PROPOSED EXTERNAL RESEARCH PROJECT ON THE EAST GERMAN PRICE STRUCTURE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-04908A000100040012-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 21, 1998
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: January 17, 1956
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2000/08/$7R'8-04908A0(t.100040012-
PRC No. DD/I-153-56
~1
Original
1956
IMHOROEDUI,42 IT 011. D ;pu: U, Di f;f~~?l'I.a elf ?era c,
SUBJECT ~rcr, osed F :e_c?Loal Resea`rc P o js o;;'; East ; German
Price Stinicture
PE"'FE? M.I4 F-J cable from m November 1955 25X1A6a
25X1A6c
.P cOblem
To obtain base figures for the coniferaion of `stin't ,s of, the Gross
N tional Pr odne E: (GMI) of Bast Ces sxay to dollars
2 Facts on the P:cobbarx
.k
One approach to ass ti t .ng economic csapabil: t:Le=s of ?orei ^..z
countries is the measur erg; t of their FW in co,Sx ble units
do3 lar s) . Official e.. xchang;e rates have been de onst: aced to
be sI,eti.c i g;o In or r to convert GNP estimate i dcxestic
currency to dollars, it is necessa:r:-y to obtain a cab tens. ere
sa ,,ile of d ;mesti_c prices of goods an service
Vmre are k omn to be available in Wost Germany < ora e ,e `~ Oes:
economists, with an :~. ? , U ate knowledge of area ccadi. E.c:.~s , who
am mace a_o rabie . and who have not only access to :a =a c
?or+a al ->
sa otrat of overt. once data on : .st Ocxsta y, but =,lso can Fenwr
direct access to F?nnrt Gerff'm for evaluating and int-rYpretin.c
these da;t., 25X1A5a1
3 Fri s u sr on
l e to to required. to p? oevi -. base figs .ies
be ue-,.sea effectively i! estinnt.,Utf, G' a
ia1 !]& 'n. recesses y to "c sider the possiblIit,.~,0-?
e '
4 e'.?.;r:?41? f uF Ouch w'lE3tir1al. research coat ?7=!c ~F' ?7T:'v y ..1
as _ ....
are not. e_le': 1e .' r C,
1J L. , s , h
Approved For Release 2000/08/04: CIA-RDP78-04908A000100040012-4
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b .Ate _ Project mde:r ii; dire wec. -:owarc:.
est ati as t Ger man MAT and its rate of grow' i ir, Eteutsf,-he-
marks a The _ effort 4 however, is not c irec-c, !d to,,,mxd obta in '
ing sufficient -price data far converting &.st c ; zwa . (IM, to
d. has inforniB.y advised ta:?at :,.t will taa1.e
apr -oximately three months to car lete the work -.s required I 7,1
' 25X1A2g
0:R at a cost oi' 25X1A1a
e 0 The data required and the project itself would 1 w.classifiet
results of this project would be made avails ole to 3:'car 25X1A5a1
,'se in its project on East Gernnyo It is also sloped. tr-ia
sill openly publish the results of its research as ~-, stinnhiu3 to
further research on East Germany 25X1A5a1
f. No clearances o l-,* the staff of the contractor wog. ld. be requirau.,
Liaison and monitoring of the project woul ;f. be c-: -Mer:ted by
G traategic Division toner cover. Agency coa:tnec t: *rith the
project would not be revealed.
Conclusion
The ORR requirement for prices to be used in cover-- GNP of E31
~ e:~y .to dollars can best be met thr. u a a project tsr ti ;rt ken icy tea
The prop t 3ed. cost is 'o'ry
Action Hecan-rxended
a c Mat an externalt research project be approved f(--, -the purpose cf
cc riciiling a specified se-mple ist of approiclmatc L;;r '"50 prices ct
foods. ?n(I services (using 1954 as the base year;: in East Geriavrny
with detailed sic fications of goods and. servic ,s o
todest in terms of the to that wmild be o b ' ned from t lie project.
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b. That funds in tha moon of - be provided 'or this pr o t e ~ t
through tha use DD/I funds currently a ll.otte =. to
- or by transfer of ORR funds.
&ITO E MMIE ((
Assista ri b Director
Research and Reports
7; ID a- GD p~7 G-3/3a
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