Office of the Historian

11. Minutes of a Special Coordinating Committee Special Activities Working Group Meeting1

Washington, July 21, 1977, 10 a.m.–12:15 p.m.

SUBJECT

  • SCC/SAWG Meeting, 21 July 1977, 10:00 [a.m.]–12:15 p.m., White House Situation Room

PARTICIPANTS

  • USIA

    • Ambassador John Reinhardt (Item 1 only)

  • State

    • William McAfee
    • Emerson Brown

  • DOD

    • Walter B. Slocombe
    • Frank Porrino

  • CIA

    • William W. Wells
    • [name not declassified]

  • Justice

    • John Harmon
    • William Funk

  • OMB

    • Edward R. Jayne
    • Arnold Donahue

  • NSC

    • David Aaron
    • Samuel M. Hoskinson
    • Paul B. Henze
    • Henry Richardson (Item 1 only)

The meeting opened with an extensive discussion of the present situation in Angola and the desirability of publicizing the problems the Cubans are having there, in which the President had recently expressed interest. Mr. Reinhardt explained that his Agency had the capability of doing more but needed more accurate and attributable material. CIA representatives described ways in which more material could be surfaced. Mr. McAfee summed up possible reservations which the State Department saw in respect to this effort. CIA raised the question of consultation with the Senate on possible restrictions on this kind of effort stemming from previous legislation, and Mr. Funk commented on this question at length. The chairman questioned whether an effort such as the one proposed, which involved normal use of CIA’s media infrastructure, required SCC review. In conclusion, it was decided that CIA and State would develop a “Perspective” on this question and consider whether it involves a policy issue requiring SCC review. Justice will consider whether the effort is affected by the Tunney-Javits Amendment and whether the previous Presidential Finding on CIA [Page 19] media activity is applicable. [1 line not declassified] A progress report will be expected at the next SCC/SAWG meeting.

[Omitted here is discussion unrelated to Angola.]

  1. Source: National Security Council, Carter Administration Intelligence Files, Subject Files A–E, Box 25, Angola 11 July 1977–18 April 1978. Secret; Sensitive. Copies were sent to Saunders, Slocombe, Smith, Wells, Harmon, and Cutter.↩