November 24, 1981

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 Radio Regulations (Geneva, 1979) and a final Protocol signed on behalf of the United States at Geneva on December 6, 1979, with several reservations.

I transmit also, for the information of the Senate, the report of the Department of State with respect to the 1979 Radio Regulations.

The 1979 Regulations constitute a revision of, and a complete replacement for, the Radio Regulations (Geneva, 1959), as amended by six Partial Revisions, to which the United States is a party. The primary purpose of the present revisions is to update the existing Regulations to take into account technical advances and the rapid development of certain services and to harmonize the decisions taken at specialized radio conferences since 1959. The new Regulations, with the few exceptions noted below, are consistent with the proposals of and positions taken by the United States at the 1979 World Administrative Radio Conference.

At the time of signature, the United States Delegation submitted reservations to several of the decisions included in the Regulations. It was felt in these few cases, that the decisions could adversely affect an important national interest. In addition, the Administration considers it necessary to maintain in force the reservation of the United States associated with a frequency allotment plan included in the Partial Revision adopted by the 1974 World Maritime Administrative Radio Conference. The specific reservations, with reasons, are given in the report of the Department of State.

The 1979 Radio Regulations will enter into force on January 1, 1982 for Governments which, by that date, have notified the Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union of their approval thereof. Subject to the reservations mentioned above, I believe the United States should be a party to the Regulations from the outset, and it is my hope that the Senate will take early action on this matter and give its advice and consent to ratification.

Ronald Reagan
The White House,
November 24, 1981.

Date
11/24/1981