Message from the President of the Telecommunications Authority of the Republic of Turkey

All over the world today, telecommunications and information technologies move at an incredible pace which becomes more and more difficult to catch up with and control. In this context, the main idea on which all the countries have agreed is to offer these ever-developing technologies to the use of humankind under equal opportunities and conditions. However, the need for single-handed conduct of such a mission has always been felt along with an authority to coordinate. That authority has been ITU for years. It has been very successful in performing its task, and the success it has achieved has been continued extending up to the new millennium as well.

ITU's roots date back to the establishment of International Telegraph Union, of which the Convention was signed in 1865 by 20 founding members including Turkey. The Ottoman Empire had actively participated in the work for the establishment of the Union. Despite her continuous participation in relevant activities of ITU over a period of 135 years, since then, Turkey had not made a significant contribution until the year 2000.

As all of us know, we hosted the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-2000) in Istanbul in the year 2000. WRC-2000 was Turkey's first significant contribution to the ITU. This time, we are hosting the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-02) in Istanbul between the dates of 18-27 March 2002. This is the second important contribution that Turkey will make to the ITU.

WRC-2000 was organized by Turkey's main telecommunications operator, Türk Telekom, of which I happened to be the Director General at that time. Remarkable developments have taken place in the field of telecommunications in Turkey since then. One of them is the establishment of the Telecommunications Authority as the independent regulatory body. This time, WTDC-02 is being arranged by the Telecommunications Authority, of which the Presidency is held by myself. Both events are the sources of pride for my country, for those two organizations of ours, and of course my part. Especially, the chairmanship of WRC-2000 that I performed and nomination of myself for chairmanship of WTDC-02 are very great honours for me.

In full consciousness of the fact that serving ITU is serving humanity, Turkey has already taken action for the third important contribution to the ITU. Now, we wish to serve it as a member of the ITU Council which we, unfortunately, could not have the opportunity to serve over a period of 50 years. Among our other wishes are to make further contributions and host some of the ITU's future activities in Turkey again.

Trusting that WTDC-02 will contribute much to all the world's inhabitants, to the world telecommunications sector and especially to the telecommunication needs of the least developed countries, I wish the delegates a very successful and fruitful conference. Expressing the great pleasure we have in seeing the esteemed members of ITU-D sector here in Turkey, I am looking forward to meeting you all in Istanbul.

Fatih Mehmet YURDAL
Message from the President of the Telecommunication Authority of the Republic of Turkey