U.S. Bills Soviets for $29 Million on Embassy Building
The United States has presented the Soviet Union with claims for $29 million in damages for shoddy workmanship and construction delays in building the new U.S. Embassy office building in Moscow, which is to be completely razed and rebuilt under recommendations made public by President Reagan on Thursday.
State Department officials, who disclosed the U.S. claims Thursday, said further bills for damage from alleged “Soviet penetration” of the structure are being considered.
The additional bill, based on the belief that the Soviets implanted spying devices, will await final decisions on the new building, according to State Department spokeswoman Nyoka White.
Confirming reports that the embassy will be replaced, Reagan said as he walked to his helicopter to begin a campaign trip Thursday morning that the United States has “no choice” but to tear down the nearly complete eight-story building because the facility is riddled with eavesdropping devices.
“There’s no way to rid it of the many listening devices that were built into it,” Reagan said in a shouted exchange with reporters. “We have to do it (tear it down). We have no choice.”
Officials estimated the cost of rebuilding at $300 million.
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