HERE IS THE TAPE OF LAST NIGHT'S NIGHTLINE BROADCAST EXPLORING THE FEASIBILITY OF KGB-CIA COOPERATION IN AREAS SUCH AS INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AND NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-01448R000401640013-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 29, 2012
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: September 29, 1989
• Content Type: LETTER

S7 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/29: CIA-RDP99-01448R000401640013-0
29 September 1989
Here is the tape of last night's "Nightline" broadcast exploring the
feasibility of KGB-CIA cooperation in areas such as international terrorism
and narcotics trafficking. The statement we issued yesterday -- pointing out
that there are well-established ways that our governments can cooperate such
as diplomatic channels -- was included in the broadcast. Former DCI
William Colby, who appeared on the show, reiterated this point. My view is
that last night's "Nightline" was very fair and balanced.
During our conversation with Richard Harris, the producer of "Nightline,"
he indicated that Ted Koppel would like to have you on his show to discuss
intelligence issues. This is something we can discuss and consider in the
future. Harris was most cooperative during our discussions.
STAT
STAT
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STAT
RE: ABC's "Nightline" To Air Program on CIA-KGB Cooperation
STAT
STAT
STAT
Richard Harris, a producer for ABC's "Nightline," called my office
yesterday afternoon and said that Ted Koppel is planning to do a show tonight
on the feasibility of the KGB and CIA sharing information on issues such as
terrorism and narcotics trafficking. The backdrop for this program is the
RAND Corporation conference on terrorism that is taking place in Santa Monica
this week.
Due to the sensitive nature of this issue, we declined when Harris asked
if a high-ranking official in the Agency would appear on camera tonight to
discuss CIA-KGB cooperation. However, we passed a statement to "Nightline,"
which is based on your remarks at the Godfrey Sperling interview last April (a
NEW YORK TIMES account of your comments is attached). The statement was also
incorporated in your question and answer package for THE LOS ANGELES TIMES
editorial board meeting. It says this:
The problems of terrorism and narcotics affect both the
United States and the Soviet Union, and these are issues
in which our two countries can cooperate. There are
well-established ways that our governments can
cooperate -- such as diplomatic channels -- that do
not involve intelligence agency to intelligence agency
sharing of information.
Harris mentioned in a conversation with a member of my staff this morning
that "Nightline" hopes to have either William Colby or Ray Cline on tonight's
broadcast. Both Colby and Cline are participating in the RAND conference.
"Nightline" has already lined up Fjodor Sherbak, former KBG deputy chairman
for Latvia, who is also participating in the RAND conference.
Attachments:
As stated
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 STAT
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STAT
e
union tht the o
countries share intelligence data, tthe
better to combat terrorism and the
spread of missiles, Administration offi-
cials said today.
The Proposal is part of a broad ne- i
gotiating brief the Bush Administra.
S is Preparing for Secretary of State
James A. Baker 3d to take to Moscow
May 10 to 11, when he will meet with
Mikhail S. Gorbachev, the Soviet lead-'
er. The idea is significant because it is
Premised
he I
the Soviet iet Union bheavef bethat come changes
enough for Washington to consider
cooperative efforts that would have
Previously been unthinkable.
On Sharing Information
way-out idea," ago
have Colby, the
former Director of Central Intelli-
gence. "Today, I would say that it
might be a little difficult, but not im-
possible. I think we could exchange in-
formation on groups that neither of us
feels any responsiblity for. The minute
side ortthclose to th bone, e other might clam up a bone
it ,
but there are a lot of crazy terrorist)
groups out there whom we could coop-
erate on getting information abut.
U.S. May Tell Soviets:
Let's Share Some Secret's
By THOMAS L FRIEDMAN
Spedw a The New Yak Tines
WASHINGTON, April 20 - The Bush
Administration is considering propos-
in to th
an Washin ton o dl
in t emse ves arQuina .,.,e_ .._
-81CI R. mr. e s er was clear'-
.... in w riness a re ut-
wi e s ar n an eta
never Somem iatTias
n one ore.
V11 t now Ow we would ap-
proach that," he said. "We want to re-
duce the threat of terrorism, but here
are many ways to do it that do not nec-
essarily involve intelligence agency to
intelligence agency sharing."
Mr. We St r
while oscow
turn ut the sub tan ways without reveal-
In ing the source."
a recent meet'n w'
the hector o entr
i lam ester w
more ept ca a t e idea which
rtes 3`~resnz~ss~sr---,~
them and say: 'We have information
on this group that is about to do some-
thing. Can you get in touch with your
friends and get them to stop? We hear
that such an organization is recruiting
people for some operation we don't, can
you check it out?'
'A Limited Exchange'
"We may start with a very limited
exchange, see how it works, and then
start to broaden it," the official said.
The idea is reflective of what is ex-
pected to be the Bush Administration's
general approach to the Soviet Union,
once its policy reviews have been com-
pleted by early May. That is, to make
concrete proposals that will test just
how real is Moscow's "new thinking"
not only on the traditional East-West
arms agenda, but also on a broad array
of North-South issues, from terrorism
and the drug trade to environmental
cooperation.
The Bush Administration is clearly
still torn between a "don't-rock-the-
boat" instinct, which argues that no
,Fadical new initiatives toward Moscow
ammree'heeded when the Soviets are mak-
"don't-m ssethe-boatCeinse nct, a hi h a
contends that the Gorbachev regime
presents an extraordinary opportunity
to reshape Soviet-American relatio
s
n
a little information and they could, and "If You want to have an activist
you end up with a much bigger pie." policy toward the Soviet Union and to
As for sharing information with the test their new thinking, but without
Soviets s for sharing g information necessarily taking steps , at this stage,
tefligence abilities or revealing American in- I which would involve radical arms eotr_
Colby said: "It is a sources. Mr. trot proposals going to the hearf -,a
any time Problem you have 1 American security, then the best way informa whether with tthue British or Ise elis oil j kaotit is in some of these other areas
anybody else n
wing an examp e, a State Depart -I
ment official said: "We might come to
have mutua "'~ormation cou d
rte it.
an Administration official said.`~~~~~ts`
"Are the Soviets really in combating terrors dm by
sharing intelligence they might have
about certain organizations, or is it just
talk?" he added. "That's what we want
to see. How they respond in these areas
will then bounce back and influence our
own positions on arms control.-
The usedon same heaspreadhof missiles. to
issue has been discussed by the United
States and the Soviet Union before, but
Mr. Baker plans to propose a way to be-
gin to institutionalize Soviet-American
cooperation in this area.
The Waaikiptan post
The Now York Tines
The Washington Thies
The Will street Journal The Chrtstlan Science Monitor
New York Daily News
USA Today
The Chicago Tribune
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T
Ex-KGB Aides to Assist I
U.S. Effort on Terrorism
Talks With Ex-CIA Experts
&an Boosting Cooperation Sharin ~~ Today on
Sharing of Intelligence
By ROBIN WRIGHT, Times Staff Writer
The Soviet Union intervened on
two fronts, according to Arab
sources. Moscow warned Iran,
which is widely believed to back
the Lebanese extremist groups
holding 14 Western hostages that
further hostage deaths might lead
to U.S. military action i the Middle
East. The weeklong talks at the RAND
Corp. oppe.ltioo co H in Santa Monica are a follow.
?stase-Taking up to sessions in Moscow in jam.
It also made clear that the Soviet 1117 that were credited with open
Union shares U.S. opposition to ing the way for the first official
hostage-taking and that Moscow discumiong of internatbot terror.
would "appreciate" Iran's inter- lam at bsh ehind-the-scene tdb in
vention in Lebanon. Soviet-Iranian Moscow In June. This time, howev.
relations have warmed consider- er, both sides have added former
ably after Soviet Foreign Minister intelligence officials.
Eduard A. Shevardnadze's visit to tthtaftsnos-sharing Is co, d.
Tehran and new Iranian President erect the most sensitive area of
Hashemi Rafsanjani's meetings in potential new cooperation-in
Moscow this year. warning of impending attack. in
Soviet diplomats in Syria and follow-up investigations or in pool.
Lebanon also pressured Damascus ing data to prevent incidents.
and Muslim militias in Lebanon to Ranking CIA officials are known
use their influence on the Shiite to be wary of
fanatics to prevent another hostage for i'~r of endangering ointeiDgence
r exposing
death, the Arab official said. sots and Informantt&
Sherbak told The T MOL
L "The KGB and CIA each have
The decision to allow two former
ranking Soviet intelligence offi-
cials-Valentin Zvezdenkov, the
KGB's counterterrorist chief for
eight years, and former Deputy
KGB Director Fjodor Sherbak-to
join Moscow's delegation is not as
further evidence of Soviet interest
in nsuperpower cooperation and co-
otion.
'"I'he way things are developing
now, the terrorism Mafia is pooling
its resources. It Is time that world
forces find a common language and
a
ism and protect all human common way to prevent terror-.
c4emnaties by Tetrerebb
Concern about disparate grvupt
coordinating resources, such se the
widely-befteved cooperation be.
tween Palestinian ro iicais and Ira-
nian factions in the bomb destruc-
tion of a Pan American Airways
flight over Scotland lest December',
iI also been ww chviewing within U.S.
Two former ranking KGB offi-
cials arrived in Santa Monica on
Sunday for talks designed to chan-
nel the growing superpower dia-
logue into specific areas of cooper-
ation on international terrorism.
American and Soviet specialists
on terrorism begin weeklong unof-
ficial talks here today that will
focus primarily on intelligence
sharing, narcotics terrorism and
hostage seizures.
"This is the first time that former
::cis s of the KGB an ve
met ins Public is orum
Ig-or-Veli, ez leader of the lo-man
vi et delegation. "This to a real
opportunity for an exchange of
views and the development of a
new approach to international ter-
rorism."
There are already indications of
a tentative opening on terrorism
between the superpowers. U.S. in-
telligence officials have confirmed
that Moscow was "helpful" after
the murder of Lt. Col. William R.
Higgins in Lebanon two months
ago and the threat by Islamic Jihad
(Islamic Holy War) to kill other
American hostages.
M WuMungton Post
TM New York Tlmss --~
The Waenington Times
The Was Street Journal The CMlatlan Science Monitor
New York Daly, News
USA Tod"
The CAieago Tribune
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