LETTER TO WILLIAM H. WEBSTER FROM SAM NUNN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP89G00643R000900190045-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 21, 2011
• Sequence Number: 45
• Publication Date: August 18, 1987
• Content Type: LETTER

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/21: CIA-RDP89GO0643R000900190045-9
TRANSMITTAL SLIP
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REMARKS:
EXA 2 4 AUG 1987
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OCA has action.
D/OS received info copy.
FROM:
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FORM NO. REPLACES FORM 36-8 (47)
1 FFR FR 9A1 weiuiru 1A AV or
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EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT
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D/OCA plans to prepare a response for DCI
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STAT
21 Aug '87
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/21 : CIA-RDP89GO0643R000900190045-9
LAWTON CHILES FLORIDA WILLIAM V ROTH JftDELAWARE
SAM NUNN GEORGIA TED STEVENS ALASKA
CARL LEVIN MICHI,AN WI.;IAM S COHEN MAINE
JIM SASSER TENNESSEE WARREN B RUDMAN,
JOHN GLENN. OHIO. VICE CHAIRMAN
ILES FLORIDA WILLIAM V ROTH, J..
CHIGAN DELAWARE
I
DAVID PRYOR ARKANSAS NEW HAMPSHIRE R, TENNESSEE TED STEVENS ALASKA
GEORGE J WTCHEI L MAINE JOHN HEINZ PENNSYL NIA DAVID PRYOR. ARKANSAS WILLIAM S COHEN. MAINE
JEFF BINGAMAN. NEW MEXICO PAUL S TR:SLE. J. VIRGINIAnlt ~tate~ senate GEORGE J. MITCHELL MAINE WARREN B RUDMAN.
LEONARD WEISS, STAFF DIRECTOR NEW HAMPSHIRE
JO ANNE BARNHART. MINORITY STAFF DIRECTOR COMMITTEE ON PAUL S TRIG LE. J.., VIRGINIA
GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS ELEANORE J HILL. CHIEF COUNSEL
DANIEL F RRBEL. CHIEF COUNSEL TO THE MINORITY
SENATE PERMANENT SUBCOMMITTEE
ON INVESTIGATIONS
WASHINGTON, DC 20510-6250
August 18, 1987
The Honorable William H. Webster
Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D.C. 20505
As you are well aware, I have been concerned for some time
about our government's handling of those individuals who have
defected or are otherwise political refugees from the Soviet
Union and other communist-bloc countries. Due to that concern, I
have commissioned an investigation by the staff of the Permanent
Subcommittee on Investigations into this matter. The results of
that inquiry are intended to be presented to the Subcommittee in
public hearings set for September 15th and 16th, 1987.
In the course of our investigation, it has became apparent
that the vast majority of those who flee communist regimes are
neither intelligence officers nor of such interest to our
national security and national intelligence mission that they
fall within the purview of your agency for support and
resettlement. Nevertheless, our investigation has shown that
there are a discreet number of refugees who through their
background and training offer unique and important insights into
the communist system that are of importance to other branches of
government, academia and our society as a whole. Unfortunately,
it appears that no government agency is currently entrusted with
the responsibility to assist or otherwise tap this pool of
insight into the communist world.
Due to your current position as well as your prior
experience as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, I
feel that your testimony leading off our September 15th hearings
is essential for the Subcommittee to understand the context in
which the non-intelligence defectors are handled. It is
important that your perspective as the head of the U.S.
intelligence community is properly conveyed to Congress and the
public at 'Large on this important issue.
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The Honorable William H. Webster
Page 2
In particular, I feel that your presentation would be
useful in order to clarify the role of the CIA in regards to
those individuals outside of the purview of Section 7 of the CIA
Act of 1949. Your thoughts and suggestions on ways to assist
these individuals while utilizing their unique attributes would
also be of great assistance to the Subcommittee.
In conclusion, I would once again like to reiterate my
feeling that your appearance before the Subcommittee would be of
great value to us in analyzing this important issue. Chief
Counsel, Eleanore J. Hill and Deputy Chief Counsel, John F. Sopko
of the Subcommittee staff may be contacted at 224-3721 if your
staff should have any questions concerning this request.
n
am Nun
Chairman
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OCA 87-3619
20 August 1987
STAT
NOTE FOR: The Director
FROM: Dave Gries
SUBJECT: Senate Select Subcommittee on Investigations Hearings
on Defectors
Previously we discussed Senator Nunn's request for your
testimony at a public hearing of his Permanent Subcommittee on
Investigations. Senator Nunn wants you to discuss unclassified
aspects of the handling of refugees and also of the handling of
defectors who do not qualify for Intelligence Community
support. He is interested in hearing your testimony because of
your current position at CIA and your previous position at the
FBI.
We have labored unsuccessfully for two months to convince
Subcommittee staff that CIA is only a bystander and not a direct
participant in the affairs of those organizations--the Tolstoy
Foundation, the Jamestown Foundation, to name the two best
known--committed to the support and resettlement of refugees and
defectors. These lengthy negotiations yielded a more
satisfactory definition of what the Subcommittee would like you
to talk about, but also produced a second invitation from
Senator Nunn for your public testimony. The hearing will
probably take place in late September or October.
Given Senator Nunn's interest, I believe you should accept,
even though it is highly unusual for a Director of Central
Intelligence to testify in public. Director Casey did so only
once and then only to speak in support of an Intelligence
Museum. Our records are not perfect for other directors, but
there is no known instance of additional public testimony except
during the investigations of the mid-1970s. Since previous
directors have refused in anticipation of being asked classified
questions, Senator Nunn's invitation places us in unchartered
waters, the subject being unclassified. Unless you advise to
the contrary, we will begin shaping testimony.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/21: CIA-RDP89G00643R000900190045-9