LETTER (SANITIZED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84-00868R000100060024-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 8, 2007
• Sequence Number: 24
• Publication Date: March 27, 1980
• Content Type: LETTER

ER970SH BROAIDCASTONG CORPO ATO?fn9
MONOTORRONG SERVOC[E
CAVERSHAM PARK READING RG4 8TZ
TELEGRAMS AND CABLES MONITOR READING TELEX
TELEX 848318 TELEPHONE [phone]
27th March 1980
Dear John,
0
Many thanks for your kind letter of 18th March. I am glad
you enjoyed your visit and can assure you that it was as much
appreciated by all of us here. I was in Nairobi last week and
our Unit there also looks forward to a sight of you before too long.
As regards the idea that we might in certain circumstances act
as a sort of contractor for?FBIS9 two specific instances come to
mind. One is that if the scheme for a remote monitoring system from
Islamabad comes to fruition then we might do the actual monitoring
rather than you set up a new monitoring unit here. I think it might
well be more economical in space if the operation were to be integrated
with our existing operations and it would almost certainly be cheaper.
I have, I must say,, considerable reservations about your establishing a
radio monitoring unit at Caversham because I fear that your rates of pay
would inevitably exceed ours and this would create difficulties for us
with our own staff.
Similar considerations would apply in the second instance -
coverage of West European Television. As you know, we are due to
carry out a survey on your behalf in October and November this year.
If that shows that some. permanent coverage would be worthwhile, then
again we might do it for you as an integral part of our radio coverage
of Western Europe.
I would, of course, much prefer to do this work as an extension of
our contribution to the partnership, but it seems highly unlikely that
f can persuade our paymasters t4 increase our budget to accommodate ite
they won't even pay for our extra effort on Iran and Afghanistan! Nor
am I entirely sure that our taking money from FBIS might not endanger
the whole relationship which has hitherto been untainted by mercenary
considerations of this kind. It..needs rather careful thought from both
of us, but at least it's an option to be weighed.
Thank you for warning of my impending
descent upon them. I'll probably go over early in May by which time
should have some grasp of what he is up to. I hope I get
as warm a reception as you did!
All best wishes,
John Rae
Head of Monitoring Service
Director, Foreign Broadcast Information Service,
Washington, D.C. 20013.
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84-00868 R 000100060024-3