CANADA SUPPORTS U.S. POSITIONS FOR WORLD

UNCLAS OTTAWA 001596 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EB/CIP AJILLSON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECPS SUBJECT: CANADA SUPPORTS U.S. POSITIONS FOR WORLD RADIOCOMMUNICATION CONFERENCE REF: STATE 146062 ¶1. Canada will support U.S positions on Agenda items 1.5 and 1.24 at the World Radiocommunication Conference. According to Industry Canada's Director for Terrestrial Engineering Doug Sward, Canada has been on board with these two issues throughout their preparations for the Conference. Sward will join Industry Canada's Director General for Spectrum Engineer Bob McCaughern, who is already in Geneva, at the WRC. ¶2. Despite their support, Sward stated that the GOC did not agree with the U.S. suggestion that technical and operating restrictions on the mobile devices used in wireless access systems proposed in Agenda item 1.5 would protect radar operations and systems in the earth exploration satellite service. A Canadian study, which is supported by results from the EU, indicates that the restrictions would protect air, maritime and ground-based radar, but would only mitigate, and not fully protect, radar systems in the earth exploration satellite services. Sward noted that this was not a major point since other criteria will protect earth exploration satellites, but one that he thought deserved clarification. CELLUCCI