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

55. Letter From Director of Central Intelligence Helms to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (Shultz)¹

Washington, June 16, 1971.

Dear George:

I am writing to bring to your attention the very acute dilemma which we now face with regard to Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty and to request your guidance with regard to the responsibilities of the Central Intelligence Agency after 30 June 1971. I believe you are familiar with my memorandum of 11 May 1971 to the President on this subject.² I attach a copy for your ready reference. Your staff has been good enough to provide me with a copy of your letter of 9 June 1971 to Senator Ellender, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and his reply thereto of 10 June 1971.³

As I understand the situation, Senator Caseʼs bill to establish a new funding mechanism seems to have no chance of passage prior to the end of this fiscal year. It is also my understanding that the Central Intelligence Agency is precluded from any further funding of the radios after that date, either for continued operation or termination.

The Radios are United States Government proprietaries. I therefore believe the Government is both morally and legally obliged to take some action to continue them, at least on an interim basis, or to terminate them as of 1 July 1971. The funds the Radios now have on hand would permit continued operation for no more than 30 to 45 days in the new fiscal year. Both will need guidance within the next few days in order to plan for the first weeks of Fiscal Year 1972. In the event that termination is to take place, costs associated with such action are estimated by the radios to be [dollar amount not declassified] for Radio Free Europe and [dollar amount not declassified] for Radio Liberty. However realistic these estimates may be, it is clear that a substantial amount of money would be involved. Reserves available for liquidation are only [dollar amount not declassified] for Radio Free Europe and [dollar amount not declassified] for Radio Liberty.

I should like to request that you advise me as early as possible as to what the Administration desires that the Central Intelligence Agency do about the funding and the management of Radio Liberty and Radio Free Europe, effective 1 July 1971.

Sincerely,

Dick

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 379, Subject Files, Radio Free Europe & Radio Liberty, Vol. I. Secret; Sensitive. A copy was sent to Kissinger.
2. Document 52.
3. The letter of June 9 was not found. In his June 10 letter, Ellender wrote Shultz that he opposed continued funding of RFE and RL through the CIA even as an interim measure. “I want to stress the point that funds for the Governmentʼs support of these organizations must, in my opinion, be handled as an open appropriation…. This cannot be done if the interim funding is routed through the Central Intelligence Agencyʼs authority under the Continuing Resolution. In the event the Governmentʼs support of these organizations is terminated, I recognize that substantial funds will be required to cover termination costs, and I will be glad to consider proposals for providing such costs.” He added a postscript: “P.S. I want to make it clear that the Committee would consider a request for an ‘open’ appropriation for the required interim funding, pending the enactment and implementation of open funding legislation.” (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 379, Subject Files, Radio Free Europe & Radio Liberty, Vol. I)