LETTER TO WILLIAM WEBSTER FROM CHARLES Z. WICK

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90M00005R001100060020-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 9, 2013
• Sequence Number: 20
• Publication Date: June 24, 1988
• Content Type: LETTER

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United States
'Information
Agency
VVii:;hinaton.t 2.
Dear Bill:
, June 24., 1988
r
Enclosed for your information is a copy of an article on your
June 14 speech before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, as
carried on our Wireless File the same day.
This article was transmitted to 206 posts in 127 countries. It
will be translated where appropriate and released to the media
in each country. Thank you for this contribution to our public
affairs efforts overseas.
Best regards.
Sincerely,
Charles Z. Wick
Director
The Honorable
William Webster
Director
Central Intelligence Agency
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USIA WIRELESS FILE
THIS IS THE "HOUSEWIRE," THE CENTRAL EDITION OF THE USIA WIRELESS
FILE. IT IS PREPARED DAILY BY THE AGENCY'S PRESS AND PUBLICATIONS
SERVICE. ARTICLES FROM THE HOUSEWIRE ARE COMBINED WITH OTHERS OF
SPECIAL REGIONAL INTEREST TO FORM THE FIVE REGIONAL EDITIONS --
AFRICA, EAST ASIA/PACIFIC, EUROPE, LATIN AMERICA, NEAR EAST/SOUTH
ASIA -- THAT ARE TRANSMITTED OVERSEAS.
TUESDAY, JUNE 14., 1988
U.S. TRADE DEFICIT DROPS IN APRIL AS IMPORTS FALL
(New and corr. version GLE201, "U.S. Trade Deficit...")
BAKER RESIGNS WHITE HOUSE POST; DUBERSTEIN NAMED SUCCESSOR
(Article on Reagan, Fitzwater comments)
SKILLED STRATEGIST ASSUMES NEW DUTIES AT WHITE HOUSE
(Profile: Kenneth Duberstein, White House chief of staff)
REALISTIC APPROACH TO SOVIETS NEEDED, DUKAKIS SAYS
(Article on Dukakis remarks to Atlantic Council, Q-and-A)
U.S. SAYS POOR COUNTRIES TO GET SPECIAL SUMMIT FOCUS
(Article on Wallis briefing)
U.S. SEEKS FURTHER PROGRESS IN ECONOMIC COORDINATION.
(Article on Mulford-Wallis briefing on Toronto Summit)
REAGAN PRAISES ITALY'S ROLE IN NATO
(Article on White House briefing on Reagan-De Mita meeting)
SHULTZ PLEDGES CONTINUED U.S. SUPPORT 'FOR CONTRAS
(Article on Shultz meeting with resistance leaders)
AGRICULTURE HEAD SAYS DROUGHT WILL-NOT FORCE EMBARGO
(Article on testimony of Secretary Lyng)
PROSPECTS FOR BETTER SOVIET HUNAN RIGHTS "UNCERTAIN"
(Article on Reddaway at Atlantic Council)
KREMLIN SENDING MIXED SIGNALS TO EASTERN EUROPE
(Article on Rodman speech to Atlantic Council)
U.S. ARMS CONTROL EXPERT URGES PUSH FOR S.T.A.R.T.
(Article on Alton Frye at Atlantic Council seminar)
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USIA WIRELESS FILE PAGE 2
REDUCTIONS IN SOVIET CONVENTIONAL FORCES WILL BE KEY
(Article on Galvin speech at Atlantic Council)
EXPERT SEES U.S.-SOVIET REGIONAL CONFLICTS DIMINISHING
(Article on Sonnenfeldt at Atlantic Council)
WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR U.S.-SOVIET EXCHANGES
(Article on Robison at Atlantic Council meeting)
DONORS REVIEW U.N. AID PROGRAM FOR AFGHANISTAN
(Article on U.N. meeting, Williamson remarks)
NASA COMPLETES FOURTH TEST FIRING OF SHUTTLE ROCKET
(Article on briefing by NASA, Thiokol officials)
SHULTZ SAYS FOUNDATION FOR EAST-WEST RELATIONS FORMED
(Article on Shultz remarks to Atlantic Council)
LEHMAN CALLS PROGNOSIS FOR EAST-WEST RELATIONS GOOD
(Article on remarks at Atlantic Council meeting)
U.S. REAFFIRMS NEED FOR EXPORT CONTROLS
(Article on Wendt remarks to Atlantic Council meeting)
GREENSPAN URGES ACTION ON BUDGET DEFICIT
(Article on Greenspan speech to Economic Club)
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STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT, TUESDAY, JUNE 14
(Iran-Iraq war, Israel/West Bank, Shultz/Egyptian
foreign minister, Pakistan) 50
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT REPORT, TUESDAY,_ JUNE 14
(Carlucci-Yazov meetings, Akhromeyev, Olympics security) 52
CONGRESSIONAL REPORT, TUESDAY, JUNE 14
(Covert activity bill) 55
JUNE 14 CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW
(Death penalty, Wright, anti-communist aid, SDI study)
NEWS ROUNDUP, TUESDAY, JUNE 14 (FS)
ADD NEWS ROUNDUP, JUNE 14 (FS)
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USIA WIRELESS FILE PAGE 3
YEUTTER SEES SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN U.S. TRADE
(Text: Yeutter statement on April trade deficit) 64
REAGAN SAYS U.S. SUPPORTS FREEDOM FOR BALTIC PEOPLE
(Text: presidential proclamation) 65
DUKAKIS CALLS FOR TOUGH, REALISTIC APPROACH TO SOVIET UNION
(Text: June 14 Atlantic Council speech) 67
U.S. MAY NEED BUDGET SURPLUS, GREENSPAN SAYS
(Text: Greenspan on current account, budget deficits) 74
AMERICAN REPUBLICS WIRELESS FILE LOG 82
AFRICA WIRELESS FILE LOG 85
EAST ASIA/PACIFIC WIRELESS FILE LOG 87
NEAR EAST/SOUTH ASIA WIRELESS FILE LOG 89
EUROPEAN WIRELESS FILE LOG 92
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USIA WIRELESS FILE PAGE 55
*IMP210 06/14/88
CONGRESSIONAL REPORT, TUESDAY, JUNE 14 (390)
(Covert activity bill)
ARMACOST, WEBSTER ASSAIL BILL ON COVERT REPORTING --
Under Secretary of State Michael Armacost and Central
Intelligence Agency Director. William Webster toldthe House
Foreign Affairs Committee June 14 that a law requiring the
president to notify congressional leaders within 48 hours of
any covert intelligence operation would be both
unconstitutional and unwise.
Armacost told the committee that a bill under.
consideration to mandate notifying the speaker of the House
and the Democratic and Republican leaders of the House and
Senate in that time limit is too rigid, and that President
Reagan's senior advisers would recommend a veto if the
measure were passed by, the Congress.
"In our view, the...requirement may not be reasonable in
those very rare instances Where extremely sensitive
operations require the tightest possible security to Protect
the lives of U.S. and foreign nationals," Armacost said.
"It is possible that the success of the operation may
depend on the cooperation of a foreign government that has
conditioned its support on delaying notification Of an
operation," Armacost declared. "The 1980 Iran rescue mission
and the role of the Canadian embassy in assisting our people
in Iran are specific cases where advance notification could
not be given.
"In addition," he continued, "the Justice Department has
concluded that the 48-hour requirement would infringe upon
the president's constitutional authority."
Webster also said the bill unnecessarily codifies
reporting procedures already in place at the White House.
"While a presidential directive is not the same as
legislation, I am not persuaded thatnew legislation at this
time is the best way to address the concerns that.members (of
Congress) have," he asserted. .
Democratic Representative Lee Hamilton -- who Chaired
the House Iran-contra investigating committee -- disagreed
sharply. He said that notifying a few key members of
Congress offers minimal chance of a damaging security leak.
"That risk appears to me to be extremely small,"
Hamilton said. "If this bill said that the president must
notify 535 members of the Congress, then I would agree with
you.
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USIA WIRELESS FILE PAGE 56
"But, what you are saying, in effect, is that you don't
trust the leaders of the Congress," he said. "That is an
extraordinary claim.
"The benefit here outweighs what I see as the risks,"
Hamilton said.
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