This category was for "material pertaining to a country, continent, geographic area, foreign governments, their officials and ambassadors," according to the White House Central Files manual.
Although the CO category contains many security classified documents, these are frequently routine and very seldom classified as high as "Top Secret." Only the unclassified and declassified items have been opened to research. The most substantive and complete files on foreign affairs are part of the files of the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs rather than the White House Central Files.
Case files for each country comprise the great bulk of the CO category. These are arranged alphabetically by country at file codes CO 2 through CO 170. Countries which gained independence after 1972, however, are listed at CO 171 through CO 179. The CO 1 file segments concern geographic regions.
MATERIALS COMMON TO MOST CATEGORIES
Much of the material in CO is actually cross-references to documents filed under other categories, especially Foreign Affairs (FO), Trade (TA), Trips (TR), International Organizations (IT), and National Defense (ND).
The contents of the case files vary, but may typically include any or all of such routine exchanges of messages between the President and foreign heads of state as: congratulations on assumption of office, national day celebrations or national achievements; holiday greetings; condolences; and thank you notes.
Other common topics include: presidential and vice presidential meetings and correspondence with foreign officials, journalists, or American ethnic groups; the presentation of credentials by new ambassadors; and proposed foreign travel by U.S. officials.
SPECIFIC COUNTRY CATEGORY DESCRIPTIONS
The following descriptions highlight only additional topics, beyond those mentioned above. The descriptions also make note of visits to the U.S. by foreign heads of government and heads of state, although the amount of material available on each of these visits varies greatly.
