Office of the Historian

139. Memorandum From Director of Central Intelligence Turner to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)1

Washington, September 20, 1979

SUBJECT

  • Increased Intelligence on Indochinese Refugees (C)

REFERENCE

  • Your Memorandum Dated September 7, 19792

1. I have already taken steps to ensure that intelligence collection and analysis on Indochinese refugees, requested in your memorandum dated September 7, 1979, will continue to be made available to you on a timely basis. You may already have seen NFAC assessments on Indochina refugees3 and the Kampuchean famine, fighting and refugee situation4 published in July and September respectively, which were produced as a result of working-level collaboration between NFAC and the Department of State’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research. (S)

2. There has been a hiatus in the refugee outflow following Vietnam’s commitment at the Geneva refugee meetings to regulate the movement of refugees.5 It is probable, of course, that Hanoi’s promise was a tactical move designed to diminish international criticism, and [Page 483] that the exodus will resume in the near future. The monsoon has started to turn earlier than usual, so that weather conditions are now suitable for the southwesterly movement of boat refugees. In the meantime, we continue to focus our collection and analytical resources on the following areas:

a. [3 lines not declassified] we are continuing to look for signs of boat and refugee camp construction and of refugee boats at sea.

b. Clandestine Collection. Considerable resources continue to be employed in debriefing refugees through programs initiated in [place names not declassified]. During the period January through August, for example, the Deputy Directorate for Operations disseminated sixty-nine intelligence reports on refugees, obtained both through our own direct efforts [less than 1 line not declassified]. Field stations at present collectively devote five Agency personnel and twelve agent work-years to this project—a prodigious effort and one which we believe is adequate to our needs.

c. Analytical. Indochina analysts continue to spend [less than 1 line not declassifed] of their time on Indochina refugees. I have called for an all-source updated refugee assessment, including the points made in your memorandum, to be produced by NFAC by October 31st.6 This project will be coordinated with the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research. [portion marking not declassified]

3. [5 lines not declassified] [portion marking not declassified]

Stansfield Turner7
  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Global Issues, Bloomfield Subject File, Box 19, Indochinese, 7–12/79. Secret; Noforn.↩
  2. A copy is ibid.↩
  3. See footnote 2, Document 142.↩
  4. See Document 56.↩
  5. See Document 138.↩
  6. See Document 142.↩
  7. Turner signed “Stan” above his typed signature.↩