administrative regulations only by ratification of the relevant instruments, and maintain the right to submit new reservations at the time of ratification. The United States did not sign an optional protocol on compulsory arbitration of disputes. ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL, 45TH SESSION Opening Session The opening session of the 45th Administrative Council met immediately following the Nice Plenipotentiary Conference. Although the conference had approved a ceiling of 115 million Swiss francs for the 1990 expenditure budget, the Secretariat presented the council with a total expenditure budget of 118,100,000 Swiss francs. The council approved the higher figure after the Secretariat argued that the additional SFR 3,100,000 was necessary as a set-aside for the reserve fund required by the ITU financial regulations. The United States and 13 other members objected to this modification of the plenary agreement on an overall SFR 115 million ceiling. The final 1990 budget of SFR 118,100,000 represented an adjusted real growth of 3.8 percent over the 1989 expenditure budget. This increase was attributable to a number of Plenipotentiary Conference decisions, among them the large commitment of resources to the new BDT, the increase in the number of working languages, and the absorption of UNDP shortfall costs by the regular budget. Hence, the value of a contributory unit rose from SFR 232,600 in 1989 to SFR 265,000 in 1990, an increase of 13.93 percent The U.S. contribution grew from SFR 6,978,000 in 1989 to SFR 7,950,000 in 1990 (approximately $5,315,196). In 1989 the United States was one of six major donors (the others were France, the Federal Republic of Germany, the United Kingdom, U.S.S.R. and Japan) whose governments each contributed 30 units. Extraordinary Session On High-Level Study Of The ITU As instructed by the Plenipotentiary Conference, the 45th Administrative Council met in extraordinary session November 6 to 10 in Geneva to select a High-Level Committee (HLC) of 21 member state representatives to study the structure and functioning of the Union and to define procedures and general guidelines for the Committee on its activities. The Council members adopted a list of work guidelines for the HLC, including specific tasks relating to the ITU standardization, regulatory and development assistance functions; the structure and functioning of the General Secretariat; conferences; and the interrelationships among the various organs of the ITU. Because of an inability to reach consensus on the priorities which should be assigned to these tasks, council members, including the United States, agreed to direct the HLC to give equal attention to all the tasks enumerated. After considerable debate, it was decided to choose the HLC members in a secret ballot (United States in favor), with due regard to equitable geographic balance. The United States and the other major donors in 1989 were all elected to the HLC. The council decided that the first HLC meeting would be held in January 1990, with a target date of June 1991 for completion of the review. The United States and a number of other council members expressed concern that the June 1991 date did not provide sufficient time to conduct a careful and thorough review. The final resolution adopted on the HLC approved this timetable as a guide, but without precluding later change if deemed desirable by the HLC itself. Subsequent to the council session, the U.S. Government designated Ambassador Gerald B. Helman, Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and former U.S. Ambassador to the European Office of the United Nations in Geneva, as the U.S. member of the HLC. CENTER FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVELOPMENT The Center for Telecommunications Development (CTD), created in response to the Report of the Independent Commission for Worldwide Telecommunication Development (1984), began operations in 1987. Its original purpose was to stimulate and accelerate the pace of development of telecommunications facilities and services in developing countries by providing advisory services on finance, policy direction and management operations at the pre-commercial or pre-investment stage of project development. For several reasons, however, the CTD's activities were focused initially on longer-term projects analogous to those implemented by the Technical Cooperation Department (TCD) of the ITU General Secretariat, which emphasized network design, master plans and infrastructure rather than economic or managerial objectives. This gave rise to concerns about duplication of efforts. In addition, the new BDT, which will subsume the functions of the TCD, has a broad mandate which covers the mission of the center. In view of these concerns, the CTD's Advisory Board reviewed the center's current operations and supported a shift in emphasis to specific, short-term projects more in line with the Center's original mission. The General Secretariat invited over 130 telecommunications administrations in developing countries to submit requests for such projects. Through the third quarter of 1989, the CTD had received 88 requests for projects, a 54 percent increase over the previous year. Projects were either being prepared, being implemented, or had been completed in 54 cases. The African region accounted for the largest number of projects, 40 out of the total of 88. Funding for the center, in cash and in kind, is provided by voluntary donations from governments, institutions and private industry. The Department of State contributed $200,000 in October 1989, to be used to support specified field activities. Several U.S. telecommunications companies, through the U.S. Foundation for World Communications Development, contributed a total of $51,500 to the center in 1989. Eighteen countries made donations with a total worth of approximately $2 million in 1989. Despite these contributions, the Center has continued to encounter serious difficulties in attracting an adequate and dependable level of voluntary funding. This problem is still being addressed by a fund-raising working group formed in 1987. ITU TECHNICAL BODIES International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee The International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee (CCITT) began its new 4-year plenary period with numerous study group meetings held throughout the year. The technical, operational and tariff standards developed and promulgated by the CCITT for international telecommunications carriers, manufacturers and users are voluntarily implemented worldwide. The U.S. telecommunications industry and numerous U.S. Government departments and agencies participate actively in CCITT technical meetings and preparatory activities and contribute to defraying meeting costs in accordance with ITU budget and financial regulations. Private sector organizations directly contribute over $1 million annually to the ITU. New procedures to accelerate adoption of new standards for telecommunications equipment and networks were first implemented at a September meeting of Study Group XVII. Progress also was made in implementing U.S. recommendations adopted by the 1988 Plenary Assembly to reorganize the CCITT's component committees on a more functional basis in order to eliminate redundancies and reduce the required number of meetings. A committee formed to further improve organization and working methods was scheduled to hold its first meeting in February 1990. The developing countries continued to press for a change in the current 5050 split of international telecommunications services revenue, arguing that additional funds would enable them to undertake greater telecommunications development. The CCITT and the General Secretariat continued to study the question. Other issues considered within the CCITT included principles governing use of private leased lines; use of personal computers in network operation; the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), including the standards for a broad band network; the convergence of information and telecommunications technologies; an international telecommunications credit card; and new standards for higher speed facsimile services. International Radio Consultative Committee The International Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR) carries out studies and develops international recommendations and specifications in the field of radio communications. These voluntary recommendations and specifications are generally observed by the telecommunications industry worldwide. Recognized private operating agencies, as well as scientific and industrial entities of the private sector, participate in the activities of the CCIR and contribute to the cost of meetings. The U.S. National CCIR Organization, a long-standing federal advisory committee with over 300 members drawn from the private sector and the federal government, provides advice to the Department of State for U.S. participation in the CCIR. Government, industry, academic and other representatives attend the various CCIR study group meetings in Geneva. The CCIR had an active program of meetings during 1989. In addition to many smaller working parties which met to deal with specific topics, the 13 full study groups held their final meetings in Geneva during the period September through November. The major accomplishments included progress toward a highdefinition television studio production and international program exchange standard; recommendations on technical, operational and procedural guidelines to facilitate satellite news-gathering on a global basis; a report on digital cellular radio covering the major systems under development in North America, Europe and Japan; and an expanded report on mobile satellite system characteristics, covering all services with an emphasis on common requirements, interoperability, and efficient use and sharing of the frequency spectrum. This work will be reviewed at the CCIR's quadrennial Plenary Assembly in May 1990. International Frequency Registration Board The major function of the International Frequency Radio Board (IFRB) is to ensure the orderly recording of radio frequencies and satellite orbital positions which national administrations assign to their radio stations, including satellite systems. The board also assists countries and administrative radio conferences in all matters related to radio spectrum management. Further progress was made in 1989 on extended use of the ITU computer and implementation of a new computerized system for spectrum management. The board also was active in preparing for the 1993 High-Frequency Broadcasting Conference. Universal Postal Union (UPU) Western Samoa became a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) during 1989, bringing the Union's total membership to 170. The United States has been a member of the UPU since its founding (as the General Postal Union) in 1874. EXECUTIVE COUNCIL The Executive Council, the administrative body of the UPU which meets annually, met in Bern, Switzerland, from April 6-28. The Council reviewed its 1985-1989 activities in preparation for the 20th UPU Congress; heard a report from the U.S. Delegation, as Congress hosts, on logistical preparations for the quinquennial meeting; designated China, France, the U.S.S.R. and Zambia as vice chairmen of the Congress; and agreed that the Congress would have 10 working committees, as did the 19th Congress, held in 1984 in Hamburg. The Executive Council adopted a calendar year 1990 budget calling for contributions from member countries totaling 24,389,500 Swiss francs. The U.S. Delegation disassociated itself from the budget decision, maintaining that the budget increases represented more than zero real growth. The United States was assessed 1,245,000 Swiss francs, or some 5.1 percent of the total 1990 assessments. CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL FOR POSTAL STUDIES The United States is a member of the Consultative Council for Postal Studies (CCPS). The CCPS conducts studies in operational, economic and technical areas, focusing on improving postal services worldwide in the 5-year period between congresses. The CCPS customarily holds its annual meeting in Bern in the autumn but, because of the timing of the 20th UPU Congress, did not meet in 1989. TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE UPU The United States was host to the 20th UPU Congress which took place in Washington, D.C., from November 13 to December 14, and as host was chairman of the Congress. More than 1,000 delegates representing 159 countries and various observer organizations attended the Congress. Administrative costs were financed by the sale of commemorative postal materials at the World Stamp Expo '89, which was held during the Congress and attended by some 125,000 individuals. President Bush delivered the Congress's inaugural address during ceremonies at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Postmaster General Anthony M. Frank served as both Honorary President of the Congress and honorary head of the U.S. Delegation. Edward E. Horgan, Jr., U.S. Associate Postmaster General, served as Congress President, and Deputy Postmaster General Michael S. Coughlin was the head of the U.S. Delegation. Among the significant actions of the Congress were decisions to improve the management of the work of the UPU; to transfer from the Congress to the Executive Council powers allowing for more rapid decision-making in the regulations governing international postal services; to approve a new, more cost-related structure for terminal dues (the amounts countries pay |