Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05PRAGUE1132
2005-08-01 14:35:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Prague
Cable title:  

RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY ANNOUNCES CONTRACT

Tags:  PREL PHUM ASEC EZ 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS PRAGUE 001132 

SIPDIS

FOR R AND EUR/NCE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM ASEC EZ
SUBJECT: RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY ANNOUNCES CONTRACT
FOR NEW HEADQUARTERS


UNCLAS PRAGUE 001132

SIPDIS

FOR R AND EUR/NCE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM ASEC EZ
SUBJECT: RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY ANNOUNCES CONTRACT
FOR NEW HEADQUARTERS



1. (U) On July 28, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
announced that it had signed a contract with a local
developer to build a new, more secure headquarters building
for its approximately 600 employees. The signing of the
build-to-lease contract marked the end of a long process,
begun after the September 11 attacks, to relocate the radios
from their current, highly vulnerable headquarters building
in downtown Prague. GOCR officials, including the Mayor of
Prague Pavel Bem and Foreign Minister Svoboda (whom the
Ambassador contacted in advance with the good news),
expressed great satisfaction with this significant step
forward. The GOCR has been very supportive of keeping the
radios in Prague, albeit at a more secure location, and has
already transferred a donation for the move (of approximately
$1.2 million) to an escrow account in Washington. The Czech
Ambassador to Washington is expected to release the money
upon confirmation that the lease is formally signed.


2. (U) RFE/RL issued a news release announcing the signing
of the contract, as did Orco, the developer selected to build
the new headquarters in the Prague 10 district. News
coverage was generally straightforward and positive in all
news outlets. The radios plan to host a media event
celebrating the new contract on September 12, in conjunction
with a planned celebration commemorating their 10 years in
Prague. Important past and present GOCR officials (including
former President Vaclav Havel, who was responsible for
bringing the radios to Prague in 1995) and the Ambassador are
expected to attend.

Visit Prague's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/prague/index. cfm
CABANISS