SYSTEMATIC REVIEW GUIDELINES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86-00674R000100020002-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 25, 2007
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: September 26, 1979
• Content Type: MEMO

uenerai inTormarion z:iecuriry
Services Oversight
Administration Office Washington, DC 20405
Date :A 6 S& Iy/J
Reply to
Attnof: Director, Information Security Oversight Office (AT)
Subject: Systematic Review Guidelines
To : Senior Officials
Executive Branch Agencies with Original Classification
Section 3-404 of Executive Order 12065 provides that foreign government
information, as defined in the Order, shall be systematically reviewed for
declassification thirty years from its date of origin. This review is to
be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Section 3-3 of the Order
and with guidelines for systematic review developed by agency heads in con-
sultation with the Archivist of the United States and, where appropriate,
with the foreign government or international organization concerned.
To achieve consistency in the declassification of foreign government
information, it is the opinion of this Office and other major recipients
of foreign government information, that a uniform systematic review guideline
applicable to all executive branch agencies should be promulgated. To achieve
this, representatives of the National Security Council Staff, the Central
Intelligence Agency, the National Archives and Records Service, this Office,
and the Departments of Defense, State, Energy, Treasury and Justice have,
since early August, 1979, been involved in the development of such a guideline.
Enclosed is the final draft of the guideline developed by the above-named
representatives. This draft is being sent to all agencies of the executive
branch that possess original classification authority for concurrence and/or
comment. I would like to receive any comments that you agency has by
November 5, 1979. Upon receipt of all comments, a final product will be
prepared and promulgated by this Office for the use of all executive branch
agencies.
ThanT you fo~fj your prompt attention to this matter.
MICHAEL T.- BLOUIN
Director
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GUIDELINES FOR SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF
FOREIGN GOVERNMENT INFORMATION
THIRTY YEARS OLD OR OLDER
A. PURPOSE.
These Guidelines have been developed in accordance with the provisions of
Section 3-404 of Executive Order 12065, "National Security Information," and
Section III,C of Information Security Oversight Office Directive No. 1. All
foreign government information constituting permanently valuable records of
the Government and for which a prior declassification date has not been
established shall be systematically reviewed for declassification as it becomes
thirty years old. Foreign government information found to be within one of
the specific categories of information listed in Item F, below shall be reviewed
item-by-item by especially authorized personnel of the agency or agencies
concerned to determine whether continued protection beyond thirty years is
needed. All foreign government information not Identified--in these Guidelines
as requiring item-by-item review and for which a prior declassification data.
has not been established shall be declassified at the end of thirty years from
the date of original classification subject, when appropriate, to consultation
with the foreign governments or international organizations of governments
concerned.
B. IDENTIFICATION.
"Foreign government information" as used in these Guidelines consists of:
1. Documents or material provided by a foreign government or governments,
international organization of governments, or any element thereof in the
expectation, expressed or implied, that the document, material, and/or the
information contained therein is to be kept in confidence;
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2. Documents of United States origin which contain classified information
so provided, orally or in writing, to the U.S. Government or its agents by
foreign. governments, international organizations of governments, or element
thereof with an expressed or implied expectation of confidentiality;
3. Classified information or material produced by the United States
pursuant to or as a result of a written joint arrangement with a foreign
government or organization of governments requiring that the information or
the arrangement, or both, be kept in confidence. Such a written joint arrange-
ment may be evidenced by an exchange of letters, memorandum of understanding,
or other written record.
C. SCOPE.
1. These Guidelines apply to 30-year-old foreign government information
which had been received or classified by the United States Government or its
agents.
2. Atomic energy information which is defined and identified as Restricted
Data or Formerly Restricted Data pursuant to Sections lly and 142d, respectively,
of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, is not subject to systematic review
and may not be automatically downgraded or declassified. Such information
should have been clearly marked after 1947. If such information was generated
or received prior to 1947, it was not marked differently from other classified
information.' (N,B, Atomic energy information received from the U.K. or Canada
is marked "Atomic," and that from NATO is marked "Atomal.") Documents containing
information falling within the definitions of Restricted Data or Formerly
Restricted Data which have not been marked appropriately and are encountered
during a systematic review will-be referred to specialists of the U.S. Department
of Energy's Office of Classification for review and appropriate marking.
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3. Foreign government information in documents attributable to or concerning
the Central Intelligence Agency, or which mention that Agency or any represent-
ative, personnel, agent or activity thereof, shall be reviewed for declassification
by designated CIA personnel.
4. Information appearing in FBI originated documents, which has been furnished
by a foreign government, an agency of a foreign, government or by an employee
of a foreign. government or which reports the activities of individuals or
organizations in a foreign country without identifying the source of the
information shall be reviewed by designated FBI personnel.
5. Foreign government information constituting or concerning cryptology,
including such information on the development and/or use of any method, means,
system, technique, procedure, activity, installation, device, material or
equipment used for the acquisition, production, or transmission of signals
intelligence or for the protection of classified communications or data shall
oe reviewed by designated National Security Agency (NSA) personnel.
6. Foreign government information appearing in White House originated
documents, which is either identifiable as having been furnished or appears to
have been furnished by a foreign government, an agency of a foreign government,
or by an employee of a foreign government shall be reviewed by designated
White House personnel.
D. USE.
1. Unless previously marked with declassification instructions specifying
declassification within 30 years from the date of receipt or original classifi-
cation, classified foreign government information 30 years old that is not
covered by one of the categories in Part F of these Guidelines shall be
declassified in accordance with Part A, above.
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2. Foreign government information transferred to the General Services
Administration for accession into the-National Archives of the United States
shall be declassified or downgraded by the Archivist of the United States in
accordance with E.O. 12065, the directives of the Information Security Over-
sight Office, these Guidelines, any applicable terms of accession, and any
additional guidelines provided by the responsible agencies.
3. Foreign government information constituting permanently valuable
records of the Government (as defined in 44 U.S.C. 2103) that is thirty years
old and undergoing systematic review for declassification while in the custody
of an agency shall, except as otherwise provided in Part C, above, be declas-
sified or downgraded by that agency in accordance with Executive Order 12065,
the directives of the Information Security Oversight Office, these Guidelines,
and any additional guidelines developed by the responsible agencies.
E. PUBLICATION.
1. Foreign government information is declassified if already published or
cleared by the U.S. Government and/or the foreign governmentinvolved as appropriate
for. publication in Foreign Relations of the United States or other U.S. official
publications, or if published by the foreign government or international
organization of governments which furnished the information unless the fact -
of the U.S. Government's possession of the information requires continued
protection.
2. Publication of identical or substantially similar information in
unofficial but authoritative media may render the information itself no longer
classifiable although. the. sources thereof and/or th.e...means whereby it was, acquired
by the U.S. Government, if identifiable as requiring continued protection,
could preclude declassification of documents containing such information. Re-
gardless of such.. sources or means of acquisition, however, information which in or
of itself concerns intelligence sources or methods shall not be considered declassi-
fied as a result of any unofficial publication.
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Final determination on the declassification of unofficially published information
will be made by the agency or agencies holding classification jurisdication over
such information.
F. CATEGORIES.
1. Information exempted from declassification under any written joint
arrangement between the United States and the foreign government or inter-
national organization of governments which furnished the information. Questions
concerning the existence or applicability of such arrangements shall be
referred to the agency or agencies responsible for or holding classification
jurisdiction. over the records under review. The Director of the Information
Security Oversight Office shall, be informed concerning such- arrangements.. and
shall, as appropriate, instruct other agencies engaged in systematic review as
to the applicability thereof.
2. Information related to the safeguarding of nuclear materials or
facilities, foreign and domestic, including but not necessarily limited to
vulnerabilities and vulnerability assessments of nuclear facilities and Special
Nuclear Material.
3. Nuclear arms control information (see also #12, below).
4. Information regarding foreign nuclear programs (other than Restricted
Data and Formerly Restricted Data), such as:
a. Nuclear weapons testing.
b. Nuclear weapons storage and stockpile.
c. Nuclear weapons effects, hardness, and vulnerability.
d. Nuclear weapons safety.
e. Cooperation in nuclear programs including, but not limited to,
peaceful and military applications of nuclear energy.
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f: Production and import of uranium and thorium from foreign
countries.
5. Information concerning intelligence or counterintelligence sources,
methods or activities including intelligence, counterintelligence and covert
action programs, plans, policies, operations, or assessments; or which would
reveal or identify:
a. Any present, past or prospective undercover personnel, installa-
tion, unit, or clandestine human agent.
b. Any present, past or prospective method, procedure, mode, technique
or requirement used or being developed to acquire, transmit, analyze, correlate,
assess, evaluate or process intelligence or counterintelligence, or to support
an intelligence or counterintelligence source, operation, or activity.
c. The present, past or proposed existence of any joint United States
and foreign government intelligence, counterintelligence, or covert action
activit,.: or facility, or the nature thereof.
6. Information that could result in or lead to actions which would place
an individual in physical, Political, social or other jeopardy directly attri-
attributable to disclosure of the information, including but not limited to:
a. Information identifying any individual or organization as a
confidential source of intelligence or counterintelligence.
b. Information revealing the identity of an intelligence, counter-
intelligence or covert action agent or agents.
c. Information identifying an individual as a sexual deviant, criminal,
saboteur, traitor, liquisling, "guerrilla," terrorist, member of a "resistance"
or "liberation" group, organization, etc.
7. Information which would reveal the identity of any individual prisoner-
of-war who was forcibly re.atriated.
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8. Information about foreign individuals or organizations which, if disclosed;
could be expected to:
a. Adversely affect a foreign country's relations with the United
b. Adversely affect present and/or future confidential exchanges
between the United States and any foreign, government or international
organization of governments.
9. Information related to plans (whether executed or not, whether presented
in whole or in part), programs, operations, negotiations, and intelligence
assessments shared by one or several foreign governments with the United States,
including but not limited to those involving the territory, political regime
or government of another country, and which if disclosed could be expected to
affect adversely the conduct of U.S. foreign policy or the conduct of another
country's foreign policy with respect to a third country or countries. This
item would include contingency plans, plans.for covert political,. military,
paramilitary or intelligence activities or operations by a foreign government
acting alone or jointly with the United States Government, and positions or
actions taken by a foreign government alone or jointly with the United States
concerning border disputes or other territorial issues.
10. Information on foreign policy aspects of cryptologic activities and
operations, including but not limited to that concerning arrangements for
sharing such information with one or several other countries and/or for the
establishment or operation of "listening posts" or related installations and
facilities, or support provided thereto.
11. Scientific information such as that concerning space, climatology,
communications, maritime, undersea, and polar projects, if its disclosure
could be expected to affect adversely current and/or future exchanges of such
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information between the United States and any foreign governments or international
organizations of governments.
12. Information on foreign policy aspects of nuclear matters, the dis-
closure of which could be expected to adversely affect cooperation between
one or more foreign governments and the United States Government.
.13.. Nuclear propulsion information.
14. Information concerning the establishment, operation, and support of
nuclear detection systems.
15. Information concerning or revealing escape, evasion, cover or deception
plans, procedures, and techniques whether. executed or not.
16. Information which could adversely a.fect the current or future usefulness of
policies, programs, weapon systems, operations, or plans.
17. Information concerning research, dev.;lopment, testing and evaluation
of chemical and biological weapons and defense systems; specific identification
of chemical and biological agents and mt.,nitions; and chemical and biological
warfare plans.
18- Technical information concerning weapons systems and military equip-
ment which reveal the capabilities, limitations,, or vulnerabilities of such
systems or equipment and which could be exploited to destroy, coter, render'
ineffective or neutralize such weapons or equipment.
19.' Cryptologic information, including cryptologic sources and methods,
currently in use. This includes info ?ation concerning or revealing the
processes, techniques, operations, and scope of signal intelligence comprising
conurunications intelligence, electronics intelligence, and telemetry intelli-
gence, and the crfptosecurity and emission security components of communi-
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cations security, including the communications portion of cover and deception
plans.
20. Information concerning electronic intelligence, telemetry intelligence
and electronic warfare (electronic warfare support measures, electronic counter-
countermeasures) or related activities, including but not necessarily limited to:
a. Information concerning or revealing nomenclature, functions,
technical characteristics or descriptions of communications and electronic
equipment, its employment/development, and its association with weapon systems
or military operations.
b. Information concerning or revealing the processes, techniques,
operations or scope of activities involved in the acquisition, analysis and
evaluation of such information, and the degree of success achieved by the
above processes, techniques, operations or activities.
21. Present, past or proposed protective intelligence information relating
to the sources, plans, techniques and methods in carrying out assigned duties of
protecting United States Government officials or other protectees abroad and
foreign officials while in the United States or United States possessions.
This would include information on the identification of witnesses, informants
and persons suspected of being dangerous to persons under protection.
22. Information on deposits of foreign official institutions in United
States banks and on foreign official institutions' holdings, purchases and
sales of long-term marketable securities in the United States.
23. Information concerning economic and policy studies and sensitive
assessments or analyses of economic conditions of foreign countries received
through the Multilateral Development Banks which are: the International Bank
for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD or World Bank), International
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Development Bank (IDB), Asian Development Bank (ADB), African Development Bank (AFDB),
the African Development Fund (AFDF). Also similar information received. through the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD).
24. Information pertaining to the unlawful activities of foreign governments
and/or their officials.
25. Information described in these Guidelines that is contained in correspon-
dence, transcripts or memoranda of conversation, or minutes of meetings between the
President of the United States and a current or former foreign government official.
26. Information described in these Guidelines that is contained in documents
originated by or sent to the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs,
or to his Deputy, for the President or Vice President.
27. Federal agency originated documer.'s bearing NSC or White House comments
relating to categories of information described in these Guidelines that is contained
therein.
28. Information as described in these Guidelines that is contained in correspon-
dence to or from the President, including background briefing memoranda and talking
points for meetings between the President and foreign government officials and dis-
cussions of the timing and purposes of such meetings.
29. Information as described in these Guidelines that is contained in
agency message traffic originated by White House Staff members on overseas
visits, directed to the 1,4hite House Staff in Washington but sent through
agency communication networks.
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G. FURTHER REVIEW
1. Foreign government information undergoing systematic review which is
exempted from declassification after applying these guidelines shall be
further reviewed by especially designated officials from the agencies having
classification jurisdiction over it. If the identity of that agency is not
apparent, or the reviewing official does not possess the requisite expertise,
the information may be referred to an agency competent to make the decision-
required, as follows:
Categories 2 - 4,
Department of Energy
5
- 6,
Central Intelligence Agency
7
- 12,
Department of State
13
- 20,
Department of Defense
21
- 23,
Department of the Treasury
24
Department of Justice or Treasury (as
25
29
National Security Council
2. If the cognizant agency determines on its own authority, or after
consultation with the foreign government or international organization of
governments which furnished the information, that the information no longer
requires protection, that information must then be declassified. Such action
may involve the release of an entire document, or only portions of a document.
If the agency declassification authority determines that classification should
be extended beyond 30 years, the provisions of Section III,C,2(b) of Infor-
mation Security Oversight Office Directive No. 1 apply.
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H. AUTOMATIC DOWNGRADING.
L. Foreign government information originally classified at the Top Secret
level and exempted from declassification under these Guidelines, and which is
not declassified following further review under Part G above, shall be down-
graded to the level of Secret subject,where appropriate, to the consent of the
foreign government or international organization of governments which furnished
the information.
2. Any categories of documents and/or information, or individual documents
or items of information, required by the originating foreign government or
international organization of governments to remain classified at the Top
Secret level shall not be downgraded until such downgrading is consented to
in accordance with Part H,1 above.
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ROUTING AND TRANSMITTAL SLIP
9/2 7/ 79
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FROM: (Name, org. symbol, Agency/Post)
IORM 41 (Rev. 7-76)
13 SA
RNMENTPFINTING^OFFIGE: 1979-291-18411 101-11.206
deletions, etc.
DO NOT/Gse this form as a RECORD of approvals, currencesldLSposais,
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