 |
 |
 |
|
|
||
|
Telephone: +41 22 730 6039
Fax: +41 22 730 5939
E-mail: pressinfo@itu.int
by David Hartley (Australia)
Chairman of Working Party 1 of the Expert Group for WRC-97
Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT)
The agenda of the 1997 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-97) is very extensive, with many complex issues to be addressed on the basis of proposals from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Member countries. The Report of the Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM) to WRC-97 contains the essential technical and regulatory/procedural information and advice resulting from the relevant and very extensive studies of the Radiocommunication Sector (ITU–R). The Report of the Director of the Radiocommunication Bureau (BR) on the results of the ITU–R studies arising from Resolution 18 (Review of the ITU’s frequency coordination and planning framework for satellite networks), which was passed by the Plenipotentiary Conference in Kyoto in 1994, contains many recommendations for action on the issues raised in this Resolution.
Experience gained from the 1992 World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC-92) and WRC-95 and the increasing scope and complexity of WRC agendas had indicated the need for some new approaches if the ITU was to continue to deal with the issues successfully and in a timely way. This led to informal discussions between countries and to more formal consideration by the Radiocommunication Advisory Group (RAG). Some new initiatives have resulted in Region 3 and on a worldwide basis.
In addition to the setting up of arrangements for coordination on a worldwide basis in preparing for the WRC, the formation of a WRC Expert Group by the APT has, for the first time, enabled the development of common proposals for Region 3.
Coordination of regional and worldwide proposals
At its meeting in February 1996, RAG discussed the organization of preparatory work for WRC-97 and agreed that there was an urgent need to improve coordination between countries. Proposals to the Conference should be harmonized as far as possible, and contentious issues should be identified at an early stage so that dialogue could take place and ways of resolving differences could be explored. Following the meeting, a number of countries agreed to set up the Informal Group for WRC-97 preparations. Australia and Japan are Members for Region 3, Brazil, Canada and the United States for Region 2, and Region 1 Members comprise representatives for Africa, the Arab countries and Europe.
The Members of the group agreed to exchange information and views and to act as links to other countries in their respective regions, thus forming a widespread network to disseminate information and facilitate consultations. Items expected to be contentious were listed and coordinators were identified in each case.
The group continues to work by correspondence, meeting only when some or all Members were present at meetings such as RAG and during the APT meeting in Seoul.
Developments in Region 3
At the APT Information Meeting prior to WRC-95 the Region 3 countries that were present discussed the need to set up a WRC preparatory group to enable better coordination of regional views and proposals to WRCs. The success of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) preparatory group in Europe, the progress of the Inter-American Telecommunications Commission (CITEL) group in the Americas and the Arab and African groups in Region 1, made it clear that a similar group for Region 3 was necessary. It was agreed that the APT should be asked to set up a WRC preparatory group.
In November 1995 the APT decided to set up the Expert Group for WRC-97, and preparatory work commenced in April 1996. The group is chaired by India, and its three working parties are chaired by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) (HF broadcasting and broadcasting satellite), Australia (regulatory, maritime and Resolution 18), and Japan (mobile-satellite, fixed-satellite, space science and fixed services).
The first meeting of the group was held in Bangkok (2–4 April 1997) and produced the APT provisional views and proposals for WRC-97 which were distributed to all Region 3 countries and to Members of the Informal Group for WRC-97 preparations for the information of countries in Regions 1 and 2. They were also submitted to the CPM and to the ITU–R groups working on the revision of the broadcasting-satellite service (BSS) Plans.
The second meeting of the Expert Group was held in the form of the APT Regional Meeting for WRC-97 in Seoul (28 July–1 August 1997), with the objective of developing the APT Common Proposals to WRC-97.
The second meeting was attended by 175 participants representing members, associate members, affiliate members of APT and the international and regional organizations. Representatives of CITEL and CEPT provided information on their proposals to WRC-97. The International Mobile Satellite Organization (Inmarsat) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) also presented their views. All the sessions were open and this enabled comments and advice on particular topics to be sought from CEPT, CITEL and others during discussions and development of the APT proposals. This provided valuable input and also enabled them to see for themselves how the APT views were emerging. This was welcomed by all participants as a very important element in the process of harmonizing views to the greatest possible extent prior to the Conference.
The outcome was 26 separate documents containing 33 distinct parts to facilitate the process of assessment by individual Member countries which will be able to add their names to those documents they support. While nearly all of the proposals were agreed unanimously, a few were strongly supported, but not agreed by all and these form separate parts of the documents.
The APT common proposals cover the whole range of WRC-97 agenda items, including regulatory and procedural matters, HF broadcasting, maritime, broadcasting-satellite, mobile-satellite and fixed-satellite services, space science services, fixed services, Resolution 18 and the agenda for WRC-99.
This is the first time that agreed regional proposals have been developed for Region 3. It is a significant step forward in terms of cohesion in the region as well as providing considerable assistance for successful completion of the WRC itself. The main advantage to the ITU-WRC process is the combining of various countries’ individual proposals into a set of regional proposals. The APT meeting enabled various differences between country proposals to be resolved through a regional discussion process. Such a process tends to remove proposals which receive no support, to improve the quality of proposals and generates a better and wider understanding of the issues. These factors contribute directly to the reduction of the total volume of proposals to be considered by the WRC, facilitate the efficient handling of less controversial matters and achieve a clearer focus on the more difficult issues.
The final step will be the coordination of the efforts of APT and ITU Region 3 Member countries to promote the APT proposals during the Conference, and to work together to achieve the best possible results. This will necessarily require negotiation of compromises where there are contentious issues and proposals from other regions. This process will be helped considerably by the success of the APT regional meeting which has established good working relationships, and a better understanding of the issues and the needs of different countries in all three ITU regions.
The array of issues facing WRC-97 is formidable. The Conference has many very substantial issues to address concerning the satellite services, space science services, maritime and other terrestrial services including HF broadcasting, as well as setting the agenda for WRC-99 and a provisional agenda for WRC-01. The extensive preparatory work and coordination within and between regions has paved the way for early decisions on many matters, and this should enable the conference to focus its major efforts on the more difficult issues. Achieving a successful outcome will depend more than ever on good management and a high degree of cooperation among the numerous countries and delegates expected to participate in WRC-97.
The APT meeting in Seoul clearly demonstrated the benefits of cooperation at the regional level and the advantages of participation by representatives of other regions.
This text is an extract from ITU News 8/97
*NDLR For the purpose of radio conferences, the world is divided into three regions:
This definition is an interpretation of provision 392 of the Radio Regulations for use by the media and does not confer to it any legal or official character.