UNION INTERNATIONALE DES TELECOMMUNICATIONS
INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION
UNIÓN INTERNACIONAL DE TELECOMUNICACIONES
 


WORLD RADIOCOMMUNICATION CONFERENCE

Closing Ceremony, Friday, 19 November 1993

Address by the Secretary-General


Mr. Chairman, 
Excellencies, 
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies & Gentlemen,
Dear Friends,

Yet another ITU Conference is coming to a close.
Yet another first of its kind and
yet another unique conference;
yet another successful conference 

in that it managed to reach its goal. We now have recommendations for an agenda 
for the next WRC in 1995 and a preliminary agenda for the following WRC in 1997.

However, there are several questions in my mind. Already in the early stages of 
the preparations for this Conference many people asked whether it was really 
reasonable to use a whole week of several hundred people in order  only to 
prepare draft agendas. As it turned out, we needed in addition three night 
meetings and one very early morning meeting. We thus needed a lot more time, 
energy and money to conclude our work.

Three weeks ago I presented the restructured ITU as a good and efficient example 
for the rest of the UN family to the ACC meeting of the executive heads of the 
UN Specialized Agencies under the chairmanship of Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali. 
Fortunately, that was before this conference, now I would have lacked the 
courage.

Why do we have these problems? Not because of the Conference leadership. The 
Chairmen were extremely professional and efficient. Rather I would like to take 
the blame, at least partly, upon myself. The  conference preparations were not, 
for many reasons, absolutely impeccable. But my personal opinion is, and I want 
to state it here, that not all of us have yet been filled with the spirit of the 
new ITU. Action-oriented, forward-looking efficiency was not, let us admit it, a 
major component of the atmosphere of this Conference.

I am an optimist. I am sure we will find the right keys to improvement. 
Personally, I will take up these problems next week in our Coordination 
Committee and I am sure we will find ways and means to improve our 
contributions. I am looking forward to a better WRC in '95 and an even better 
one in '97. I also appeal to all of you, Ladies and Gentlemen, to commit 
yourselves to working towards less frustrating and more efficient ITU 
conferences  in the years to come.

Mr. Chairman, I mentioned earlier that we have had the privilege of enjoying 
excellent leadership of professional chairmen during this week. You are, of 
course, the star of the stars. Your performance has been the key to the timely 
success of our Conference and you have surpassed the normal criteria for 
reaching up to this silver medal of the ITU. It is with deep appreciation and 
gratitude that I present this medal to you. You have set an outstanding example 
to all of us. 

***