DECLASSIFICATION AND COOPERATION IN RESPONSE TO CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED STAR GATE PROGRAM REVIEW (DRAFT)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96-00791R000100040019-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 4, 2000
• Sequence Number: 19
• Publication Date: February 21, 1995
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2001/04/02 : CIA-RDP96-00791 R0001 00040019-4
Draf t
SG1J
Memorandum For:
From:
Subject:
21 Feb 1995
C ie ice or round Forces
Defense Intelligence Agency
SG1I
Director o esearch and Development
Central Intelligence Agency
Declassification and Cooperation in
Response to Congressionally Directed
STAR GATE Program Review
1. Recent Congressional language directed that the STAR
GATE program be transferred from DIA to CIA by July. 1,.?.1995.
In that language, Congress.. directed a twenty-year
retrospective review of STAR GATE program activities. This
review requires an inventory and analysis of the relevant
files at both DIA and. CIA.. CIA has collected its own files
and held cooperative meetings with DIA STAR GATE personnel to
acquire relevant DIA files.: CIA also has contacted the
National Research Council in order to assemble a Blue Ribbon
Panel to actually conduct.the review. Panel members will
review all unclassified material and its recommendations will
likewise be unclassified. During the coming months, CIA will
continue to seek DIA's cooperation in obtaining relevant
files and information to support this review.
2. Congress also stated that "the time has come for a
re-evaluation of the classification of the existence of this
effort as well as the results." In response to this request,
CIA plans to declassify parts of its program immediately.
Sponsorship of past CIA program activities and the technical
results of those activities will be declassified. Following
these immediate actions, CIA will convene a Congressionally
mandated DCI classification review committee to conduct a
detailed review of all CIA and DIA program documents archived
during program transfer, including the actual targets and
collection operations, and over the coming months, this
committee will further declassify these documents where
appropriate.
3. STAR GATE has an extraordinary nature and history and
it's existence within the intelligence community remains
controversial. CIA needs to develop a comprehensive
understanding of the technical nature and utility of this
program, in order to create a meaningful future management
strategy as directed by Congress. To get at this
understanding, and to facilitate the open-forum review
described above, we ask that DIA take the following actions:
Approved For Release 2001/04/0 bra -t 96-007918000100040019-4
 Approved For Release 2001/04/02 ::,CIIA-RD 96-00791 R000100040019-4
Draf t
a. Declassify DIA's sponsorship of STAR GATE and
downgrade and declassify all technical reporting associated
with STAR GATE,
b. Decompartment and remove' all. other classified STAR
GATE documentation from "Limited Distribution" and evaluate
this documentation for further declassification,
c. Transfer all DIA dociumentt associated with STAR GATE,
after declassification consideration; to CIA 'for archival
purposes and further declassification review,, and
d. Continue to assist CIA'"''in'"'execu.ting ' the Blue" Ribbon
Panel Review by providing unclassified or' declassified'
inforriation relating to the'prod &h-when requested by the
4'. We anticipate interim recommendations from the NRC
Blue Ribbon Panel review by the erid of : June . ' In ' the
meantime,m_CIA will transfet' .'to .-=NRC .alL: unclassified .DIA SG1 J
STAR .GATE documents which CIA obe'a'ins. A bibii' raphy of 45
unclassifi
d d
e
ocuments was, provided by SG1I
SG1I during thei
'
r recent mee
ting. Unclassified documents
will continue to be tr
sf
d
'
an
erre
as
.they are reviewed.'
Classified documents will not ' be' reviewed by the_ NRC until
they....are.-.declassified. We anticipate continued 'examination
of all r_1 asr6; f; X1.7 ?F; 1 - I--_ -
SG1I
Approved For Release 2001/04/0;
-- - ~~ #dJ 1-i1"_ - _.
tA.;.L' ueciassitication review
DP96-00791 R000.100040019-4