Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume X, Eastern Europe

46. Memorandum of Notification to Members of the National Security Planning Group¹

Washington, undated

SUBJECT

• Covert Action—Enhancement of Soviet/East European Program

REFERENCE

• Consolidated Presidential Findings of 7 June 1978 and 7 March 1979²

1. PROPOSAL: That the NSPG approve an increased funding authority level for the program as follows: an increase of $1 million in FY 87 to $10,937,000; of $3 million in FY 88 to $11,971,000; of $5 million in FY 89 to $14,558,000 and of $8.45 million in FY 90 to $18,415,000.

2. U.S. POLICY: Among the United States’ basic foreign policy objectives in both the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe are fostering greater democratization and pluralism and encouraging respect for human rights. For more than a decade, we have promoted the infiltration of materials, the spread of information, and covert support for dissent, as cost-effective, low-key ways to work for our policy objectives in this region.³ These efforts have fueled the political and intellectual ferment that is taking place in communist Europe and spurred openings which have begun to appear in several communist states. The ongoing revolution in electronic information systems provides unique opportunities for accelerating the free flow of information worldwide and the adjustment of this program to the new technological environment will enhance its impact. The enhancement envisaged will also help keep our efforts competitive during a period of greater openness in the Soviet media, and will strengthen any internal liberalization currents that may exist within the country.

3. BACKGROUND: In its recent review of covert action, the National Security Council endorsed the current Soviet/East European program and in doing so also asked that a review be done of the adequacy of the resources available for the program. Following such a review, the Agency requests a substantial funding increase and wishes to make specific proposals for a planned expansion. As was noted in discussions of the program during the NSC review process, we now have an unusual opportunity to infiltrate propaganda materials into the USSR because of the new openness (glasnost) in the USSR, which is reflected particularly in public debate and the cultural sphere. A second factor making the time opportune is the rapidly expanding revolution in electronic communications which greatly facilitates the infiltration of information, while at the same time making it more difficult to censor.

Because of resource constraints, we request that this expanded program be phased in during the FY 87–FY 90 period. The following are the specific areas for program enhancement in the FY 87–90 period:

a. Form a new political entity in the West designed to promote liberal discussion in the USSR; establish an archive of Soviet war crimes/human rights violations; develop a data bank on quality of life in the USSR; conduct seminars in “practical democracy” in the West for Bloc youth. $975,000.

b. Develop new specialized publications addressed to the interests of Soviet management, youth and women for dissemination in the USSR; initiate a Russian-language newsletter on media manipulation for the Soviet audience. $1,400,000.

c. Expand the nationalities program and broaden contacts with internal dissident groups, for example, environmentalists, peace advocates and anti-nuclear activists. $250,000.

d. Develop new video programming in Russian and East European languages and acquire related equipment; expand infiltration mechanisms for this and other material. $2,150,000.

e. Augment the worldwide effort to counter Soviet active measures to include a multilingual publication and asset expansion. $1,175,000.

f. Introduce new technology; develop specific software and interface equipment to exploit the announced Soviet computer explosion as a medium of free information exchange; develop new methods of data transmission/printing techniques using radios, PC’s and desktop printers; acquire and infiltrate this equipment. $2,500,000.

4. RESOURCES: The $1,000,000 required in FY 87 will be obtained by reprogramming within the Agency budget; the $3,000,000 required in 1988 will be obtained from the Agency Reserve for Contingencies. Funding required in FY 89 and subsequent years will be requested in the regular budget cycle. The funding profile for this program through 1990 will be as follows:

Authority to continue this program beyond FY 90 is subject to revalidation by the NSPG.

	1987	1988	1989	1990
	(dollars in thousands)
CIA Program	9,9374	8,971	9,558	9,965
Reprogramming	1,000	—	—	—
Reserve	—	3,000		—
Adjustment to FY 1989–FY 1990 Program			5,000	8,450
TOTAL	10,937	11,971	14,558	18,415

5. POLICY AUTHORITY: The expansion of the program and the increased funding are consistent with the authorities contained in the two Consolidated Presidential Findings of 7 June 1978 and 7 March 1979. However, the level of increased funding requested warrants policy-level review.

6. RISK ASSESSMENT: We do not anticipate any substantial increase in the risks associated with this program which have been historically low. The Soviets and East Europeans presumably are aware that we support this program and they have frequently attacked the programs in their media as U.S. or Western front operations. This does not weaken the effectiveness of our projects; indeed it can enhance them by giving them increased attention. [less than 4 lines not declassified]

[1 paragraph (7 lines) not declassified]

APPROVED:

Ronald Reagan

1. Source: Reagan Library, System IV Intelligence Files, 1987, 40505C. Top Secret; [handling restriction not declassified]. Powell sent the memorandum of notification to Webster under cover of an August 3 memorandum in which he noted that Reagan had approved it. (Ibid.)
2. Attached but not printed. See footnote 2, Document 23.
3. See footnote 2, Document 23. For previous administrations, see Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, vol. XII, Soviet Union, January 1969–October 1970, Documents 103 and 149; Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, vol. XV, Soviet Union, June 1972–August 1974, Document 118; and Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, vol. VI, Soviet Union, Documents 162, 209, 273, 280, 284, and 287.
4. [footnote not declassified]