LONDON BUREAU DEVELOPMENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85-00024R000300770002-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 22, 2007
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: February 11, 1982
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2007/10/22 : CIA-RDP85-00024R000300770002-6
NO COPT-ES
RETAINED.
$J ECT
e c+: Sub:
A,C TLON
"FTE"CEIVk-O -j-VATE'VP--WATM-M-AC'- -----IFICATI N
O
Mix. $2 11 Feb. 82, 1 A 1
~. C H R O N,O, FILE
D W/O- AT;TA,CHMENT 13 WITH ATTACHMENT
at, aureau Developments
COMMENT
FBIS REGISTRY ROJUTING`SLIP
Approved For Release 2007/10/22 : CIA-RDP85-00024R000300770002-6
--------- STAT
EXECUTIVE SUBJECT FILE
M.W/O ATTACHMENT - ^ WITH ATTACHMENT
CONCURRENCE PREPARE. RECOMMENDATION"
REPLY
 Approved For Release 2007/10/22 : CIA-RDP85-00024R000300770002-6
D"S~RA1IVE -- I'TERNAL USE DULY
11 February 1982
Chief, Operations Group, FBIS
SUBJECT: London Bureau Developments
Dear Jerry:
It has been some time since my last Rundschau and by
now there have accumulated enough odds and ends that I can no
longer resist the pressure to write. Hence, in no particular
order:
B $ C Staffing and Finances -- The pressures of covering
the Polish scene caused Witherow some weeks ago to make another
pitch for financial assistance to cover four monitor positions
for the short term. MDXB Muggeridge supported the idea and himself
made the pitch to the Foreign Office. The Undersecretary was
receptive and told him to put the case formally. The case was
put formally and rejected. So it goes. Meanwhile, the Monitoring
Service is getting all sorts of good publicity, visits from the
likes of Deputy Foreign Minister Atkins and shortly, Lord Trefgarne,
all of whom are impressed but none of whom are able to cajole
any money out of the Exchequer. The prospect, if no money is
forthcoming, is that a reduction of publication days for the
SWB from 6 to 5 might be made. Meanwhile the pressure on the
B.B.C. Listening Room continues, particularly on the Russian
and Polish Staff.
B.B.C. Modernization Plans -- You will have seen the first
paragraph of our Progress Report for January, with its brief sketch,
on their plans for the future, to do for the SWB and the Listening
Room the sort of thing we have been doing. Included in their
thinking but not mentioned so far is the possibility of their
building another annex to the present building and completely
removing their administrative apparatus from the top floor here.
"Could we use the space?" was the question Challis put to me. The
answer was an unequivocal "Yes", in that our editorial room has
been too small for some time, we don't have adequate space for an
engineer's office, the punching room is too small, etc.. What the
cost would be is another matter. More rent? Who knows? Who knows
also whether the project will actually come to fruition. As far as
our own plans are concerned, I told Challis I could see no expansion
of our efforts here that would call for the housing of additional
staff or equipment. You may think otherwise. If so, Challis's
upcoming visit will provide an opportunity to think aloud.
ADMINISTRATIVE -- INTERNAL USA ~U Y
Approved For Release 2007/10/22 : CIA-RDP85-00024R000300770002-6
STAT
 Approved For Release 2007/10/22 : CIA-RDP85-00024R000300770002-6
?HIISTRATIVE -- INTERNAL USE ONLY
- 2 -
Cubicles Building -- Progress on the cubicles building has
been steady and only slightly set back by bad weather. The roof
is on, the window frames have been set, wiring is now being
installed and they seem to be not far from the point of putting
the wallboards over the studs. April completion, at least to this
untutored eye, still looks feasible. We are looking forward to
Courtney's TDY and to news of how ED's plans for getting the ROSET
signals out of the cowpatch are coming along.
Islamabad Feeds - fixed the problems with the
equipment in Islamabad and the B.B.C. has completed a cruising
survey during the mid-winter reception period. We expect to be
able to report on it shortly. I have commissioned Ruth Brown to
do a report on this coverage which I will bring with me to the
Bureau Chief's 11 answer the question put to
in DRD Note No. 356 dated
State FSN Classification Survey,-- You will be interested to
learn that our FSN's got their cost of living pay adjustment
without a hitch through State's error. State Personnel evidently
told the European Desk administrators to exclude FBIS but they
failed to put the critical paragraph in the cable. My source
opines that they will not have the nerve to undo their error.
Meanwhile I have given no publicity whatever to our staff
regarding the battles raging in Washington. They are, of course,
aware that there must be a lot going on, as the reclassification
actions have already been announced by other Embassy components.
In this connection, I learned from that USICA has
opted out of the State classificat bLeM. an you confirm
this?
Accommodations -- We have nearly completed refurnishing the
editorial room, having had the bad luck last spring to give the
contract to a company which was shortly gobbled up by a larger
one. A lot of time elapsed before the larger one could decide
what it had on its hands. We seem to be nearly out of the woods
now, however, but I'm not paying the bill until we are.
B.B.C. Management -- Last item but not least is that it is
fairly clear Novakovic will be retiring this year, probably around
October. The betting is that Samy will be his successor.
unier, London Bureau, FBIS
~i I~INISTRATIVE -- INTERNAL USE, NO
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
Approved For Release 2007/10/22 : CIA-RDP85-00024R000300770002-6