USIA: Agreement Signed to Continue U.S. Broadcasting Presence in Greece (95-05-20)

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From: The U.S. Information Agency (USIA) Gopher <gopher://gopher.usia.gov>

Agreement Signed to Continue U.S. Broadcasting Presence in Greece

(Tsilas, Duffey sign agreement May 20) (500)

The agreement, which is renewable for an additional five years, allows for rebroadcast of Voice of America (VOA) programs to third countries from the Kavala and Rhodes Relay Station facilities in Greece. Another provision, which covers rebroadcast of Radio Free Liberty/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) programs to third countries from Kavala, is limited to four years and is also renewable. The agreement must be ratified by the Greek Parliament.

In a ceremony at the Voice of America headquarters, Duffey particularly thanked Tsilas for his role in bringing the agreement to completion.

There has not been an official agreement between the two governments on this matter since December 1978. Bilateral talks between the United States and Greece regarding continuing status of the two U.S. relay station facilities in Greece were successfully completed in November 1995.

"Over the years of the existence of the United States and modern Greece," said Tsilas, "our countries stood side by side, fought side by side, and shared the same ideas and beliefs. This agreement is a reflection of our common belief in the same ideas, and it is an expression of our common effort to make this relationship ever more vivid, modern, and alive."

Duffey expressed a similar theme, citing "the spirit of friendship and cooperation between our countries." After signing the agreement on behalf of their governments, Tsilas and Duffey toasted each other.

The U.S.-Greek agreement also allows for installation of a Ku-band receive-only station at the Kavala Relay Station for the purpose of beginning RFE/RL program transmissions, and installation of Satellite Interconnect System, transmit/receive earth stations at the Kavala and Rhodes stations for both VOA and Hellenic Radio program feeds.

The initial cost to implement the agreement is $31 million.

The Kavala Relay Station is a dual medium wave/shortwave facility, one of the largest in the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) network. (IBB is the Bureau that includes all broadcasting functions of the U.S. Information Agency.) The relay station provides coverage to Eastern Europe; the Commonwealth of Independent States (former Soviet Union); Middle East; South Asia; and North and East Africa.

VOA's broadcasting presence in Greece began in 1948 with an agreement that established a radio relay station at Thessaloniki in northern Greece. Under subsequent agreements, the Kavala and Rhodes Relay stations were constructed. The first broadcasts were transmitted from Kavala on April 17, 1972.

The Rhodes Relay Station is a dual medium wave/shortwave facility that delivers VOA programs to the Middle East and Northeast Africa. VOA broadcasts from the Rhodes Relay Station were first heard on May 19, 1964.

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