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NOAH'S ARK CABLES
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NOTE |
From 1975 to 1976, State Department P-Reel index entries (subject listings for microfilm files) confirm that members of Congress such as Rep. John J. Rhodes of Arizona and Sen. Richard Schweiker of Pennsylvania were involved in efforts to research the existence of Noah’s Ark on Mt. Ararat. The P-Reel index entries also indicate that the State Department monitored efforts by American groups to obtain permission to climb Mt. Ararat in search of the Ark, and that the Department attempted to investigate whether the CIA had a program of research into Noah’s Ark, a program that the CIA Report on Noah’s Ark and the CIA Noah’s Ark Memos indicate never existed.
The full text of the files indexed on the P-Reel is not available online, but the following two cables, one from Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, indicate that the State Department had no specific knowledge of Noah’s Ark beyond what was claimed in the popular press. Note especially that it is the Government of Turkey (GOT) that prevented release of photos of Ararat for their own military purposes, not the United States. |
August 1976
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 01 STATE 208719
53
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--------------------- 093020
R 231521Z AUG 76
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY ANKARA
UNCLAS STATE 208719
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: SCUL, TU
SUBJECT: ACCESS TO MT. ARARAT AREA TO RESEARCHERS
REF: ANKARA 5580
ATTENTION OF DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN DRAWN TO BRIEF ARTICLE IN NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY AUGUST 8, WHICH REPORED THAT SIX AMERICANS AND AN AUSTRALIAN IN ANKARA SAY THEY HAVE PERMISSION TO LOOK FOR NOAH'S ARK. TWO MEMBERS OF THIS GROUP ARE NAMED -- ERYL CUMMINGS, 71, A REAL ESTATE BROKER FROM FARMINGTON, N.M., AND MIKE HARRIS, 40, A FILM MAKER FROM TAMPA, FLA., WHO IS MANAGER OF THE EXPEDITION. HARRIS IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW FROM ANKARA REPORTEDLY TOLD THE TIMES THAT PARTY PLANNED TO LEAVE WEEKEND OF AUGUST 7-8, CLIMB 12,000 TO 15,000 FEET ON THE EAST SLOPE OF ARARAT AND THEN RETURN TO ANKARA IN 10 TO 14 DAYS.
2. AS THIS ARTICLE HAS ALREADY REVIVED HOPES OF OTHERS WHO HAD WANTED PERMISSION TO CLIMB ARARAT, WE WOULD APPRECIATE CONFIRMATION OF TURKISH GOVERNMENT POSITION REFTEL, AND ANY INFORMATION EMBASSY MIGHT HAVE REGARDING CUMMINGS-HARRIS GROUP. KISSINGER
UNCLASSIFIED
NNN
PAGE 01 STATE 208719
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ORIGIN EUR-12
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 CU-04 USIA-15 PA-02 PRS-01 /035 R
DRAFTED BY EUR/SE:RRDELABARRE:VSS
APPROVED BY EUR/SE:NCLEDSKY
--------------------- 093020
R 231521Z AUG 76
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY ANKARA
UNCLAS STATE 208719
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: SCUL, TU
SUBJECT: ACCESS TO MT. ARARAT AREA TO RESEARCHERS
REF: ANKARA 5580
ATTENTION OF DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN DRAWN TO BRIEF ARTICLE IN NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY AUGUST 8, WHICH REPORED THAT SIX AMERICANS AND AN AUSTRALIAN IN ANKARA SAY THEY HAVE PERMISSION TO LOOK FOR NOAH'S ARK. TWO MEMBERS OF THIS GROUP ARE NAMED -- ERYL CUMMINGS, 71, A REAL ESTATE BROKER FROM FARMINGTON, N.M., AND MIKE HARRIS, 40, A FILM MAKER FROM TAMPA, FLA., WHO IS MANAGER OF THE EXPEDITION. HARRIS IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW FROM ANKARA REPORTEDLY TOLD THE TIMES THAT PARTY PLANNED TO LEAVE WEEKEND OF AUGUST 7-8, CLIMB 12,000 TO 15,000 FEET ON THE EAST SLOPE OF ARARAT AND THEN RETURN TO ANKARA IN 10 TO 14 DAYS.
2. AS THIS ARTICLE HAS ALREADY REVIVED HOPES OF OTHERS WHO HAD WANTED PERMISSION TO CLIMB ARARAT, WE WOULD APPRECIATE CONFIRMATION OF TURKISH GOVERNMENT POSITION REFTEL, AND ANY INFORMATION EMBASSY MIGHT HAVE REGARDING CUMMINGS-HARRIS GROUP. KISSINGER
UNCLASSIFIED
NNN
October 1976
Note: This telegram cross-references information about Dr. Willis confirmed in the CIA Report on Noah's Ark
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 01 ANKARA 08121 230838Z
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INFO OCT-01 SCSE-00 ISO-00 /013 W
--------------------- 064630
R 221445Z OCT 76
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5245
SECDEF WASHDC
INFO AMCONSUL ADANA
UNCLAS ANKARA 8121
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: CASC, MILI, TU
SUBJ: GOT DENIAL OF REQUEST FOR PHOTOS OF MT. ARARAT
REF: LETTER FROM LOUIS E. FOSTER TO DR. CHARLES WILLIS DATED AUGUST 10, 1976 (DIA: U-17, 660/RDS-3A)
1. DR. CHARLES D. WILLIS, 2490 WEST FIR AVENUE, FRESNO, CALIFORNIA, HAS BEEN ATTEMPTING FOR MORE THAN THREE YEARS TO OBTAIN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF MT ARARAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH A PROJECT SEEKING EVIDENCE ABOUT NOAH'S ARK. ON SEPTEMBER 10 EMBASSY REQUESTED GOT PERMISSION FOR DOD TO RELEASE PHOTOGRAPHS TO DR. WILLIS. BY DIPLOMATIC NOTE DATED OCTOBER 21, GOT REPLIED THAT MT. ARARAT "LIES WITHIN SENSITIVE MILITARY AREA" AND THAT " TURKISH AUTHORITIES CONCERNED HAVE DEEMED IT INADVISABLE TO GIVE THE GENERAL PUBLIC ACCESS TO PARTICULAR PHOTOGRAPHS AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE AREA."
2. EMBASSY INFORMING DR. WILLIS BY LETTE OF GOT REFUSAL. MACOMBER
UNCLASSIFIED
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PAGE 01 ANKARA 08121 230838Z
55
ACTION EUR-12
INFO OCT-01 SCSE-00 ISO-00 /013 W
--------------------- 064630
R 221445Z OCT 76
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5245
SECDEF WASHDC
INFO AMCONSUL ADANA
UNCLAS ANKARA 8121
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: CASC, MILI, TU
SUBJ: GOT DENIAL OF REQUEST FOR PHOTOS OF MT. ARARAT
REF: LETTER FROM LOUIS E. FOSTER TO DR. CHARLES WILLIS DATED AUGUST 10, 1976 (DIA: U-17, 660/RDS-3A)
1. DR. CHARLES D. WILLIS, 2490 WEST FIR AVENUE, FRESNO, CALIFORNIA, HAS BEEN ATTEMPTING FOR MORE THAN THREE YEARS TO OBTAIN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF MT ARARAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH A PROJECT SEEKING EVIDENCE ABOUT NOAH'S ARK. ON SEPTEMBER 10 EMBASSY REQUESTED GOT PERMISSION FOR DOD TO RELEASE PHOTOGRAPHS TO DR. WILLIS. BY DIPLOMATIC NOTE DATED OCTOBER 21, GOT REPLIED THAT MT. ARARAT "LIES WITHIN SENSITIVE MILITARY AREA" AND THAT " TURKISH AUTHORITIES CONCERNED HAVE DEEMED IT INADVISABLE TO GIVE THE GENERAL PUBLIC ACCESS TO PARTICULAR PHOTOGRAPHS AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE AREA."
2. EMBASSY INFORMING DR. WILLIS BY LETTE OF GOT REFUSAL. MACOMBER
UNCLASSIFIED
NNN
