STAR GATE - FINAL RESPONSE TO CDA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96-00791R000100150001-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 3, 2000
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: September 27, 1995
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2000/08/10 : CIA-RDP96-00791R000100150001-1
i NOFORN
27 September 1995
MEMORANDUM FOR: Executive Director
VIA: Deputy Director for Science and Technology
FROM : S G 1 I
Director of Research and Development
SUBJECT: Star Gate - Final Response to CDA
1. In January the Executive Director asked ORD to
respond to a Congressionally Directed Action (CDA) relating
to transfer of the Star Gate Program from DIA to CIA.
Shortly thereafter, the Executive Director approved ORD's
recommended plan to satisfy the CDA. The plan had three
parts: Form a blue-ribbon panel to conduct a twenty-year
technical review, immediately declassify past CIA sponsorship
and further review other program material for
declassification, and at the completion of the panel review,
develop a comprehensive management strategy for the program,
including addressing whether or not this program made sense
for CIA. A recommended Star Gate program management strategy
is now complete (attachment A).
2. During March and April, we gave status reports on
the Star Gate transfer was presented by CIA to SAC and SSCI
Committee staff. Presentation to Congress of the management
strategy for Star Gate was deferred until September 30. This
date was selected in order to allow CIA to complete the
requested technical review with an external blue ribbon panel
commissioned by the American Institutes for Research (AIR).
CL BY 0189970
DECL OADR
DRV FRM Multiple
All SECRET
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NOFORN
SUBJECT: Star Gate Program - Proposed Management Strategy
It was agreed by interested staff members and CIA that CIA's
final proposed management strategy would be based closely on
AIR's review. That review is now complete and attached to
the proposed management strategy. In addition, it was
proposed during a third meeting with a SAC Committee staff
that the NIO for S&T should conduct an assessment of Russian
parapsychology with the assistance of DIA Star Gate program
personnel in parallel with the technical review. In fact,
that foreign assessment is complete and is also reflected in
the proposed management strategy.
3. The key recommendations of the proposed management
strategy are:
? Terminate remote viewing operations within the
intelligence community.
The American Institutes of Research, after
interviewing multiple current users of remote viewing,
concluded that "...the information provided by remote
viewing is vague and ambiguous, making it difficult if
not impossible for the technique to yield information of
sufficient quality and accuracy for actionable
intelligence."
? Terminate research and development relating to remote
viewing within the intelligence community.
The American Institutes for Research, after
assessing its blue-ribbon panel review of CIA and DIA
sponsored research spanning over twenty years, concluded
that "...it remains unclear whether the existence of a
paranormal phenomenon, remote viewing, has been
demonstrated. The laboratory studies do not provide
evidence regarding the sources or origins of the
phenomenon..."
? Perform a comprehensive declassification review of all
DOD and CIA program files to prepare them for official
transfer to the National Archives.
It was stated in the CDA that "The Committee also
believes that the time has come for a re-evaluation of
the classification of the existence of this effort as
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fi~l~DT NOFORN
SUBJECT: Star Gate Program - Proposed Management Strategy
well as the results that have been obtained over time."
In addition, it was directed that "The DCI's
declassification committee should review the history and
nature of this program to determine what parts of it may
be declassified and be converted into an open world
activity."
? Apply no resources to the assessment of foreign
developments in parapsychology.
After overseeing the recent assessment of Russian
programs, The CIA Directorate of Intelligence in
consultation with the NIC states that "Among the areas
of science and sociological change we are monitoring, we
view developments in parapsychology as a relatively low
threat to the United States and, consequently, as a low
priority among all the threats we are trying to monitor
and assess." In addition, the DI stated that "In none of
this Russian research do we see credible evidence of
developments that could significantly add to the threat
that Russia currently poses to US national security."
4.. These key recommendations are based closely on the
AIR review, the DI's comments after reviewing the NIO's
foreign assessment, and the CDA itself. They were develoOped
in close consultation with the NIO/S&T and with the DDI. We
propose that these recommendations, which comprise the
essence of CIA's proposed Star Gate management strategy be
forwarded at this time to appropriate members of Congress in
satisfaction of the CDA.
SG1I
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