</s>104-10330-10060 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992 SECRET 15 October 1996 MEMORANDUM FOR: Assassination Records Review Board FROM: John F. Pereira Chief, Historical Review Group SUBJECT: Foreign Government Information Australia (We request that this memorandum be returned to CIA once the Board has completed its deliberations on the issues discussed below.) 1. (S) Issue: This memorandum will address CIA's position on the review and declassification of foreign government information that appears in the JFK collection. This issue has come to CIA's attention because of the recent review by the JFK information that appeals in the JFK collection. The Agency believes it is important. (Australian liaison documents). The Agency believed it is first instance that this type of foreign liaison is this is the been reviewed by the Board and it is possible that such information will appear again in CIA's collection. These memo information will appeal again in this collection. Government will appear as legal obligations that such and declassification for foreign government information (but will also address the specific issue of the six "six" Australian documents. 104-10212-10081, 104-1008-1009-10010-10011-104-10022-10024-1044-10029-1040-1042-10020-1030- 104-104.10212 -10011.104-101-10012-1022-1024-10028-1029-10030-1020-10040-10021-1028- 2. (s) Conclusion: CIA does not object to the release of the information in these six document but only the release are the same as the protection of foreign governance information is only concerned about does not object if the release is not contained in the redacted foreign government documents. Only the concerned about redacted form proposed by the board. Four CIA documents in the two) Agreement to their officers. The agency has no authority to unilaterally agree to their clients. the Agency has no authorization to the foreign obligations, CIA ordinarily seeks the consent of the Foreign government prior to declassifying their information. However, (The Australian herein, it is not possible to even seek the consent of the described herein, its is not possibile to even seeker-the) that the Australians would give it. Rather than going to the likely Australians against its better judgment or requesting the CL BY: (2241430. CL REASON: 1.5(d) DECL ON: X5 DRV FM: LIA 1.3 (d) SECRET

Summary  
This memorandum from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to the Assassination Records Review Board addresses the legal and procedural considerations for declassifying foreign government information within the JFK assassination records collection. The CIA outlines its position on releasing six Australian liaison documents (104-10212-10081, 104-1008-1009-10010-10011-104-10022-10024-1044-10029-1040-1042-10020-1030- 104-104.10212 -10011.104-101-10012-1022-1024-10028-1029-10030-1020-10040-10021-1028-) that appear in the JFK collection. The CIA emphasizes its legal obligations under Executive Order 1259 and intelligence directives (DCIDs) to protect foreign government information, which may not be released without prior consent from the originating country. The agency proposes either postponing the release of these documents for a short period or redacting them to avoid potential diplomatic tensions with Australia. The CIA also notes that recent events, including an Australian demarche expressing concerns over U.S. declassification legislation and past incidents involving intelligence sharing, have heightened sensitivity around releasing foreign-sourced information.  

Key People  
- John F. Pereira (CIA Chief, Historical Review Group)  
- Assassination Records Review Board  
- Australian government officials (including Ambassador Don Russell and Director of the Office of National Assessments Philip Floor)  
- U.S. Ambassador to Australia, Ambassador Perkins  
- Sandy Berger (National Security Council)  

Key Locations  
- United States (CIA headquarters, National Security Council)  
- Australia (Australian Embassy in Washington, D.C., Australian Ambassador to the U.S.)  

Key Events  
- CIA’s legal review of foreign government information in JFK records under Executive Order 1259 and DCIDs  
- Australian demarche expressing concerns over U.S. declassification legislation and protection of sensitive intelligence  
- Proposals by CIA to delay or redact release of six Australian documents to avoid diplomatic repercussions  
- Historical incidents involving Australia’s intelligence sharing with the U.S., including allegations of classified information leaks  

Key Organizations  
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)  
- Assassination Records Review Board  
- Office of National Assessments (ONA)  
- National Security Council (U.S.)  
- Australian government and its intelligence services

JFK Declassified Files

104-10330-10060.pdf

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