10 FAM 150
FOREIGN RELATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES SERIES
(CT:PEC-94; 01-06-2022)
(Office of Origin: GPA/EX)
10 FAM 151 POLICY, SCOPE, AND AUTHORITY
10 FAM 151.1 Policy
(CT:PEC-27; 07-02-2015)
a. It is Department policy to publish a documentary record of U.S. foreign policy.
b. The published series, Foreign Relations of the United States, is the official documentary record of United States foreign policy. By Congressional mandate, 22 U.S.C. 4351 et seq., the series shall be published not more than thirty years after the events recorded.
10 FAM 151.2 Responsibilities
10 FAM 151.2-1 Office of the Historian (FSI/OH)
(CT:PEC-94; 01-06-2022)
a. Prepares the volumes of the Foreign Relations of the United States series and coordinates their declassification and publication, in accordance with 22 U.S.C. 4351 et seq.
b. Serves as the Executive Secretary of the Department’s Advisory Committee on Historical Diplomatic Documentation, provides staff support, arranges meetings of the Advisory Committee at least four times a year, and provides a draft agenda to attendees for each meeting.
c. Coordinates with various historical professional organizations, as named in 22 U.S.C. 4353 et seq., on the nomination of members to the Department’s Advisory Committee on Historical Diplomatic Documentation and submits candidates to the Director of the Foreign Service Institute, pursuant to delegated authority from the Secretary.
10 FAM 151.2-2 Advisory Committee on Historical Diplomatic Documentation
(CT:PEC-94; 01-06-2022)
The Advisory Committee on Historical Diplomatic Documentation, established in accordance with 22 U.S.C. 4356 and other applicable acts and regulations, reviews records, advises the Department Historian (FSI/OH), and makes recommendations on all aspects of preparation and publication of the Foreign Relations of the United States series, including the selection and declassification review of records proposed for inclusion in the series.
10 FAM 151.3 Definitions
(CT:PEC-94; 01-06-2022)
a. The Foreign Relations of the United States volumes include all declassified and publicly available documents needed to provide a comprehensive record of the major foreign policy decisions and actions of the U.S. Government, including the facts that contributed to the formulation of policies and documentation providing supporting and alternative views of the policy positions ultimately adopted.
b. Publication is intended to mean in printed form as books, but does not exclude other forms of dissemination, including e-books, the Office of the Historian website, or other publishing technologies.
c. Declassification is that process by which historical documentation is reviewed for public release by the Department, other government agencies, and, if necessary, foreign governments and international organizations.
10 FAM 151.4 Authorities
(CT:PEC-25; 08-30-2013)
See subchapter 1 FAM 320.
10 FAM 152 GENERAL
(CT:PEC-94; 01-06-2022)
a. The Foreign Relations of the United States series is a thorough, accurate, and reliable documentary record of major United States foreign policy decisions and significant United States diplomatic activity. The records selected for publication shall include all those necessary to provide comprehensive documentation of the major foreign policy decisions and actions of the U.S. Government, including the facts that contributed to the formulation of the policies and any records providing supporting and alternative views of the policy position ultimately adopted.
b. The Office of the Historian, Foreign Service Institute (FSI/OH), prepares the series. To obtain appropriate declassification and prepublication clearances of documentation selected for publication in the series, the Department Historian coordinates the declassification review of all documents that have been so selected with all appropriate Departments, agencies, or other entities of the United States Government, by foreign governments and international organizations.
10 FAM 153 FSI/OH PROCEDURES
(CT:PEC-94; 01-06-2022)
a. Determines the major foreign policy decisions and events to be included in each volume of the series.
b. Researches and finds all pertinent documentation for possible inclusion in published volumes by consulting records of all agencies of the U.S. Government dealing with the formulation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy.
c. Edits records to be included in published volumes according to principles of historical objectivity and accuracy. Edits records for publication by ensuring that no record is altered and that any necessary deletions, for reasons of national security or privacy considerations, are made by indicating the omission in the published text.
d. Prepares the record for publication by ensuring that no facts shall be omitted that were of major importance in reaching a foreign policy decision and that no unclassified information shall be omitted for the purpose of concealing a defect of policy.
e. Submits to the Historical Documents Review Division (A/GIS/IPS) documents selected for inclusion in Foreign Relations volumes for declassification review. A/GIS/IPS conducts the declassification review and obtains appropriate bureau clearances in the Department within 120 days.
f. Submits to all other appropriate Departments, agencies, or other entities of the U.S. Government for declassification review of any document selected for inclusion in Foreign Relations of the United States volumes that was originated by or that contains information of concern to those Departments, agencies, or entities.
g. Submits to foreign governments or international organizations, if necessary, the documents selected for inclusion in Foreign Relations of the United States volumes that were originated by those foreign governments or international organizations or that contain information provided by them in confidence.
h. Takes steps to achieve a satisfactory resolution with any Department, agency, or other entity of the U.S. Government whose declassification review of documents selected for inclusion in Foreign Relations of the United States volumes would result in the publication of a misleading, inaccurate, or incomplete published historical record, as determined by the Department’s Historian. Responses from the originating agency to such proposed solutions by the Department Historian shall be provided within 60 days.
i. Obtains the recommendations and findings of the Advisory Committee on Historical Diplomatic Documentation as required by 22 U.S.C. 4353 et seq. by enabling it to review compiled manuscripts intended for publication in the Foreign Relations of the United States series and to review declassification decisions made by the Department, other U.S. Government Departments, agencies, and entities, and foreign governments and international organizations.
j. Obtains all appropriate access for Advisory Committee on Historical Diplomatic Documentation members to historical records necessary for them to complete their duties under the law.
10 FAM 154 PRODUCTION
(CT:PEC-27; 07-02-2015)
FSI/OH arranges, with the cooperation and assistance of the Department’s Publishing Services (A/GIS/GPS), for the printing, binding, and distribution of the Foreign Relations of the United States series, in print, electronically on the Office of the Historian website, or other publication format, by the Government Printing Office, an approved contractor, or by other means deemed acceptable and authorized by the Department (OIS/PS).
10 FAM 155 THROUGH 159 UNASSIGNED