Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XXV, Organization of Foreign Policy; Information Policy; United Nations; Scientific Matters

Washington, December 9, 1961.

Please follow up on this:

1.: CIA now provides certain support to private organizations of an educational or philanthropic nature.
2.: These covert funds become the subject of common gossip, or knowledge, both here and abroad.
3.: Covert funds draw suspicion upon the organizations concerned and, indeed, may bar them from entry into certain countries.
4.: Covert funds scare away funds from other sources which do not wish to become involved with CIA-type activities or purposes.
5.: In most cases, there is no need to conceal that funds are being provided by the U.S. Government. (See marked portions of attached.)2
6.: Every effort should be made to move from covert to overt support in many of these cases. This might involve inter-agency transfers of funds from CIA to overt agencies such as AID or CU in the Department.
7.: What can be done about this in connection with such organizations as (a) Asia Foundation, (b) African student activities and (c) possibly others?

Dean Rusk 3

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Rusk Files: Lot 72 D 192, Chron Files, December 1961. Secret (Special Handling).↩
Not printed.↩
Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩