ROSENTHAL DECLASSIFICATION PACKAGE STATUS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83M00914R002100160058-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 22, 2007
• Sequence Number: 58
• Publication Date: February 12, 1982
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2007/03103: CIA-RDP83M00914R002100160058-3
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T''2 February 1982
NOTE FOR: JWD
FROM: RJK
SUBJECT: Rosenthal Declassification Package Status
1. Today, and I delivered the Director's I1 February
letter to Chairman enjamin Rosenthal (D., NY) of the Subcommittee on Commerce,
Consumer, and Monetary Affairs, House Government Operations. Attached to
the letter were the results of the declassification review by senior Agency
officers of 17 Agency documents relating to OPEC investment in the U.S.
2. Peter Barash, Staff Director, accepted the package in the absence of
Steve McSpadden who has been the staffer involved with us. Barash explained
that the Subcommittee has found that the Agency information on OPEC invest-
ment in the U.:i. is most useful because it presents an honest and balanced
view not otherwise available. He said that the public has aright to know
the information. He does not think that our general concern about protecting
sources and methods justify the continued classification. We told him that
Mr. McSpadden visited Headquarters so that our people could provide a detailed
justification, but Mr. McSpadden refused to participate because we would not
agree to amass declassification at the same time. We provided Barash a
hypothetical i'Ilustration of how publication of the information by Represen-
tative Rosenthal would dry up or jeopardize our sources. We added that our
greatest usefu'Iness to Congressional Committees is in providing classified
information, not in declassifying information which has a harmful effect upon
our sources.
3. Barash seemed reasonable but he didn't appreciate or understand our
rationale, nor was he deterred from the Subcommittee's efforts to have more
of the information declassified. He referred to the Chairman's letter to
the President and his willingness, if necessary, to take the matter to the
floor of the House as provided for in the Memorandum of Understanding. As
far as the Agency is concerned, he said that if we would have someone--he.
mentioned Mr. Sporkin--talk with Chairman Rosenthal to give him specific
details on the reasons why sources and methods would be damaged that might
help to solve our problem. Another option for the Agency would be to pro-
vide summaries of the documents we don't want to declassify. In any case,
he said that the staff would look at our declassification review results
and get back in touch with us
ALL PORTIONS OF THIS
MEMORANDUM ARE CONFIDENTIAL
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 Approved For Release 2007/03103: CIA-RDP83M00914R002100160058-3
4. It is clear that this matter is still a live issue with the Sub-
committee. Some further initiative is required from the Agency to forestall
the possibility that the Subcommittee will take i~~upon itself to publish
the material. I recommend that the Director call Chairman Rosenthal to
urge him to accept the results of our final declassification review. If he
is not willing to and insists upon publishing the material or asks for further
declassification, then we might invite him to Headquarters for a briefing.
The Director, with backup by Bob Ames and others, could give him a more
specific picture of the damage that publication would have on our sources.
Attachment
cc OGC
CSS
Approved For Release 2007/03103: CIA-RDP83M00914R002100160058-3