Office of the Historian

241. Circular Telegram From the Department of State to All Posts1

Washington, January 17, 1966, 8:08 p.m.

1339. For the Chief of Mission. The President has directed priority action on recommendations recently submitted to him by his Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board.2

Pertinent to all Foreign Service Posts in final recommendation as follows:

“That the Secretary of State emphasize to each US Chief of Mission overseas that, in supervising and coordinating all activities of the US Government in his country of assignment, he ensure as a primary responsibility of his office that: (a) a consistently high level of effort is maintained by Foreign Service Officers in the overt collection of intelligence information of significance and value to the President and other officials having policy and command responsibilities; and (b) the personnel and other resources within his cognizance are allocated and utilized as appropriate for the furtherance of US foreign intelligence objectives.”

[Page 525]

In connection with this recommendation report further notes:

“We are aware that the responsibility and authority of US Chiefs of Mission (including those pertaining to foreign intelligence activities) are dealt with in President Kennedy’s letter to each American Ambassador abroad dated May 29, 1961.3 We are not proposing at this time any revisions in the basic authority and responsibility of US Chiefs of Mission with respect to US foreign intelligence activities. However, we believe that the provision of adequate intelligence support to the President and other key Government officials is so critically related to the national defense and security as to warrant renewed emphasis at this time.”

The Secretary desires that you give your personal attention to implementing the Board’s recommendation and take whatever measures you deem appropriate within your mission and subordinate posts to achieve the goals listed in sub-paras a and b.

In order that the Secretary may make an interim report on implementation request by February 7 brief summary of actions taken by you in compliance this message.

Ball
  1. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Central Files 1964–66, INT 6. Top Secret; Roger Channel. Drafted by William McAfee (INR/DDC), cleared by Ambassador Johnson (G) and John P. Walsh (S/S), and approved by Henry L.T. Koren (INR/DDC). Also sent to Hong Kong and Singapore.↩
  2. The full report has not been found.↩
  3. See footnote 8, Document 221.↩