IX. The International Telecommunication Union

IX. The International Telecommunication Union

A. ORIGIN AND HISTORY

The Convention establishing an InternationalTelegraph Union was signed at Paris on May 17,1865, by the plenipotentiaries of twenty foundingStates: Austria, Baden, Bavaria, Belgium, Den-mark, France, Greece, Hanover, Italy, Netherlands,Norway, Portugal, Prussia, Russia, Saxony, Spain.Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and Württemberg. In1885, at Berlin, the first regulations relating tointernational telephone services were inserted inthe Telegraph Regulations annexed to the UnionConvention.

A preliminary meeting of nine states was heldin 1903 in Berlin to consider communicationbetween ships and the land. This was followed bythe first International Radio-telegraph Conference,held at Berlin in 1906, to which all the maritimecountries in the world were invited. Twenty-sevenstates became signatories to the Radio-telegraphConvention of November 3, 1906, establishing theprinciple of compulsory intercommunication be-tween vessels at sea and the land. Furthermore, 21states made intercommunication between vesselsat sea compulsory. Thus the Radio-telegraph Unioncame into being.

On December 9, 1932, the first InternationalTelecommunication Convention was signed atMadrid. This Convention provided for the fusionof the International Telegraph Union and theInternational Radio-telegraph Union into a singleorganization. The new organization, the Inter-national Telecommunication Union, came into be-ing on January 1, 1934. The Madrid Conventionwas revised in 1947 by a Plenipotentiary Confer-ence held at Atlantic City, New Jersey. Signed by72 countries on October 2, 1947, the Atlantic CityConvention was to come into force on January 1,1949. Various provisions of the revised Conven-tion, however, came into force in 1948 on aninterim basis.

Following is a full list of the conferences held todate by the International TelecommunicationUnion and its two predecessors: Telegraph Confer-ences: Paris, 1865; Vienna, 1868; Rome, 1872;St. Petersburg, 1875; London, 1879; Berlin, 1885;Paris, 1890; Budapest, 1896; London, 1903; Lis-bon, 1908; Paris, 1925; Brussels, 1928; Madrid,1932; Cairo, 1938. Radio Conferences: Berlin,1906; London, 1912; Washington, 1927; Madrid,1932; Cairo, 1938; Atlantic City, 1947.

B. PURPOSES AND FUNCTIONS

The purposes of ITU, as set forth in Article 3 ofthe International Telecommunication Convention,Atlantic City, 1947, are:

"(a) to maintain and extend international cooperationfor the improvement and rational use of tele-communication of all kinds;

"(b) to promote the development of technical facil-ities and their most efficient operation with aview to improving the efficiency of telecom-munication services, increasing their usefulnessand making them, so far as possible, generallyavailable to the public;

"(c) to harmonize the actions of nations in the at-tainment of those common ends."

To achieve these purposes, the Union undertakesto:

"(a) effect allocation of the radio frequency spectrumand registration of radio frequency assignmentsin order to avoid harmful interference betweenradio stations of different countries;

1For further details concerning the origin and activities

of ITU, see the report of the International Telecommuni-cation Union to the United Nations (E/812), FinalActs of the International Telecommunication and RadioConferences, Atlantic City, 1947 and the Telecommuni-cation Journal, issues from July 1947 to October 1948,inclusive. See also Bibliography of this Yearbook, Ap-pendix III.

The International Telecommunication Union 925

"(b) foster collaboration among its Members andAssociate Members with a view to the estab-lishment of rates at levels as low as possibleconsistent with an efficient service and takinginto account the necessity for maintaining inde-pendent financial administration of telecom-munication on a sound basis;

"(c) promote the adoption of measures for ensuringthe safety of life through the cooperation oftelecommunication service;

"(d) undertake studies, formulate recommendations,and collect and publish information on tele-communication matters for the benefit of allMembers and Associate Members."

C. ORGANIZATION

As originally organized, ITU was an agencywhich, meeting at long intervals, drew up regula-tions governing radio, telephone and telegraphcommunications. It was necessary to change thewhole structure of the organization to deal withthe rapid technical developments of recent years.The revised Convention adopted at Atlantic Cityby the Plenipotentiary Telecommunication Confer-ence strengthens the functions and responsibilitiesof those organs established under the Madrid Con-vention, and in addition provides for continuingsupervisory and co-ordination functions through anAdministrative Council, and for additional tech-nical functions through an International FrequencyRegistration Board (I.F.R.B.). Although theAtlantic City Convention, in accordance with itsterms, was not to come into force until January 1,1949, as decided by the Conference, these two newbodies held their first meetings in September 1947to elect their officers, and began their operationson a provisional basis in January 1948.

As at present organized, the structure of ITUconsists of a Plenipotentiary Conference, Adminis-trative Conferences and the permanent organs ofthe Union: the Administrative Council, the Gen-eral Secretariat, the International Frequency Regis-tration Board, the International Telegraph Con-sultative Committee (C.C.I.T.), the InternationalTelephone Consultative Committee (C.C.I.F.) andthe International Radio Consultative Committee(C.C.I.R.).2

The supreme organ of the Union is the Pleni-potentiary Conference, at which all Members of theUnion may be represented. It considers the reportof the Administrative Council on the activities ofthe Union; establishes the basis for ITU's budgetfor a five-year period; approves the accounts; electsthe members of the Administrative Council; entersinto and revises formal agreements with otherinternational bodies; and deals with such telecom-munication questions as may be necessary. ThisConference normally meets once every five years,

at a place and date fixed by the preceding Confer-ence. Each Member has one vote in the Union.Decisions can be taken only when at least one halfof the accredited delegations are present or repre-sented. Decisions on the admission of a new Mem-ber to ITU require a two-thirds majority. Allother decisions of ITU are taken by majority vote.

Administrative Conferences, at which all Mem-bers may be represented, generally meet at the sametime and place as the Plenipotentiary Conference.The Administrative Telegraph and Telephone Con-ference and the Administrative Radio Conferencerevise and draft new telecommunication regulationswith which they are respectively concerned. TheAdministrative Radio Conference, moreover, electsthe members of the I.F.R.B. and reviews its activ-ities. Regional administrative conferences andspecial international administrative conferences todeal with special telecommunication questions arealso held.

The Administrative Council is composed ofeighteen Members of ITU elected by the Pleni-potentiary Conference. The Council supervises theUnion's administrative functions between sessionsof the Plenipotentiary Conference, reviews and ap-proves the annual budget, appoints the Secretary-General and the two Assistant Secretaries-Generalof the Union and co-ordinates the work of ITUwith that of other international organizations. TheCouncil normally meets at the seat of the Uniononce a year and at such other times as it thinksnecessary, or at the request of six of its members.The Secretary-General of the Union acts as Secre-tary of the Administrative Council.

In the new organization decided on at AtlanticCity, the General Secretariat succeeds the Bureauof the International Telecommunication Union,

2 The official abbreviations, C.C.I.T., C.C.I.F., andC.C.I.R., derive from the French titles of these consulta-tive committees: Comité consultatif international télé-graphique, Comité consultatif international téléphoniqueand Comité consultatif international des radiocommunica-tions.

926 Yearbook of the United Nations

which had been located at Berne since 1868(at that time under the International TelegraphUnion); Geneva was selected by the Atlantic CityPlenipotentiary Conference as the new headquar-ters of ITU.3 Throughout 1948 the activities of theGeneral Secretariat were under the control of theSwiss Confederation, as was the case with theBureau, especially with regard to financial and per-sonnel matters. On January 1, 1949, however, asprovided by the Plenipotentiary Conference, thesupervisory responsibilities for the administrationof the Union were to be assumed by the Adminis-trative Council. Under the direction of the Secre-tary-General, the General Secretariat carries out thesecretariat work preparatory to and followingconferences of the Union, publishes the recom-mendations and principal reports of the permanentorgans of the Union, international or regional tele-communication agreements, a journal of generalinformation and documentation concerning tele-communication (Telecommunication Journal),general data and other official documents of theUnion. The Secretariat also prepares, for submis-sion to the Administrative Council, an annualbudget and draws up an annual financial operatingaccount.

The International Frequency Registration Board(I.F.R.B.) consists of eleven members appointedby as many states elected on a regional basis by theAdministrative Radio Conference. Each regularsession of the Administrative Radio Conference

determines the number of members of I.F.R.B.The Atlantic City Radio Conference elected thefirst members. Members serve, as stated in Article6 of the Convention, not as representatives of theircountries, or of a region, but "as custodians of aninternational public trust". The I.F.R.B. records allfrequency assignments and furnishes advice toMembers of ITU with a view to the operation ofthe maximum practicable number of radio chan-nels in those portions of the spectrum where harm-ful interference may occur.

The International Telegraph Consultative Com-mittee (C.C.I.T.) studies technical, operating andtariff questions relating to telegraphy and facsimile4

and issues recommendations on them. The Inter-national Telephone Consultative Committee(C.C.I.F.) has the same duties in relation totelephony. The International Radio ConsultativeCommittee (C.C.I.R.) studies and issues recom-mendations concerning technical and operatingquestions relating to radio, the solution of whichdepends principally on considerations of a technicalradio character. The work of each consultative com-mittee is reviewed by its plenary assembly, whichnormally meets once every two years. The plenaryassembly appoints the director of the consultativecommittee concerned; study groups are establishedby the plenary assembly to deal with particularquestions. Each committee is served by a specializedsecretariat and may have the use of a laboratory andof technical installations.

D. ACTIVITIES FROM JULY 1, 1947, TO SEPTEMBER 21, 1948

The principal accomplishment of ITU duringthis period was the revision of the Internationa]Telecommunication Convention by the Pleni-potentiary Conference, which met in Atlantic Cityfrom July 2 to October 2, 1947; the revised Con-vention was scheduled to come into force onJanuary 1, 1949. As heretofore, Telegraph Regula-tions, Telephone Regulations, Radio Regulationsand Additional Radio Regulations are annexed tothe Convention. The Radio and Additional RadioRegulations were revised in 1947 at Atlantic Cityby the Administrative Radio Conference. TheTelegraph and Telephone Regulations are to berevised by the Administrative Telegraph and Tele-phone Conference, scheduled to convene in Parisin May 1949.

The Administrative Radio Conference, having

established a new table of frequency allocations tothe various services, decided that a new inter-national frequency list was to be drawn up by aProvisional Frequency Board (P.F.B.) set up forthe purpose, and by various regional and serviceconferences (which allot frequencies to stationsin a particular service, such as the maritime serv-ice). Co-ordinated work on this frequency listwas continued through 1948 by the P.F.B. with theassistance of the I.F.R.B.

The preparation of a high frequency broadcast-ing plan was entrusted to the Administrative High

3 The General Secretariat was transferred to Geneva onOctober 26, 1948.4 A s defined in the Radio Regulations, Article 1, 10,facsimile is "a system of telecommunication for the trans-mission of fixed images with a view to their reception ina permanent form".


Frequency Broadcasting Conference, which metconcurrently with the Plenipotentiary Conferenceat Atlantic City; this task was to be completed bya similar broadcasting conference scheduled toconvene in Mexico City on October 22, 1948.

The plenary assemblies of two of the Union'sconsultative committees met during the year tostudy the improvements in telegraphy and radioand make recommendations in their respectivefields.

Further details of these activities are givenbelow.

1. Plenipotentiary Conference

In addition to changing the organization ofITU, the Plenipotentiary Conference consideredthe question of membership in the Union. Accord-ing to Article 1 of the revised Convention, newMembers are admitted into the Union, if they areMembers of the United Nations or if they arelisted in Annex I to the Convention, by depositingan instrument of accession to the Convention withthe Secretary-General of ITU. Other states mustfirst have their applications for membership ap-proved by two thirds of the Members of ITU.Spain, on the one hand, and the Spanish Zone ofMorocco and the totality of Spanish Possessions,on the other hand, are, for the present, preventedfrom becoming parties to the International Tele-communication Convention of Atlantic City, inaccordance with the United Nations General As-sembly resolution debarring Franco Spain frommembership in any organization brought into rela-tionship with the United Nations.5 The telecom-munication services of the United Nations areentitled to the rights and are bound by the obliga-tions of the Convention and of the Regulationsand are accordingly entitled to be represented atall Conferences of the Union in a consultativecapacity. The Convention also provides that, undercertain conditions, Associate Members may beadmitted into the Union.

Although the Convention provides for the ap-pointment of the chief officers of the GeneralSecretariat by the Administrative Council, thePlenipotentiary Conference named as the first Sec-retary-General Franz von Ernst (Switzerland), whohad served as Director of the Bureau of ITU since1935, and as Assistant Secretaries-General LeonMulatier (France) and Gerald C. Gross (UnitedStates).

The Conference also approved an agreementestablishing the relationship of ITU with the

United Nations. The agreement came into forceprovisionally on November 15, 1947, with its sub-sequent approval by the General Assembly of theUnited Nations. It was scheduled to enter intoforce officially on January 1, 1949, at the same timeas the revised Convention.

The Final Act of the Plenipotentiary Conferencecomprises the Convention, with its 49 articles andfive annexes, the most important of which are theGeneral Regulations and the agreement betweenthe Union and the United Nations; a Final Protocolcontaining reservations made by certain signatorystates; a series of additional protocols concerning,for example, the provisional application of theterms of the Convention;6 and a series of resolu-tions, recommendations and opinions.

2. Administrative Radio Conference

The Administrative Radio Conference met inAtlantic City from May 15 to October 2, 1947.Recent scientific advances had made obsolete theRadio Regulations drawn up by the Cairo Con-ference of 1938. The Atlantic City Radio Con-ference therefore revised these regulations, which,along with the Convention, were to come into forcein part on January 1, 1949.

The revised Radio Regulations set up a newworld-wide frequency allocation table extendingup to 10,500,000 kilocycles (the Cairo Conferenceof 1938 had charted the spectrum only up to200,000 kilocycles). The Conference allocated therevised frequency bands to the various services,such as fixed service, maritime service, aeronauticalservice, and broadcasting service. Practical machin-ery for putting this new allocation into effect wasset up. Under the Cairo Regulations every coun-try was free to use any frequency on the conditionof creating no interference. The country had onlyto register its frequencies with the Bureau of ITUin Berne. With a view to developing arrangementswhich would economize spectrum space, the Con-ference established the International FrequencyRegistration Board (I.F.R.B.), and charged itwith the registration of frequencies.

5 See Yearbook of the United Nations, 1946-47, pp.129-30.

6 The texts of the International TelecommunicationConvention, its five annexes, the Final Protocol and Ad-ditional Protocols are reproduced on pp. 932-54. TheTelegraph Regulations (Cairo, 1938), Telephone Regu-lations (Cairo, 1938), and Radio Regulations (AtlanticCity, 1947), also annexed to the Convention are notincluded herein but may be obtained from the GeneralSecretariat of ITU.


3. International Frequency List

The Radio Conference further established a Pro-visional Frequency Board (P.F.B.), to prepare,with the advisory assistance of the I.F.R.B., a newinternational frequency list. When completed, thislist will form the basis of the work of the I.F.R.B.During the preparation of this list, notices of fre-quency assignments will be made in conformitywith the Cairo Radio Regulations. The list is toinclude all information concerning existing sta-tions, stations under construction, and planned sta-tions to be constructed in the near future. TheP.F.B. was to assign frequencies to fixed stations,tropical broadcasting stations, and land stations,within the frequency band between ten kilocyclesand 30,000 kilocycles. The P.F.B. was to take intoaccount the existing utilization of frequencies andthe undesirability of making unnecessary changes.

Frequency requirements from the differentcountries were assembled so that the P.F.B, assistedby the I.F.R.B., had all the material to start withthe task of assigning the required frequencies tothe different stations, after it had established tech-nical and engineering guidance.

The Administrative Radio Conference at At-lantic City had decided that special conferencescould be held to assign frequencies to regional orexclusive service bands and that the work of mak-ing these assignments should not be duplicatedby the P.F.B. In this connection, the Radio Con-ference had recognized the need for a new regionalbroadcasting agreement and a new frequency allo-cation plan for broadcasting stations of the Euro-pean area. It therefore decided to call a conferenceto draw up these instruments. The EuropeanBroadcasting Conference met in Copenhagen fromJune 25 to September 15, 1948. Prior to the Con-ference, a preparatory committee of eight statesmet in Brussels from January 15 to March 20,1948, and again from May 11 to June 9, 1948,and drew up for presentation to the Conference apreliminary draft plan for the allocation of mediumand long waves to broadcasting stations in the 33countries of the European region. The EuropeanConference fixed March 15, 1950, at 0200 hours(G.M.T.) as the date of entry into force of theEuropean Broadcasting Convention and Planannexed thereto.

Concurrently with the European BroadcastingConference, a Maritime Regional Radio Confer-ence was held in Copenhagen from June 25 toSeptember 17, 1948, to examine the frequencyrequirements of the maritime services and allocate

frequencies to European coastal stations from theNorth Sea to the Mediterranean. The Conferenceallocated frequencies within the 415-490 kc. and510-525 kc. bands to these coastal stations anddrew up lists showing these allocations for coun-tries non-signatories to the International Telecom-munication Convention as well as for the contract-ing countries. The Conference also recommendedmeasures designed to eliminate or reduce inter-ference between stations.

The Administrative Radio Conference recog-nized that frequency allocations for the aero-nautical mobile service (a radiocommunicationservice between stations on board aircraft or be-tween aircraft and land stations carrying on aservice with aircraft stations) could best be workedout by an international aviation organization. TheInternational Civil Aviation Organization wastherefore invited to participate in the AeronauticalRadio Conference called by ITU in Geneva onMay 15, 1948. Delegates of ICAO also attendedthe meetings of the preparatory committee of theConference, which met from April 26 to May 14,1948.

The P.F.B. was to integrate the allocation plansprepared by the European, maritime and aeronau-tical conferences with those which it prepared, thetotal was to be included in the draft new inter-national frequency list, to be completed by May17, 1949. The draft list was to be circulated to Mem-bers of ITU. Final decision with respect to the listwas to be taken by a special Administrative RadioConference, scheduled to convene on October 17,1949. With the approval of the international fre-quency list by the special Administrative RadioConference, the P.F.B. was to be dissolved.

4. High Frequency Broadcasting

The Administrative High Frequency Broadcast-ing Conference met in Atlantic City from August15 to October 2, 1947. The work of this Confer-ence was mainly devoted to preparing for the nextadministrative conference concerning high fre-quency broadcasting, scheduled to convene inMexico City in October 22, 1948. Although dele-gates from 78 countries at the AdministrativeRadio Conference had decided to allocate largerfrequency bands to international broadcasting, theyfailed at the High Frequency Broadcasting Con-ference to agree on the principles according towhich these bands would be used. It was thereforedecided that another administrative conferenceconcerning high frequency broadcasting should be


held in Mexico City on October 22, 1948. TheAtlantic City Conference prepared the schedule,directives and agenda for the Mexico City Con-ference, and established a Planning Committeeto prepare a draft assignment plan for the comingconference and suggest the most effective meansof implementing the proposed plan.

5. International ConsultativeCommittees

The International Telegraph Consultative Com-mittee held its sixth meeting in Brussels fromMay 11 to 27, 1948. The Committee studied theimprovements in telegraphy since its previousmeeting in 1936. In the light of these advances,it studied questions pertaining to telegraph sub-scribers' services, the revision of the system ofcharges and a European automatic switchingtelegraphic network.

The International Radio Consultative Commit-tee held its fifth meeting in Stockholm from July12 to 31, 1948.

6. Publications

In addition to the Final Act of the InternationalTelecommunication and Radio Conferences, At-lantic City, 1947, and the reports of other meet-ings held by the Union, ITU issued a large numberof technical publications during the period underreview. These include: Liste de fréquences, fif-teenth edition; Nomenclature des stations fixe (Indexà la liste des frequences pour les stations fixes enservice), with monthly supplements; Statistiquegénérale de la téléphonie, année 1946; Statistiquegénérale des radio-communications pour l'année1946; General Telegraph Statistics for the year1946; List of Aeronautical Stations and AircraftStations, eighteenth edition; Map of Coastal Sta-tions open for public correspondence, fifth edition.The last three publications listed were issued inboth English and French; the others were issuedin French.

ITU publishes a periodic TelecommunicationJournal containing general information and docu-mentation concerning telecommunication. TheJournal was issued only in French until January1948; beginning with the January issue, the Journalhas been published in English, French and Spanish.

E. BUDGET

The ordinary expenses of the Union include theexpenses pertaining to the meetings of the Ad-ministrative Council, the salaries of the staff andother expenses of the General Secretariat, theInternational Frequency Registration Board, theinternational consultative committees, and thelaboratories and technical installations created bythe Union. These expenses are borne by all Mem-bers and Associate Members.

The extraordinary expenses include all expensespertaining to plenipotentiary conferences, adminis-trative conferences, and meetings of the interna-tional consultative committees. They are borneby the Members and Associate Members who haveagreed to participate in these conferences and meet-ings. Private operating agencies and internationalorganizations contribute to the extraordinary ex-penses of the administrative conferences and themeetings of the international consultative commit-tees in which they participate, in proportion to thenumber of units corresponding to the class chosenby them. The Administrative Council may, never-theless, excuse certain international organizationsfrom contributing to these expenses.

The Atlantic City Plenipotentiary Conferenceauthorized the Administrative Council to approve,for the period 1949 to 1952, inclusive, annual pro-visions for ordinary expenses up to four millionSwiss francs per annum. Excess expenditure maybe authorized after having been approved by themajority of the Members and Associate Membersof the Union.

At its third session, held in Geneva beginningSeptember 18, 1948, the Council adopted the fol-lowing budget for 1948, within the framework setup by the Plenipotentiary Conference:

ORDINARY BUDGET:

Administrative CouncilTelegraph and Telephone DivisionRadio Division

TOTAL

EXTRAORDINARY BUDGET:Telegraph and Telephone DivisionRadio DivisionConference and Meetings (including

1,865,000 for P.F.B. and I.F.R.B.)TOTAL

Sw.Francs

238,000492,700752,000

1,482,700

76,20032,500

2,199,0002,307,700


The table of classes of contribution is as follows:1st class, 30 units; 2nd class, 25 units; 3rd class,20 units; 4th class, 15 units; 5th class, 10 units;6th class, 5 units; 7th class, 3 units; and 8th class,1 unit. Each Member or Associate Member choosesthe class in which it wishes to be included andpays in advance its annual contributory share, cal-culated on the basis of the budgetary provisions.Publications of ITU are distributed without chargeto Members of the Union, the number of copiescorresponding to the units selected in each case.

COUNTRY8

AfghanistanAlbaniaArgentinaAustraliaAustriaBelgiumBelgian CongoBoliviaBrazilBulgariaBurmaByelorussian S.S.R.CanadaChileChinaChosen (Korea)ColombiaCosta RicaCubaCzechoslovakiaDenmarkDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEstoniaEthiopiaFinlandFranceColonies, Protectorates, and Overseas

Territories under French MandateGermanyGreeceGuatemalaHaitiHondurasHungaryIcelandIndiaIranIraqIrish Free StateIsrael (from July 1, 1948)ItalyAegean Italian Islands

Under the terms of the Additional Protocol Xto the International Telecommunication Conven-tion,7 Members were permitted to select differentclasses of contributions for the expenses of theradio service, and for the expenses of the telegraphand telephone service during 1948. Each Memberis required to select a single class of contributionfor meeting these expenses during 1949 and sub-sequent years. Members of ITU have accordinglychosen the following classes of contribution for theyear 1948:

Radio Service1948

CLASSOF CON-

TRIBUTION

VIII—

IIIVIIIVVIIVIIIIVIIVIIVIJIVIIII—

VIIVIIVIVVVVIVVIIVIVIIVII

H—VIVIIVIIIVIIVIIIVIIIIVIIIVIIIVIVIIII—

No. OFUNITS

1—

25301

1033

25335

253

2510

335

101010

510

3535

30

2525

531311

30115

253

Telegraph andTelephone Service

1948CLASS

OF CON-TRIBUTION

VIIIVIIIIIIVIIIVVIIVIIIIVIIVIIVI—VIIII

—VIVII—VVVVIIVVIIVIVIIVII

II—VIVIIVIII—VIIIVIIIIVIIIVIIIVIVIIII—

No. OFUNITS

11

25301

1033

25335—3

251053—

1010103

103535

30

2525531—11

30115

253

7 See pp. 951-52. 8 See footnote on opposite page.


COUNTRY8

Italian East AfricaJapanSouth Sea Islands under Japanese MandateKarafutoKwangtung, leased territoryLatviaLebanonLiberiaLibyaLithuaniaLuxembourgMexicoMonacoMongoliaMoroccoNetherlands, Curaçao and SurinamNetherland IndiesNew ZealandNicaraguaNorwayPakistanPanamaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalPortuguese ColoniesRoumaniaSan MarinoSiamSouthern RhodesiaSpain‡Spanish Colonies‡Spanish Territories on the Gulf of Guinea‡Spanish Zone of the Protectorate of Morocco‡SwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTaiwanTransjordanTunisiaTurkeyUkrainian S.S.R.Union of South AfricaU.S.S.R.United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandUnited StatesTerritories of United StatesUruguayVatican CityVenezuelaYugoslaviaYemen

TOTALS

Radio Service1948

CLASSOF CON-

TRIBUTION—————

VIVIIIVIIVIIVIIVIIVVIIIVIIVIIVVVIVIIVIVVIIVIIVIVIIIIIVIVVIVIIIVVIII—VIIVII—VVVII—VIIIVIIVIVIIIIIIIVIVIIIVVI—

No. OFUNITS

525

333513333

10133

1010

53

10153355

20156*51

101

20333

10103313

10152525303030

51

105—

8471/2

Telegraph andTelephone Service

1948CLASS

OF CON-TRIBUTION

—————VIVIII——VIIVIIVVIIIVIIVIIVVVIVIIVIVVIIVIIVI—IIIVIIVIV

—VVIII————VVVII—VIIIVIIVIVIIIII——VIVIIIVIIVVII

No. OFUNITS

525

33351—333

10133

1010

53

1015335—

205

12†15

—101

20——3

10103313

1015252530

——515

153

7601/28 The names of countries listed are translations from a

list, in French, furnished by the ITU General Secretariat.*Portuguese Colonies: Portuguese West Africa, 3

units; Portuguese East Africa and Portuguese AsiaticPossessions, 3 units.

†Portuguese Colonies: Angola, 3 units; PortugueseColonies in Africa (with the exception of Angola andMozambique), 3 units; Portuguese Colonies of Asia andOceania, 3 units; Mozambique, 3 units.

‡See Additional Protocol III to the Convention, p. 951.


ANNEX I

MEMBERS, OFFICERS AND HEADQUARTERS(as of September 21, 1948)

SIGNATORIES TO THE REVISED ITUCONVENTION9

AlbaniaArgentinaAustraliaAustriaBelgiumBelgian Congo and Terri-

tories of Ruanda-UrundiBrazilBulgariaBurmaByelorussian S.S.R.CanadaChileChinaColombiaCubaCzechoslovakiaDenmarkDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEthiopiaFinlandFranceFrench Protectorates of

Morocco and TunisiaColonies, Protectorates,

and Overseas Territoriesunder French Mandate

GreeceGuatemalaHaitiHondurasHungaryIcelandIndiaIranIraqIrelandItalyLebanon

LuxembourgMexicoMonacoNetherlands, Curaçao and

SurinamNetherland IndiesNew ZealandNicaraguaNorwayPakistanPanamaPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalPortuguese ColoniesRoumaniaSaudi ArabiaSiamSouthern RhodesiaSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTurkeyUkrainian S.S.R.Union of South Africa and

Mandated Territory ofSouth West Africa

U.S.S.R.United KingdomColonies, Protectorates,

Overseas Territories andTerritories under Man-date or Trusteeship ofUnited Kingdom

United StatesTerritories of United StatesUruguayVatican CityVenezuelaYugoslavia

In addition to the signatories to the Convention, thefollowing States are eligible to join ITU when they ac-cede to the Convention:AfghanistanBolivia

Costa RicaLiberia

ParaguayYemen

MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL

Ivan Danilenko (U.S.S.R.)Fioranvanti Dellamula (Argentina)John A. Gracie (United Kingdom)Paul D. Miles (United States)René Petit (France)Noel Hamilton Roberts (Union of South Africa)J. J. Svoboda (Czechoslovakia)T. K. Wang (China)Sidney H. Witt (Australia)

OFFICERS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCILChairman for 1948:

UNITED STATESVice-Chairmen:

CHINAFRANCE

U.S.S.R.UNITED KINGDOM

OFFICERS OF THE I.F.R.B. (FOR 1948)Chairman:

Paul D. MilesVice-Chairman:

Sidney H. Witt

OFFICERS OF THEINTERNATIONAL CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEESDirector of the C.C.I.T.:

(to be appointed in May 1949)Director of the C.C.I.F.:

Georges Valensi (France)Director of the C.C.I.R.:

Balt van der Pol (Netherlands)Vice-Director of the C.C.I.R.:

L. W. Hayes (United Kingdom)

OFFICERS OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIATSecretary- General:

Dr. Franz von Ernst (Switzerland)Assistant Secretaries-General:

Leon Mulatier (France)Gerald C. Gross (United States)

HEADQUARTERS10

Address: International Telecommunication UnionEffingerstrasse 1Berne, Switzerland

ANNEX II

INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONCONVENTION

(Atlantic City, 1947)

PREAMBLEWhile fully recognizing the sovereign right of each

country to regulate its telecommunication, the plenipo-tentiaries of the Contracting Governments have agreedto conclude the following Convention, with a view toensuring the effectiveness of telecommunication.

9See also Annex 1 to Convention, p. 941.

10 The headquarters were transferred to Geneva onOctober 26, 1948. The address is Palais Wilson, Geneva.(Cable address: BURINTERNA GENEVA. Telephone21550.)

ArgentinaBrazilCanadaChinaColombiaEgypt

FranceItalyLebanonPakistanPolandPortugal

SwitzerlandTurkeyU.S.S.R.United KingdomUnited StatesYugoslavia

INTERNATIONAL FREQUENCY REGISTRATIONBOARD (I.F.R.B.)

S. Banerji (India)Alfonso Hernandez Cata y Galt (Cuba)


CHAPTER I.—COMPOSITION, FUNCTIONS ANDSTRUCTURE OF THE UNION

ARTICLE 1. Composition of the Union1. The International Telecommunication Union shall

comprise Members and Associate Members.2. A Member of the Union shall be:

(a) any country or group of territories listed inAnnex 1 upon signature and ratification of, oraccession to, this Convention, by it or on itsbehalf;

(b) any country not listed in Annex 1 which be-comes a Member of the United Nations andwhich accedes to this Convention in accordancewith Article 17;

(c) any sovereign country not listed in Annex 1and not a Member of the United Nationswhich applies for membership in the Unionand which, after having secured approval ofsuch application by two-thirds of the Membersof the Union, accedes to this Convention inaccordance with Article 17.

3. (1) All Members shall be entitled to participatein conferences of the Union and shall be eligible forelection to any of its organs.

(2) Each Member shall have one vote at any con-ference of the Union and at any meeting of an organof the Union of which it is a Member.

4. An Associate Member shall be:(a) any country which has not become a Member

of the Union in accordance with paragraph 2of this Article, by acceding to this Conventionin accordance with Article 17, after its appli-cation for Associate Membership has re-ceived approval by a majority of the Membersof the Union;

(b) any territory or group of territories, not fullyresponsible for the conduct of its internationalrelations, on behalf of which this Conventionhas been accepted by a Member of the Unionin accordance with Article 17 or 18, providedthat its application for Associate Membershipis sponsored by such Member, after the appli-cation has received approval by a majority ofthe Members of the Union;

(c) any trust territory on behalf of which theUnited Nations has acceded to this Conventionin accordance with Article 19, and the appli-cation of which for Associate Membership hasbeen sponsored by the United Nations.

5. Associate Members shall have the same rights andobligations as Members of the Union, except that theyshall not have the right to vote in any Conference orother organ of the Union. They shall not be eligiblefor election to any organ of the Union of which theMembers are elected by a plenipotentiary or administra-tive conference.

6. For the purposes of paragraphs 2 (c) and 4 (a)and (b) above, if an application for Membership or As-sociate Membership is made during the interval betweentwo plenipotentiary conferences, the Secretary Generalshall consult the Members of the Union; a Member shallbe deemed to have abstained if he has not replied withinfour months after his opinion has been requested.

ARTICLE 2. Seat of the UnionThe seat of the Union and of its permanent organs

shall be at Geneva.

ARTICLE 3. Purposes of the Union1. The purposes of the Union are:

(a) to maintain and extend international coopera-tion for the improvement and rational use oftelecommunication of all kinds;

(b) to promote the development of technical facili-ties and their most efficient operation with aview to improving the efficiency of telecom-munication services, increasing their usefulnessand making them, so far as possible, generallyavailable to the public;

(c) to harmonize the actions of nations in the at-tainment of those common ends.

2. To this end, the Union shall in particular:(a) effect allocation of the radio frequency spec-

trum and registration of radio frequency as-signments in order to avoid harmful interfer-ence between radio stations of different coun-tries;

(b) foster collaboration among its Members andAssociate Members with a view to the estab-lishment of rates at levels as low as possibleconsistent with an efficient service and takinginto account the necessity for maintaining in-dependent financial administration of telecom-munication on a sound basis;

(c) promote the adoption of measures for ensuringthe safety of life through the cooperation oftelecommunication service;

(d) undertake studies, formulate recommendations,and collect and publish information on tele-communication matters for the benefit of allMembers and Associate Members.

ARTICLE 4. Structure of the Union

The organization of the Union shall be as follows:1. the Plenipotentiary Conference which is the

supreme organ of the Union;2. Administrative Conferences;3. the permanent organs of the Union which are:

(a) the Administrative Council,(b) the General Secretariat,(c) the International Frequency Registration

Board (I.F.R.B.),(d) the International Telegraph Consultative

Committee (C.C.I.T.),(e) the International Telephone Consultative

Committee (C.C.I.F.),(f) the International Radio Consultative Com-

mittee (C.C.I.R.).

ARTICLE 5. Administrative CouncilA. ORGANIZATION AND WORKING ARRANGEMENTS

1. (1) The Administrative Council shall be com-posed of eighteen Members of the Union elected by theplenipotentiary conference with due regard to the needfor equitable representation of all parts of the world.The Members of the Council shall hold office until theelection of their successors. They are eligible for re-election.

(2) If between two plenipotentiary conferences aseat becomes vacant on the Administrative Council, itshall pass by right to the Member of the Union, fromthe same region as the Member whose seat is vacated,who had obtained at the previous election the largestnumber of votes among those not elected.

2. Each of the Members of the Administrative Council


shall appoint, to serve on the Council, a person qualifiedin the field of telecommunication services.

3. (1) Each Member of the Council shall have onevote.

(2) In taking its decisions, the AdministrativeCouncil shall follow the procedure provided in theGeneral Regulations currently in force. In cases notcovered by the General Regulations, it may adopt itsown rules of procedure.

4. The Administrative Council shall elect five of itsMembers to assume the Chairmanship and Vice Chair-manships during the period which normally elapses be-tween two plenipotentiary conferences. Each of thesefive Members shall assume the Chairmanship in turnfor one year only, including the Chairmanship through-out the last meeting convened during that year. TheChairmanship shall be decided each year by agreementamong these five Members or by lot.

5. The Administrative Council shall normally meetat the seat of the Union, once a year and at such othertimes as it deems necessary or at the request of six ofits Members.

6. The Chairman of the International FrequencyRegistration Board, the Directors of the InternationalConsultative Committees and the Vice-Director of theInternational Radio Consultative Committee shall par-ticipate as of right in the deliberations of the Adminis-trative Council, but without taking part in the voting.Nevertheless the Council may exceptionally hold meet-ings confined to its own Members.

7. The Secretary General of the Union shall act asSecretary of the Administrative Council.

8. In the intervals between plenipotentiary confer-ences, the Administrative Council shall act on behalf ofthe plenipotentiary conference within the limits of thepowers delegated to it by the latter.

9. Only the travelling and subsistence expenses in-curred by Members of the Administrative Council inthis capacity shall be borne by the Union.

B. DUTIES10. (1) The Administrative Council shall be respon-

sible for taking all steps to facilitate the implementa-tion by the Members and Associate Members of theprovisions of the Convention, of the Regulations andof the decisions of the Plenipotentiary Conference.

(2) It shall ensure the efficient coordination of thework of the Union.

11. In particular, the Administrative Council shall:(a) perform any duties assigned to it by the pleni-

potentiary conferences;(b) in the interval between plenipotentiary con-

ferences, be responsible for effecting the co-ordination with ail international organizationscontemplated in Articles 26 and 27 of thisConvention, and to this end appoint, on behalfof the Union, one or more representatives toparticipate in the conferences of such organiza-tions, and when necessary, of coordinatingcommittees established in conjunction withthose organizations;

(c) appoint the Secretary General and the twoAssistant Secretaries General of the Union;

(d) supervise the administrative functions of theUnion;

(e) review and approve the annual budget of theUnion;

(f) arrange for the annual audit of the accounts

of the Union prepared by the Secretary Gen-eral and approve them for submission to thenext plenipotentiary conference;

(g) arrange for the convening of plenipotentiaryand administrative conferences of the Union asprovided for in Articles 10 and 11;

(h) coordinate the activities of all the other organsof the Union, consider and take such actionas it deems appropriate on requests or recom-mendations made to it by such organs andfill vacancies thereon ad interim as prescribedin the Regulations;

(i) perform the other functions prescribed for itin this Convention and, within the frameworkof the Convention and the Regulations, thefunctions deemed necessary for the proper ad-ministration of the Union.

ARTICLE 6. International Frequency Registration Board

1. The essential duties of the International FrequencyRegistration Board shall be:

(a) to effect an orderly recording of frequencyassignments made by the different countries soas to establish, in accordance with the pro-cedure provided for in the Radio Regulations,the date, purpose and technical characteristicsof each of these assignments, with a view toensuring formal international recognitionthereof;

(b) to furnish advice to Members and AssociateMembers with a view to the operation of themaximum practicable number of radio chan-nels in those portions of the spectrum whereharmful interference may occur.

2. The International Frequency Registration Boardshall be composed of independent members, all nationalsof different countries, Members of the Union. Eachordinary administrative radio conference shall determinethe number of its members, and the method of theirelection with a view to ensuring a balanced selection ofthe members from the various parts of the world.

3. Members of the Board shall be elected by eachordinary administrative radio conference according to theprocedure established by that conference.

4. The working arrangements of the Board are definedin the Radio Regulations.

5. (1) The members of the Board shall serve, not asrepresentatives of their respective countries, or of aregion, but as custodians of an international public trust.

(2) No member of the Board shall request or re-ceive instructions relating to the exercise of his dutiesfrom any Government or a member thereof or from anypublic or private organization or person. Furthermore,each Member and Associate Member must respect theinternational character of the Board and of the duties ofits members and shall refrain from any attempt to influ-ence any of them in the exercise of their duties.

(3) No member of the Board or of its staff shallparticipate in any manner or have any financial interestwhatsoever in any branch of telecommunication, apartfrom the work of the Board.

ARTICLE 7. Condition to be fulfilled before serving onthe Administrative Council and the International

Frequency Registration Board

1. No person designated by an elected Member toserve on the Administrative Council or on the Inter-national Frequency Registration Board may exercise his


functions until an instrument of ratification or of acces-sion has been deposited by that Member or on its behalf.

2. Any country which ceases to be a Member of theUnion for any reason whatsoever may not be representedin either the Administrative Council or the InternationalFrequency Registration Board.

ARTICLE 8. International Consultative Committees

1. (1) The duties of the International TelegraphConsultative Committee (C.C.I.T.) shall be to studytechnical, operating and tariff questions relating to tele-graphy and facsimile and to issue recommendations onthem.

(2) The duties of the International TelephoneConsultative Committee (C.C.I.F.) shall be to study tech-nical, operating and tariff questions relating to telephonyand to issue recommendations on them.

(3) The duties of the International Radio Consulta-tive Committee (C.C.I.R.) shall be to study technicalradio questions and operating questions the solution ofwhich depends principally on considerations of a tech-nical radio character and to issue recommendations onthem.

2. The questions studied by each International Con-sultative Committee, on which it shall issue recommenda-tions, are those submitted to it by the plenipotentiaryconference, by an administrative conference, by theAdministrative Council, by another Consultative Com-mittee or by the International Frequency RegistrationBoard. A Consultative Committee shall likewise issue itsrecommendations on questions the study of which hasbeen decided upon by its Plenary Assembly or proposedby at least twelve Members or Associate Members in theinterval between meetings of the Plenary Assemblyconcerned.

3. The International Consultative Committees shallhave as members:

(a) administrations of Members and AssociateMembers of the Union;

(b) recognized private operating agencies whichexpress a desire to have their experts partici-pate in the work of these Committees.

4. Each Consultative Committee shall work throughthe medium of:

(a) the Plenary Assembly, meeting normally everytwo years, provided that a meeting shall takeplace about one year previous to the relativeadministrative conference; each meeting of aPlenary Assembly normally shall be held in aplace fixed by the previous meeting of thatAssembly;

(b) study groups, which shall be set up by thePlenary Assembly to deal with questions to bestudied;

(c) a Director, who shall be appointed by thePlenary Assembly for an indefinite period, butwith the reciprocal right of terminating theappointment; the Director of the Radio Con-sultative Committee shall be assisted by aVice-Director specializing in broadcasting, ap-pointed under the same conditions;

(d) a specialized Secretariat, which assists theDirector;

(e) laboratories or technical installations set up bythe Union.

5. (1) Consultative Committees shall observe therules of procedure in the General Regulations annexedto this Convention.

(2) The Plenary Assembly of a Consultative Com-mittee may adopt such additional rules of procedure asmay facilitate the work of the Committee if they do notconflict with the General Regulations.

6. The working arrangements of the ConsultativeCommittees are defined in Part II of the General Regula-tions annexed to this Convention.

ARTICLE 9. General Secretariat

1. The General Secretariat of the Union shall bedirected by the Secretary General, who shall be responsi-ble to the Administrative Council for the performanceof his duties.

2. The Secretary General shall:(a) appoint the staff of the General Secretariat in

accordance with any directives of the pleni-potentiary conference and the rules establishedby the Administrative Council;

(b) organize the work of the General Secretariatand undertake administrative arrangements forthe specialized divisions of the permanentorgans of the Union; these divisions shall beunder the supervision of the Secretary Generalfor administrative purposes only and shallwork directly under the orders of the Directorsof the organs concerned; the appointment oftechnical and administrative staff to thesedivisions shall be made by the Secretary Gen-eral in accordance with the decisions of theorgan concerned and in agreement with theappropriate Director;

(c) carry on secretarial work preparatory to, andfollowing, conferences of the Union;

(d) provide, where appropriate in cooperationwith the inviting Government, the Secretariatof every conference of the Union, and when sorequested, or provided in the Regulations an-nexed hereto, the Secretariat of meetings of thepermanent organs of the Union or meetingsplaced under its auspices;

(e) keep up to date the official master lists com-piled from data supplied for this purpose bythe permanent organs of the Union or byadministrations;

(f) publish the recommendations and principalreports of the permanent organs of the Union;

(g) publish international and regional telecom-munication agreements communicated to himby the parties thereto and keep up to daterecords of them;

(h) prepare, publish and keep up to date:1. a record of the composition and structure of

the Union;2. the general statistics and the official service

documents of the Union as prescribed bythe Regulations annexed hereto;

3. such other documents as the conferences orthe Administrative Council may direct;

(i) distribute the published documents;(j) collect and publish, in suitable form, data both

national and international regarding telecom-munication throughout the world;

(k) collect and publish such information as wouldbe of assistance to Members and AssociateMembers regarding the development of tech-nical methods with a view to achieving themost efficient operation of telecommunicationservices and especially the best possible use of


radio frequencies so as to diminish interference;(1) publish periodically, with the help of informa-

tion put at his disposal or which he maycollect, including that which he may obtainfrom other international organizations, a jour-nal of general information and documentationconcerning telecommunication;

(m) prepare an annual budget for submission tothe Administrative Council which, after ap-proval by the Council, shall be transmitted forinformation to all Members and AssociateMembers;

(n) prepare a financial operating report and ac-counts to be submitted annually to the Admin-istrative Council and a consolidated accountimmediately preceding each plenipotentiaryconference; these accounts, after audit andapproval by the Administrative Council, shallbe circulated to the Members and AssociateMembers and be submitted to the next pleni-potentiary conference for examination and finalapproval;

(o) prepare an annual report of his official activitieswhich, after approval by the AdministrativeCouncil, shall be transmitted to all Membersand Associate Members;

(p) perform all other secretarial functions of theUnion.

3. The Secretary General or one of the two AssistantSecretaries General shall participate, in a consultativecapacity, in the meetings of the International Consulta-tive Committees.

4. The Secretary General, the Assistant SecretariesGeneral and the members of the General Secretariat shallreceive salaries on a basis established by the pleni-potentiary conference.

5. The paramount consideration in the recruitment ofthe staff and in the determination of the conditions ofservice shall be the necessity of securing for the Unionthe highest standards of efficiency, competence, andintegrity. Due regard must be paid to the importance ofrecruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis aspossible.

6. (1) In the performance of their duties the Sec-retary General, the Assistant Secretaries General and thestaff must not seek or receive instructions from anygovernment or from any other authority external to theUnion. They must refrain from any action which mightreflect on their position as international officials andshall be responsible solely to the Union.

(2) Each Member and Associate Member under-takes to respect the exclusively international character ofthe responsibilities of the Secretary General, the AssistantSecretaries General and the staff and not to seek toinfluence them in the discharge of their responsibilities.

ARTICLE 10. Plenipotentiary Conferences

1. The Plenipotentiary Conference shall:(a) consider the report of the Administrative Coun-

cil on the activities of the Union;(b) establish the basis for the budget of the Union

for the next five years;(c) finally approve the accounts of the Union;(d) elect the Members of the Union which are to

serve on the Administrative Council;(e) revise the Convention if it considers this

necessary;

(f) if necessary, enter into any formal agreementor revise any existing formal agreement be-tween the Union and any other internationalbody;

(g) deal with such other telecommunication ques-tions as may be necessary.

2. The Plenipotentiary Conference normally shallmeet once every five years at a time and place fixed bythe preceding Plenipotentiary Conference.

3. The time or place of the next Plenipotentiary Con-ference may be changed:

(a) when at least twenty Members of the Unionhave proposed a change to the AdministrativeCouncil;

(b) on the proposal of the Administrative Council.In either case, the Administrative Council, with the

concurrence of a majority of the Members of the Union,shall fix the new time or the new place, or both, andshall indicate, if necessary, the agenda.

ARTICLE 11. Administrative Conferences1. (1) The Administrative Conferences shall:

(a) revise the Regulations provided for in Article13 paragraph 2 of this Convention with whichthey are respectively concerned;

(b) deal with all other matters deemed necessarywithin the terms of the Convention and theGeneral Regulations, or in accordance with anydirective given by the Plenipotentiary Con-ference.

(2) The radio administrative conference shall:(a) elect the members of the International Fre-

quency Registration Board;(b) review its activities.

2. The administrative conferences shall meet at thesame place and at the same time as the PlenipotentiaryConference, in general, every five years.

3. (1) An extraordinary administrative conferencemay be convened:

(a) by a decision of the Plenipotentiary Conferencewhich shall determine its agenda and the timeand place of its meeting; or

(b) when at least twenty Members of the Unionhave made known to the Administrative Coun-cil their desire that such a Conference shall beheld to consider an agenda proposed by them;or

(c) on the proposal of the Administrative Council.(2) In the cases specified in (b) and (c) of sub-

paragraph (1) above, the Administrative Council, withthe concurrence of a majority of the Members of theUnion, shall determine the time and place of the Con-ference as well as its agenda.

ARTICLE 12. Rules of Procedure of Conferences1. Before entering on its deliberation, each Confer-

ence shall adopt Rules of Procedure in accordance withwhich the discussions and work are organized and con-ducted.

2. For this purpose each Conference shall take as abasis the provisions of the General Regulations annexedto this Convention, with such modifications as it thinks fit.

ARTICLE 13. Regulations1. The General Regulations contained in Annex 4

shall have the same force and duration as this Conven-tion, subject to the provisions of Article 12 of theConvention.


2. The provisions of this Convention are completedby the following sets of Administrative Regulations:

Telegraph Regulations,Telephone Regulations,Radio Regulations,Additional Radio Regulations.

3. These Regulations shall be binding on all Membersand Associate Members. However, Members and Asso-ciate Members shall notify the Secretary General of theirapproval of any revision of any of the AdministrativeRegulations by an administrative conference in theinterval between two plenipotentiary conferences. TheSecretary General shall inform Members and AssociateMembers promptly regarding receipt of such notificationsof approval.

4. In case of inconsistency between a provision of theConvention and a provision of the Regulations, the Con-vention shall prevail.

ARTICLE 14. Finances of the Union

1. The expenses of the Union shall be classified asordinary expenses and extraordinary expenses.

2. The ordinary expenses of the Union shall be keptwithin the limits prescribed by the Plenipotentiary Con-ference. They shall include, in particular, the expensespertaining to the meetings of the Administrative Council,the salaries of the staff and other expenses of the GeneralSecretariat, of the International Frequency RegistrationBoard, of the International Consultative Committees, andof the laboratories and technical installations created bythe Union. These ordinary expenses shall be borne by allMembers and Associate Members.

3. (1) The extraordinary expenses shall include allexpenses pertaining to plenipotentiary conferences, ad-ministrative conferences and meetings of the InternationalConsultative Committees. They shall be borne by theMembers and Associate Members who have agreed toparticipate in these conferences and meetings.

(2) Private operating agencies and internationalorganizations shall contribute to the extraordinaryexpenses of the administrative conferences and the meet-ings of the International Consultative Committees inwhich they participate, in proportion to the number ofunits corresponding to the class chosen by them amongthe classes provided in paragraph 4 of this Article. TheAdministrative Council may, nevertheless, excuse certaininternational organizations from contributing to theseexpenses.

(3) Expenses incurred by laboratories and technicalinstallations of the Union, in measurements, testing, orspecial research for individual Members or AssociateMembers, groups of Members or Associate Members, orregional organizations or others, shall be borne by thoseMembers or Associate Members, groups, organizationsor others.

4. For the purpose of apportioning expenses, Mem-bers and Associate Members shall be divided into 8classes, each contributing on the basis of a fixed numberof units, namely:

1st class: 30 units2nd class: 25 units3rd class: 20 units4th class: 15 units

5th class: 10 units6th class: 5 units7th class: 3 units8th class: 1 unit

5. Each Member and Associate Member shall informthe Secretary General of the class in which it wishes tobe included. This decision shall be communicated to the

other Members and Associate Members by the SecretaryGeneral and shall not be changed during the intervalbetween the coming into force of this Convention andthe opening of the next Plenipotentiary Conference.

6. Members and Associate Members shall pay inadvance their annual contributory shares calculated onthe basis of the estimated expenditure of the Union forthe following financial year,

7. The amounts due shall bear interest from thebeginning of each financial year of the Union with regardto ordinary expenses and from the date on which accountsfor extraordinary expenses, and for documents supplied,are sent to Members and Associate Members. Thisinterest shall be at the rate of 3% (three per cent) perannum during the first six months after the date onwhich the amounts are due and at the rate of 6% (sixper cent) per annum from the beginning of the seventhmonth.

ARTICLE 15. Languages

1. (1) The official languages of the Union shall beChinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

(2) In case of dispute, the French text shall beauthentic.

2. The final documents of the plenipotentiary andadministrative conferences as well as the final acts andprotocols, shall be drawn up in the languages mentionedabove in versions equivalent in form and content.

3. (1) All other documents of the conferences shallbe drawn up in English, French and Spanish.

(2) All service documents of the Union shall bepublished in the five official languages.

(3) All other documents for general distributionprepared by the Secretary General in the course of hisduties shall be drawn up in English, French and Spanish.

4. (1) In conferences and at the meetings of thepermanent organs of the Union, the debates shall be con-ducted with the aid of an efficient system of reciprocaltranslations from and into English, French and Spanish.

(2) Other languages may also be used in the de-bates provided that the delegations using them make ar-rangements themselves for oral translation into any one ofthe languages mentioned in the preceding sub-paragraph.Similarly, delegates may, if they wish, arrange forspeeches to be translated orally into their own languagesfrom one of the languages mentioned in the precedingsub-paragraph.

5. Each Member and Associate Member shall sharethe expenses attributable to the use of the authorizedlanguages, with respect to one of these languages only.For oral languages and working documents of conferencesand meetings of organs of the Union, the AdministrativeCouncil shall lay down rules by which the SecretaryGeneral shall calculate the share of each Member andAssociate Member in accordance with the number ofunits which it has chosen in accordance with paragraph5 of Article 14; for other documents, the SecretaryGeneral shall calculate this share in accordance with thecost price of the copies purchased.

CHAPTER II.—APPLICATION OF THE CONVENTIONAND REGULATIONS

ARTICLE 16. Ratification of the Convention1. This Convention shall be ratified by each of the

signatory Governments. The instruments of ratificationshall be deposited, in as short a time as possible, with the


Secretary General by diplomatic channel through theintermediary of the Government of the country of theseat of the Union. The Secretary General shall notify theMembers and Associate Members of each deposit ofratification.

2. After the entry into force of this Convention inaccordance with Article 49, each instrument of ratifica-tion shall become effective on the date of its deposit withthe General Secretariat.

3. If one or more of the signatory Governments donot ratify the Convention, it shall not thereby be lessvalid for the Governments which have ratified it.

ARTICLE 17. Accession to the Convention1. The Government of a country, not a signatory of

this Convention, may accede thereto at any time subjectto the provisions of Article 1.

2. The instrument of accession shall be deposited withthe Secretary General by diplomatic channel through theintermediary of the Government of the country of theseat of the Union. Unless otherwise specified therein, itshall become effective upon the date of its deposit. TheSecretary General shall notify the Members and AssociateMembers of each accession when it is received and shallforward to each of them a certified copy of the act ofaccession.

ARTICLE 18. Application of the Convention to Countriesor Territories for Whose Foreign Relations Members of

the Union Are Responsible

1. Members of the Union may declare at any time thattheir acceptance of this Convention applies to all or agroup or a single one of the countries or territories forwhose foreign relations they are responsible.

2. A declaration made in accordance with paragraph1 of this Article shall be communicated to the SecretaryGeneral of the Union. The Secretary General shall notifythe Members and Associate Members of each such decla-ration.

3. The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Articleshall not be deemed to be obligatory in respect of anycountry, territory or group of territories listed in Annex1 of this Convention.

ARTICLE 19. Application of the Convention to TrustTerritories of the United Nations

The United Nations shall have the right to accede tothis Convention on behalf of any territory or group ofterritories placed under its administration in accordancewith a trusteeship agreement as provided for in Article75 of the Charter of the United Nations.

ARTICLE 20. Execution of the Convention andRegulations

1. The Members and Associate Members are bound toabide by the provisions of this Convention and the Regu-lations annexed thereto in all telecommunication officesand stations established or operated by them which en-gage in international services or which are capable ofcausing harmful interference to radio services of othercountries, except in regard to services exempted fromthese obligations in accordance with the provisions ofArticle 47 of this Convention.

2. They are also bound, in addition, to take the neces-sary steps to impose the observance of the provisions ofthis Convention and of the Regulations annexed theretoupon recognized private operating agencies and upon

other agencies authorized to establish and operate tele-communication which engage in international services orwhich operate stations capable of causing harmful inter-ference to. the radio services of other countries.

ARTICLE 21. Denunciation of the Convention

1. Each Member and Associate Member which hasratified, or acceded to, this Convention shall have theright to denounce it by a notification addressed to theSecretary General of the Union by diplomatic channelthrough the intermediary of the Government of thecountry of the seat of the Union. The Secretary Generalshall advise the other Members and Associate Membersthereof.

2. This denunciation shall take effect at the expira-tion of a period of one year from the day of the receiptof notification of it by the Secretary General.

ARTICLE 22. Denunciation of the Convention on Behalfof Countries or Territories for Whose Foreign Relations

Members of the Union Are Responsible

1. The application of this Convention to a country,territory or group of territories in accordance with Article18 may be terminated at any time, and such country,territory or group of territories, if it is an AssociateMember, ceases upon termination to be such.

2. The declarations of denunciation contemplated inthe above paragraph shall be notified in conformity withthe conditions set out in paragraph 1 of Article 21;they shall take effect in accordance with the provisionsof paragraph 2 of that article.

ARTICLE 23. Abrogation of Earlier Conventionsand Regulations

This Convention and the Regulations annexed theretoshall abrogate and replace, in relations between theContracting Governments, the International TelegraphConventions of Paris (1865), of Vienna (1868), ofRome (1872), of St. Petersbourg (1875), and the Reg-ulations annexed to them and also the InternationalRadio-telegraph Conventions of Berlin (1906), of Lon-don (1912) and of Washington (1927) and the Regu-lations annexed to them, and the International Tele-communication Convention of Madrid (1932), theRadio Regulations and the Additional Radio Regulationsof Cairo (1938);

ARTICLE 24. Relations with Non-contracting States

1. Each Member and Associate Member reserves toitself and to the recognized private operating agenciesthe right to fix the conditions under which it admitstelecommunications exchanged with a State which isnot a party to this Convention.

2. If a telecommunication originating in the territoryof such a non-contracting State is accepted by a Memberor Associate Member, it must be transmitted and, in sofar as it follows the telecommunication channels of aMember or Associate Member, the obligatory provisionsof the Convention and Regulations and the usual chargesshall apply to it.

ARTICLE 25. Settlement of Differences1. Members and Associate Members may settle their

differences on questions relating to the application ofthis Convention or of the Regulations contemplated inArticle 13, through diplomatic channels, or accordingto procedures established by bilateral or multilateraltreaties concluded between them for the settlement of


international disputes, or by any other method mutuallyagreed upon.

2. If none of these methods of settlement is adopted,any Member or Associate Member party to a disputemay submit the dispute to arbitration in accordance withthe procedure defined in Annex 3.

CHAPTER III.—RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED NA-TIONS AND WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

ARTICLE 26. Relations with the United Nations

1. The relationship between the United Nations andthe International Telecommunication Union is definedin the agreement, the text of which appears in Annex 5of this Convention.

2. In accordance with the provisions of Article XV ofthe above-mentioned agreement, the telecommunicationoperating services of the United Nations shall be en-titled to the rights and bound by the obligations of thisConvention and of the Regulations annexed thereto.Accordingly, they shall be entitled to attend all confer-ences of the Union, including meetings of the Inter-national Consultative Committees, in a consultativecapacity. They shall not be eligible for election to anyorgan of the Union, the Members of which are electedby a plenipotentiary or administrative conference.

ARTICLE 27. Relations with International OrganizationsIn furtherance of complete international coordination

on matters affecting telecommunication, the Union willcooperate with international organizations having relatedinterests and activities.

CHAPTER IV.—GENERAL PROVISIONS RELATING TOTELECOMMUNICATION

ARTICLE 28. The Right of the Public to Use the Inter-national Telecommunication Service

Members and Associate Members recognize the rightof the public to correspond by means of the internationalservice of public correspondence. The service, thecharges, and the safeguards shall be the same for allprivate users in each category of correspondence withoutany priority or preference.

ARTICLE 29. Stoppage of Telecommunications1. Members and Associate Members reserve the right

to stop the transmission of any private telegram whichmay appear dangerous to the security of the state or con-trary to their laws, to public order or to decency, pro-vided that they immediately notify the office of originof the stoppage of any such telegram or any part thereof,except when such notification may appear dangerous tothe security of the state.

2. Members and Associate Members also reserve theright to cut off any private telephone or telegraph com-munication which may appear dangerous to the securityof the state or contrary to their laws, to public order orto decency.

ARTICLE 30. Suspension of ServicesEach Member or Associate Member reserves the right

to suspend the international telecommunication servicefor an indefinite time, either generally or only for cer-tain relations and/or for certain kinds of correspondence,outgoing, incoming or in transit, provided that it im-mediately notifies such action to each of the other Mem-

bers and Associate Members through the medium of theGeneral Secretariat.

ARTICLE 31. ResponsibilityMembers and Associate Members accept no responsi-

bility towards users of the international telecommunica-tion services, particularly as regards claims for damages.

ARTICLE 32. Secrecy of Telecommunication

1. Members and Associate Members agree to take allpossible measures, compatible with the system of tele-communication used, with a view to ensuring the secrecyof international correspondence.

2. Nevertheless, they reserve the right to communi-cate such correspondence to the competent authorities inorder to ensure the application of their internal laws orthe execution of international conventions to which theyare parties.

ARTICLE 33. Establishment, Operation, and Protectionof Telecommunication Installations and Channels

1. Members and Associate Members shall take suchsteps as may be necessary to ensure the establishment,under the best technical conditions, of the channels andinstallations necessary to carry on the rapid and uninter-rupted exchange of international telecommunications.

2. So far as possible, these channels and installationsmust be operated by the best methods and proceduresdeveloped as a result of practical operating experience,maintained in proper operating condition and keptabreast of scientific and technical progress.

3. Members and Associate Members shall safeguardthese channels and installations within their jurisdiction.

4. Unless other conditions are laid down by specialarrangements, each Member and Associate Member shalltake such steps as may be necessary to ensure mainte-nance of those sections of international telecommunica-tion circuits within its control.

ARTICLE 34. Notification of Infringements

In order to facilitate the application of the provisionsof Article 20, Members and Associate Members under-take to inform each other of infringements of the pro-visions of this Convention and of the Regulations an-nexed thereto.

ARTICLE 35. Charges and Free Services

The provisions regarding charges for telecommunica-tion and the various cases in which free services areaccorded are set forth in the Regulations annexed to thisConvention.

ARTICLE 36. Priority of Government Telegrams andTelephone Calls

Subject to the provisions of Article 45, Governmenttelegrams shall enjoy priority over other telegrams whenpriority is requested for them by the sender. Govern-ment telephone calls may also be accorded priority, uponspecific request and to the extent practicable, over othertelephone calls.

ARTICLE 37. Secret Language

1. Government telegrams and service telegrams maybe expressed in secret language in all relations.

2. Private telegrams in secret language may be ad-mitted between all countries with the exception of thosewhich have previously notified, through the medium of


the General Secretariat, that they do not admit this lan-guage for those categories of correspondence.

3. Members and Associate Members which do notadmit private telegrams in secret language originating inor destined for their own territory must let them pass intransit, except in the case of suspension of service pro-vided for in Article 30.

ARTICLE 38. Rendering and Settlements of Accounts1. Administrations of Members and Associate Mem-

bers and recognized private operating agencies whichoperate international telecommunication services, shallcome to an agreement with regard to the amount oftheir credits and debits.

2. The statements of accounts in respect to debits andcredits referred to in the preceding paragraph shall bedrawn up in accordance with the provisions of the Regu-lations annexed to this Convention, unless special ar-rangements have been concluded between the partiesconcerned.

3. The settlement of international accounts shall beregarded as current transactions and shall be effected inaccordance with the current international obligations ofthe countries concerned, in those cases where their gov-ernments have concluded arrangements on this subject.Where no such arrangements have been concluded, andin the absence of special arrangements made under Article40 of this Convention, these settlements shall be effectedin accordance with the Regulations.

ARTICLE 39. Monetary UnitThe monetary unit used in the composition of the

tariffs of the international telecommunication servicesand in the establishment of the international accountsshall be the gold franc of 100 centimes, of a weight of10/31 of a gramme and of a fineness of 0.900.

ARTICLE 40. Special ArrangementsMembers and Associate Members reserve for them-

selves, for the private operating agencies recognized bythem and for other agencies duly authorized to do so,the right to make special arrangements on telecommuni-cation matters which do not concern Members and Asso-ciate Members in general. Such arrangements, however,shall not be in conflict with the terms of this Conventionor of the Regulations annexed thereto, so far as con-cerns the harmful interference which their operationmight be likely to cause to the radio services of othercountries.

ARTICLE 41. Regional Conferences, Agreementsand Organizations

Members and Associate Members reserve the right toconvene regional conferences, to conclude regional agree-ments and to form regional organizations, for the pur-pose of settling telecommunication questions which aresusceptible of being treated on a regional basis. How-ever, such agreements must not be in conflict with thisConvention.

CHAPTER V.—SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR RADIOARTICLE 42. Rational Use of Frequencies and

Spectrum SpaceMembers and Associate Members recognize that it is

desirable to limit the number of frequencies and thespectrum space used to the minimum essential to providein a satisfactory manner the necessary services.

ARTICLE 43. Intercommunication1. Stations performing radio communication in the

mobile service shall be bound, within the limits of theirnormal employment, to exchange radiocommunicationsreciprocally without distinction as to the radio systemadopted by them.

2. Nevertheless, in order not to impede scientificprogress, the provisions of the preceding paragraph shallnot prevent the use of a radio system incapable of com-municating with other systems, provided that such in-capacity is due to the specific nature of such system andis not the result of devices adopted solely with the objectof preventing intercommunication.

3. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 1, astation may be assigned to a restricted internationalservice of telecommunication, determined by the purposeof such telecommunication, or by other circumstances in-dependent of the system used.

ARTICLE 44. Harmful Interference

1. All stations, whatever their purpose, must be es-tablished and operated in such a manner as not to resultin harmful interference to the radio services or com-munications of other Members or Associate Members orof recognized private operating agencies, or of otherduly authorized operating agencies which carry on radioservice, and which operate in accordance with the pro-visions of the Radio Regulations.

2. Each Member or Associate Member undertakes torequire the private operating agencies which it recognizesand the other operating agencies duly authorized for thispurpose, to observe the provisions of the preceding para-graph.

3. Further, the Members and Associate Members rec-ognize the desirability of taking all practicable steps toprevent the operation of electrical apparatus and instal-lations of all kinds from causing harmful interferenceto the radio services or communications mentioned inparagraph 1 of this Article.

ARTICLE 45. Distress Calls and Messages

1. Radio stations shall be obliged to accept, with abso-lute priority, distress calls and messages regardless oftheir origin, to reply in the same manner to such mes-sages, and immediately to take such action in regardthereto as may be required.

2. The international telegraph and telephone servicesmust accord absolute priority to communications con-cerning safety of life at sea or in the air.

ARTICLE 46. False or Deceptive Distress or Safety Sig-nals. Irregular Use of Call Signs

Members and Associate Members agree to take thesteps required to prevent the transmission or circulationof false or deceptive distress or safety signals and the use,by a station, of call signs which have not been regularlyassigned to it.

ARTICLE 47. Installations for National Defence Services

1. Members and Associate Members retain their en-tire freedom with regard to military radio installationsof their army, naval and air forces.

2. Nevertheless, these installations must, so far aspossible, observe regulatory provisions relative to givingassistance in case of distress and to the measures to betaken to prevent harmful interference, and the provisionsof the Regulations concerning the types of emission and


the frequencies to be used, according to the nature ofthe service performed by such installations.

3. Moreover, when these installations take part in theservice of public correspondence or other services gov-erned by the Regulations annexed to this Convention,they must, in general, comply with the regulatory pro-visions for the conduct of such services.

CHAPTER VI.—DEFINITIONS

ARTICLE 48. DefinitionsIn this Convention, unless the context otherwise re-

quires,(a) the terms which are defined in Annex 2 of this

Convention shall have the meanings therein as-signed to them;

(b) other terms which are defined in the Regulationsreferred to in Article 13 shall have the meaningstherein assigned to them.

CHAPTER VII.—FINAL PROVISIONSARTICLE 49. Effective Date of the Convention

The present Convention shall enter into force onJanuary first nineteen hundred forty nine between coun-tries, territories or groups of territories, in respect ofwhich instruments of ratification or accession have beendeposited before that date.

In witness whereof, the respective plenipotentiarieshave signed the Convention in each of the English andFrench languages, in a single copy, in which in case ofdispute, the French text shall be authentic, and whichshall remain deposited in the archives of the Governmentof the United States of America and one copy of whichshall be forwarded to each signatory Government.

Done at Atlantic City, October 2, 1947.

ANNEX 111

1. Afghanistan2. People's Republic of Albania3. Saudi Arabia (Kingdom of)4. Argentine Republic5. Australia (Commonwealth of)6. Austria7. Belgium8. The Bielorussian Soviet Socialist Republic9. Burma

10. Bolivia11. Brazil12. Bulgaria13. Canada14. Chile15. China16. Vatican City (State of)17. Colombia (Republic of)18. Portuguese Colonies19. Colonies, Protectorates, Overseas Territories and Ter-

ritories under mandate or trusteeship of the UnitedKingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

20. Colonies, Protectorates and Overseas Territoriesunder French Mandate

21. Belgium Congo and Territories of Ruanda Urundi22. Costa Rica23. Cuba24. Denmark

25. Dominican Republic26. Egypt27. El Salvador (Republic of)28. Ecuador29. United States of America30. Ethiopia31. Finland32. France33. Greece34. Guatemala35. Haiti36. Honduras (Republic of)37. Hungary38. India39. Netherlands Indies40. Iran41. Iraq42. Ireland43. Iceland44. Italy45. Lebanon46. Liberia47. Luxembourg48. Mexico49. Monaco50. Nicaragua51. Norway52. New Zealand53. Pakistan54. Panama55. Paraguay56. Netherlands, Curacao & Surinam57. Peru58. Philippines (Republic of the)59. Poland (Republic of)60. Portugal61. French Protectorates of Morocco and Tunisia62. People's Federal Popular Republic of Yugoslavia63. The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic64. Southern Rhodesia65. Roumania66. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern

Ireland67. Siam68. Sweden69. Swiss Confederation70. Syria71. Czechoslovakia72. Territories of the United States of America73. Turkey74. Union of South Africa and the mandated territory

of South-West Africa75. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics76. Uruguay (Oriental Republic of)77. Venezuela (United States of)78. Yemen

ANNEX 212

DEFINITION OF TERMS USED IN THE INTERNATIONALTELECOMMUNICATION CONVENTION

Administration: Any department or service of a gov-ernment responsible for implementing the obligations

11 See Article 1, paragraph 2 (a).12 See Article 48

.


undertaken in the International Telecommunication Con-vention and the Regulations annexed thereto.

Private operating agency: Any individual or companyor corporation other than a governmental establishmentor agency, which operates a telecommunication installa-tion intended for an international telecommunicationservice or which is capable of causing harmful interfer-ence with such a service.

Recognized private operating agency: Any privateoperating agency, as defined above, which operates aservice of public correspondence or of broadcasting andupon which the obligations provided for in Article 20are imposed by the Member or Associate Member inwhose territory the head office of the agency is situated.

Delegate: A person representing a government at aplenipotentiary conference, or a person representing aGovernment or an administration at an administrativeconference, or at a meeting of an International Consul-tative Committee.

Delegation: The totality of the delegates, representa-tives and experts as the case may be of the same country.Each delegation may include one or more attaches andone or more interpreters. Each Member and AssociateMember shall be free to make up its delegation as itwishes. In particular, it may include in its delegation,in the capacity of delegates or of advisers, representativesof private telecommunication operating agencies whichit recognizes, and of other private enterprises interestedin the telecommunication field which are recognized assuch by their respective governments.

Representative: A person representing a recognizedprivate operating agency at an administrative conference,or at a meeting of an International Consultative Com-mittee.

Expert: A person representing a national scientific orindustrial organization authorized by the Governmentof its country to be present at an administrative confer-ence or at a meeting of an International ConsultativeCommittee.

Observer: A person representing a Government, or aperson representing an international organization withwhich the International Telecommunication Union hasan interest in cooperating.

International Service: A telecommunication servicebetween offices or stations in different countries or be-tween mobile stations which are not in the same countryor are subject to different countries.

Mobile Service: A service of radiocommunication be-tween mobile and land stations or between mobile sta-tions.

Broadcasting Service: A radiocommunication serviceof transmissions to be received directly by the generalpublic.13

Telecommunication: Any transmission, emission orreception of sign, signals, writing, images and sounds orintelligence of any nature by wire, radio, visual or otherelectromagnetic systems.

Telegraphy: A system of telecommunication for thetransmission of written matter by the use of a signalcode.

Telephony: A system of telecommunication set up forthe transmission of speech or, in some cases, othersounds.

Telegram: Written matter intended to be transmittedby telegraphy; this term also includes radiotelegram un-less otherwise specified.

Government Telegrams and Government Telephone

Calls: These are telegrams or telephone calls originatingwith any of the authorities specified below:

(a) the Head of a State;(b) the Head of a Government and members of a

Government;(c) the Head of a colony, protectorate, overseas terri-

tory or territory under suzerainty, authority, trus-teeship or mandate of a Member or AssociateMember or of the United Nations;

(d) Commanders-in-Chief of military forces, land, seaor air;

(e) diplomatic or consular agents;(f) the Secretary General of the United Nations and

the Heads of the subsidiary organs of the UnitedNations;

(g) the International Court of Justice at The Hague.Replies to Government telegrams as defined herein

shall also be regarded as Government telegrams.Service Telegrams: Those originating with telecom-

munication administrations of Members and AssociateMembers, with recognized private operating agencies orwith the Secretary General of the Union and relating tointernational telecommunication or to objects of publicinterest mutually agreed upon by the administrations andprivate operating agencies concerned.

Private Telegrams: Telegrams other than service orGovernment telegrams.

Radiocommunication: Any telecommunication bymeans of Hertzian waves.

Hertzian Waves: Electromagnetic waves of frequen-cies between 10 kc/s and 3,000,000 Mc/s.

Radio: A general term applied to the use of Hertzianwaves.

Harmful interference: Any radiation or any inductionwhich endangers the functioning of a radionavigationservice or of a safety service14, or obstructs or repeatedlyinterrupts a radio service operating in accordance withthe Radio Regulations.

ANNEX 315

ARBITRATION1. The party which appeals to arbitration shall initiate

the arbitration procedure by transmitting to the otherparty to the dispute a notice of the submission of thedispute to arbitration.

2. The parties shall decide by agreement whether thearbitration is to be entrusted to individuals, administra-tions or governments. If within one month after noticeof submission of the dispute to arbitration, the partieshave been unable to agree upon this point, the arbitra-tion shall be entrusted to governments.

3. If arbitration is to be entrusted to individuals, thearbitrators must neither be nationals of the parties in-volved in the dispute, nor have their domicile in thecountries parties to the dispute, nor be employed in theirservice.

4. If arbitration is to be entrusted to governments, orto administrations thereof, these must be chosen from

13This service may include transmissions of sounds ortransmissions by television, facsimile or other means.

1 4 A n y radio service, the operation of which is directlyrelated, whether permanently or temporarily, to thesafety of human life and the safeguarding of property,shall be considered as a safety service.

1 5 S e e Article 25.


among the Members or Associate Members which arenot parties to the dispute, but which are parties to theagreement, the application of which caused the dispute.

5. Within three months from the date of receipt ofthe notification of the submission of the dispute to arbi-tration, each of the two parties to the dispute shall ap-point an arbitrator.

6. If more than two parties are involved in the dis-pute, an arbitrator shall be appointed in accordancewith the procedure set forth in paragraphs 4 and 5above, by each of the two groups of parties having acommon position in the dispute.

7. The two arbitrators thus appointed shall choose athird arbitrator who, if the first two arbitrators are in-dividuals and not governments or administrations, mustfulfill the conditions indicated in paragraph 3 above, andin addition must not be of the same nationality as eitherof the two arbitrators. Failing an agreement betweenthe two arbitrators as to the choice of a third arbitrator,each of these two arbitrators shall nominate a thirdarbitrator who is in no way concerned in the dispute.The Secretary General of the Union shall then draw lotsin order to select the third arbitrator.

8. The parties to the dispute may agree to have theirdispute settled by a single arbitrator appointed by agree-ment; or alternatively, each party may nominate an arbi-trator, and request the Secretary General of the Unionto draw lots to decide which of the persons so nomi-nated is to act as the single arbitrator.

9. The arbitrator or arbitrators shall be free to de-cide upon the procedure to be followed.

10. The decision of the single arbitrator shall be finaland binding upon the parties to the dispute. If the arbi-tration is entrusted to more than one arbitrator, the de-cision made by the majority vote of the arbitrators shallbe final and binding upon the parties.

11. Each party shall bear the expenses it shall haveincurred in the investigation and presentation of thearbitration. The costs of arbitration other than thoseincurred by the parties themselves shall be dividedequally between the parties to the dispute.

12. The Union shall furnish all information relatingto the dispute which the arbitrator or arbitrators mayneed.

ANNEX 4

GENERAL REGULATIONS ANNEXED TO THEINTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION

CONVENTION

PART I. GENERAL PROVISIONS REGARDINGCONFERENCES

CHAPTER I.—INVITATION AND ADMISSION TOPLENIPOTENTIARY CONFERENCES

1. The inviting Government, in collaboration withthe Administrative Council, shall fix the definitive dateand the exact place of the Conference.

2. One year before this date, the inviting Governmentshall send invitations to the Members and AssociateMembers.

3. The replies of the invited Members and AssociateMembers must reach the inviting Government not laterthan one month before the date of opening of the Con-ference.

4. Immediately after the inviting Government hassent the invitations, the Secretary General shall requestthe administrations of all Members and Associate Mem-bers to forward their proposals for the work of the Con-ference within a period of four months. The SecretaryGeneral shall assemble them and forward them, as soonas possible, to all Members and Associate Members.

5. The Administrative Council shall notify the UnitedNations of the place and date of the Conference in orderthat this Organization may participate in accordance withArticle 26 of the Convention if it so desires.

6. Any permanent organ of the International Tele-communication Union shall be admitted, as of right, tothe Conference and take part in its work in an advisorycapacity.

7. The inviting Government, in agreement with theAdministrative Council, may invite non-contracting Gov-ernments to send observers to take part in the confer-ences in an advisory capacity.

8. Delegations as defined in the Annex 2 to the Con-vention, and according to circumstances, the observerscontemplated in paragraph 7 are admitted to the con-ference.

9. The provisions of the foregoing paragraphs shallapply, so far as practicable, to extraordinary plenipoten-tiary conferences.

CHAPTER 2.—INVITATION AND ADMISSION TOADMINISTRATIVE CONFERENCES

1. The inviting Government, in agreement with theAdministrative Council, shall fix the definitive date andthe exact place of the conference.

2. One year before this date, in the case of an ordi-nary conference, and at least six months before in thecase of an extraordinary conference, the inviting Gov-ernment shall send invitations to the Members and Asso-ciate Members, which may communicate the invitationto the private operating agencies recognized by them.The inviting Government, in agreement with the Ad-ministrative Council, shall itself send a notification tothe international organizations which may be interestedin this conference.

3. The replies of the invited Members and AssociateMembers, regarding the Delegations of Governmentsand the representatives of recognized private operatingagencies, must reach the inviting Government at thelatest one month before the date of the opening of theconference.

4. (1) Applications made by international organiza-tions for admission to the conferences must be sent tothe inviting Government within a period of two monthsfrom the date of the notification as provided in para-graph 2.

(2) Four months before the meeting of the confer-ence, the inviting Government shall forward to theMembers and Associate Members the list of internationalorganizations which have made application to take partin the conference, inviting them to state, within a periodof two months, whether or not these applications shouldbe granted.

5. The following shall be admitted to administrativeconferences:

(a) Delegations as defined in the Annex 2 to theConvention;(b) Representatives of recognized private operatingagencies;


(c) Observers of international organizations if at leasthalf of "the Members whose replies have beenreceived within the period prescribed in paragraph4 have pronounced favourably.6. Any admission of other international organizations

to a conference shall be subject to a decision of the con-ference itself, taken at the first session of the PlenaryAssembly.

7. The provisions of paragraphs 4, 5, 6 and 7 ofChapter 1 of the General Regulations are applicable toAdministrative Conferences.

CHAPTER 3.—VOTING AT CONFERENCES

1. Each Member of the Union shall have one vote inaccordance with Article 1 of the Convention.

2. (1) Each delegation shall present credentials. Inthe case of a plenipotentiary conference, these must befull powers signed by the Head of the Government or bythe Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Member of theUnion concerned.

(2) A special committee shall verify the credentialsof each delegation during the first week of the conference.

(3) No delegation may exercise the right to voteuntil its credentials are declared to be in order by thespecial committee referred to above.

3. A duly accredited delegation may give a mandateto another duly accredited delegation to exercise its voteat one or more sessions at which it is unable to bepresent. In no case may one delegation exercise morethan one such proxy vote.

CHAPTER 4.—PROCEDURE FOR CALLING EXTRAORDI-NARY ADMINISTRATIVE CONFERENCES OR FOR

CHANGING THE TIME OR PLACE OF ACONFERENCE

1. When a Member or Associate Member of theUnion communicates to the Chairman of the Administra-tive Council a desire for (a) an Extraordinary Adminis-trative Conference, or (b) a change in the time and/orplace of the next Plenipotentiary or AdministrativeConference, it shall suggest a time and place.

2. On receipt of twenty or more requests, the Admin-istrative Council shall inform all Members and AssociateMembers, give particulars and allow a period of sixweeks for receipt of their comments. If there is una-nimity of opinion among the Members on place and date,the Council shall ascertain whether the Government ofthe country in which the proposed meeting place is situ-ated is prepared to act as inviting Government. If theanswer is in the affirmative, the Council and the Govern-ment concerned shall arrange accordingly. If the answeris in the negative, the Council shall so inform theMembers and Associate Members desiring the Confer-ence, and invite alternative suggestions. On receipt ofthese suggestions, the Council shall, where appropriate,follow the consultation procedure set out in paragraph 3below.

3. If more than one meeting place or date for theConference is suggested, the Council shall consult theGovernment of each of the countries where the places aresituated. When the views of the Governments have beenascertained, the Council shall invite all Members andAssociate Members to choose one of the meeting placesand/or dates which have been ascertained to be available.According to the wishes of the majority of the Members,the Council shall then arrange the Conference in col-

laboration with the inviting Government.4. All Members and Associate Members shall dispatch

their replies to a communication from the AdministrativeCouncil regarding the date and meeting place for aConference in time for the replies to reach the Councilwithin six weeks of the date of the communication fromthe Council.

CHAPTER 5.—METHOD OF PRESENTATION OF PRO-POSALS FOR CONSIDERATION AT CONFERENCES

To be considered by the Conference, all proposals, theadoption of which will require revision of the text of theConvention or Regulations, must carry references identi-fying by Chapter, Article or Paragraph number thoseparts of the text which will require such revision.

CHAPTER 6.—RULES OF PROCEDUREOF CONFERENCES

RULE 1. Order of Seating

At sessions of the Plenary Assembly, the delegates,representatives, experts and attaches shall be grouped indelegations, and the delegations shall be seated in thealphabetical order of the French names of the countriesrepresented.

RULE 2. First Session of the Plenary Assembly

The first session of the Plenary Assembly shall beopened by a person appointed by the inviting Govern-ment.

RULE 3. Election of the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen

The chairman and the vice-chairmen of the Conferenceshall be elected at the first session of the Plenary Assem-bly of the Conference.

RULE 4. Powers of the Chairman

1. The Chairman shall open and close the sessions ofthe Plenary Assembly, direct the deliberations and an-nounce the results of the voting.

2. He shall also have the general direction of all thework of the Conference.

RULE 5. Secretariat of the Conference

The secretariat of the Conference shall be constitutedat the first session of the Plenary Assembly and shall becomposed of the personnel of the secretariat of theUnion, and, if necessary, of personnel of the administra-tion of the inviting Government.

RULE 6. Appointment of Committees

The Plenary Assembly may appoint committees toexamine questions submitted for the consideration of theConference. These committees may appoint subcommit-tees, which, in their turn, may appoint sub-subcom-mittees.

RULE 7. Composition of Committees

1. In plenipotentiary conferences, the committees shallbe composed of Delegates of Members and AssociateMembers which have made application or which havebeen appointed by the Plenary Assembly.

2. (1) In administrative conferences, the committeesmay also include representatives of recognized privateoperating agencies.

(2) Experts of scientific or manufacturing telecom-munication organizations, observers of international


organizations and persons appearing on behalf of soci-eties, associations, or individuals may participate withoutvote in the committees, subcommittees, and sub-subcom-mittees of administrative conferences subject to the pro-visions of Chapter 2 and Chapter 6, Rule 9, of theGeneral Regulations.

RULE 8. Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen and Reporters ofCommittees

1. The Chairman of the Conference shall submit forthe approval of the Plenary Assembly the choice of thechairman, and of the vice-chairman or vice-chairmen ofeach committee.

2. The Chairman of each committee shall propose tohis committee the nomination of the reporters and thechoice of the chairmen, vice-chairmen, and reporters ofthe subcommittees of that committee.

RULE 9. Participation of Private Societies inAdministrative Conferences

Societies, associations or individuals may be authorizedby the Plenary Assembly or by committees to presentpetitions or submit resolutions provided that such peti-tions or resolutions are countersigned or supported bythe Head of the Delegation of the country concerned.Such societies, associations or individuals may also attendcertain sessions of these committees, but the speakersshall take part in the discussions only in so far as theChairman of the Committee, in agreement with the Headof the Delegation of the country concerned, may deemdesirable.

RULE 10. Summons to SessionsThe sessions of the Plenary Assembly and the sessions

of committees and of subcommittees shall be announcedeither by letter or by notice posted in the meeting placeof the Conference.

RULE 11. Order of Discussion1. Persons desiring to speak may do so only after

having obtained the consent of the Chairman. As ageneral rule they shall begin by announcing the name oftheir country or the name of their company and thecountry where its headquarters are located.

2. Any person speaking must express himself slowlyand distinctly, separating his words and pausing fre-quently so that all his colleagues may be able to followhis meaning clearly.

RULE 12. Proposals Presented Before the Openingof the Conference

Proposals presented before the opening of the Con-ference shall be allocated by the Plenary Assembly tothe appropriate committees appointed in accordance withChapter 6, Rule 6, of the General Regulations.

RULE 13. Proposals Presented During a Conference1. No proposal or amendment shall be submitted

unless it is countersigned or supported by the Head ofthe Delegation of the country concerned or by his deputy.

2. The Chairman of the Conference shall decidewhether the proposal or the amendment shall be an-nounced to all delegations by distribution of copies ormerely by oral statement.

3. At sessions of the Plenary Assembly, any authorizedindividual may read or request to be read, any proposalor amendment presented by him during a conference andmay be allowed to explain his reasons therefor.

RULE 14. Proposals Presented to Committees During aConference

1. Proposals or amendments presented after the open-ing of a conference must be delivered to the Chairmanof the appropriate committee, or in case of doubt as tothe appropriate committee, to the Chairman of theConference.

2. Every proposal or amendment for modification ofthe Convention or the Regulations must be presented inthe definitive form of words to be included in thosedocuments.

3. The Chairman of the Committee concerned shalldecide whether the proposal or amendment shall beannounced to all members of the Committee by distribu-tion of copies or merely by oral statement.

RULE 15. Postponed ProposalsWhen a proposal or an amendment has been reserved

or when its examination has been postponed, the Dele-gation sponsoring it shall be responsible for seeing thatit is not subsequently overlooked.

RULE 16. Voting Procedure in Sessions of thePlenary Assembly

1. In sessions of the Plenary Assembly each proposalor amendment shall be submitted to a vote after dis-cussion.

2. For a valid vote to be taken at a session of thePlenary Assembly at least one-half of the delegationsaccredited to the Conference and having the right to votemust be present or represented at the session duringwhich the vote is cast.

3. Voting shall take place by a show of hands. If amajority is not clearly apparent even after a recount hasbeen taken, or if an individual count of the votes isrequested, there shall be a roll call in the alphabeticalorder of the French names of the Members.

4. In sessions of the Plenary Assembly, no proposal oramendment shall be adopted unless it is supported by amajority of the delegations present and voting. Indetermining the number of votes required for a majority,abstentions shall not be taken into account. In case of atie the measure shall be considered rejected.

5. Exceptions to the above rule shall be made withrespect to membership in the Union, in which case theprocedure shall be in accordance with that prescribed inArticle 1 of the Convention.

6. If the number of abstentions exceeds one-half ofthe number of delegations present and voting, themeasure shall be reconsidered at a subsequent session, atwhich time the abstentions shall not be taken into con-sideration.

7. If five or more delegations, present and entitled tovote, request, when a vote is about to be taken, that itshall be taken by secret ballot, this shall be done. Thenecessary steps shall be taken to guarantee secrecy.

RULE 17. Right of Vote and Voting Procedure inCommittees

1. The right of vote in Committees shall be governedby Chapter 3 of the General Regulations.

2. Voting procedure in Committees shall be governedby the provisions of paragraphs 1, 3, 4, and 6 of Rule16, of Chapter 6, of the General Regulations.

RULE 18. Adoption of New Provisions1. As a general rule, delegations which cannot have

their opinion regarding a provision accepted by the


others must endeavour to adopt the opinion of themajority.

2. However, if the measure proposed appears to adelegation to be of such a nature as to prevent itsGovernment from ratifying the Convention or approvingthe Regulations, the delegation may express reservationsfinal or provisional, regarding this measure.

RULE 19. Minutes of the Sessions of the PlenaryAssembly

1. The minutes of the sessions of the Plenary Assem-bly shall be drawn up by the secretariat of the Con-ference.

2. (1) As a general rule, the minutes shall containonly the proposals and conclusions, with the chief reasonsfor them in concise terms.

(2) However, each delegate, representative or ob-server, shall have the right to require the insertion inthe minutes, either summarized or in full, of any state-ment which he has made. In such case, he must himselfsupply its text to the secretariat of the Conference withintwo hours after the end of the session. It is recom-mended that this right shall only be used with discretion.

RULE 20. Reports of Committees

1. (1) The debates of the committees and subcom-mittees shall be summarized, session by session, in reportsin which shall be brought out the essential points of thediscussion, the various opinions which are expressed andwhich it is desirable that the Plenary Assembly shouldknow, and the proposals and conclusions which emerge.

(2) However, each delegate, representative or ob-server shall have the right to require the insertion in thereport, either summarized or in full, of any statementwhich he has made. In such case, he must himself supplyto the reporter the text to be inserted within two hoursafter the end of the session. It is recommended that thisright shall only be used with discretion.

2. If circumstances warrant, the committees or sub-committees shall prepare at the end of their work a finalreport in which they shall recapitulate in concise termsthe proposals and the conclusions which result from thestudies which have been entrusted to them.

RULE 21. Adoption of Minutes and Reports1. (1) As a general rule, at the beginning of each

session of the Plenary Assembly, or of each session of acommittee or of a subcommittee, the minutes or thereport of the preceding session shall be read.

(2) However, the Chairman may, if he considerssuch procedure satisfactory, and if no objection is raised,merely ask if any members of the Plenary Assembly, theCommittee or the subcommittee, have any remarks tomake on the content of the minutes or of the report.

2. The minutes or the report shall then be adopted oramended in accordance with the remarks which havebeen made and which have been approved by thePlenary Assembly, or by the committee or subcommittee.

3. Any final report must be approved by the respectivecommittee or subcommittee.

4. (1) The minutes of the closing session of thePlenary Assembly shall be examined and approved bythe Chairman of the Conference.

(2) The report of the last session of a committeeor of a subcommittee shall be examined and approved bythe Chairman of the committee or subcommittee.

RULE 22. Editorial Committee

1. The texts of the Convention or of the Regulations,which shall be worded so far as practicable in theirdefinitive form, by the various committees, following theopinions expressed, shall be submitted to an editorialcommittee charged with perfecting their form withoutaltering the sense and with combining them with thoseparts of the former texts which have not been altered.

2. The whole of the revised texts shall be submittedfor the approval of the Plenary Assembly of the Confer-ence which shall decide on them, or refer them back tothe appropriate committee for further examination.

RULE 23. Numbering

1. The numbers of the chapters, articles and para-graphs of the texts subjected to revision shall be pre-served until the first reading at a session of the PlenaryAssembly. The passages added shall bear provisionallythe numbers bis, ter, etc. and the numbers of deletedpassages shall not be used.

2. The definitive numbering of the chapters, articlesand paragraphs shall be entrusted to the Editorial Com-mittee after their adoption following the first reading.

RULE 24. Final Approval

The texts of the Convention and of the Regulationsshall be final after they have been read a second time andapproved.

RULE 25. Signature

The final texts approved by the Conference shall besubmitted for signature to the delegates provided withthe necessary powers in the alphabetical order of theFrench names of the countries.

RULE 26. Press Notices

Official releases to the press about the work of theConference shall be issued only as authorized by theChairman or a Vice-Chairman of the Conference.

RULE 27. Franking Privileges

While attending conferences and meetings providedfor in the Convention, Delegates and Representatives, asdefined in the Annex to the Convention, the SecretaryGeneral, Assistant Secretaries General, Officials of theSecretariat of the Union and Members of the Adminis-trative Council, shall be entitled to postal, telegraph andtelephone franking privileges, to the extent arranged bythe Government of the country in which the conferenceor meeting is held, in agreement with the other contract-ing governments and with the private operating agenciesconcerned.

PART II. INTERNATIONAL CONSULTATIVECOMMITTEES

CHAPTER 7.—GENERAL PROVISIONS

1. The provisions of Part II of the General Regula-tions supplement Article 8 of the Convention definingthe scope and structure of the International ConsultativeCommittees.

2. Consultative Committees shall also observe theapplicable Rules of Procedure of Conferences containedin Part I of the General Regulations.


CHAPTER 8.—CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATION

1. (1) The International Consultative Committeesshall have as members:

(a) as of right; Administrations of Members andAssociate Members;

(b) upon request; such recognized private operat-ing agencies as have expressed a desire to havetheir experts participate in the work of theCommittees, subject to the procedure indicatedbelow.

(2) The first request from a recognized privateoperating agency to take part in the work of a Consulta-tive Committee shall be addressed to the Secretary Gen-eral who shall inform all the Members and AssociateMembers and the Director of the Consultative Committeeconcerned. A request from a private operating agencymust be approved by the Administration of the Govern-ment recognizing it.

(3) Any private operating agency, member of aConsultative Committee, shall have the right to withdrawfrom participation in the work of this Consultative Com-mittee when it so desires, by notifying the Director ofthe Committee. The withdrawal shall become effectiveone year from the date of the notification.

2. (1) International organizations, which are coordi-nating their work with the International Telecommunica-tion Union and which have related activities, may beadmitted to participate in the work of the ConsultativeCommittees in an advisory capacity.

(2) The first request from an international organi-zation to take part in the work of a Consultative Com-mittee shall be addressed to the Secretary General whoshall invite by telegram all the Members and AssociateMembers to say whether the request should be granted;the request shall be granted if the majority of the repliesof the members received within a period of one monthare favourable. The Secretary General shall inform allthe Members and Associate Members and the Director ofthe Consultative Committee concerned of the result ofthe consultation.

3. (1) Scientific or manufacturing organizations,which are engaged in the study of telecommunicationproblems or in the design or manufacture of equipmentintended for telecommunication services, may be admittedto participate in an advisory capacity in meetings of theStudy Groups of the Consultative Committees, providedthat their participation has received the approval of theadministrations of the countries concerned.

(2) The first request from a scientific or manufac-turing organization for admission to meetings of StudyGroups of a Consultative Committee shall be addressedto the Director of the Consultative Committee; such arequest must be approved by the administration of thecountry concerned.

CHAPTER 9.—DUTIES OF THE PLENARY ASSEMBLY

The duties of the Plenary Assembly shall be to approvefor issue, to modify or to reject recommendations sub-mitted to it by the Study Groups and to draw up listsof new questions to be studied, in accordance with para-graph 2 of Article 8 of the Convention. It shall submitto the Administrative Council a statement of the financialaccounts of the Consultative Committee concerned.

CHAPTER 10.—MEETINGS OF THE PLENARYASSEMBLY

1. The Plenary Assembly shall normally meet everytwo years, provided that a meeting shall take place aboutone year previous to the meeting of the relative Admin-istrative Conference.

2. The date of the meeting of a Plenary Assemblymay be advanced or postponed, with the approval of atleast twelve participating countries, according to thestate of progress of work of the Study Groups.

3. Each meeting of a Plenary Assembly shall be heldin a place fixed by the previous meeting of the PlenaryAssembly.

4. At each of these meetings, the Plenary Assemblyshall be presided over by the Head of the Delegation ofthe country in which the meeting is held; the Chairmanshall be assisted by Vice-Chairmen elected by the PlenaryAssembly.

5. The Secretariat of the Plenary Assembly of a Con-sultative Committee shall be composed of the specializedSecretariat of that Committee, with the help, if neces-sary, of the personnel of the administration of the invit-ing Government and of the General Secretariat.

CHAPTER 11.—LANGUAGES AND METHOD OF VOTINGIN SESSIONS OF THE PLENARY ASSEMBLIES

1. The languages used in the Plenary Meetings and inthe official documents of the Consultative Committeesshall be as provided in Article 15 of the Convention.

2. The Members which are authorized to vote at ses-sions of Plenary Assemblies of the Consultative Commit-tees shall be as provided in Article 1, paragraph 3 (2)of the Convention. However, when a country is notrepresented by an administration, the representatives ofthe recognized private operating agencies of that membercountry shall, as a whole, and regardless of their number,be entitled to a single vote.

CHAPTER 12.—COMPOSITION OF STUDY GROUPS

The Plenary Assembly shall set up the necessary StudyGroups to deal with questions to be studied; it shalldesignate the administrations, private operating agencies,international organizations and scientific and manufac-turing organizations which shall take part in the work ofthe Study Groups; it shall name the Group Chairmanwho shall preside over each of the Study Groups.

CHAPTER 13.—TREATMENT OF BUSINESS1. If a Study Group cannot solve a question by cor-

respondence, the Group Chairman may, with the ap-proval of his Administration suggest a meeting at aconvenient place to discuss the question orally.

2. However, in order to avoid unnecessary journeysand prolonged absences, the Director of a ConsultativeCommittee, in agreement with the Group Chairmen ofthe various Study Groups concerned, shall draw up thegeneral plan of meetings of groups of Study Groupswhich are to meet in the same place during the sameperiod.

3. The Director shall send reports made as a resultof correspondence or of meetings, to the participatingadministrations, and to the private operating agencieswhich are members of the Consultative Committee. Theseshall be sent as soon as possible and, in any event, in


time for them to be received at least one month beforethe date of the next meeting of the Plenary Assembly.Questions which have not formed the subject of a re-port furnished in this way shall not appear in the agendafor the meeting of the Plenary Assembly.

CHAPTER 14.—DUTIES OF THE DIRECTOR.SPECIALIZED SECRETARIAT

1. (1) The Director of a Consultative Committeeshall coordinate the work of the Study Groups and ofthe Plenary Assembly.

(2) He shall keep a file of all the correspondenceof the Committee.

(3) The Director shall be assisted by a secretariatcomposed of a specialized staff to work under his direc-tion and to aid him in the organization of the work ofthe Committee.

(4) The Director of the International Radio Con-sultative Committee shall also be assisted by a Vice-Director in accordance with Article 8 of the Convention.

2. The Director shall choose the technical and ad-ministrative members of the secretariat within the frame-work of the budget as approved by the PlenipotentiaryConference or the Administrative Council. The appoint-ment of the technical and administrative personnel ismade by the Secretary General in agreement with theDirector.

3. The Director shall participate as of right, but in anadvisory capacity, in meetings of the Plenary Assemblyand of the Study Groups. He shall make all necessarypreparations for meetings of the Plenary Assembly andof the Study Groups.

4. The Vice-Director of the International Radio Con-sultative Committee shall participate as of right in anadvisory capacity in meetings of the Plenary Assemblyand of the Study Groups when questions in which he isconcerned are on the Agenda.

5. The Director shall submit to the Plenary Assemblya report on the activities of the Consultative Committeesince the last meeting of the Plenary Assembly. Afterapproval, this report shall be sent to the Secretary Gen-eral.

6. The Director shall submit for the approval of thePlenary Assembly an estimate of the expenditure pro-posed for each of the next two years; after its approval bythe Plenary Assembly, the Director shall send this esti-mate to the Secretary General; to be embodied in the an-nual estimates of the Union.

CHAPTER 15.—PREPARATION OF PROPOSALS FORADMINISTRATIVE CONFERENCES

One year before the appropriate Administrative Con-ference, representatives of the interested Study Groups ofeach Consultative Committee shall correspond with ormeet with representatives of the General Secretariat inorder to extract, from the recommendations issued by itsince the preceding Administrative Conference, proposalsfor modification of the relative set of Regulations.

CHAPTER 16.—RELATIONS OF CONSULTATIVECOMMITTEES BETWEEN THEMSELVES AND

WITH OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

1. International Consultative Committees may formjoint Study Groups to study and make recommendationson questions of common interest.

2. Any Consultative Committee may appoint a repre-sentative to attend, in an advisory capacity, meetings orother committees of the Union or other international or-ganizations to which this Consultative Committee hasbeen invited.

3. The Secretary General of the Union, or one of thetwo Assistant Secretaries General, the representatives ofthe International Frequency Registration Board, and theDirectors of the other Consultative Committees of theUnion or their representatives may attend meetings ofthe Consultative Committees in an advisory capacity.

CHAPTER 17.—FINANCES OF INTERNATIONALCONSULTATIVE COMMITTEES

1. The salaries of the Directors of the InternationalConsultative Committees, including the salary of theVice-Director of the International Radio ConsultativeCommittee, and the ordinary expenses of the specializedsecretariats shall be included in the ordinary expenses ofthe Union in accordance with the provisions of Article14 of the Convention.

2. The expenses of the meetings of the Plenary As-semblies and of the meetings of the Study Groups, in-cluding the extraordinary expenses of the Directors, theVice-Director of the International Radio ConsultativeCommittee, and of the whole of the Secretariat employedat such meetings shall be borne in the manner describedbelow, by the administrations, private operating agenciesand scientific or manufacturing organizations participat-ing in such meetings.

3. An administration wishing to take part in the workof a Consultative Committee shall address a declarationto that effect to the Secretary General. This declarationshall include an undertaking to contribute to the extra-ordinary expenses of that Committee as set forth in thepreceding paragraph, and also to pay for all documentssupplied. This undertaking shall take effect as from theclose of the meeting of the Plenary Assembly precedingthe date of the declaration and shall remain in force untilterminated by the administration concerned. Any noticeof termination shall take effect as from the close of themeeting of the Plenary Assembly following the date ofsuch notice. An administration giving notice of termina-tion shall, however, be entitled to receive all documentspertaining to the last meeting of the Plenary Assemblyheld during the period of validity of its undertaking.

4. (1) Any private operating agency member of aConsultative Committee must contribute to the expensesreferred to in paragraph 2 above and must pay for thedocuments with which it is supplied as from the closeof the meeting of the Plenary Assembly immediatelypreceding the date of its application as provided for inChapter 8, paragraph 1 (2) of the General Regulations.This obligation shall continue until any notice of with-drawal, made in accordance with Chapter 8, paragraph 1(3) of the General Regulations, becomes effective.

(2) The provisions of paragraph 4 (1) above shallapply to scientific or manufacturing organizations andalso to international organizations unless these latter arespecifically exempted by the Administrative Council inaccordance with Article 14 of the Convention.

5. The expenses of the Consultative Committees de-fined in paragraph 2 above shall be apportioned amongthe administrations which have undertaken to contribute,in proportion to the number of units which the respectiveGovernments contribute to the ordinary expenses of theUnion under Article 14 of the Convention. Private


operating agencies, international organizations and scien-tific or manufacturing organizations which have under-taken to contribute shall declare the class in which theywish to be placed for this purpose.

6. Each administration, private operating agency,international organization and scientific or manufacturingorganization shall defray the personal expenses of itsown participants.

ANNEX 5

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITEDNATIONS AND THE INTERNATIONAL

TELECOMMUNICATION UNION15

FINAL PROTOCOL TO THE INTERNATIONALTELECOMMUNICATION CONVENTION

(Atlantic City, 1947)

At the time of signing the International Telecom-munication Convention of Atlantic City, the undersignedplenipotentiaries take note of the following statements:

IFor Canada:

The signature of Canada to this Convention is subjectto the reservation that Canada does not accept Paragraph3 of Ankle 13 of the Atlantic City Convention. Canadaagrees to be bound by the Radio Regulations annexed tothis Convention but does not at present agree to bebound by the Additional Radio Regulations nor by anyTelegraph Regulations or Telephone Regulations.

IIFor the Republic of Chile:

The Chairman of the Delegation from Chile in sign-ing the Radio Regulations of Atlantic City makes aprovisional reservation in regard to the provisions ofparagraphs 990, 991, 992, 994, 995, 996 and 997 ofSection II of Article 41 of said Regulations.

The Chairman of the Delegation from Chile in sign-ing the International Telecommunication Convention ofAtlantic City, makes a provisional reservation in regardto the provisions of Article 39 of the Atlantic City Con-vention.

IIIFor the Republic of Colombia:

The Republic of Colombia formally declares that theRepublic of Colombia does not, by signature of thisConvention on its behalf, accept any obligation in respectto the Telephone Regulations referred to in Article 13of the Atlantic City Convention.

IVFor the Republic of Ecuador:

The Republic of Ecuador formally declares that bysignature of this Convention, it does not accept anyobligation in respect to the Telegraph Regulations, theTelephone Regulations, or the Additional Radio Regula-tions, referred to in Article 13 of the Atlantic City Con-vention.

VFor the United States of America:

Signature of this Convention for and in the name of

the United States of America constitutes, in accordancewith its constitutional processes, signature also on behalfof all territories of the United States of America.

The United States of America formally declares thatthe United States of America does not, by signature ofthis Convention on its behalf, accept any obligation inrespect of the Telegraph Regulations, the TelephoneRegulations, or the Additional Radio Regulations re-ferred to in Article 13 of the Atlantic City Convention.

VIFor the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics:

When signing the International TelecommunicationConvention, the U.S.S.R. Delegation declared formallyits disagreement with paragraph 2, article 1 of the Con-vention which it finds legally unfounded and contra-dictory to the other articles of the Convention and to theresolution of Madrid Telecommunication Conference.

At the same time the U.S.S.R. Delegation considers itunjustified that the following sovereign states, fullyfledged participants of the Madrid Convention werewithout any legal foundation not included in the list ofmembers of the Union set forth in Annex 1: the LatvianSoviet Socialist Republic, the Lithuanian Soviet SocialistRepublic, the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic and thePeople's Republic of Mongolia.

The U.S.S.R. Delegation is of the opinion that thewhole status of Membership in the International Tele-communication Union should be brought up for revisionat the next plenipotentiary conference.

VIIFor the Republic of China:

The Republic of China formally declares that the Re-public of China does not, by signature of this Conven-tion, accept any obligation in respect of the TelephoneRegulations referred to in Article 13 of the AtlanticCity Convention.

VIIIFor the Republic of the Philippines:

The signature of the Republic of the Philippines tothe Atlantic City Convention is subject to the reservationthat, for the present, it cannot agree to be bound by theTelephone and Telegraph Regulations referred to inParagraph 3 of Article 13 of the above-mentioned Con-vention.

IXFor Pakistan:

The Delegation of Pakistan formally declares thatPakistan does not, by signature of this Convention onits behalf, accept any obligation in respect of the Tele-phone Regulations referred to in Article 13 of thisConvention.

XFor the Republic of Peru:

The Chairman of the Delegation of Peru, in signingthe Atlantic City Convention, makes a provisional reser-vation with respect to the obligations established inArticle 13 of the said Convention, in relation to theTelegraph Regulations, Telephone Regulations and Ad-ditional Radio Regulations.

15 For text, see pp. 952-54.

* * *


XIFor the Republic of Cuba:

Signature of this Convention for and in the name ofCuba is subject to the reservation that Cuba does notaccept, in regard to the Telephone Regulations, Paragraph3 of Article 13 of the Atlantic City Convention.

XIIFor the United States of Venezuela:

The United States of Venezuela formally declares thatthe United States of Venezuela does not, by signature ofthis Convention on its behalf, accept any obligation inrespect to the Telegraph Regulations, the TelephoneRegulations or the Additional Radio Regulations referredto in Article 13 (Regulations).

XIIIFor the Oriental Republic of Uruguay:

The Delegation of the Oriental Republic of Uruguayformally declares that by signature of this Convention theOriental Republic of Uruguay does not accept any obliga-tion in respect of the Telegraph Regulations, TelephoneRegulations, or Additional Radio Regulations referredto in Article 13 of the Atlantic City Convention.

XIVFor the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:

The Saudi Arabian Delegation, in signing this Con-vention, reserves for its Government the right to acceptor not accept any obligation in respect of the TelegraphRegulations, Telephone Regulations, the Radio Regula-tions or the Additional Radio Regulations referred to inArticle 13 of the Atlantic City Convention.

XVFor the Republic of Panama:

The Republic of Panama formally declares that bysignature of this Atlantic City Convention of 1947, itdoes not accept any obligation in respect of the Tele-graph Regulations, the Telephone Regulations, or theAdditional Radio Regulations referred to in Article 13.

XVIFor Mexico:

The Mexican Delegation states that the signing of theInternational Telecommunication Convention of AtlanticCity does not oblige the Mexican Government to acceptthe Telegraph Regulations, nor the Telephone Regula-tions, nor the Additional Radio Regulations referred toin Article 13 of the above-mentioned Convention.

XVIIFor Ethiopia:

The Delegation of Ethiopia formally declares that itmakes a temporary reservation in relation to Protocol I,concerning the Transitional Arrangements, as its powersare expressly subject to the limitation that all its signa-tures are subject to ratification.

XVIIIFor Iraq:

Signature of this Convention on behalf of Iraq is sub-ject to reservation in regard to the right of Iraq to acceptor not accept the Telephone Regulations and TelegraphRegulations referred to in Article 13.

In witness whereof, the respective plenipotentiaries

have signed this Final Protocol of Signature in each ofthe English and French languages, in a single copy, whichshall remain deposited in the archives of the Governmentof the United States of America and one copy of whichshall be forwarded to each signatory government.


ADDITIONAL PROTOCOLS TO THE INTER-NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION

CONVENTION(Atlantic City, 1947)

At the time of signing the International Telecom-munication Convention of Atlantic City, the undersignedplenipotentiaries have signed the following additionalprotocols:

I.—PROTOCOL CONCERNING TRANSITIONALARRANGEMENTS

The International Telecommunication Conference ofAtlantic City has agreed to the following arrangementsto ensure the satisfactory functioning of the Union andto facilitate the application of the International Telecom-munication Convention of Atlantic City upon its cominginto force on January 1, 1949:

1. (1) The Administrative Council shall be set upforthwith in accordance with the provisions of Article 5of the Atlantic City Convention and shall forthwith func-tion on a provisional basis until the coming into force ofthat Convention. It will hold its first meeting at AtlanticCity.

(2) At that meeting the Administrative Councilshall elect its Chairman and Vice-Chairmen and shallplan its work for the transitional period ending Decem-ber 31, 1948, with a view to taking over, on January 1,1949, its permanent functions.

2. (1) The International Frequency RegistrationBoard shall be set up forthwith in accordance with theprovisions of Article 6 of the Atlantic City Conventionand shall function on a provisional basis until the com-ing into force of the said Convention.

(2) It will hold its first meeting at Atlantic City.For that meeting the Members of the Board may maketemporary unpaid appointments of technically qualifiedpersons without regard to all the conditions laid downin Article 6 of the Convention.

(3) At that meeting the Board shall be organizedand its work shall be planned for the transitional periodbetween January 1, 1948 and December 31, 1948, inaccordance with the decisions taken by the InternationalRadio Conference of Atlantic City with a view to itspermanent establishment as provided for in the Conven-tion of Atlantic City.

3. (1) The General Secretariat shall be set up forth-with in accordance with the provisions of Article 9 ofthe Atlantic City Convention. Until the coming intoforce of that Convention, it shall function on a pro-visional basis. With the consent of Swiss Government,its costs shall be filled as far as possible by the corres-ponding officials of the present Bureau in order tofacilitate the transfer of duties upon the date of thecoming into force of the Atlantic City Convention.

(2) Exceptionally, in derogation of that Conven-tion, the International Telecommunication Conference ofAtlantic City appoints the first holders of the posts of


Secretary General and Assistant Secretaries General. Thepresent Director of the Bureau, Mr. F. von Ernst, ishereby appointed as Secretary General and the presentVice-Directors, Mr. Leon Mulatier and Mr. Gerald C.Gross, are appointed as Assistant Secretaries General.These officials shall perform the functions as provided forthem in the Convention.

4. During the interim period the Secretary Generalshall send to all Members of the Union notification ofthe deposit of instruments of ratification and accession asprovided in Articles 15 and 17 of the Convention.

II.—PROTOCOL CONCERNING GERMANY AND JAPANIt is hereby agreed that Germany and Japan may ac-

cede to the International Telecommunication Conventionof Atlantic City by fulfilling the provisions of Article 17thereof at such time as the responsible authorities con-sider such accession appropriate. The formalities pre-scribed by Article 1 of that Convention shall not apply tothese two countries.

III.—PROTOCOL CONCERNING SPAIN, THE SPANISHZONE OF MOROCCO AND THE TOTALITY OF SPANISH

POSSESSIONSIt is hereby agreed that Spain, on the one hand, and

the Spanish Zone of Morocco and the totality of Span-ish Possessions, on the other hand, may accede to theInternational Telecommunication Convention of AtlanticCity, in the capacity of Members having the right to vote,by complying with the provision of Article 17 when theResolution of the General Assembly of the United Na-tions dated December 12, 1946, shall be abrogated orcease to be applicable.

The formalities provided in Article 1 of the Conventionshall not apply to Spain, on the one hand, and to theSpanish Zone of Morocco and to the totality of SpanishPossessions on the other hand.

IV.—PROTOCOL CONCERNING THE TELEGRAPH ANDTELEPHONE REGULATIONS

For those Members who have not yet approved theTelegraph and/or the Telephone Regulations, the pro-visions of Paragraph 3 of Article 13 of the Conventionshall become binding only on the date of the signature ofthe Telegraph and Telephone Regulations as revised bythe next telegraph and telephone administrative confer-ence.

V.—PROTOCOL CONCERNING THE ORDINARYEXPENDITURES OF THE UNION IN 1948

In accordance with the Resolution of the InternationalTelecommunication Conference of Atlantic City, the Gov-ernment of the Swiss Confederation is invited to advanceto the Union, as and when requested by the Administra-tive Council or by the Secretary General of the Unionwith the approval of the Administrative Council, a sumnot exceeding 1,500,000 Swiss francs for the ordinaryexpenses of the Union for the fiscal year 1948.

The Secretary General of the Union is authorized,with the approval of the Administrative Council, to incurordinary annual expenditures during the fiscal year 1948not exceeding 1,000,000 Swiss francs for the radio di-vision and 500,000 Swiss francs for the telephone andtelegraph division.

VI.—PROTOCOL CONCERNING ORDINARYEXPENDITURES OF THE UNION FOR 1949-1952

The International Telecommunication Conference ofAtlantic City, in accordance with its resolution, hereby au-thorizes the Administrative Council to incur, after ap-proval by a majority of the Members and AssociateMembers of the Union prior to the fiscal year in whichthe expenditure is to be incurred, such higher expendi-tures as may be required for the conduct of essentialfunctions of the Union above the annual ordinary ex-penditures of 4,000,000 Swiss francs, the sum estimatedfor the ordinary annual expenses of the Union for theperiod 1949-1952.

VII.—PROTOCOL AUTHORIZING EXTRAORDINARYEXPENDITURES FOR THE PROVISIONAL FUNCTIONS

OF THE INTERNATIONAL FREQUENCY REGISTRATIONBOARD

In accordance with the resolution approved by theInternational Telecommunication Conference of AtlanticCity, the Secretary General of the Union is authorizedto defray the extraordinary expenses attributable to thecosts of the International Frequency Registration Boardand the salaries and expenses of its members during theperiod prior to the effective date of the Atlantic CityConvention.

VIII.—PROTOCOL AUTHORIZING EXPENDITURE FORTHE PROVISIONAL FUNCTION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE

COUNCILIn accordance with the resolution approved by the

International Telecommunication Conference of AtlanticCity, the Secretary General of the Union is authorized todefray the official travel and subsistence expenses ofMembers of the Administrative Council and the ex-penses of its sessions during the period prior to the ef-fective date of the Atlantic City Convention.

IX.—PROTOCOL AUTHORIZING THE EXTRAORDINARYEXPENDITURES OF FUNDS OF THE UNION FOR THE

WORK OF THE PROVISIONAL FREQUENCY BOARD

The International Telecommunication Conference ofAtlantic City, in accordance with its resolution, herebyauthorizes the Secretary General of the Union to incur,as extraordinary expenses of the Union, expenditures inconnection with the work of the Provisional FrequencyBoard. Each country shall, however, defray the salaryand expenses of its representative who will serve as anational member of the Board and of his advisers; theexpenses of representatives of international regionalorganizations shall be defrayed by the organization con-cerned.

X.—PROTOCOL CONCERNING THE PROCEDURETO BE FOLLOWED BY THE COUNTRIES WISHING

TO MODIFY THEIR CLASS OF CONTRIBUTIONTO THE EXPENDITURES OF THE UNION

The International Telecommunication Conference ofAtlantic City, agrees as follows:

1. In derogation of the provisions of the Madrid Con-vention, the classification of units of contribution pro-vided in Article 14, paragraph 4 of the InternationalTelecommunication Convention of Atlantic City shallgo into effect as of January 1, 1948.


2. Each Member shall, prior to September 1, 1948,notify the Secretary General of the Union of the class ofcontribution It has selected, from the classification tableset forth in Article 14, paragraph 4 of the InternationalTelecommunication Convention of Atlantic City. Formeeting expenses for the fiscal year 1948, such notifica-tion may indicate the selection of a class of contributionfor the expenses of the radio service, and a different classfor the expenses of the telegraph and telephone service.For meeting expenses for the fiscal year 1949 and subse-quent fiscal years, such notification shall indicate thesingle class selected for meeting the consolidated ex-penses of the radio service and the telegraph and tele-phone service.

3. Members failing to make decision prior to Septem-ber 1, 1948 in accordance with the foregoing paragraphshall be bound to contribute in accordance with thenumber of units to which they have subscribed underthe Madrid Convention, provided, however, that if suchMembers have, under the Madrid Convention, subscribedto a class of contribution for the radio service which isdifferent from the class subscribed by them for the tele-graph and telephone service, they shall, for the fiscalyear 1949 and subsequent years, be bound to contributein accordance with the higher of these two classes.

In witness whereof, the respective plenipotentiarieshave signed these Additional Protocols in each of theEnglish and French languages, in a single copy, whichshall remain deposited in the archives of the Govern-ment of the United States of America and one copy ofwhich shall be forwarded to each signatory government.


ANNEX IIIAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITEDNATIONS AND THE INTERNATIONAL

TELECOMMUNICATION UNION

PreambleIn consideration of the provisions of Article 57 of

the Charter of the United Nations and of article 26 ofthe Convention of the International TelecommunicationsUnion of Atlantic City 1947, the United Nations andthe International Telecommunications Union agree asfollows:

Article IThe United Nations recognizes the International Tele-

communications Union (hereinafter called the Union)as the specialized agency responsible for taking suchaction as may be appropriate under its basic instrumentfor the accomplishment of the purposes set forth therein.

Article II

RECIPROCAL REPRESENTATION

1. The United Nations shall be invited to send rep-resentatives to participate, without vote, in the delibera-tions of all the plenipotentiary and administrative con-ferences of the Union. It shall also, after appropriateconsultation, be invited to send representatives to attendinternational consultative committees or any other meet-ings convened by the Union, with the right to partici-pate, without vote, in the discussion of items of interestto the United Nations.

2. The Union shall be invited to send representatives

to attend meetings of the General Assembly of theUnited Nations for the purposes of consultation on tele-communication matters.

3. The Union shall be invited to send representativesto be present at the meetings of the Economic and SocialCouncil of the United Nations and of the TrusteeshipCouncil and of their commissions or committees, andto participate, without vote, in the deliberations thereofwith respect to items on the agenda in which the Unionmay be concerned.

4. The Union shall be invited to send representativesto attend meetings of the main committees of the Gen-eral Assembly when matters within the competence ofthe Union are under discussion, and to participate, with-out vote, in such discussions.

5. Written statements presented by the Union shallbe distributed by the Secretariat of the United Nationsto the members of the General Assembly, the Economicand Social Council and its commissions, and the Trustee-ship Council as appropriate. Similarly, written state-ments presented by the United Nations shall be distri-buted by the Union to its members.

Article IIIPROPOSAL OF AGENDA ITEMS

After such preliminary consultation as may be ne-cessary, the Union shall include in the agenda of pleni-potentiary or administrative conferences or meetings ofother organs of the Union, items proposed to it bythe United Nations. Similarly, the Economic and SocialCouncil and its commissions and the Trusteeship Councilshall include in their agenda items proposed by theconferences or other organs of the Union.

Article IVRECOMMENDATIONS OF THE UNITED NATIONS

1. The Union, having regard to the obligation of theUnited Nations to promote the objectives set forth inArticle 55 of the Charter, and the function and powerof the Economic and Social Council under Article 62of the Charter to make or initiate studies and reportswith respect to international economic, social, cultural,educational, health and related matters and to makerecommendations concerning these matters to the special-ized agencies concerned, and having regard also to theresponsibility of the United Nations, under Articles 58and 63 of the Charter, to make recommendations forthe co-ordination of the policies and activities of suchspecialized agencies, agrees to arrange for the submissionas soon as possible to its appropriate organ, for such ac-tion as may seem proper, of all formal recommendationswhich the United Nations may make to it.

2. The Union agrees to enter into consultation withthe United Nations upon request with respect to suchrecommendations, and in due course to report to theUnited Nations on the action taken by the Union or byits members to give effect to such recommendations, oron the other results of their consideration.

3. The Union will co-operate in whatever furthermeasures may be necessary to make co-ordination of theactivities of specialized agencies and those of the UnitedNations fully effective. In particular, it agrees to co-operate with any body or bodies which the Economicand Social Council may establish for the purpose offacilitating such co-ordination, and to furnish such infor-mation as may be required for the carrying out of thispurpose.


Article VEXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS

1. Subject to such arrangements as may be necessaryfor the safeguarding of confidential material, the fullestand promptest exchange of appropriate information anddocuments shall be made between the United Nations andthe Union to meet the requirements of each.

2. Without prejudice to the generality of the pro-visions of the preceding paragraph:

(a) The Union shall submit to the United Nationsan annual report on its activities;

(b) The Union shall comply to the fullest extentpracticable with any request which the United Nationsmay make for the furnishing of special reports, studiesor information;

(c) The Secretary-General of the United Nationsshall, upon request, consult with the appropriate author-ity of the Union with a view to providing to the Unionsuch information as may be of special interest to it.

Article VIASSISTANCE TO THE UNITED NATIONS

The Union agrees to co-operate with and to renderall possible assistance to the United Nations, its princi-pal and subsidiary organs, in accordance with the UnitedNations Charter and the International Telecommunica-tions Convention, taking fully into account the par-ticular position of the individual members of the Unionwho are not members of the United Nations.

Article VIIRELATIONS WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COURT

OF JUSTICE

1. The Union agrees to furnish any information whichmay be requested by the International Court of Justicein pursuance of Article 34 of the Statute of the Court.

2. The General Assembly authorizes the Union torequest advisory opinions of the International Courtof Justice on legal questions arising within the scope ofits competence other than questions concerning themutual relationships of the Union and the UnitedNations or other specialized agencies.

3. Such request may be addressed to the Court bythe Plenipotentiary Conference or the AdministrativeCouncil acting in pursuance of an authorization by thePlenipotentiary Conference.

4. When requesting the International Court of Justiceto give an advisory opinion the Union shall inform theEconomic and Social Council of the request.

Article VIIIPERSONNEL ARRANGEMENTS

1. The United Nations and the Union agree to de-velop, as far as is practicable, common personnelstandards, methods and arrangements designed to avoidserious discrepancies in terms and conditions of employ-ment, to avoid competition in recruitment of personnel,and to facilitate any mutually desirable interchange ofpersonnel in order to obtain the maximum benefit fromtheir services.

2. The United Nations and the Union agree to co-operate to the fullest extent possible in achieving theseends.

Article IX

STATISTICAL

1. The United Nations and the Union agree to strive

for maximum co-operation, the elimination of all un-desirable duplication between them, and the most effi-cient use of their technical personnel in their respectivecollection, analysis, publication, standardization, improve-ment and dissemination of statistical information. Theyagree to combine their efforts to secure the greatestpossible usefulness and utilization of statistical informa-tion and to minimize the burdens placed upon nationalGovernments and other organizations from which suchinformation may be collected.

2. The Union recognizes the United Nations as thecentral agency for the collection, analysis, publication,standardization, improvement and dissemination of statis-tics serving the general purposes of international organi-zations.

3. The United Nations recognizes the Union as thecentral agency responsible for the collection, analysis,publication, standardization, improvement and dissemina-tion of statistics within its special sphere, without prej-udice to the rights of the United Nations to concernitself with such statistics so far as they may be essentialfor its own purposes or for the improvement ofstatistics throughout the world. All decisions as to theform in which its service documents are compiled restwith the Union.

4. In order to build up a central collection of statisticalinformation for general use, it is agreed that data sup-plied to the Union for incorporation in its basic statisticalseries or special reports should, as far as is practicable,be made available to the United Nations upon request.

5. It is agreed that data supplied to the United Nationsfor incorporation in its basic statistical series or specialreports should, so far as is practicable and appropriate,be made available to the Union upon request.

Article XADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICAL SERVICES

1. The United Nations and the Union recognize thedesirability, in the interests of the most efficient useof personnel and resources, of avoiding, whenever pos-sible, the establishment of competitive or overlappingservices, and when necessary to consult thereon toachieve these ends.

2. Arrangements shall be made between the UnitedNations and the Union with regard to the registrationand deposit of official documents.

Article XIBUDGETARY AND FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS

1. The budget or the proposed budget of the Unionshall be transmitted to the United Nations at the sametime as such budget is transmitted to the members ofthe Union, and the General Assembly may makerecommendations thereon to the Union.

2. The Union shall be entitled to send represen-tatives to participate, without vote, in the deliberationsof the General Assembly or any committee thereof atall times when the budget of the Union is under con-sideration.

Article XIIFINANCING OF SPECIAL SERVICES

1. In the event of the Union being faced with thenecessity of incurring substantial extra expense as aresult of any request which the United Nations may makefor special reports, studies or assistance in accordancewith article VI or with any other provisions of this


agreement, consultation shall take place with a viewto determining the most equitable manner in whichsuch expense shall be borne.

2. Consultation between the United Nations and theUnion shall similarly take place with a view to makingsuch arrangements as may be found equitable for cover-ing the costs of central administrative, technical or fiscalservices or facilities or other special assistance requestedby the Union and provided by the United Nations.

Article XIIIUNITED NATIONS "LAISSEZ-PASSER"

Officials of the Union shall have the right to usethe laissez-passer of the United Nations in accordancewith special arrangements to be negotiated betweenthe Secretary-General of the United Nations and thecompetent authorities of the Union.

Article XIVINTER-AGENCY AGREEMENTS

1. The Union agrees to inform the Economic andSocial Council of the nature and scope of any formalagreement contemplated between the Union and anyother specialized agency or other inter-governmentalorganization or international non-governmental organi-zation, and further will inform the Economic andSocial Council of the details of any such agreement,when concluded.

2. The United Nations agrees to inform the Unionof the nature and scope of any formal agreement con-templated by any other specialized agencies on matterswhich might be of concern to the Union and furtherwill inform the Union of the details of any suchagreement, when concluded.

Article XVLIAISON

1. The United Nations and the Union agree to theforegoing provisions in the belief that they will contri-bute to the maintenance of effective liaison betweenthe two organizations. They affirm their intention oftaking whatever measures may be necessary to thisend.

2. The liaison arrangements provided for in thisagreement shall apply, as far as is appropriate, to therelations between the Union and the United Nations,including its branch and regional offices.

Article XVIUNITED NATIONS TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES

1. The Union recognizes that it is important that theUnited Nations shall benefit by the same rights as themembers of the Union for operating telecommunica-tion services.

2. The United Nations undertakes to operate thetelecommunication services under its control in accord-ance with the terms of the International Telecommunica-tions Convention and the regulations annexed thereto.

3. The precise arrangements for implementing thisarticle shall be dealt with separately.

Article XVIIIMPLEMENTATION OF AGREEMENT

The Secretary-General of the United Nations and theappropriate authority of the Union may enter into suchsupplementary arrangements for the implementationof this agreement as may be found desirable.

Article XVIIIREVISION

On six months' notice given on either side, thisagreement shall be subject to revision by agreementbetween the United Nations and the Union.

Article XIXENTRY INTO FORCE

1. This agreement will come into force provisionallyafter approval by the General Assembly of the UnitedNations and the Plenipotentiary TelecommunicationsConference at Atlantic City in 1947.

2. Subject to the aforementioned approval, the agree-ment will formally enter into force at the same timeas the International Telecommunications Conventionconcluded at Atlantic City in 1947, or at some earlierdate as may be arranged for by a decision of the Union.

IX. The International Telecommunication Union

Documents