emmolliiiill 25X1A1a
---Coard?j.?nat...q.Uteccounda .
tiont
ommendation bee the joint approina of OE
chiefly interested in the project*
25X1A9a
d aTF the two
Sanitized - Approved FoSEGIfie : CIA-RDP61500527A000100130014-8