101. Airgram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State1
SUBJECT
- French Views on Satellite Communications Arrangements
REF
- Paris A–1899, April 5, 19682
Summary
In a meeting with Embassy and COMSAT officials, French communications system experts explained and defended their view that definitive arrangements for the INTELSAT global communications satellite system should provide for the extensive implementation of regional systems. They believe commercial considerations must be kept paramount, that systems investment must bear a direct relationship to circuit ownership and control, and decisions affecting regional services must be taken directly by those member nations having a declared regional interest.
M. Rene Sueur, Assistant to the Director General for Telecommunications, Ministry of P & T, invited Embassy representatives to participate in discussions with the COMSAT Corporation’s Geneva office representatives, Colino and Mellen. These discussions, which took place at CNET on April 23 and 24, provided an opportunity for an expose of the views of COMSAT and especially by the French P & T on possible definitive arrangements for global communications via satellite.
In its essentials the discussions centered around two largely contradictory philosophies, the US view as put forth by the COMSAT representatives that the communications needs of the world can be satisfied by a highly integrated network of high capacity satellites, and the French view that provision must be made for system member countries to buy and own circuits in their selected areas of world interest. The exposition of the French views which follows is a very brief summary of the principal contentions, reiterated several times in one form or another by Sueur and the French representative to INTELSAT, Jean Paul Voge.
[Page 192][Here follow four pages detailing the French views. The sections include: “General Views on Development of the Global System”; “French Views on Regional Systems”; “Socialist Communications Satellite Systems”; “Global Coordination”; “Joint Efforts within INTELSAT”; “Services to Underdeveloped Areas”; “INTELSAT and France”; “System Optimization”; “System Investment—The Practical View”; and “Extension of INTELSAT Interim Arrangements.”]
Comment:
Although all these discussions were amicable, the French representatives stated their views with a conviction and force which seemed to indicate that there is presently little negotiating latitude in the French position. Colino, acting as spokesman for the COMSAT views, tried patiently to cite instances and areas in which INTELSAT had either shown flexibility or is moving in a direction to respond at least partially to the French position. Where the French motivation was obviously political such counter arguments fell on very barren ground.
The political ends which a French regional communications satellite system must serve completely elude the cool, patient, statistical study of the growth in world communications and its extension to probable future needs. It seemed clear that the French do not see INTELSAT as providing either the political or the industrial “satisfactions they seek”—to use Voge’s words.
At this point in time when France fears television broadcasts directly from satellites into her sphere of political interest with as much passion as she yearns to beam broadcasting into that area from her own satellites, she feels that she cannot afford too much objectivity in her communication satellite policy. A global system in which France would of necessity play not the smallest, but certainly a rather minor role, especially in its sphere of major interest, does not respond to what the French believe are their political needs. A regional system, on the other hand, covering the French sphere of interest would probably permit France to play the dominant role.
- Source: National Archives and Records Administration, RG 59, Records of the Department of State, Central Files, 1967–69, TEL 6. Limited Official Use. Drafted by John H. Buehler (SCI) and A. Eugene Frank (TRC), cleared by Edgar L. Pire (SCI) and Richard G. Long (POL), and approved by Robert A. Brand (MINECON).↩
- Not printed. (Ibid.)↩