REACTIONS TO THE PRESIDENT'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE FACT OF SATELLITE PHOTORECONNAISSANCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81M00980R001300030019-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 18, 2012
• Sequence Number: 19
• Publication Date: November 14, 1978
• Content Type: MF

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s
I OLC #78-L(14/
14 MN 1978
Z142061!:
DCl/RM 78-5462
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
VIA: Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
FROM: John E. Koehler
Deputy to the DCI for Resource Management
SUBJECT: Reactions to the President's Acknowledgment
of the Fact of Satellite Photoreconnaissance
REFERENCE: State Dept Memo to Dr. Brzezinski, same subject,
dtd Oct 14, 1978
1. (U) Action Requested: None. For your information only.
2. (C) Background:
a. The President directed declassification of the "fact
of" satellite photoreconnaissance and publicly acknowledged
this fact in a 1 October speech on space policy.
b. The Department of State was tasked, by the NSC, to
prepare and implement a consultation plan to minimize the risk
of adverse foreign reaction. This plan was implemented just
prior to the President's announcement, (during the period from
27-29 September).
c. Reference (attached) contains the State Department's
summary of reactions to the President's announcement.
3. (S) Discussion:
a. No adverse reactions have been noted among those of
the Congress, the U.S. public, the Soviets, our Allies, the
U.N., and foreign media. Soviet Minister Vasev did note,
however, that official U.S. acknowledgment could touch on the
sensitivities of third countries and that they may have some
problems.
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SUBJECT: Reactions to the President's Acknowledgement of
the Fact of Satellite Photoreconnaissance
b. The discussion of the U.S. public reaction is
interesting because it points out (as we had predicted at the
SPRC meeting) that acknowledgment of the "fact of" has not
completely relieved public concern about verification of a
SALT TWO agreement and that the public continues to show
skepticism and a fascination with "hardware". The State
Department memo concludes that "In the end, some discussion of
satellite photoreconnaissance beyond "fact of" may be required
to overcome public cynicism. An interagency task force chaired
by the DCI is examining the specific issue of a selective and
phased release of photoreconnaissance imagery. An options
paper is due to the PRC (Space) by February 15, 1979." This
conclusion underlines my previous comments to you about the
importance of the DCI sponsored study on release of photo-
reconnaissance imagery and my concern about pressures for
early release in support of SALT TWO ratification.
c. I have taken steps to circulate this memo within the
Intelligence Community.
Attachment:
State Dept Memo
'John E. Koehler
2
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W?shingion, D.C. 70!?,U
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Oct ? 777-77.4'
I? 78
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MEMORANDUM TO:
--
DCI
OSD/ISA - Maj. O'Hern
JCS Maj. Genega
October 3, 19
FROM: PM/SA - Arnold Kanter
-
-
?
Reactions to the President's Acknowledqement
the Fact of Satellite Photoreconnaissance
- -
;
. ? ,
Frank Press's office asked the State Department
to report on reactions to the declassification of
,--the fact of
_summary was
---received so
satellite photoreconnaissanc. Our
intended to survey thelresponses we'v-e
far and to note some areas in which
follow-up may be needed.
, 7
-attached copy is provided .for,y
information. '
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- UNCLASSIFIED
_ W/ SECRET ATTACHMENT: -
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1
iv a IA owe**, DC WS'
ovtober 14, 1978.
F.E1.40RANDUM FOR DR. ZBIGNIEW BRZE
- DR. FRANK PRESS
'
THE WHITE HOUSE
_ .
: _ ? Is 11 ?
_ Subject.: Reactions to President's Acknowledgment of-:'=",t7Z;r1/.:
the Fact- of Satellite Photoreconnaiasance ?-'
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The following is a Summary of reactions to
- President's an.nouncement contained in his October ..
speech on space policy.
- Congressional
1
Beginning on September 27, State Department/
- Congressional Relations contacted the following congres?
sional offices about the. decision to declassify and
' -
acknowledge "fact of" in the Presidentls October 1.
? 7-F 71! "--1
?
speech: Bayh, Byrd, Church, Clark, Cranston, Culver.
Eamilton, Hart, Kennedy, Mithiai,- Pell; Proxrdre").-,:-:
and Zablocki:: -j ?:? ? -
1 --
(The general reaction was that this announcement
?__--
? I
would be a bit of a non-event,- but' they were glad the :: ,
Administration was finally officially acknowledging
_ what :bad been an ?open secret" for some time.
recognize that this would zna_ke the.Adminiatration's.,:
= job easier in explaining verification of SALT. There-7.
--were; no negative responses on the Hill j during the
_7-consultations nor following the president's
_ , :7 ? - ' r' ? ;-
tIS "PiabliC Reactions-: ?-?
?!Verification is probably the p-arraount public con-
-locrn about SALT. 14e must be able to deal with this
-Isola', in a concrete and-easily understood fashion if--
-W4 axe to avoid the untenable position of saying -
truzt us.? -
A -
-!
.1_ 7...
-
. ?
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:lltats Dapartment"officials'have 'had 'al;oatr40?Cieak L.
ing engagements since the fact'of photoreconnaissance --:,::.
WA It declassified. This preliminary experi-. r ? ---
...
T----, ..,.77,cnce indicates _that declassification of
7-7--.,-. .
" - .- h L II increased public confidence but has'ilot`completeiY,-,
- _____-relievid Public concern labout verification ofa SALT-f-H.1-,
7--- TWO agreement.- Speakers have-trie'd to direct the
discussion to broader aspects-of verification
_ 7 I -
(principles, elements of the Treaty which enhance
_-_---=varification, etc.) but the public icontqwes to
skepticism and a fascination with-7hardware."'1 ---
4,.
,
.._
_
- ? -7- :' :.- .; AZ the debates ai6out -SALT': ratificatiOn proceed
i . ..-i-Th
iii
.,_---- and -we-get .41 better feel- forthe' precis nature of the ?-.1t:.--.- -
? --'----i- publi-C-1,s_ concerns; we -willbetter be ablle to -judge'' .--TL-1:-_-
_._ . ?
-thether any _additional steps May- be---necesg-ary or diiir,----7'-'-'
, ..--i
able.H
In the end,,eome discussioniof satellite photo,._-'-'
reconnaissance beyod 'fact ofw:may be rJequired to
,. 1
__-
overcome publiccynicism An- interagency task force ._r1
chaired by the, DCI is examining the specific is-sue of
==a selective _and phased?release of photoreconnaissance 7.
inagery-.--- An options paper is due It.76 th PRC (Space) by
: _
-_-?..,;-_,?_,,
.
--7 February 15, 19_79..
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,
tt::Deputy- Assistant -Secretary Of Stat Goodby7,--infonntr';
ie Minister Vasev on September 29
g -._
' - - ? SovtL, Stember "; : VaseV p
seakin
_
pe.rponally,:said that the Soviet Union would not have .
Jvtly pi ob 1 em with the President's acknowiedTrrent'ind -
motedli- that photoreconnaissance tatel1it0i-wer& the j1,tii,-771,,
'backbone of both sides' _verification capabilities.
1.4 4-...41.4..4 ?,. c, ,,,
He said,---hcxaever, , ? that official_ US acknowledgment
1
could-touch on the..
sensitivities of third countries, ---
, .
? . 42.11d that they might have some problems. He ? observed - Tttli ';'.::- -
- . . -
.that_photoreconnaisgance satellites had never been
_- ,
- ,:-.officially Acknowledged by the Soviet Union. Vasev - ,----_,---,:,
?,
.-;?_,::-..?-,;_??...
- -,,,-- vxpressed some concern that 45eclassification,couldA-::- '
-nave ramifications for :a- nurnber of -issues such as-----1.-
-'--;%---,7--(--t.-thOg filbliting-T-de a lt. trith7-in:the UN outer Space Commfttee.L-
az--!
-
, -.. ? - .-- e? , 'A., .._ ? -_---- -'r c-- ' ,"' ,-;--.1,-"!: tk -,,,,-,ci,tes. _ ,-,.;,-21_:.L. :L:.:."'L --- L.--. '
--?..T' "--'4 "--'---- --:--1.-= C-;(t---V' .-:-7: .= 'L - -,:..e--f.--;_'-,- 4--e.t! 7.-.,-,-,-;_,, ; - ..-,, -,. ? 1 ? _4.4.- _ . 44,, ,...
, - -
- -;':--':- - '---- ' %-m-;7'-2. -There has been no further Soviet diplmmaiic------s,
-;--?,-??_-_,
response since the -September 29 Goodby-Vasev ]ao*einqj'i=,,,_
? - . .2 ---T-.f.i..-- s:-..-'2_16 _:'..... ...._,. Ct. Z t .16:--tr' c.:-..
- ---'1-. ----- " Allies -7-.7;:-.F: 1.,_ 4;-;:l.
-
Soviets- - -
-
. --the 17.,-,',:tptmber 27 /AC. TheannounC=cnt teas receivedi:1-7--14-..---
_
-
=CZ ction Cr :;00=4-. _
-
- - - a - -7-.77' ?-?
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Sennett informed the KATO allies at- ----
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? The French DCM to NATO was informed/ privately that -
declassification of the fact of satellits photo-
-- ? reconnaisaance does not change the unfavorable US viev-4:4-1-
of the French proposal for an international verifica-
tion agency. The French DCM expreised digappointment;-4-27;:
..!? !.r..II ,.. .
Except for Australia', the other allies who were
' informed =ads no comment or reaction. The Australian.-
__ Department of Foreign Affairs reguestedladditional . i :: ,;, -
----
information, including the text of the President's -
--- speech, to ensure that they could fully brief govern-7
...ant ministers.
-.--,4 LI,11.
---t !:
-
,=._,..
__ ? The Australian actions primarily were precautiorier,
_ Department of Foreign Affairs offcials;predicted
particular problems and none have arisen as a result _ ?
of the President's speech.
, - -
- United Nations
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- ,
?
?_ 'Thus far,- there has been no delegate reaction tio.:1-:=
the President's announcement.- It is liely,=hoWever
that Interested governments still'are Considering 7.-.?
i
what public position they should take. 1 They may 1_,: . ?
I
express their interests and possible concerzs as
early as October 16 when the UN Special Political
CorTaittee addresses outer space issues.) -Work is
underway to formulate a US presentation.
. .
?
;4-4-
,
.We also are likely to encounter related issues
--in the weeks and months ahead:
_
_ Arrehch proposal. The -USG has been trying to dis-_-
Prance from tabling a proposal atthe UNGA callingf--j-
for the creation of. international satellite verifica-
-1:--tionL Now that the y5has publicly acknowledged the'---:77:--T
roleof.satellites in verifying compl4nce with MZ=4
control agreements, we will face the task of =,a_king-
a persuasive public case71or opposing international-
_
verification if the French .go ahead with -their
,
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;
. i
,----
- tkccusations cif Spying.' There ay be an
1 effor-7=-11
.n the_UN to condemn am espionage Or ? yiolation.of. ''-7 -:?;,.._.
-A7
international law either (a) all Satellite photo-
reconnaissance undertaken without the permission of.
, the vented State or, more likely, (b) all such.
._,_ _ -:'---,---.
.!.- reconnaissance except in-the context of verification 7777.T..
of arms control agreements or with the Sensed State's ?
prior approval. If such charges are made or a .
__"' resolution along these lines is proposed, our response
-7:'-7- will be to reiterate the need forisatelllite verificatiol.rv:
of :arms control agreements and tostress that no -- ,
prinCiple of international law prohibits remOte-sensin-i-
? - of the earth from outer space. ?--
-- _ . .
' - --- _
_ ,
- 'ITN Outer Space Committee (OSC). If the issue of;7--
T - 'fact_of" is raised in the OS, we will distinguish 7',.:7::;:7:::
between remote sensing Of the earth and its national_._;,,_';,_
-environment and photoreconnaissanCe for arms 'contro1.777---1-
,,
verification, and will try to get the latter issueT.77.
referred- to other UN forums. .-
1 - ? ?-? ;-? - '-
_. , - . ,
--, ,41-4-;i:___;:_.__?
-----Certain of our positions on principles relating
to remotesensing, including our stance on a long-7,L_
standing Soviet proposal on resolUtionllimits for :!--7 -.
open dissemination, will need to be reassessed in
time for the meetings of the Legal
the Scientific Subcommittee'whichPbegin in.Februartc.F-7
That review will begin soon.---7-1.k-:-::--:,--
.-1?---___ - ,-_-- - --- -: _--.:_4:_7,.--,= -. :7 i -,- .- 1._ ?:.t. :::??:,.__,_: s- j 1r",--7-1-7---
.
- -.Foreign Media Reaction- .:----;:--i-
_ _. ... -,_?. -. - ,_
?_,,. ?_,.. : i? - --".'. 4 : : ,,- _._ -__-. 3- -
. _ I
:-.. :A review of FBIS reports _ indicates that the
;President's acknowledgment of satellite photoreconnaiSlance
was reported in a wide variety of countries, but was '77,
, not covered extensively. A few stories were supportive
ADost were simply brief news reports, end some were :
-critical. Wo pattern of reactions is apparent: the
':--.-tory as -covered by the East European press in, about'- L _ .
,
-7-'?the 'same way as the Western European and ThirdWorld;--
2-24i-7:
press. The President's acknowledgment" apparently-7.:74
zot covered by Soviet media: There is no evidence::.'.
Continuing foreign media interest.
? . The
content of most of the stories appeared to
dravn from Jody Powell's backgrounder which drew
-aittention to the fact that-this was the first time ?
-that the US had officially -acknowledged satellite ,-----:---7---,:7-7-
.photoreconnaissince. Many stories noted that this
:._--4=,-ply_istras official confirmation of what was alrady
??_,; - -
_ . ?
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. _
-5-.
-
The tone of =oat of 'the stories was
reporting." The number of explicit commentaries
editorials was negligible. On the other hand, the
f.overwhelming_proportion of reports referred to 'spy?
'satellites, several referred to "espionage," and 11
-some characterized the President'las "admitting" or
'confessing" the fact of satellite photoreconnaissance.
A large number of stOries Simply reported that the
US had officially admitted that it useis satellites to-
'apy on the Soviet Union and other countries" and failed
to =aka the connection to SALT and arMs ---
verification.
Notwithstanding these 1Pparent Pejoratives, there
. 1 4.1'
was little explicit criticism. This may simply
reflect a cynical resignation about tlile conduct of.
greet powers.- The context, however, suggests that-in
.any cases, reporters simply used "spyl" as a synonymH:K,
for 'reconnaiecance." To some extent, 1 use of these
terms also may be artifacts of translating the,
President's speech into the natiye language1and then
-
translating the resulting foreign language reports
-bac): Into English. 1
. , ? .
LNo ICA posts have reported significant!loCal-=:edia
reaction 'norhave defense attaches detected ma3or;
=edia attention to the ann
-Intelligence and Research thIt
--reactions or responses ro
f
/ ? -
f -
I ?
cement. The Bureau
1'
not received
s ch nels -14
Peter Tarn
--,Zxecutive Secretary
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TRANSMITTAL SLIP
DATE
TO: ,
Lad\ ".filA.i-e Cep. L-LiNA.4) CO
ROOM NO.
BUILDING
REMARKS:
FROM:
ROOM NO.
BUILDING
EXTENSION
FORM NO. .1
1 FEB 55
REPLACES FORM 36-8
WHICH MAY BE USED.
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