10th Anniversary Of Asia Pacific Telecommunity. (1989-7)

The Asia Pacific Telecommunity was established as a regional telecommunication organization in conformity with Article 32 of the Inter-national Telecommunication Convention (Malaga -Torremolinos, 1973) .
COMPOSIT ION OF THE TELECOMMUNITY
APT is an inter-governmental organization. The respective governments being members or associate members of the United Nations or Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) were convinced of the need to ensure balanced development of the Telecommunication services of the region.
Considering the need for co-operation in the detailed planning and management of the telecommunication services in the light of the rapid development of telecommunication in world and realizing the need for establishment of a consultative organization within the region for the settlement of telecommunication matters and recognizing the need for a permanent machinery to correlate planning and operational arrangements amongst national telecommunication organizations within the region, it was agreed to establish Asia Pacific Telecommunity.
The main objectives of the Telecommunity is
a) To correlate the planning and development of intra-regional and international telecommunication networks.
b) To promote the implementation of all agreed networks;
c) To assist the development within the region of the national com-ponents of an efficient international telecommunication network;
d) To foster coordination within the region of technical standards and routing plans for traffic;
e) To seek the adoption of efficient operating methods in regional telecommunication services.
In furtherance thereof, the Telecommunity may
a) Undertake, in coordination with the International Telecommunication Union, technical and other studies relating to development in telecommunication technology.
b) Encourage the exchange of information, technical experts and other specialized personnel amongst its members and associate members;
c) Study the feasibility of transfer of technology amongst its members and associate members;
d) Arrange short-term technical assistance to its members and associate members;
Membership in the Telecommunity is open to any State within the region which is a member of the United Nations or a member of ESCAP.
Associate membership in the Telecommunity is open to any associate member of ESCAP. Affiliate membership in the Telecommunity is open to any entity which operates, as a common carrier, national or international telecommunication services within the region and which is nominated for affiliate membership by a member or an associate member of the Tele-community.
The headquarters of Telecommunity have been placed at Bangkok (Thailand) .
The official language of the Telecommunity is English.
PRINCIPAL ORGANS OF TELECOMMUNITY
The principal organs of the Telecommunity are:
a) The General Assembly
The Management Committee
c) The Secretariat
FINANCES OF THE TELECOMMUNITY
The expenses of the Telecommunity include the cost of the General Assembly, Management Committee, conference or meetings convened by the Telecommunity; the Secretariat; technical assistance activities of the Telecommunity; other miscellaneous activities; and any specific activity as the General Assembly or Management Committee may approve. The expenses of the Telecommunity specified shall be met from the following two sources.
a) Regular contributions of the members, associate member and affiliate members from the following scale of unit classes; 60, 50, 40,30,25,20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1,0,0.5.
b) Extra budgetary contributions either in cash or in some other form which may be voluntarily made by members, associate members, affiliate members and other sources.
DISSOLUTION OF THE TE LECOMMUNITY
The General Assembly of the Telecommunity may, by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting, resolve that the Telecommunity be dissolved.
The Asia Pacific Telecommunity has played a very positive role in developing the Asian Telecommunication network. It has also trained a large number of engineering officers of this region and has also helped to disseminate telecommunication knowledge and expertise through meetings, seminars and conferences. It has done valuable work by organising study groups to solve the complex technical problems faced by the Telecommunity members.
The year of 1989 has been earmarked for celebrating the Decade of Development. 1st July has been designated as a national day for the celebration.
On this occasion the Telecommunity would try to increase its membership and consolidate its achievements. It also plans to publicize its role in the development of telecommunication in this region. It will also start a Journal of APT from this year and also issue a souvenir on the occasion. A Special Working Group has been constituted to prepare documents on APT’s achievements, its failures and impact in the region with particular reference to Telecommunication.
Contributed by APT.
To commemorate the 10th Anniversary of Asian Pacific Telecommunity, Pakistan Post Office is issuing one stamp of Rs 3 denomination on July 1,1989.