Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950–1955, The Intelligence Community, 1950–1955

51. Memorandum of Agreement Between the Central Intelligence Agency and the Department of State¹

Washington, February 19, 1951.

RE SS CABLES

Because of certain changes in CIA organization the Department of State and CIA have considered it useful to re-examine arrangements whereby the Department has been making available to CIA certain special cables through the Office of the Secretary of State. The following understandings have been reached as a result of the re-examination:

a. The Department of State will make every effort to supply directly to CIA, through direct distribution or through the IAD liaison channel, all intelligence reports of interest to CIA. In addition the Department will continue to supply to the Central Intelligence Agency, through the channel indicated in paragraph f. below, two copies of operational and policy telegrams of interest and concern to CIA which may be considered so sensitive as to not be placed within the normal liaison channel.

b. The external distribution of the Daily Intelligence Bulletin, which will replace the CIA Daily Summary,² is:

• The President
• Secretary of State
• Secretary of Defense

c. Inclusion of materials from the special State Department distribution in the Daily Intelligence Bulletin will be based on importance in terms of intelligence rather than operations or policy developments. The agencies will rely upon close contact between the Office of Current Intelligence and SS to develop understandings regarding inclusion of sensitive materials.

d. Because of State Department’s legitimate concern with regard to the extent of third agency use of State Department sensitive cables, any extension of the proposed distribution (see paragraph b. above) will be done only after consultation with the State Department.

e. The responsibility for receipt and internal CIA distribution of telegrams under consideration shall be the Office of Current Intelligence with the understanding that distribution will be limited to: the Office of the Director, the Office of National Estimates, and to Daily Intelligence Bulletin editors as necessary for their background information.

f. As of the beginning of business Tuesday, February 20th, the Office of Current Intelligence will assume the responsibility for receipt and dissemination, a function discharged at present by the Office of National Estimates. Specifically the officer in charge and his address is:

[3 lines not declassified]

g. In the Department of State this special liaison will be handled by the Policy Reports Staff of the Executive Secretariat.

For the Director of Central Intelligence:

James Q. Reber

³
Acting Assistant Director,
Intelligence Coordination

1. Source: National Archives, RG 59, INR Historical Files: Lot 58 D 776, State–CIA Relationships, 1949–56. Confidential.
2. See Document 48.
3. Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature. Below the signature is typed: “Endorsed: Agreed: Robert G. Barnes, February 19, 1951” with an indication that Barnes signed the original.