Approved For Release 2001/04/02 : CIA-RDP96-00791 R0001 00040019-4 Draf t SG1J Memorandum, For: 21 Feb 1995 Chlefhoffice For uround Forces Defense intelligence Agency From: SG11 Director ot Research and Development Central intelligence Agency Subject: Declassification and Cooperation in Response to Congressionally Directed STAR GATE Program Review 1. Recent Congressional language directed that the STAR GATE program.be.transferred-from DIA to CIA by July 1,_1995. In that language, Congress,.-directed a twenty-year retrospective review of STAR GATE program activities. This review requires an inventory' and analysis of the relevant files at both DIA and,CIA.. CIA has collected its own files and held cooperative meetings with DIA STAR GATE personnel to acquire relevant DIA files., CIA also has contacted the National Research council in order to assemble a Blue Ribbon Panel to actually conduct.the review. Panel members will review all unclassified material and its recommendations will likewise be unclassified. During the coming months, CIA will continue to seek DIA's cooperation in obtaining relevant files and information to support tbis review. 2. Congress also stated that "the time has come for a re-evaluation of the classification of the existence of this effort as well as the results." In response to this request, CIA plans to declassify parts of its program immediately. Sponsorship of past CIA program activities and the technical results of those activities will be declassified. Following these immediate actions, CIA will cQnvene a Congressionally mandated DC1 classification review committee to conduct a detailed review of all CIA and DIA program documents archived during program transfer, including the actual targets and collection operations, and over the coming months, this committee will further declassify these documents where appropriate. 3. STAR GATE has an extraordinary nature and history and it's existence within the intelligence community remains controversial. CIA needs to develop a comprehensive understanding of the technical nature and utility of this program, in order to create a meaningful future management strategy as directed by Congress. To get at this understanding, and to facilitate the open-forum review described above, we ask that DIA take the following actions: Approved For Release 2001/04/0 96-00791 R0001 00040019-4 DraT!7UV Approved For Release 2001/04/02 :..,CIA-RDP96-00791 R0001 00040019-4 Draf t -- a. Declassify DIA's sponsorship of STAR GATE and downgrade and declassify all technical reporting associated with STAR GATE, b. Decompartment and remove.all-other classified STAR GATE documentation from "Limited Distribution" and evaluate this documentation for further d6classification, c. Transfer all DIA doCUMe'nt:s associated *ith STAR GATE, after declassification considetAl6n, to CIA' W for archival Purposes and further declassific-a@tion review,,and d. Continue to ass ist'djA-jk,-,'@@xecutjfid'@ th j3lue" 'Ribbon Panel Review by providing-unblaigiIied@O'r decla'sis@ified- information relating to th6'pi6dr@ wh6ri- r@6quested by the panelists. 4'. we anticipate interim' red .off1mendations.fr6m the .NRC Blue Ribbon Panel review by. the:hhd of.June-@@ 'In'the meantirde,-.-Cm will trans'fd:r-'.t.o- th-&-:@NRC.,-.-aj unc assified.DIA STAR-GATE documents whi6h:cIX-6begind. A bibll:i `raph@, 'of 45 unclassified documents was@pr'o -vi deAby SG11@d:iiring their recent meeieti'htf@. Unc assi e ocuments will continue to be trans fiert66. @&sy' they' 'are re`v'il@i@ed.` Classifted documents will not-bd'rbviewed by the NRC until they are-declaBsified. We anticipc-ite continued z bxaminat'ion of al L9-@,149d files by the- DCI declassif idci-@ibn review Jecisions ar.e", made'final." SG1 I AA SG1J- SG1 I D Approved For Release 2001 P96-00791 R0001 00040019-4 04/"@t- V,-,r