CONFIDENTIAL
10
circuits out of a total of 13,352 circuits of various
types used for external telecommunications to/from Hong
Kong were carried by INTELSAT satellites.) Hong Kong
relies on these channels to maintain an efficient external
telecommunications service. Hong Kong
Kong is now a major
financial, commercial and industrial centre of Asia. The
activities in the various sectors of the economy depend
heavily on telecommunications, both internal and
external. An efficient telecommunication infrastructure
is therefore vital to the continued development of the
economy of Hong Kong. Through contacts with the UK Party
and the UK Signatory and the participation at the INTELSAT
meetings, Hong Kong is able to keep abreast of the latest
developments in the policy making and operation of the
INTELSAT and where necessary makes proposals through the
UK Party or Signatory to protect Hong Kong's interests.
..
15.
Through direct communications between the Cable &
Wireless Group and INTELSAT, the approval and the
allotment of space segment capacity for the subsequent
operation of the earth stations in Hong Kong can proceed
in the most efficient manner, and the Group need not
reveal to the Signatory details which it would prefer, for
purely commercial reasons, to remain confidential
between the Group and INTELSAT. In this connection it
should be remembered that the UK Signatory, like many
other Signatories, operates in competition with other
users of the space segment such as the Cable and Wireless
Group.
as
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