Minutes of the Forty-ninth Meeting of the Committee (Deputy Directors (0 and S ) ) , Held in Conference Room "H", at the Ministry of Defence, S.W.I, on Friday, 12th May, 1950, at 10.45 a.m.

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Minutes of the Forty-ninth Meeting of the Committee (Deputy Directors (0 and S ) ) , Held in Conference Room "H", at the Ministry of Defence, S.W.I, on Friday, 12th May, 1950, at 10.45 a.m.

3. DISCLOSURE OF SERVICE STRENGTHS TOP SECRET IN THE STANDING AND REGIONAL GROUPS OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANISATION. GROUP CAPTAIN BRODIE said that he had asked that the report+ by the Joint Planning Staff on disclosure of Service strengths in the Standing and Regional Groups of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation should be withdrawn from the Agenda of the Chiefs of Staff as the Security Branch of the Air Ministry were not in agreement with certain parts of the report, particularly in view of the matter discussed under the previous item. COLONEL RANSOME said that the Admiralty were also of the opinion that certain paragraphs in the report were dangerous from the security point of view, particularly paragraph 2(b) of the Annex. In their view the "need to know" principle should be kept separate from the necessity for increasing Allied confidence, otherwise persons who had to apply the principle might consider that political expediency was part of the "need to know" principle, and not a special case. MAJOR CROKER said that the War Office had commented on the report, from the security aspect, at all the draft stages, and at the final draft stage had suggested that paragraph 2(b) of the Annex should be expanded to bring out the risk which might attend an extention of the "need to know" principle. The Joint Planning Staff had not, however, agreed to this amendment. MR. CAREY-FOSTER suggested that paragraph 2(c) of the Annex on security of information should be given priority over paragraphs 2(a) and (b) as the state of security of the countries receiving information was of primary importance. The Committee then considered the Annex to the report, paragraph by paragraph, and the following points were made:- Paragraph 2(c), Second Sentence. The words "With the exception of Iceland which is at present being checked" should be deleted as the check on Iceland had now been carried out. Paragraph 2(c) Fourth sentence. The date for the establishment of the COSMIC system should be amended. Paragraph 2(c), Last sentence. The statement that a reasonably satisfactory state of security could be expected shortly in Norway and Denmark was considered to be too optimistic. + J.P. (50) 45 (Final). -2-
Collection ID
CAB159
Conflict
Cold War
Document Reference
CAB 159/7/51
File Reference
CAB 159/0007
Identifier
10.1080/swwf.cab159.0007.051
Keywords
Meteorological Intelligence Climate Security Secrecy Intelligence Gathering Intelligence Channels Military Intelligence Military Strength Manpower Release Of Information Information Sharing Allies Alliances Treaties Classified Documents Security Checks
Pages
5
Published in
United Kingdom
Series
Ministry of Defence and Cabinet Office: Central Intelligence Machinery: Joint Intelligence Sub-Committee Later Committee: Minutes (JIC Series). Joint Intelligence Sub-Committee. Meetings 1 (0)-60 (0)
Themes
Intelligence Organisation and Administration Military Intelligence and Operations