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Outer Space Affairs Division and ESCAP to collaborate closely. Participating in the intergovernmental meeting were representatives from Australia, Bangladesh, China, France, Guam, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, M a l a y s i a , M o n g o l i a , N e p a l , the Netherlands, Pakistan, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Republic of Palau, Thailand, the USSR, the UK, the U S A and Vietnam. Source: United Nations Information
Service, UN Building, Rajdamnern Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand.
Don't call t h e m let them call us 'Soviet and American scientists still do not exclude the possibility of the existence in space of worlds inhabited by rational beings,' according to Alexandr Tutukov, department head of the I n s t i t u t e o f A s t r o n o m y of t h e Academy of Sciences of the former USSR, who took part in a symposium on extraterrestrial civilization organized by California State University in September 1991. However, astrophysicists and radio astronomers of both countries have come to the conclusion that emphasis should now be laid on receiving radio signals from space, rather than transmitting messages to various cosmic targets. 'We do not know how useful possible contact with other civilizations may be for mankind, for cosmic visitors may do irreparable harm to our planet,' said Tutukov. In the meantime the participants in the symposium agreed that the search for extraterrestrial civilizations must be continued not only in space, but also on E a r t h , where there is a hypothesis that the secret of the origin of life on our planet should be sought in humanity's genetic code. Infonova, c/o Novosti, 3 R o s e m a r y G a r d e n s , London SW7 4NW, UK. Source:
SPACE POLICY February 1992
Transborder use of Inmarsat terminals endorsed An international meeting of experts has unanimously agreed that governments should allow the transport of mobile satellite communications terminals across borders and simplify regulations for their use in commercial and disaster relief operations. The meeting on the transborder use of Inmarsat land mobile Earth stations, held in London 15-17 October 1991, concluded that existing regulations in many countries are a 'serious obstacle to the transborder use of land mobile earth stations'. The meeting was attended by representatives of 33 countries and 16 international organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, the European Community and several specialized United Nations agencies such as the World Health Organization, Unicef, the United Nations Disaster Relief Organization and the U n i t e d Nations D e v e l o p m e n t Programme, as well as regional broadcasting associations. Access to global land mobile satellite communications will 'help improve international trade and bring other economic and social benefits to many countries as well as to provide effective communications in emergency relief operations', the meeting concluded. On land, portable Inmarsat, and other, satellite terminals can be carried anywhere for instant communications. Businessmen on international assignments and journalists in remote areas can transmit voice and text reports and medical and humanitarian rescue teams can coordinate relief efforts during emergencies using such a satellite system. However, mobile users are often required to apply for a fresh licence in each country where they plan to use satellite communications equipment, a bureaucratic process than can sometimes take days. The London meeting was organized by Inmarsat to discuss these licensing regulations in such a way that the global satcoms system can be fully utilized.
'One of Inmarsat's greatest concerns is that the potential of mobile satellite communications and its benefits to society will be handicapped not because of technical deficiencies or service limitations, but because of regulatory barriers,' said Jai Singh, Inmarsat's General Manager of the Land Mobile and Special Services division, who opened the conference on behalf of Olof Lundberg, Inmarsat's Director General. Recommendations of the meeting included: •
•
•
Licences to o p e r a t e I n m a r s a t approved satcoms terminals in one country should be accepted in other countries. Procedures to permit the importation and use of satcoms terminals for emergency relief operations should be simplified and a single point of contact should be designated in each country. Customs and other relevant authorities should be made aware of the regulations to avoid delays at frontiers.
For several years Inmarsat has worked with regional organizations, including the Conference of European Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT), the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT), the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the Pan African Telecommunications Union (PATU) and the Pan American Health Organization ( P A H O ) to work towards c o m m o n regional regulations and easier local transborder movement of satcoms equipment. During the past 15 months, Inmarsat has organized several meetings, including one with Asia-Pacific governments and another with African telecom administrations, which have concluded that those regions' economies will benefit substantially from land mobile satellite communications and have recommended to the governments that they permit free movement and use of mobile satcoms equipment in and between their countries.
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Outer Space Affairs Division and ESCAP to collaborate closely. Participating in the intergovernmental meeting were representatives from Australia, Bangladesh, China, France, Guam, India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, M a l a y s i a , M o n g o l i a , N e p a l , the Netherlands, Pakistan, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Republic of Palau, Thailand, the USSR, the UK, the U S A and Vietnam. Source: United Nations Information
Service, UN Building, Rajdamnern Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand.
Don't call t h e m let them call us 'Soviet and American scientists still do not exclude the possibility of the existence in space of worlds inhabited by rational beings,' according to Alexandr Tutukov, department head of the I n s t i t u t e o f A s t r o n o m y of t h e Academy of Sciences of the former USSR, who took part in a symposium on extraterrestrial civilization organized by California State University in September 1991. However, astrophysicists and radio astronomers of both countries have come to the conclusion that emphasis should now be laid on receiving radio signals from space, rather than transmitting messages to various cosmic targets. 'We do not know how useful possible contact with other civilizations may be for mankind, for cosmic visitors may do irreparable harm to our planet,' said Tutukov. In the meantime the participants in the symposium agreed that the search for extraterrestrial civilizations must be continued not only in space, but also on E a r t h , where there is a hypothesis that the secret of the origin of life on our planet should be sought in humanity's genetic code. Infonova, c/o Novosti, 3 R o s e m a r y G a r d e n s , London SW7 4NW, UK. Source:
SPACE POLICY February 1992
Transborder use of Inmarsat terminals endorsed An international meeting of experts has unanimously agreed that governments should allow the transport of mobile satellite communications terminals across borders and simplify regulations for their use in commercial and disaster relief operations. The meeting on the transborder use of Inmarsat land mobile Earth stations, held in London 15-17 October 1991, concluded that existing regulations in many countries are a 'serious obstacle to the transborder use of land mobile earth stations'. The meeting was attended by representatives of 33 countries and 16 international organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, the European Community and several specialized United Nations agencies such as the World Health Organization, Unicef, the United Nations Disaster Relief Organization and the U n i t e d Nations D e v e l o p m e n t Programme, as well as regional broadcasting associations. Access to global land mobile satellite communications will 'help improve international trade and bring other economic and social benefits to many countries as well as to provide effective communications in emergency relief operations', the meeting concluded. On land, portable Inmarsat, and other, satellite terminals can be carried anywhere for instant communications. Businessmen on international assignments and journalists in remote areas can transmit voice and text reports and medical and humanitarian rescue teams can coordinate relief efforts during emergencies using such a satellite system. However, mobile users are often required to apply for a fresh licence in each country where they plan to use satellite communications equipment, a bureaucratic process than can sometimes take days. The London meeting was organized by Inmarsat to discuss these licensing regulations in such a way that the global satcoms system can be fully utilized.
'One of Inmarsat's greatest concerns is that the potential of mobile satellite communications and its benefits to society will be handicapped not because of technical deficiencies or service limitations, but because of regulatory barriers,' said Jai Singh, Inmarsat's General Manager of the Land Mobile and Special Services division, who opened the conference on behalf of Olof Lundberg, Inmarsat's Director General. Recommendations of the meeting included: •
•
•
Licences to o p e r a t e I n m a r s a t approved satcoms terminals in one country should be accepted in other countries. Procedures to permit the importation and use of satcoms terminals for emergency relief operations should be simplified and a single point of contact should be designated in each country. Customs and other relevant authorities should be made aware of the regulations to avoid delays at frontiers.
For several years Inmarsat has worked with regional organizations, including the Conference of European Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT), the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT), the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the Pan African Telecommunications Union (PATU) and the Pan American Health Organization ( P A H O ) to work towards c o m m o n regional regulations and easier local transborder movement of satcoms equipment. During the past 15 months, Inmarsat has organized several meetings, including one with Asia-Pacific governments and another with African telecom administrations, which have concluded that those regions' economies will benefit substantially from land mobile satellite communications and have recommended to the governments that they permit free movement and use of mobile satcoms equipment in and between their countries.
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