Carter reduces secrecy

Press, 1 July 1978, Page 6

Carter reduces secrecy

InZPA Washington' I Saving that the United! ! States Government keeps! I too manv secrets, President] I Carter announced yesterday: ian executive order that he; 'said would increase open-: >ness in the Government by| i tightening ground rules fori 'classifying documents. “While some material I must be classified, the Gov-| ernment classifies. too much! i information, classifies it too] I highly, and for too long,”! I Mr Carter said. “These prac-i .tic.es violate the public's] iright to know, impose un-i inecessary costs, and weaken] protection for truly sensitive: i information by undermining! 'respect for all classifica-i Ition.” I Mr Carter’s oroer strips: ill agencies, including the, [departments of Agriculture,'

I Labour, and Health, Education, and Welfare, of all ! authority to classify information. Five others will [have reduced authority. ; The order also is intended 1 to grant classification ; authority to fewer officials land sets quicker timetables I for the automatic declassification of most documents. I Under the new rules, I information can be classified j only if its release can reasonably be expected to reIsult in identifiable damage to national security. The ad-1 jdition of “identifiable” to :the criteria is intended to 'prevent classification where Carnage would be inIsignificant. i In addition, the new order I requires that most docuiments be classified section Iby section rather than as a •whole.