[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[April 2, 1992]
[Page 530]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Message to the Senate Transmitting the 1988 Partial Revision of the 
Radio Regulations

April 2, 1992
To the Senate of the United States:
    With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to 
ratification, I transmit herewith the 1988 Partial Revision of the Radio 
Regulations (Geneva, 1979), signed on behalf of the United States at 
Geneva on October 6, 1988, and the United States statement as contained 
in the Final Protocol. I transmit also, for the information of the 
Senate, the report of the Department of State with respect to the 1988 
Partial Revision.
    The 1988 Revision constitutes a partial revision of the Radio 
Regulations, to which the United States is a party. The primary purpose 
of this revision is to update the existing Regulations to guarantee for 
all countries equitable access to the geostationary-satellite orbit and 
the frequency bands allocated to space services. The revised Regulations 
are consistent with the proposals of and positions taken by the United 
States at the Second Session of the World Administrative Radio 
Conference on the Use of the Geostationary-Satellite Orbit and the 
Planning of the Space Services Utilizing It (ORB-88).
    At the time of signature, the United States joined 20 countries in 
submitting a statement in response to a statement by Colombia and 
Ecuador concerning claims of sovereign rights over segments of the 
geostationary-satellite orbit. The specific statement, with reasons, is 
given in the report of the Department of State.
    The 1988 Partial Revision entered into force on March 16, 1990, for 
governments which, by that date, had notified the Secretary General of 
the International Telecommunication Union of their approval thereof.
    I believe the United States should become a party to the 1988 
Partial Revision, which provides new means and greater flexibility in 
securing access to the geostationary-satellite orbit and the frequency 
spectrum allocated to space services. It is my hope that the Senate will 
take early action on this matter and give its advice and consent to 
ratification.

                                                             George Bush

The White House,
April 2, 1992.