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INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION
Council Working Group for the Elaboration of the
Draft Strategic Plan and the Draft Financial Plan,
2008-2011
Document: WG-SP-FP-06/43
14 August 2006
English
6TH MEETING, GENEVA, 14-15 SEPTEMBER 2006
Proposal from the Syrian Arab Republic
I.
Introduction:
The Second Arab Preparatory Meeting for the Plenipotentiary Conference which was held in
Cairo, Egypt for the period 15-19 July 2006, discussed the report of the Fifth meeting 27-28 June
2006, and after a careful examination of both the principles & the options, prepared its position
on both, and entrusted Mr.N.KISRAWI the permanent representative of Syria to the ITU with
other Arab representatives to present the Arab position to the Six meeting as detailed here.
II.
Arab Common Proposal:
A.
On principles to guide the elaboration of the Draft Financial Plane, using the same
numbering of the 5th meeting.
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Supports I.1. of the Annex on the need to balance income & expenditure
2.1
As regard No.2 of the Annex:
Support the proposal to keep the contributory unit for Members States of 318.000 S.F,
however the Arab Group is ready to accept an increase as declared during the Council
this year.
2.2
Do not agree with the proposal to maintain the ratio between Member States and
Sector Members as 1/5, and request that income shall be based on both 1/5 Contributory
unit for sector members and 1/4, and the two options shall be included in the outcome of
the Six Meeting, in confirmity with Arab Common proposal to PP02 & being convinced
that such an increase is most welcome to face the shortage of income, noting that Sector
Members have been given many additional rights since Kyoto PP-94 without any
additional financial burden, noting also that the majority of them lowered their
contribution to the minimum permitted i.e. 1/5.
2.3
Support your principle on the same number of contributory units as indicated, however,
few Arab States are still considering possible raising of their contributory units.
2.4
Do not agree with your general principle, not to accept the loss of income due to the free
access to ITU-T Recommendations, General Secretariat shall provide a detailed study to
the PP on how such income loss is estimated.
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2.5
Do not agree with your statement, regarding RRC-06 Post-Conference work, The Arab
Group proposed that Post-Conference work for RRC-06, starting 2008, shall be based on
cost recovery treatment, as it is the case of satellite network filings, in agreement with
resolution PP 91, provided that a minimum number per year per Administration could not
be charged, (a minimum figure of 10 modifications of Plan entrees in accordance with
RRC-06 Article 4 per year is proposed by the Arab States).
N.B:
Pending the results of the Six meeting, the Arab States will prepare their proposal for
updating Resolution 91
B.
On some options for reducing expenditure using the same numbering scheme of the 5th
meeting.
We agree with the Identification of duplication with the aim to eliminate such duplication,
however regarding centralizing financial and administrative tasks, we don't agree, in the contrary
the Arab states would seek more independence of the sectors regarding financial and
administrative tasks.
1.
Agreed
2.
Unclear, since such Regional Organization is not identified.
3.
Agreed, with a time limit, not to affect secretariat performance.
5.1
Agreed
5.2
Agreed
5.3
Not agreed (the list shall stay as 5).
5.4
Agreed
6.
Pending detailed study by the Council.
7.
Agreed partially, the Arab states propose redeploying of all the strategic unit staff
into the BDT with the creation of a new department for WSIS follow up activities to
be added to the BDT secretariat, in addition to their existing tasks
8.
Agreed
9.
Agreed with the following modification "limit the member of Study Groups
meeting with full interpretation,"
10.
Agreed
11. Not agreed, the Council is wise enough while creating working Groups to
minimize their face to face meetings.
12.
Not agreed, we propose to invite WRC to review the traditional 20 working days
Radio Conferences, taking into consideration possibilities of reducing the working
days into 18 working days taking into consideration the proposed agenda of the next
WRC and propose the duration.
13. Agreed partially, these meetings are Regional Conferences, but for financial reasons,
they were transformed into regional preparatory meeting by the Council.
14.
Agreed on equal footing to all programs, however this shall be applicable to all
three Sectors including the General Secretariat.
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15. Not agreed to limit that to those programs of the Development Sector. The Arab
Group proposes that performance indicators shall be used in all activities in the
three Sectors & in the General Secretariat.
III.
16.
Not agreed, the proposed budget of 4.5 million was agreed as a minimum at the
WTDC in Doha, based on a decision to limit the regional initiatives to 5 maximum
per region.
17.
Agreed, this principle shall be applicable to all ITU activities, and not limited to the
ITU-D activities.
18.
Agreed, provided this will not affect the planned activities & the number of staff in
each region
19.
Agreed
20.
Agreed, as a general guideline, however there is a project dealing with this issue
21.
Agreed, however its implementation was decided by The Council, with proper
justification
22.
Agreed
Conclusions:
In addition to the above, any additional proposed measures to reduce expenditure shall be
equally distributed between the three Sectors, and the General Secretariat.