[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 22, Volume 1]
[Revised as of April 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 22CFR9.5]

[Page 33-34]
 
                       TITLE 22--FOREIGN RELATIONS
 
                     CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF STATE
 
PART 9--SECURITY INFORMATION REGULATIONS--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 9.5  Classification designations.

    (a) Only three (3) designations of classification are authorized: 
``Top Secret,'' ``Secret,'' and ``Confidential.''
    (1) Top Secret. Information may be classified ``Top Secret'' if its 
unauthorized disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause 
exceptionally grave damage to the national security. This classification 
should be used with the utmost restraint. Examples of ``exceptionally 
grave damage'' include armed hostilities against the United States or 
its allies; disruption of foreign relations vitally affecting the 
national security; the compromise of vital national defense plans or 
complex cryptologic and communications intelligence systems; the 
revelation of sensitive intelligence operations; and the disclosure of 
scientific or technological developments vital to national security.
    (2) Secret. Information may be classified ``Secret'' if its 
unauthorized disclosure could reasonably be expected to

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cause serious damage to the national security. This classification 
should be used sparingly. Examples of ``serious damage'' include 
disruption of foreign relations significantly affecting the national 
security; significant impairment of a program or policy directly related 
to the national security; revelation of significant military plans or 
intelligence operations; and compromise of significant scientific or 
technological developments relating to national security.
    (3) Confidential. Information may be classified ``Confidential'' if 
its unauthorized disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause damage 
to the national security. Except as otherwise provided by statute, no 
other terms shall be used to identify classified information. Terms or 
phrases such as ``For Official Use Only'' or ``Limited Official Use'' 
shall not be used to identify national security information. No other 
term or phrase shall be used in conjunction with these national security 
information designations, such as ``Secret Sensitive'' or ``Agency 
Confidential'' to identify national security information.
    (b) Foreign government information. If classified by the foreign 
government, the information shall either retain its original 
classification or be assigned a U.S. classification designation which 
will ensure a degree of protection at least equivalent to that required 
by the entity that furnished the information. If not given a specific 
classification by the foreign government, the information will be 
assigned an appropriate classification dependent on the sensitivity of 
the subject matter and the degree of damage its unauthorized disclosure 
could reasonably be expected to cause to the national security. 
Classification designations assigned by the U.S. agency shall be marked 
on the foreign government information in accordance with the provisions 
of Sec. 9.12.