Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXIX, Eastern Europe; Eastern Mediterranean, 1969–1972

30. Memorandum for the Record¹

Washington, February 5, 1969.

SUBJECT

• Minutes of the Meeting of the 303 Committee, 5 February 1969

PRESENT

• Mr. Henry A. Kissinger (Chairman), Mr. U. Alexis Johnson, Mr. David Packard, and Mr. Richard Helms
• Mr. Robert P. Mayo and Mr. C. W. Fischer were present for Item 1.
• Mr. Cord Meyer and Mr. Hugh Tovar were present for Items 1, 2, and 3.
• Mr. William Trueheart was present for the entire meeting.

[Omitted here is a discussion of committee procedures.]

1. Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty

a. Mr. Meyer briefed the Committee on the origins, operations, problems and present status of both Radio projects. There was considerable discussion including alternatives examined in previous exhaustive studies of the disposition to be made of the Radios. Particular attention was devoted to the possibility of VOA as an alternative, or successor or absorber of RFE.

b. All agreed the Radios are valuable assets, and it was finally concluded that there were realistically only two choices—continuation of the Radios as presently constituted with covert CIA funding, or termination.

c. All members opted for continuation of both Radios via covert CIA funding for FY-1970 at the budgetary and qualitative level recommended in the proposal paper before the Committee.²

d. Mr. Mayo noted that none of these funds had been previously provided for in CIAʼs FY-1970 budget and expressed the hope that some offsetting savings could be found elsewhere.

e. The Chairman stated that he would send forward a memorandum to the President advising him of the Committeeʼs action and recommending that he approve the continuation of the Radios with covert CIA funding for FY-1970.

f. The Chairman also stated that he wished the Committee to review these projects again, but no date was set for such review. Mr. Helms observed that this could be undertaken any time at the convenience of the Committee principals.

g. The question of obtaining appropriate Congressional support for continuing the Radios was raised. Mr. Helms noted that any steps in this direction would be inappropriate until Presidential approval is secured. It was agreed that this step would be held in abeyance.

h. A good deal of discussion ensued on the question of how to handle press inquiries which will inevitably arise. Mr. Johnson suggested a formula. He said that the State Department had devoted a great deal of study to this matter and felt that the Radios did not fall within the restrictions imposed by the Katzenbach report relating to domestic educational or private voluntary organizations. He observed that the Radiosʼ incorporation in New York was happenstance; they could just as well have been incorporated elsewhere and this should not be considered an overriding factor.

i. Mr. Johnson favored having an Administration spokesman, upon query from the press, respond that the new Administration had looked into the matter of the Radios very closely and had concluded that RFE and RL are not among the nationʼs private voluntary organizations and hence are not in fact subject to the policy recommendations submitted by the Katzenbach Committee.

j. Since the Radios are not subject to the policy recommendations in the Katzenbach report, there is no question of making an exception for their continuation in the “overriding national security interests” as provided for in the report.

k. It would also be desirable to state that the new Administration endorses the policy enunciated in the Katzenbach report in order to head off press accusations that the Administration is abandoning these principles and resuming covert activities in the more sensitive youth and student field.

l. Mr. Johnson thought it desirable to contact Messrs. Katzenbach and John Gardner beforehand to review the above stance with them in order to obtain their agreement and support. It was agreed that this would be worthwhile.

m. It was noted by the members that the foregoing approach would leave an intimation of CIA support to the Radios but would at least maintain the “fig leaf” of non-U. S. Government official support so important to the retention of transmitting facilities located in various foreign countries under existing leases between those countries and RFE and RL as private entities. It was agreed that Mr. Johnsonʼs formula for handling press queries was probably as good as could be devised.

n. Mr. Mayo and Mr. Fischer raised the question of the feasibility of Radio Liberty soliciting private corporate funding support as does RFE. A number of reasons were cited as to why this is not practical and the question was dropped.³

[Omitted here is discussion unrelated to Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty.]

1. Source: Department of State, INR/IL Historical Files, 40 Committee Minutes. Secret; Eyes Only. Drafted on February 6 by Trueheart.
2. Document 28.
3. Following up on the decision of the 303 Committee at its February 5 meeting, Kissinger sent an undated memorandum to President Nixon with the recommendation that he “approve the continued support of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty with covert CIA funding in the approximate amount of $32.3 million for FY 1970, subject to budgetary review, and the proposals for responding to press inquiries as they may arise.” The President checked his approval on Kissingerʼs recommendation on February 22. (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 379, Subject Files, Radio Free Europe & Radio Liberty, Vol. I) For the proposed responses to press inquiries, attached to Kissingerʼs memorandum, see Document 31.