ITU/93-8
8 June 1993
ORIGINAL: English

PRESIDENT MENEM OF ARGENTINA VISITS ITU1 HEADQUARTERS 

The president of Argentina, His Excellency Dr Carlos Saśl Menem visited this 
morning ITU Headquarters and met Dr Pekka Tarjanne for an hour-long official visit. 
During the meeting, Dr Menem and Dr Tarjanne reviewed the world 
telecommunication situation and exchanged views on the development of 
telecommunications in Argentina.

ITU Secretary-General recalled that that the close links between the Argentina 
Republic and the ITU have been transcendental. "They have been strengthened 
through cooperation in large-scale projects." he said. 
Dr Tarjanne hailed the very active role which Argentina has taken ever since its 
adhesion to the Union in 1889. To demonstrate tangibly the solidarity of the Republic 
of Argentina and its support to the Union's activities, President Menem and Dr 
Tarjanne signed a Declaration formally inviting the first World Telecommunication 
Development Conference to be held from 21 to 29 March 1994 and pledging to 
ensure that "the success of the World Telecommunication Development Conference 
constitute a real contribution to enabling access to the social, cultural and economic 
benefits of telecommunications to all inhabitants of every region of the Earth". 

"It is in Buenos Aires", stated Dr Tarjanne, "that, in 1952, the ITU took the first 
measures to to assist developing countries in the development of their 
telecommunication infrastructure and decided to set up a technical cooperation 
programme to this end." "It is also in Buenos Aires", he added "that will take place the 
first World Telecommunication Development Conference, bringing to a close the first 
cycle of regional development conferences aimed at leading to great advances in the 
crucial problem of regional telecommunication development and which are already 
showing concrete results", the Secretary-General said. "The Buenos Aires Conference 
is called to become a historic event in the area of telecoms development and the 
betterment of humankind." Dr Tarjanne concluded. 

President Menem reviewed the great progress made in his country towards the 
improvement of telecommunication. "Argentina has privatized its basic telephone 
networks which are today in full expansion. Cellular telephony is in progress and 
should cover the entire territory in a very near future. The satellite system was set up 
under the initiative of the Government and is developed and operated by private 
companies", Dr Menem said. "But, in a country with a large territory, rural telephony 
has been stepped up to assist rural populations in better managing the country's 
natural resources." he added.

Expressing his satisfaction at the response of the ITU to the development needs of 
Argentina, Dr Menem also praised the assistance and cooperation received from the 
ITU in the past. To further the existing relations between the ITU and Argentina, a 
cooperation agreement was also signed. The agreement aims at strengthening the 
National Telecommunication Commission - the telecommunications regulatory 
authority of the country responsible for the application of the legislation in force as 
well as for the shaping of the regulatory environment of the country for the years to 
come. This function is particularly important in the context of the vast restructuring of 
the telecoms sector currently under way in Argentina and of the privatization of the 
national telecommunication company - ENTEL, and the introduction of competition in 
the provision of telecommunication services. 

The project, of a value of nearly US$3 million will be executed by the ITU in 
collaboration with the national authorities over the next three years. Advice to the 
NTC will focus on legislation, monitoring and spectrum management and quality 
control. Training of counterparts will also rank high in the tasks to be undertaken. 

"I would not have wished ending my journey to Geneva without visiting ITU 
Headquarters, as evidence of the importance which my Government attaches to one 
of the most dynamic sectors of the economy of our times, indispensable instrument in 
the development process and for the well-being of our people and of all mankind." Dr 
Menem declared at the conclusion of his visit.
1	The ITU is an intergovernmental organization, within which the public and private 
sectors cooperate for the development of telecommunications and the harmonization 
of national telecommunication policies. The ITU adopts international regulations and 
treaties governing all terrestrial and space uses of the frequency spectrum as well as 
the use of the geostationary-satellite orbit, within which countries adopt their national 
legislation; it develops standards to ensure the interconnection of telecommunication 
systems on a worldwide scale regardless of the type of technology used; it also 
fosters the development of telecommunications in developing countries.