Mr. Seeley.

No, sir; except I think there is a clearance, but I am not sure about that. I think we cleared it.

Mr. Coleman.

And the instructions that actually went forward did indicate that they ought not to return the passport by mail?

Mr. Seeley.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Coleman.

What was the date of that instruction?

Mr. Seeley.

The instruction that went forward?

Mr. Coleman.

Yes.

Mr. Seeley.

That was AE-173, of April 13, 1961. It is Department X-38.

Mr. Coleman.

Will the record show that that document has already been marked as Commission Exhibit No. 971 before the Commission. You say that you read Commission Exhibit No. 971 and cleared it before it went forward?

Mr. Seeley.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Coleman.

Exhibit No. 971 which you referred to as X-38 shows on the left-hand side that there is a notation that a copy of the instructions was sent to the CIA.

Mr. Seeley.

Was furnished to the CIA.

Mr. Coleman.

Was that done at the same time the instructions went forward?

Mr. Seeley.

No, sir.

Mr. Coleman.

Did you have anything to do with sending it to the CIA?

Mr. Seeley.

I don't have a recollection on this. I would imagine what happened is that there was a request by the CIA for a copy of this, and that I authorized them to be furnished a copy on October 5, 1961.

Mr. Coleman.

I take it you actually read the instructions which went forward on April 13, 1961.

Mr. Seeley.

Yes, sir. My initials are at the bottom.

Mr. Coleman.

The fact that your initials are at the bottom indicates that you approved them?

Mr. Seeley.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Coleman.

What was the next occasion on which you had anything to do with the Oswald file or heard the name Oswald?

Mr. Seeley.

I will have to check the file. The next occasion where the record shows that I had something to do with the Oswald file concerns Item X-31. It is a Department of State instruction, W-7, dated July 11, 1961, drafted by Mrs. Waterman, and I cleared this particular instruction.

Mr. Coleman.

Can we note for the record that ,that instruction has already been marked as Commission Exhibit No. 975?

Mr. Seeley.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Coleman.

You cleared those instructions prior to the time you received word from Mr. Snyder in the Embassy in Moscow that Oswald had appeared at the Embassy on July 8, 10, or 11?

Mr. Seeley.

Of 1961?

Mr. Coleman.

1961.

Mr. Seeley.

Yes, sir; that is true. I wasn't sure of the time element in there, but that is true. This went out the same day. apparently, that the instruction was drafted and was sent in, or the despatch was drafted and sent in.

Mr. Coleman.

So, therefore, you took that action or you approved that action prior to the time that you knew that Oswald had appeared at the Embassy in Moscow?

Mr. Seeley.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Coleman.

Is it a fair reading of the July 11, 1961, instructions which you approved, that you indicated that Oswald could be given back his passport?

Mr. Seeley.

No, sir; I don't think so. I call your attention to paragraph 5 of the despatch; "It is noted that the Embassy intends to seek the Department's prior advice before granting Mr. Oswald documentation as a United States citizen upon any application he may submit."

Mr. Coleman.

So, therefore, as of this time it was still open as far as the Department was concerned in Washington whether Oswald had renounced his citizenship and was entitled to a passport?

Mr. Seeley.

Yes, sir. I don't think that the adjudicative proceeding had been completed.

Mr. Coleman.

When was the adjudicative process completed so far as you