MEETING WITH HSCA STAFF DIRECTOR G. ROBERT BLAKEY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00156R000300010111-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 21, 2006
• Sequence Number: 111
• Publication Date: March 3, 1979
• Content Type: MFR

Approved For Release 2006/12/27: CIA-RDP83-00156R000300010111-1
OLC 79-0113/16
3 March 1979
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Meeting with HSCA Staff Director G. Robert Blakey
1. I had what seems to have been a satisfactory meeting with
Mr. Blakey at his offices Saturday morning, 3 March 1979. The final results
will be the proof of how well we communicated, but he seemed cooperative
and well disposed to work with us, at least on security matters.
2. I told Mr. Blakey that in recent times there had been heightened
concern over publicity concerning Agency activities in Mexico. I recited
recent political developments there affecting the Station, including
steps concerning the COS because of a campaign against him. I asked
if he had been in a position to review some of the recent written comments
on draft reports by his staff, in which the question had been raised. He
said that he had, and that care had been taken to not even mention CIA
presence there. He said that it must be apparent to the reader what
is involved, but the final report refers to CIA headquarters receiving certain
reports (the October 1963 report of Oswald's contact with the Soviet Embassy
was published by the Warren Commission, for example), and to CIA headquarters
taking certain actions, but there is no explicit mention of CIA in Mexico.
I expressed appreciation for this avoidance of explicit discussion of the
Agency's activities in Mexico, and described in general terms the formula
that could refer to employees assigned there to the investigation, making
it subject to the interpretation that this group was not regularly located
there. He feels that the final report will be such that there is nothing in his judgment -- that is classified. I said that I could not express an
opinion until I had read the draft, but observed that we had offered some
approaches in the comments we had submitted to him.
3. We will be reviewing the report Ilonday. He wants our comments
then to result in declassification of the paper -- if some sanitization
is necessary, or some formula can bridge any problems, then so much the
better. He feels that when it goes to the Committee members, it must be
declassified, as once it does go to them, he assumes there may be some
publicity.
Ci O/ RP-46
 Approved For Release 2006/12/27: CIA-RDP83-00156R000300010111-1
4. I said that he is familiar by now with our substantive
reservations about presentations in the drafts we had reviewed,. and
that our emphasis on Monday would be on security considerations. I said
that after the Committee has reviewed the paper our next review under the "five
day procedure" of our agreement would also, of necessity, concentrate
on security. We might have negative reactions to some substantive
aspects, and would offer them, but any eventual position on such points
would be a later consideration because of the nature of the five day timing
problem. He said that if I can meet with him towards the end of next week,
on questions of "fact" arising from our Monday review, he would be ready to
work on the final draft with us. I said that I would probably come down with
Messrs. Holmes and Sturbitts, our best informed members on the Latin
American and Oswald aspects of the matter.
5. Mr. Blakey was relaxed and friendly, and seemed very cooperative.
He understands that we may miss things in Monday's review, and I told him
that we might add points not identified then, when vie get the final review.
I got the impression -- and he said as much -- that he feels it to his
advantage to clarify as many issues as possible, and resolve then, to avoid
a confrontation.
6. As we are entering the final phase of this exercise, it ray be
that there are considerations more important to him than ho?,I h2:avil; the
report hits at CIA's performance in the Warren Commission inc,u.;;ry. He said
that he thought we would find ourselves a minor part of it alt, a-id that the
headlines would address the role of organized crime and the t:U''stion of the
"fourth shot" in Dallas. We shall see.
S. D.r8RECKINRIDGE
Principal Coordinator, t'~??~
cc: Mr. Hitz
SA/DDCI
DDA
DDO
Mr. Sturbitts, LA/DDO
Mr. Sullivan, OS
Mr. Rininger, OGC
Mr. Holmes
Distribution:
Orig - OLC/Subj
1 - OLC/Chrono
OLC/SDB/ksn (5 Mar 79)