32. Memorandum From Laurence E. Lynn, Jr., of the National Security Council Staff to the Presidentʼs Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)1
SUBJECT
- Termination of Radio Liberty
During a meeting on the CIA budget on December 17, the President reviewed the programs of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, which are covertly funded by the CIA. He decided to retain Radio Free Europe and “improve it” but to terminate Radio Liberty.
The decision on Radio Free Europe, which is targeted on Eastern Europe, presents no problems. The $22 million currently allocated to it in the FY 71 budget includes modernization funds.
The termination of Radio Liberty, which is targeted on the Soviet Union, is, however, a delicate matter. The reasons for its termination include the following:
- —Radio Liberty programming, which now concentrates on providing news and editorial interpretation of current events, no longer stresses the need to liberate the Soviet Union from Communism. Nevertheless, it is heavily jammed. As a result of jamming and other technical factors, its signal is not received in wide areas of the Soviet Union and is picked up erratically elsewhere in the USSR.
- —There is a small possibility that the Voice of America could take over the very powerful Radio Liberty transmitters in Spain. (This would depend on the attitude of the Spanish Government toward reversion of part of the transmitting equipment.)
- —There would be budgetary savings on the order of $15 million per year.
The principal problems involved in termination are:
- —Radio Liberty has political support in the United States (although less than Radio Free Europe) which would generate some domestic pressure for its retention.
- —Because of the intricacies of local labor laws, difficulties might be encountered in terminating Radio Libertyʼs 871 overseas employees, the bulk of whom are in West Germany.
Given the sensitivity of this issue, the details of the termination of Radio Liberty should probably be handled by a special inter-agency task force which would work out:
- —when exactly to shut down Radio Liberty facilities;
- —whether Radio Liberty should be put off the air abruptly or phased out over a period of time;
- —how to handle any labor or other problems arising with the Governments of Spain and West Germany and to a lesser extent that of Nationalist China (where the rest of Radio Libertyʼs overseas facilities are located);
- —what kind of public announcement, if any, to make in the United States;
- —how to handle public and Congressional criticism of termination;
- —whether to transfer a $700,000 a year book presentation program currently run by Radio Liberty to CIA or USIA.
Such a task force should be chaired by the State Department and include representatives from CIA, USIA, BOB, DOD and NSC.
Recommendation
That you sign the enclosed memorandum to Elliot Richardson (Tab A)2 asking him to set up a task force to implement the termination of Radio Liberty.3