WRC-07 RADIOCOMMUNICATIONS MEETING: GOI SUPPORTS U.S.-

UNCLAS ROME 002216

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EB/CIP/MA, OES/SAT, AND EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECPS TSPA KSCA IT
SUBJECT: WRC-07 RADIOCOMMUNICATIONS MEETING: GOI SUPPORTS U.S.-
PROPOSED AGENDA ITEMS, SUBJECT TO EUROPEAN PARTNER CONSULTATIONS

REF: STATE 063585


1. Summary: Italian officials from both the Space Agency and
the Communications Ministry have expressed support for reftel
U.S. proposals. However, the communications officials leading
ItalyQs delegation to the World Radiocommunications Conference-
07 (WRC-07) cautioned that they will need to consult with other
members of the European Conference of Postal and
Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) before finalizing
ItalyQs position. End summary.


2. On June 4, SCICouns delivered ref points, and abbreviated
copies of the U.S. proposals for WRC-2011 agenda items amending
the international Radio Frequency Allocation Table, to Dr.
Loredana Bruca at the Italian Space Agency (ASI). Post also
delivered the material on June 12 to Communications Ministry
International Affairs Director Stefania Michelangeli.


3. On June 15, SCICouns and Econ Specialist met with Dr. Bruca
and Luciano Garramone of the Space Geodesy Center (Matera,
Italy). The two GOI space officials confirmed that ASI supports
NASA's positions on both proposals under WRC-07 Agenda item 7.2,
one calling for the space research service (SRS) to receive an
allocation of 500 MHz of bandwidth in the 22.55 to 23.55 GHz
band to support future lunar and Martian exploration, and the
other calling for consideration to modify the primary mobile
service allocation in the 37-38 GHz band to exclude aeronautical
mobile stations to protect primary services in the band from
interference.


4. Dr. Bruca opined that the proposal to allocate 500 MHz of
bandwidth in the 22.55 to 23.55 GHz band would receive European
support at the ITU WRC-07 because European communications
authorities had already discussed and "not opposed" the proposal
at the most recent meeting (date not supplied) of the European
Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations
(CEPT). She said she also was aware that the proposal was
discussed favorably at the most recent meeting (date not
provided) of the Space Frequency Coordination Group, of which
Italy is a member.


5. Dr. Bruca said that to her knowledge the Europeans had not
yet discussed our second proposal regarding aeronautical mobile
stations and interference within the 37-38 GHz band, and
expressed concern that time was becoming short to reach a
European position before the start of WRC-07 on October 22. She
also expressed concern that the GOI lead agency, the Ministry of
Communications, had not yet held interagency consultations
necessary in order to finalize the GOI's position. She promised
to contact counterparts at the Communications Ministry to convey
ASI's position informally, and find out the status of
preparations for the inter-agency coordination. She also said
that industry representatives had informally promised support
for the proposal regarding the 37-38 GHz band.


6. Since June, Post has repeatedly contacted the Communications
Ministry to seek their views and the status of inter-agency
coordination for WRC-07. Unfortunately, the responsible senior
official, Director General of Radio-electric Spectrum Planning
and Management Francesco Troisi, has been gravely ill, hampering
GOI consideration of these proposals. TroisiQs deputies
Francesco Augello and Antonio Vellucci will alternate in leading
the Italian delegation in Geneva; Vellucci will be the lead when
the meeting starts on October 22. Mr. Augello told Post that
his directorate supports both U.S. proposals, but will need to
consult with other CEPT members in Geneva before the Italian
position can be finalized.

SPOGLI