[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 129 (Friday, July 5, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44920-44921]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-15974]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 4036]


Request for Comments; United States Privatization of 
Intergovernmental Satellite

    The Department of State requests comments regarding the effects of 
the privatization of Inmarsat and INTELSAT on the United States 
industry, United States jobs, and United States industry access to the 
to the global marketplace. The Department notes that Inmarsat 
privatized on April 15, 1999 and INTELSAT privatized on July 18, 2001.
    On March 17, 2000, the President signed into law the Open-Market 
Reorganization for the Betterment of International Telecommunications 
(ORBIT) Act, Public Law No. 106-180. This legislation seeks to 
``promote a fully competitive global market for satellite 
communications services for the benefit of consumers and providers of 
satellite services and equipment by fully privatizing the 
intergovernmental satellite organizations, INTELSAT and Inmarsat.'' Id. 
at sec. 2. In addition, the ORBIT Act requires the President to provide 
an annual report to Congress on the progress of privatization in 
relation to the objectives, purposes, and provisions of the Act, 
including the ``[v]iews of the industry and consumers on 
privatization'' and the ``[i]mpact privatization has had on United 
States industry, United States jobs, and United States industry's 
access to the global marketplace.'' See id. at sec. 646(b)(3) and (4). 
The first such report was released on February 27, 2001.\1\ By this 
public notice and RFC, we are soliciting the views of the industry and 
consumers on the privatizations.
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    \1\ See Department of State, Report to Congress, Report Pursuant 
to Section 646(a) of Section 3 of the Open-Market Reorganization for 
the Betterment of International Telecommunications Act (Pub. L. 106-
180), (Feb. 2001) [``ORBIT Report''].

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DATES: Comments must be received by July 19, 2002.

ADDRESSES: The Department invites the public to submit written comments 
in

[[Page 44921]]

paper or electronic form. Comments may be mailed to Deepti Rohatgi, 
Office of the Coordinator--International Communications and Information 
Policy Mail Code EB/CIP, U.S. Department of State, 2201 C Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20520-5820. Paper submissions should include a version 
on diskette in ASCII, Word Perfect (please specify version), or 
Microsoft Word (please specify version) format.
    Comments submitted in electronic form may be sent to 
[email protected]. Electronic comments should be submitted in 
the formats specified above.
    Comments submitted electronically will be posted on the 
Department's Web site at http://www.state.gov/e/eb/cip.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deepti Rohatgi (202) 647-5832.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    INTELSAT was created as an intergovernmental organization (with 
final charter entering into force on February 12, 1973) to enhance 
global communications and to spread the risks of creating a global 
satellite system across operating companies and agencies from many 
countries.\2\ On July 18, 2001, INTELSAT was fully privatized by 
transferring all of its operating assets to Intelsat LLC, a Bermuda 
corporation that enjoys no privileges or immunities. Inmarsat was 
created as an intergovernmental organization (with its final charter 
entering into force on July 16, 1979) to improve global maritime 
communications through a satellite system that would provide distress 
and safety communications services to seafaring nations in a 
cooperative, cost-sharing entity. On April 15, 1999, Inmarsat was fully 
privatized by transferring its assets and operations to Inmarsat Ltd., 
a U.K. corporation that enjoys no privileges or immunities. Previously, 
INTELSAT had divested some of its satellites in 1998 to New Skies 
Satellites, NV, a Netherlands corporation.\3\
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    \2\ See Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States 
in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and 
Other Celestial Bodies.
    \3\ Although both ISOs are fully privatized, two small residual 
intergovernmental organizations, ITSO from INTELSAT, and IMSO 
(International Mobile Satellite Organization) from Inmarsat, will 
remain to monitor the performance of certain public services.

    Dated: June 11, 2002.
Steven W. Lett,
Deputy U.S. Coordinator, International, Communications Information 
Policy, Department of State.
[FR Doc. 02-15974 Filed 7-3-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-45-P