Declassified Photocopy from Gerald R. Ford Library / 4 9 SEGREP : | | , | ACTION 40 rowan MEMORANDUM “NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL June 10, 1976 MEMORANDUM FOR: BRENT SCOWCROFYY FROM: RICHARD H. SOLOMON Me Leto SUBJECT: ‘Contacting Defense on the Matter of Ocean Surveillance Activities in the Pacific You will recall that the PRC Liaison Office protested to us twice -- on May 3 and May 17 -- about our surveillance of several of their ships which were operating for the first time in the South Pacific. There was also a recent protest in North Korean broadcast propaganda about similar US surveillance overflights of a North Korean merchant ship in the Sea of Japan in early May. The State Department has sent you a memorandum (Tab B) expressing concern that the people at CINCPACFLT who run such surveillance flights are insensitive to the political ramifications of their activities. State indicates that they have no desire to hamstring legitimate intelli- gence activities, but that they would like to see some enhanced political judgment injected into surveillance missions. They recommend that the NSC direct the Department of Defense to devise a procedure which would sensitize the releyant military command to exercise particular discretion in the surveillance: of PRE. vessels. ‘State has in mind DOD developing adequate internal clearances and report- ing procedures, but also hopes that arrangements can be made so that the State Department will be promptly informed of situations in which PRC vessels will be subjected to intensive or repeated surveillance coverage. State, and we at NSC, also are concerned about the North Korean protest, not because we wish to show any sensitivity to it, but because we believe (in the tradition of the Pueblo and EC 121 incidents) that if we are not careful Pyongyang might take some military action against our surveillance aircraft to justify their continuing charges that the US is threatening their security. In the wake of last month's PRC protests, Phil Habib had ISA report to him on exactly what had happened in the surveillance of the Chinese ships. DECLASSIFIED E.O. 42589 Sec. 3.6 SEGRET - XGDS-2 | Mit 0-161, FAB Or. dept, diy lalulor fy. 264f. NARA, Dato 2/20 /o Declassified Photocopy from Gerald R. Ford Library Defense emphasized in their post-mortem analysis that their aircraft had acted strictly according to rules of procedure. They denied that they had in any way "harassed" the PRC vessels, and assert that they are pro-. ceeding on ground rules which are acceptable according to international law. State is reasonably confident that Defense is not whitewashing their surveillance activities, but one is never fully certain in such cases. We believe, along with State, that it would be useful to sensitize Defense to the political ramifications of these necessary surveillance activities. Per my recent discussion with you, I have drafted a memorandum from you to Assistant Secretary Ellsworth requesting that Defense propose, on the basis of their post-mortem review of the surveillance activity, report- ing and clearance procedures which will heighten awareness in the Pacific Command of the political implication of their reconnaissance activities. Defense is unlikely to want to inhibit their freedom of action through tightened procedures (especially by agreeing to clear such missions with State), but at least the exercise of having them think through present arrangements will sensitize them to the problem, Concurrence: Robert Rosenberg “” RECOMMENDATION That you sign the memo at Tab A.