104 10326 10010

104-10326-10010 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

SECRET MHFNO 98-1333007 SENSIND: RYBAT SECRET PAGE: 1

FRP: STAFF CONF: CE/EXO INFO: CE/LGL, CE/R/IO, CE/ST, CE/STR, CE/STSWE, CE/WUMB, CEDORECORD, DC/CE, LIMITED, MDSX, ODPD, RYBAT, FILE, CE/R, CE/W, (3/P) 98 1333007 ASP PAGE 001 TOT: 012139Z MAY 98 DIRECTOR 795035 SECRET STAFF TO: PRIORITY MOSCOW INFO MINSK. 012139Z DIRECTOR 795035 FROM: LIMITED DISSEM CE/EXO INFO CE/R, CE/R/IO, DC/CE, CE/LGL, CE/WUMB SLUGS: WNINTEL RYBAT SUBJECT: RECORDS REVIEW BOARD AND DEPT OF STATE REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPROACHING FSB/SVR FOR OSWALD FILE REF: NONE TEXT: 1. ACTION REQUIRED: WOULD APPRECIATE STATION THOUGHTS ON BELOW PROPOSAL TO APPROACH FSB/SVR SEEKING ACCESS TO FILE ON *<HARVEY ((OSWALD))

  1. THE RECORDS REVIEW BOARD (ARRB), ESTABLISHED BY PUBLIC LAW 102-526 IN OCTOBER 1992, HAS THE PRESIDENTIAL MANDATE TO IDENTIFY, SECURE, AND MAKE AVAILABLE ALL RECORDS RELATED TO THE ASSASSINATION>OF
  2. PL 102-526 SPECIFICALLY STATES: "THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHOULD CONTACT THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF RUSSIA AND SEEK THE DISCLOSURE OF ALL RECORDS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION, INCLUDING THE RECORDS OF THE KOMITET GOSUDARSTVAΝΝΟΥ ΒΕΖOPASNOSTI (KGB) AND THE GLAYNOYE RAZVEDYVATELNOYE UPRAVIENIYE (GRU), RELEVANT TO THE OFOF *AND SEEK DISCLOSURE OF SUCH INFORMATION."
  3. THE ARRB HAS REQUESTED STATE AND AGENCY HELP IN GETTING ACCESS TO THE KGB RECORDS ON OSWALD. THE RECORDS, ORIGINALLY HELD SECRET

13-00000 MHFNO:98-1333007 SECRET SENSIND: RYBAT PAGE: 2 IN MINSK, WERE FLOWN TO MOSCOW IN '63 FOLLOWING THE ASSASSINATION, > THEN RETURNED TO MINSK WHERE THEY ARE STORED TODAY. WHEN APPROACHED BY STATE AND THE ARRB, THE BELARUSIANS HAVE SHOWN SAMPLES FROM THE FILE BUT HAVE NOT AGREED TO ARRANGEMENTS TO COPY. THE ARRB CHARTER EXPIRES ON 30 SEPT 98 AND THE OLD KGB FILE(S) IS A MAJOR OUTSTANDING REQUIREMENT. STATE HAS MANAGED TO GET THE SUBJECT AS THE NUMBER ONE TALKING POINT ON VICE PRES GORE'S RECENT CONFERENCE DISCUSSIONS. THE BELARUSIAN RESPONSE WAS TO TRY IT AGAIN LOCALLY IN MINSK, OFFERING INCREASED "COPY FEES". 5. THE ARRB CHAIRMAN HAS COME BACK TO STATE TO ASK THEY CONTACT THE AGENCY WITH THE FOLLOWING_REQUEST: CAN THE STATION CHECK WITH THE FSB/SVR TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE RUSSIANS RETAINED A COPY OF THE LEE HARVEY OSWALD'S>KGB FILE IN MOSCOW? CAN WE GET ACCESS TO THE FILE AND, PRESUMABLY, OBTAIN A COPY FOR THE ARRB? WE NOTE THAT THE ARRB WILL PROBABLY PUSH HARD_TO_DECLASSIFY THE RUSSIAN DOCUMENTS AS WELL. JOBVIOUSLY SUCH A REQUEST COULD HAVE SEVERAL IMPLICATIONS WHICH WE MUST CAREFULLY CONSIDER, I.E., THE RUSSIANS MIGHT ASK FOR FILES OF THE ROSENBERGS OR OTHER NOTORIOUS/ PERSONALITIES. THE HOS CONTEXT IS THAT WE ARE GRAPPLING WITH THE ARRB ON A VARIETY OF OTHER SERIOUS DECLASSIFICATION/DISCLOSURE ISSUES AND WE MIGHT BE ABLE IN A BETTER NEGOTIATING POSITION IF WE COULD BE SEEN AS ASSISTING THEIR EFFORTS TO GET THE OSWALD FILE. 6. OBVIOUSLY SUCH AN ACTION HAS TREMENDOUS IMPLICATIONS AND WE WELCOME A FULL DIALOGUE_FROM STATION ON THIS MATTER. REGARDS... 6. FILE: NONE. CL BY: 714549, CL REASON: 1.5(D), DECL ON: X5, DRV FROM: LIA 3-82. CABLETYPE: GECO STAFF 4.0.1.> RELNO: DORELS0100952954 ORIG: CE/EXO (CHENGMD, 39263); AUTH: AC/CE/R (BANNERMAN); COORD: C/CE/R/IO (ZERRUSEN), C/CE/WUMB (WARD); INFO: CE/LGL (WATSON); RELDE/CE-(LEVEN). END OF MESSAGE SECRET- SECRET