MONTHLY REPORT -- NICOSIA BUREAU -- OCTOBER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86-00040R000300570003-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 8, 2010
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: November 5, 1985
• Content Type: MEMO

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MNC-5127
5 November 1985
MEMORANDUM FOR. Director, Foreign Broadcast Information Service
THROUGH. Chief, Operations Group
SUBJECT. Monthly Report -- Nicosia Bureau -- October
A. Construction of the new bureau began early in the month. Excavation
work on the building's foundations has been completed and at month's and
work was progressing on pouring the foundations and structural columns.
Excavation of the. foundations for the security wall around the site were
to begin in early November. On the paperfrant, the bureau's project team
spent most of the month correcting oversights and inconsistencies in the
drawings and specifications. The five major subcontracts covering
mechanical, electrical, security, and standby generator systems, as well
as interference-free lighting fixtures, were awarded after a thorough
analysis of the bids.
1. In light of AFP reports citing the 7 October seizure of the
Italian cruiseship "Achille Lauro" by Palestinian commandos off the coast
of Egypt and their threat to kill the U.S. passengers aboard if their
demands were not broadcast over Egyptian radio and television, the bureau
implemented a crisis scheduling plan to ensure 24-hour coverage of
monitorable Cairo media. At the Wire's request, the bureau's sole Hebrew
monitor was called in to cover Tel Aviv IDF radio and Jerusalem Domestic
Service during Tel Aviv Bureau's hours of closure on the night of 7-8
October. Upon receipt of an 8 October Paris Radio Monte Carlo report that
the vessel was sailing in the direction of Cyprus, the bureau also placed
Nicosia radio on open watch until the transmitter signed off. Through
these coverage efforts, the bureau was able to keep local embassy officers
and headquarters components thoroughly apprised of breaking developments
in the hijacking via media behavior FYI's and wirefiled items.
On 9 October, with monitored Egyptian radios confirming the hijackers'
surrender to Egyptian authorities in Port Said, the bureau stood down from
its 24-hour watch. We continued to file liberally in the aftermath of the
hijacking, however, focusing on Egyptian media reports and comment on the
interception of the aircraft carrying the Palestinian hijackers by U.S.
warplanes and the subsequent demonstration staged in Cairo in protest of
this action.
2. In response to ongoing Wire interest in the fate of the U.S.
citizens who continue to be held captive in Lebanon, the bureau made a
special effort to rapidly obtain copies of the 4 and 12 October issues of
the Beirut newspaper AL-NAHAR, which published statements by the Islamic
Jihad organization on the "execution" of American hostage William Buckley.
Per Wire request, the 12 October edition, which contained a photograph
alleged to be of Mr. Buckley's body, was pouched to headquarters.
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Page 2--MNC-5127, October Monthly Report
3. The clandestine Radio Free Lebanon (RFL), affiliated with the
Christian Lebanese Forces, has been unheard at Nicosia Bureau on its
mediumwave frequency since 3 October. On 5 October, the Beirut Voice of
Lebanon, a station originally associated with the Phalangist Party but
taken over by the Lebanese Forces in September, broadcast a statement from
the Lebanese Forces Executive Committee's Information Department
indicating that RFL had ceased mediumwave transmission "for several days"
for maintenance but that its FM transmissions would continue. We have been
unable to confirm the continuation of FM transmission because of seasonal
propagation conditions. Our Arabic and cruising monitors suspect that
RFL's cessation of broadcasting is linked to the September takeover of the
radio, in that the Lebanese Forces do not require two stations.
4. The 2 October edition of Beirut AL-NAHAR published a report that
the "Syriac League in Lebanon" has inaugurated its own radio station,
known as the Voice of the Syriacs, which is not to be politically
oriented, according to League Chairman Habib Afram. The new radio has not
been heard in Nicosia to date.
5. A station identifying itself as "Radio Delta" and indicating
that it is directed at "Beirut, north Lebanon, the mountain and Cyprus" is
being heard at Nicosia 0550-2100 GMT daily. Its programming consists
entirely of entertainment and advertisements in Arabic.
6. The bureau has assumed coverage of a new Turkish newspaper,
Istanbul HURGUN in Turkish, which purports to pursue "respect for
democracy" in its reportage and comment. Its editorials to date suggest
that it will serve as an opposition paper.
1. Work continued on cleanup and final antenna tuning at the Lara
remote site. The antenna configuration there includes three long wires, a
sloping long wire, a monopole, a Ras-10 dipole, a 30x15-foot loop for HF
coverage, and two rotatable antennas (one FM and one Band III) for VHF
coverage. We also have use of two antennas owned by CYTA, one an HF Hermes
loop and the other a tower-mounted FM antenna. Thus, we now have four more
antennas than were available at our previous site, in a configuration that
provides significant improvement in our reception, particularly of Greek
transmitters.
2. One Sharp VHS multistandard videocassette recorder, Model
VC-5M6E, was purchased for the bureau.
1. Regional Engineer spent 8-14 October TDY at Gulf STAT
Bureau to repair and s ng on the bureau's emergency generator.
STAT 2. Deputy Chief returned to duty 29 October following
stateside R&R.
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Page 2--MNC-5127, October Monthly report
1. FBIS deputy director, and Mr. ~ STAT
chief/ESO, visited the bureau 16-19 October.
STAT
Bureau Chief
Nicosia Bureau
ATTACMMIENTi Production Report
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Nicosia Bureau Production Report for October 1985
I.
TOTAL
TOTALS FROM ALL SOURCES:
PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH:
314220
TOTAL
NON-PUBLISHABLE WORDAGE FILED DURING MONTH:
88020
TOTAL
NUMBER OF PUBLISHABLE ITEMS FILED DURING MONTH:
1031
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
II. INPUT OF REGULAR COVERAGE: 8565.00 22260.00 117.00
(minutes or issues per week) min. min. issues
III. OUTPUT FROM ALL SOURCES:
(publishable words per month)
CHINA
Beijing in
Persian to Iran
CLANDESTINE (LEVANT)
(Clandestine) Radio Free Lebanon in
Arabic
(Clandestine) Voice of the Mountain in
Arabic
CYPRUS
Nicosia Domestic Service in
Greek
*Nicosia Television Service in
Greek
Nicosia Cyprus MAIL in
English
Nicosia ELEVTHEROTIPIA in
Greek
Nicosia I SIMERINI in
Greek
Nicosia I SIMERINI tis DHEFTERAS in
Greek
Nicosia KHARAVYI in
Greek
Nicosia KHARAVYI tis DHEFTERAS in
Greek
Nicosia 0 FILELEVTHEROS in
Greek
Nicosia 0 FILELEVTHEF:OS tis
DHEFTERAS in
Greek
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*Nicosia PRESS AND INFORMATION
OFFICE in
English
EGYPT
Cairo Domestic Service in
Arabic
*Cairo Voice of the Arabs in
Arabic
Cairo MENA in
Arabic
Cairo MENA in
English
FRANCE
Paris AFP in
English
GREECE
Athens Domestic Service in
Greek
Athens ATHENS NEWS in
English
Athens ELEVTHEROTIPIA in
Greek
Athens I KATHIMERINI in
Greek
Athens KIRIAKATIKI ELEVTHEROTIPIA in
Greek
Athens RIZOSPASTIS in
Greek
IRAQ
Baghdad in
Persian to Iran
ISRAEL
*Jerusalem Domestic Service in
Hebrew
*Tel Aviv IDF Radio in
Hebrew
ITALY
*Rome ANSA in
English
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
BROAD- PRESS
1970
5760
C)
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LEBANON
Beirut Domestic Service in
Arabic
Beirut Voice of Lebanon in
Arabic
*Beirut Voice of Lebanon in
English
Beirut Ihdin Radio of Free & Unified
Lebanon in
Arabic
Beirut AL NAHAR in
Arabic
Beirut AL_SAFIR in
Arabic
Beirut MONDAY MORNING in
English
LIBYA
Tripoli Domestic Service in
Arabic
BROAD- PRESS PUBLI-
CASTS AGENCIES CATIONS
41980
35800
230
4430
1070
3230
TURKEY
Ankara YANKI in
Turkish
0
*Istanbul BULVAR in
Turkish
370
Istanbul CUMHURIYET in
Turkish
4340
Istanbul DUNYA in
Turkish
0
Istanbul GUNAYDIN in
Turkish
890
*Istanbul GUNES in
Turkish
1490
Istanbul HURRIYET in
Turkish
1820
Istanbul MILLIYET in
Turkish
1680
Istanbul TERCUMAN in
Turkish
490
UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS
Moscow in
Greek to Cyprus
Moscow in
Persian to Iran
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