Permanent Watch Committee

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP61S00750A000100040031-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 31, 1997
• Sequence Number: 31
• Publication Date: November 3, 1950
• Content Type: REGULATION

Approved For Release 2000/08/26 : CIA-RDP61S 00750Q000100040031-1
3 November 1950
PROPOSED INTERAGENCY OPERATING PROCEDURE NO. 4
AGENCIES PARTICIPATING IN THIS AGREEIvIENT: Central Intelligence Agency
Department of State
Department of the Army
Department of the Navy
Department of the Air Force
A permanent interagency intelligence committee (hereinafter to
be known as the Watch Committee) is hereby established for the purpose
of providing timely warning of Soviet military action. To this end
the Watch Committee is expected:
a. To focus the attention of intelligence analysts on
specific political., economics scientific and military indicators
(positive and negative) of Soviet intentions to resort to military
action; and
b. To provide an effective mechanism for interagency exchange
of views on this subject at the working level.
2. The Watch Committee shall act under the Chairmanship of the
Central Intelligence Agency and shall be comprised of members repre-
senting the participating agencies upon the currently constituted
"Check List Group" which is hereby redesignated as the Watch Committee.
3. The Watch Committee shall, in the first instance review the
methods of procedure established by the Check List Group, placing
particular emphasis upon emergency procedures which will insure its
capability of functioning on short notice upon a 24 hour basis.
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4. Each member of the Watch Committee shall have free and speedy
access to his superiors, including the highest level of intelligence
authority in his Agency, in order that emergency situations may be
handled with the least possible delay.
5. The Watch Committee shall conduct frequent regularly
scheduled meetings attendance at which, "except for matters of over-
riding urgency", shall have priority over other duties. In addition
to the regularly scheduled meetings, emergency meetings will be held
whenever the situation warrants.
6. The Watch Committee shall utilize the Check List and the
Check List network presently employed for the above stated purposes,
in the conduct of its operations.
7. Specific responsibilities of the members of the Watch Committee
shall include, but are not necessarily limited to, those set forth
below:
a. The CIA Chairman shall
(1) maintain the master Check List,
(2) advise the Director, Central Intelligence Agency,
and, through the Watch Committee members, the chiefs of
the other intelligence agencies upon items of urgency
coming to his attention,
(3) convene the Watch Committee as prescribed in
Paragraph 5 above,
(4) produce, at each meeting if possible and if not,
after any meeting, without delay a summary report of
Approved For Release 2000/08/26 : CIA RPP61 S00750A000100040031-1
 Approved For Release 2000/08/
7504000100040031-1
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Approved For Release 2000/08/26 : CIA-RD 0040031-1