LETTER TO MR(Sanitized) FROM HAMPTON DAVIS [DOS]

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-00498A000500010012-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 4, 2001
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: June 9, 1976
• Content Type: LETTER

App~roVed For Release 2001/09/01 : CIA-RDP79-00498A000500010012-2
W ashin,ton, D.C. 20520
June 9, 1976
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
State Dept. declassification &
release instructions on file
I refer to the meeting held in your office on Febru-
ary 10 in which Mr. Gookin and Miss Guilbault of my staff
participated to discuss aspects of CIA compliance with the
Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act of 1966. I regret our
delay in responding to the several questions you raised at
that time, which was occasioned by the, careful considera-
tion we have had to give the matter.
You inquired, I understand, about the deposit with the
Chief of Protocol of gifts received by Agency personnel,
and proposed turning over particular gifts without furnishing
the name of the donor or donee. The. Department's position
on this question is that it would prefer to have the names
of both donor and donee. We can appreciate, however, that
in some cases the Agency would prefer to withhold certain
information when in its judgment it is deemed necessary to
protect intelligence sources. You are aware, I am sure,
that neither the Act nor the regulations issued pursuant to
it stipulates how gift records should be maintained in the
Office of Protocol; the existing requirement to furnish
names of donor and donee and other pertinent. information
is a procedural one designed in the interest of good record-
keeping. We believe, therefore, that exceptions to the
requirement can be made for the Central Intelligence Agency.
Any requests for information which might arise on Agency
gifts not available in the Department's files would, of
course, have to be referred to the Agency.
You also suggested that Agency held gifts be.trans-
(erred to the Department of State in small groups over a
period of time. We believe that piecemeal transfer of
such gifts could lead to unnecessary and embarassing ques-
tions. We therefore recommend that the Agency's initial
Office of Personnel,
Central Intelligence Agency,
Washington, D.C. 20505.
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
Approved For Release 2001/09/01 : CIA-RDP79-00498A000500010012-2
 Approved For Release 2001/09/01 : CIA-RDP79-00498A000500010012-2
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
-2--
transfer of gifts comprise all items which it now is hold-
ing for deposit with the Chief of Protocol.
Finally, your question regarding release of certain
foreign gifts received by CIA personnel
1966, has been addressed in a separate letter. to Mr. Janney'
dated June 8, 1976.
You will be interested to know that each of the matters
referred to above has been discussed informally with General
Accounting Office site audit staff representatives this week.
These representatives are familiar with the Act and with
GAO's audit on compliance. They have expressed no objection
to the positions taken in this letter.
Sincerely yours,
HamptaniDaviPs
Assistant Chief of Protocol
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
Approved For Release 2001/09/01 : CIA-RDP79-00498A000500010012-2
 DEPARTMENT OF STATE
June 8, 1976
Dear Mr. Janney:
I have your memorandum of May 26 requesting
this office's approval of the release of certain
foreign gifts received by CIA personnel prior to
October 15, 1966, which have been held in Agency
custody.
In this connection, I invite your attention
to Section 6 of the Foreign Gifts and Decorations
Act of 1966 which, in part,. provides for the re-
lease of gifts and decorations only if they have
been on deposit with the Department of State as of
the date of enactment of that legislation. Inasmuch
as the gifts in question were not on deposit with
this Department as of October 15, 1966, you can ap-
preciate that we have no legal authority to give
the requested approval or deal with the gifts in
any way.
The Agency may wish to consider seeking approval
for releasing the gifts by inquiring informally of
the appropriate Congressional committees, or through
the submission of special legislation to that end.
Sincerely yours,
Hampton Davis
Assistant Chief of Protocol
Mr. F. W. M. Janney,
Director of Personnel,
Central Intelligence Agency,
Washington, D.C. 20505.
Approved For Release 2001/09/01 : CIA-RDP79-00498A000500010012-2
 FINTL
FORM 610 USE P E IOUS SECRET ^ CONFIDENTIAL T U
3-62 EDITIONS 0--fNAL
NCLASSIFIED
....USE QN~Y
UNCLASSIFIED INTERNAL
;JA CONFIDENTI SECRET
ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET 5
1
6
13
SUBJECT: (Optional) VuLf
~31 -7
3
1
)1~p mod'-
_
Foreign Gifts
FROM:
EXTENSION
NO.
Director of Personnel
DATE ?L 4 JUN `C
J
5 E 58, Headquarters
6825
TO: (Officer designation, room number, and
building)
DATE
OFFICER'S
COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom
RECEIVED
FORWARDED
INITIALS
to whom. Draw a line across column after each comment.)
1. Deputy Director for
Administration
7 D 18, Headquarters
Attached are copies of two
2.
responses from Protocol regarding
9 June
memor
fore
ifts.
ign u
an-
e
U) L7
16
N 1976
dum
wil
l
to turn in to
s
3.
Protocol a majority of the foreign
8 JUf
gifts that are now being held in
1976
the Agency. In those instances
4.
1 JU
!976
where Cover determines that this
procedure would result in disclosur
of intelligence sources and methods
5.
we will seek approval of :Protocol
to retain the gift for official
use. We have asked Cover to expe-
6.
dite their review of the gifts so
that we can complete action on this
matter.
The 8 June memorandum from
Protocol concerns foreign gifts
received prior to 15 October 1966.
We will ask OGC for an opinion on
this issue and whether legislation
9.
is the only solution.
10.
F
W
W
M
Janne
11.
.
.
.
.
Director of nnel
LLEGIB
12.
13.
14.
15.