DISCUSSION ITEM (SANITIZED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00714R000100040006-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 18, 2007
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: September 26, 1998
• Content Type: MF

6 April 1979
MEMORANDUM. FOR: Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
1. This memorandum requests that you alert
to the possibility that CIA may make a proposal to him in the near
future regarding BBC monitoring operations in South Asia. =
2. As you know, FBIS is seeking to set up monitoring operations
as soon as possible in South Asia in response to Mr. Brzezinski's
14 November and 2 April memos to the DCI (copies attached). Since
Pakistan is off limits to FBIS at least for now, we are looking at
the Persian Gulf and India as possible alternative locations. State
believes Saudi Arabia offers our best chance of host government con-
sent in the Gulf area and is asking Amembassy Jidda reaction to a
proposal for an FBIS bureau in Dhahran. State is also asking Amembassy
New Delhi for approval of an FBIS radio reception survey in India.
We expect an initial response from Jidda by early next week. The
Delhi proposal will be discussed with Ambassador Goheen when he
visits Washington =Later this month. State sa s FBIS chances of
Indian Government approval are almost nil.
4. An FBIS radio reception survey determined that Islamabad
can significantly =improve monitoring coverage of the areas of
particular concern to Mr. Brzezinski. We believe Islamabad would
be the best location for a BBC operation. Another radio reception
survey in Doha, Qatar demonstrated that monitoring operations on
the Persian Gulf will add important additional coverage to that
possible from Islamabad or existing FBIS field bureaus, including
the western and southern regional Persian, Azerbaijani and Kurdish
broadcasts of Iran, the Baku Domestic Service, and the Yemens.
Thus FBIS believes operations in both Pakistan or India and the
Persian Gulf are needed to provide full coverage of the target
areas. F-1
SECRET
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
Approved For Release 2007/12/18: CIA-RDP83-00714R000100040006-6
 Approved For Release 2007/12/18: CIA-RDP83-00714R000100040006-6
X'LVIZG I
5. I have broached the-possibility of BBC field operations
with my counterpart John Rae, Head of the BBC Monitoring Service.
John. thinks this approach is more likely to succeed if it comes
from the U.S. Government to the British Government at high-level
and if the request is based on:
a. the need for fuller information from this area for
both governments,
b. the political obstacles to FBIS operations,
c. BBC London's long standing responsibility for
monitoring shortwave broadcasts from important parts of the
area,
e. that such operations be jointly financed.
I do not believe a formal request should be put tol 25X1
t this time, allowing us to complete consultations on the 25X1
feasibility of FBIS sett, or in) its bureaus in South Asia, but I
do suggest that you alert to the possibility that CIA 25X1
may table such a proposal in t e near future. 25X1
25X1
Foreign Broadcast Information Service
Attachments :
As stated
>
Approved For Release 2007/12/18: CIA-RDP83-00714R000100040006-6