ambassador speeches

Remarks in honor of the 10th anniversary of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Prague

September 12, 2005

Good morning.  It is an honor to be here today to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Prague with so many honored guests from the Czech Republic and the United States, including: Prime Minister Paroubek, Interior Minister Bublan, former President Vaclav Havel and Governor Hirschberg.  It is equally a pleasure to be surrounded by so many of those who support the mission of RFE/RL – or the “Radios” as many people call them.  

For more than two centuries, Americans have celebrated July 4 as a commemoration of independence and liberty.  It is a pleasure for me to note that we share both the date and meaning of our special independence day with RFE/RL, as July 4, has played an equally important role in the history of the radios.  The first radio broadcasts to then-Czechoslovakia began on July 4, 1950 from West Germany, at a moment in history when no one could have imagined that RFE/RL would one day to spreading its message of democracy and free speech from Prague itself.  Yet, that is what happened.  In a seminal and symbolic change, again on July 4, 1994, the President of the U.S. formally accepted on offer from President Havel and the Czech government to relocate the radios to Prague.  This move, in addition to keeping the radios viable economically in the post Cold War world, also allowed them to re-design operations and expand operations into new territories and technologies, ensuring that their message promoting democratic values and institutions would continue into the 21st century.  

The success of RFE/RL here in Prague would not have been possible without the staunch support of the national and Prague city governments.   After September 11, officials here took on the responsibility of providing additional security support to the headquarters building.  Support for the radios has not wavered despite the difficulties presented by foreign governments who do not appreciate having an unfettered and free media reaching out to their citizens from Prague.  At the same time, the Czech government has assisted with many of the petty obstacles that can crop up with having a large, diverse international presence in their midst, from questions of immigration and visas to tax laws, and I would like to commend the many people who have stepped in at different times to provide essential services to keep the radios staffed and broadcasting in Prague.  And I am pleased to note that the commitment of the radios to Prague mirrors that of Prague to the radios.  In July of this year, RFE/RL President Tom Dine signed an agreement to build a new headquarters in Prague, a move which will provide for a more secure location and allow the radios to continue their important mission in this city that is itself one of the finest examples of the change that can happen when democracy, free media and freedom of speech triumph over a dictatorial and repressive regime.

Finally, no message of appreciation would be complete without an acknowledgment of the significant achievements of Tom Dine, RFE/RL’s President for the past seven years.  Tom will be leaving the radios at the end of October, but his legacy will live on in the expanded services and evolving role and mission of RFE/RL.  Tom guided the radios to where they are today, and their expansion and success are due in large part to the support that Tom has garnered in the U.S. Congress, and his efforts to emphasize the importance of the role that the radios continue to play.  Tom has been a leading advocate of democratic values and institutions, and we will miss him.  Tom, you have my best wishes for success in your next assignment and the thanks of so many people here for all that you have achieved.  

Thank you.