MONTHLY REPORT--LONDON BUREAU--OCTOBER 1987

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP94-00798R000200230007-3
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
K
Document Page Count: 
5
Document Creation Date: 
December 22, 2016
Document Release Date: 
June 19, 2012
Sequence Number: 
7
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
November 3, 1987
Content Type: 
MEMO
File: 
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PDF icon CIA-RDP94-00798R000200230007-3.pdf190.07 KB
Body: 
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/19: CIA-RDP94-00798R000200230007-3 ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET SUBJECT: (Optional) Monthly Report -- London Bureau FROM: EXTENSION NO. Chief, Operations Group DATE October 1987 TO: (Officer designation, room number, and building) DATE OFFICER'S COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom RECEIVED FORWARDED INITIALS to whom. Draw a line across column after each comment.) C/MOD 3. C/ESG 4. 5. C/FED 6. 7. C/ADD 9. C/HED 10. C/VAX-Comoro Section 12. 13. I A. 15. Return to C/MOD FORM 61 O USE PREVIOUS 1-79 EDITIONS Gi'1 . 19P 411-1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/19: CIA-RDP94-00798R000200230007-3 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/19: CIA-RDP94-00798R000200230007-3 3 November 1987 MLD-7038 MEMORANDUM FOR: Director, Foreign Broadcast Information Service FROM Chief, FBIS London Bureau THROUGH : Chief, Operations Group SUBJECT : Monthly Report -- London Bureau -- October 1987 1. BBC announced during the month that it will not be taking delivery of the Honeywell automated system until June 1988, with staff training beginning in the autumn of that year and full operational capability not expected until April 1989. These delays in the automated system will have repercussions on renovation planning and the timing of moves to the new building. One idea under consideration by the BBC is to begin the roof renovation, requiring the FBIS engineers and chief editor to move into quarters vacated by the BBC Administrative Staff, in the winter of 1988 instead of in the final phases of the renovation. 2. In another modernization setback, the BBC has been experiencing serious difficulties with the Scientific Atlanta computer-driven control system which would allow full use of the two 11-meter dishes at Crowsley Park. BBC has now stopped making predictions on when it will take operational control of the dishes or the system. 3. The fiscal year got off to an inauspicious start with the dollar reaching a 5-year low against the pound late in the month. Gloomier forecasters are predicting that the dollar will drop to $1.80 to the pound by the end of the calendar year. A. Editorial/Monitorial 1. Bureau operations were disrupted the night of 15/16 October when hurricane-force winds caused power outages at Caversham and Crowsley Park. Back-up generator systems at both sites failed, causing some lost coverage on the midnight shift. BBC management has tasked its engineers with adopting procedures to prevent a repetition of such generator failures. Bureau editors had a busy month with Gorbachev's active reappearance following his long absence, a 3-day Afghan party congress producing a 2 1/2-hour Najibullah speech plus speeches by five lesser officials, and open-speaker watches on Tehran Domestic Service in response to the Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/19: CIA-RDP94-00798R000200230007-3 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/19: CIA-RDP94-00798R000200230007-3 escalating situation in the Gulf. Coverage of the Gulf situation was somewhat hampered from the 11th to the 19th when line faults disrupted the main Tehran IRNA service and the bureau had to rely on the slower IRNA HF service. 3. PMU also rose to the occasion with extended work hours to cover urgent Pressfax material including reportage on Gorbachev's active schedule, the CEMA and Supreme Soviet sessions and Secretary of State Shultz's Moscow visit. The unit had a scoop on the 22d when it picked up -- in the 23 October KRASNAYA ZVEZDA -- the first report on the deaths of five Soviet generals in a 19 October helicopter crash. An editorial shift log was instituted in PMU in mid-month for distribution each morning to bureau management to keep all more fully informed of significant PMU developments. 4. PMU assumed coverage of the Moscow APN Military Bulletin at AG request and on 1 November will take over coverage of the OMAN DAILY OBSERVER and 'UMAN, which are no longer available in Amman. 5. Cologne Unit: The unit received congratulations from Chief, Operations Group for its handling of the 15 October Bundestag speeches by FRG Chancellor Kohl and Foreign Minister Genscher. B. Communications 1. Internet: The system was down from 11 to 21 October because of a fault on the BMAC encoder. The fledgling Nicosia Tehran tape program had to be diverted to Washington, while London simply ceased sending for the duration of the downtime. 2. The bureau communications center once again proved its backstop capability when it protected all Austrian, Bureau originated traffic (some 1,600 messages) from 29 September through 16 October while Austria resolved a garbling problem on its primary circuit. Then on 29 October, London handled all urgent material for Headquarters via the dedicated circuit when the Reston CPU failed for 3 hours. 3. The semi-annual traffic report, which fell due the week of 18-24 October, carried a record high daily average wordage of 115,771. C. Lateral Services 1. PMU filed a PRAVDA article on "Video: Present and Future" VCX to the American Embassy in Moscow at the request of the embassy's press section. 2. Hong Kong Bureau conveyed to London the USIS representative's appreciation for PMU's translation of a 26 August IZVESTIYA article on U.S. arms to Taiwan. Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/19: CIA-RDP94-00798R000200230007-3 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/19: CIA-RDP94-00798R000200230007-3 3. An urgent request from Ambassador Price's staff for an interview with former NATO Commander Rogers in the Turkish paper HURRIYET was passed to Nicosia Bureau, which was able to meet a very short deadline and process the pertinent part of the interview for the ambassador before he departed post on TDY. Personnel Senior editor departed for Headquarters PCS on 9 speed up delivery of classified material between the bureau and the Embassy -- IF she can arrange a flexible sitter service for her toddler son. entered on duty 26 October, a welcome development which will New part-time administrative assistant/courier Bureau associate editors Tabulator Chief were presented Special Achievement Awards with cash emolument for outstanding performances in their respective fields. Bureau drivers Driving Awards tor their the past year. 5. Teletype operator service pin. supervisor F 6. Bureau technician 9. Islamabad: Local FSN employee following a short illness. superior received Safe performances on the road over was presented with a 20-year s were passed to teletype shift Joperators and PMU media analyst 7. Teletype shift supervisor was declared fit for duty on the 12th following a long recuperation from heart surgery in mid-July. 8. Teletypist submitted her resignation effective 7 November to accompany her husband on a transfer out of the area. A replacement has been placed in processing. officers Internet discussions. To the bureau: editor en route Headquarters Sovie~_analyst_ an tours and briefings; ICCS Chief to Tel Aviv PCS, and the 13th for bureau sat project on the 27th for Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/19: CIA-RDP94-00798R000200230007-3 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/19: CIA-RDP94-00798R000200230007-3 From ureau: Engineer and Communications Deputy 0 STAT to Landsec House in London and Madley for talks with BTI STAT STAT cc: Chief, Austria Bureau Chief, Cologne Unit Chief, Islamabad Unit Chief, Okinawa Bureau Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/06/19: CIA-RDP94-00798R000200230007-3