The RAG met for the twelfth time on 22-26 November in Geneva, Switzerland, overseen by its chairman, Bruce Gracie of Canada.
The group noted with apprehension that the budget of the ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) has been cut back in the last seven years, a situation which may be considered alarming, given that the ITU?s Radiocommunication Bureau (BR) is currently endowed with minimum resources to carry out its incumbent tasks, despite efforts to increase the efficiency of processes and improve working methods. The RAG advised the Director to include additional information when presenting this issue to the Council.
The BR Director was present at the meeting and reported, with regard to the available ITU-R budget for 2005, that the Department does not have the necessary resources to implement some obligations deriving from Resolution 115 of the Plenipotentiary Conference (PP02, Marrakech), particularly vis-à-vis the introduction of three official languages and additional work (Arabic, Chinese and Russian).
The RAG will thus recommend the establishment of a transition period in 2005. The Arabic, Chinese and Russian language groups will be asked to appoint a temporary representative to the Co-ordination Committee for Vocabulary (CCV).
Besides, the BR Director, the meeting was also attended by the chairman of the Telecommunications Standardization Advisory Group (TSAG).
Some 91 participants took part in the RAG proceedings, representing 41 member States, nine recognised operators, two scientific or industrial organisations, the European Space Agency, the International Amateur Radio Union and the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT).
The next RAG meeting has been tentatively set for November 2005.
