As the responsible member of the Turkish Government for Telecommunications, I would like to welcome to you all to World Radiocommunication Conference in Istanbul. I am very happy that we have succeeded to complete all the facilities in good shape and provided to your service. It was really a very hard and difficult time for us to arrange everything for the conference on time. We succeeded, and we are really very much pleased to be able to welcome you in this very pleasant environment. In addition, by hosting this conference we have gained a brand new, big, well equipped conference and exhibition centre which has an area of 8000 square metres in total. We would like to host many ITU conference in this new building in coming years.

WRC-2000 Conference is the first conference of ITU in the 21^st century. Of course this is not going to be the last one. However, because of the very important and sensitive issues on its agenda, it will shed a light to all 21 st century in the field of radiocommunications. The number of players the interest and the requirements are growing everyday in parallel the demand to ITU and its constituent bodies is also growing everyday. Like all other countries, naturally we do not want to remain behind all these developments in the world. That’s why we thought that ITU activities should be spread out, all over the world, and for the first time in the history of WRCs, we decided in 1995 to host one of the WRC conferences in Turkey. Now we are exercising this reality together, in this context, I would like to repeat once again, we are happy that we are able to serve the humanity by hosting this conference in Turkey.

I would also like to touch upon the importance at the WRC-2000 Conference Agenda. Because, there are really very important issues to be considered and hopefully to be resolved before the last day of the conference.

The first issue I want to raise is the third generation mobile systems, which is called as International Mobile Telecommunications System, IMT-2000. As you know, the frequency bands allocated by WARC-92 to IMT-2000 are not sufficient. So, we need some more frequencies for IMT-2000. I hope, at the end of the conference, we will be able to allocate some more frequency bands for the future’s mobile systems. Because the industry is looking for such bands urgently.

The second important issue is the BSS services, Of course there is a plan made in 1977, however, since then many new countries came up and they also need BSS channels. This is why we should try to do our best to provide equitable usage of spectrum for all countries of the world. I hope, this conference, will have no difficulty to sort out this issue in one way or another.

One of the most important issues that I would like to touch upon is the navigation systems and rearrangement of frequencies for radio navigation services either for Maritime or Aeronautical purposes. But I believe, at first stage the Aeronautical Radionavigation comes. Because, the civil aviation community has some difficulties nowadays. It has also been brought to our Ministry’s attention, since we are managing the civil aviation as the ministry of Transport. That’s why, I look forward the conference will solve the aviation related issues during this conference.

There are the others; The high altitude platform stations, high density fixed service, power limits, GSO or NGSO systems frequency and sharing issues and some others. I don’t think it is necessary to stress again that, your work is hard in Istanbul, you need to resolve at least many of the agenda items here, because each forthcoming conference will carry its own load, may be more than WRC-2000. That’s why, I hope you will be finalizing all of the issues on the agenda, during this conference.

Ladies and gentlemen, before concluding once again I would like to extend you all, the warmest welcome of the people of Turkey, coming from the deepest part of our hearts. Enjoy your stay in Istanbul and pass all our regards to your people and your countries.