SUMMARY OF ROUNDTABLE SHOWS NEED TO CONTINUE U.S. SUPPORT FOR RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY

(Washington, D.C.): As important oversight hearings concerning
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty get underway in the House
International Relations Committee today, the Center for Security
Policy, the Nixon Center for Peace and Freedom and National
Review magazine published a summary of the recent Roundtable
Discussion on the Future of RFE/RL that they jointly sponsored
last month. This nine-page summary of the highlights of the
proceedings documents the strong case for continuing U.S.
government underwriting of the “Freedom Radios” and
concludes: “The Roundtable clearly showed that the
imminent elimination of the Czech service and the subsequent
termination of all remaining U.S. government support for RFE/RL
should be promptly reconsidered.”

Among the distinguished participants in the Roundtable were
Senators Jon Kyl (R-AZ) and Joseph Biden
(D-DE); Malcolm “Steve” Forbes, Jr.,
former Chairman of the Board for International Broadcasting; Ambassador
Michael Zantovsky, the Czech Ambassador to the United
States; and Kevin Klose, the President of
RFE/RL. Also present were current and former international
broadcasters including senior representatives of the U.S.
Information Agency, Voice of America and RFE/RL; past and present
members of the Freedom Radios’ presidentially appointed oversight
boards; congressional staff; and members of the press.

The summary itemizes key considerations — including those
arising from the changing geopolitical environment and the
substantial economies achieved since the Freedom Radios’
headquarters were relocated to Prague — that give rise to the
assessment that RFE/RL have a unique and — if anything
— actually increasingly important role to play in
promoting the principles of freedom and economic opportunity to
audiences yearning for both, but not yet assured they will be
allowed permanently to enjoy either.

To obtain a copy of the Summary of the
Roundtable Discussion on the Future of RFE/RL, please contact
the Center for Security Policy.