43th session of the Intersputnik Board and 18th session of the Intersputnik Operations Committee
Minsk, Republic of Belarus
June 9–10, 2015
On June 9-10, 2015 representatives of Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Hungary, Vietnam, Germany, Kyrgyzstan, Cuba, Poland, Russia, and the Czech Republic met in Minsk, Belarus, on the invitation of the Ministry of Communications and Informatization of the Republic of Belarus for the joint XLIII session of the Board and 18th meeting of the Operations Committee of the Intersputnik International Organization of Space Communications (Organization, Intersputnik).
The delegates were welcomed by H.E. Mr. Sergey Popkov, Minister of Communications and Informatization of the Republic of Belarus. He stressed that the Republic of Belarus greatly appreciated its Intersputnik membership and the mutually beneficial cooperation with the Organization that had been expanding successfully for over twenty years.
H.E. Mr. Popkov emphasized that the resolution to join Intersputnik was passed by the Council of Ministers in July 1993. Thus, Intersputnik became one of the first intergovernmental organizations the Republic of Belarus acceded to after winning independence. H.E. Mr. Popkov was convinced of the further expansion of comprehensive cooperation between the Republic of Belarus and Intersputnik, including joint steps to promote the capacity of the new national satellite Belintersat-1 in the markets of third countries.
The delegates to the joint session unanimously elected First Deputy Minister of Communications and Informatization of the Republic of Belarus Mr. Dmitriy Shedko Chairman of the Board – Intersputnik’s highest governing body.
Another highlight of the session was the Board’s and Operations Committee’s approval of the Agreement on Cooperation between Intersputnik and the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (ITSO). Closer ties with ITSO will help both organizations share experience in the field of satellite telecommunications. Immediately after approval, the Agreement on Cooperation was signed by ITSO Director General Mr. Jose Toscano, who attended an Intersputnik session for the first time as an observer, and Intersputnik Director General Mr. Vadim Belov.
Within the limits of the approved agenda, the Board and the Operations Committee reviewed a wide range of issues related to Intersputnik’s current operations and prospects of further growth. The delegates heard the report of the Director General on the main aspects of the Organization’s performance in 2014. Despite the negative trends in the currency and financial market resulting from the downfall of the rouble and weakening of the euro versus the US dollar, especially in Q4 of last year, the Directorate managed to meet the targets set in the finance plan for 2014. Nevertheless, the unstable economic situation that persisted in the Russian market in early 2015 could not but affect Intersputnik’s business and made it necessary to update its financial indicators for 2015. After discussing this matter, the Board and then Operations Committee approved an updated version of the Organization’s finance plan for 2015.
Much attention was paid to the development of the international satellite telecommunications system focused on the procurement of Intersputnik’s own satellite resource based on new spacecraft and the maximum possible use of the Organization’s orbit and spectrum resource. The delegates were informed of progress in the implementation of joint satellite projects and prospects of potential cooperation with new partners to use satellite networks, which remain available. The Board and the Operations Committee upheld steps taken by the Directorate and instructed it to complete current satellite projects using Intersputnik’s orbit and spectrum resource and start new ones.
Invited by the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation, the next joint session of the Board and Operations Committee, timed to coincide with the 45th anniversary of Intersputnik, will be held in the Russian Federation in November 2016.
About INTERSPUTNIK
Founded in 1971 under the Agreement on the Establishment of the Intersputnik International System and Organization of Space Communications, Intersputnik is an international intergovernmental organization headquartered in Moscow. The Organization’s mission is to contribute to the consolidation and expansion of economic, scientific, technological and cultural relations using satellite telecommunications, video and audio broadcasting and to support cooperation and coordination of the efforts of the member countries aimed at designing, procuring, operating and expanding an international satellite telecommunications system. Intersputnik can be joined by the Government of any state that shares the principles of Intersputnik’s activity. Today, the Organization has twenty six member countries.
Intersputnik operates an international satellite telecommunications system and makes its geostationary orbit and frequency resource on 22 satellites available to telecommunications operators and corporate customers. Through its subsidiary Isatel Intersputnik offers full-scale services related to the installation and operation of satellite communications networks.
Within the framework of its long-term cooperation with the Russian Satellite Communications Company, Intersputnik makes available to its users the resource of Express-series satellites. Intersputnik is the official distributor of satellite resource and services of the European satellite operator Eutelsat S.A., markets and sells ABS, Intelsat, SES, Chinasat and Gazprom Space Systems satellite capacity, and works together with other regional and domestic satellite telecommunications operators.
Using its intergovernmental organization status Intersputnik filed its own orbit and frequency resource in a number of geostationary orbital positions. This resource is used under projects with interested partners to establish new satellite telecommunications systems.
More about Intersputnik at www.intersputnik.com
For details, please contact
Intersputnik: Victor Veshchunov
+7 (495) 641-44-25, info.media@intersputnik.com
The delegates were welcomed by H.E. Mr. Sergey Popkov, Minister of Communications and Informatization of the Republic of Belarus. He stressed that the Republic of Belarus greatly appreciated its Intersputnik membership and the mutually beneficial cooperation with the Organization that had been expanding successfully for over twenty years.
H.E. Mr. Popkov emphasized that the resolution to join Intersputnik was passed by the Council of Ministers in July 1993. Thus, Intersputnik became one of the first intergovernmental organizations the Republic of Belarus acceded to after winning independence. H.E. Mr. Popkov was convinced of the further expansion of comprehensive cooperation between the Republic of Belarus and Intersputnik, including joint steps to promote the capacity of the new national satellite Belintersat-1 in the markets of third countries.
The delegates to the joint session unanimously elected First Deputy Minister of Communications and Informatization of the Republic of Belarus Mr. Dmitriy Shedko Chairman of the Board – Intersputnik’s highest governing body.
Another highlight of the session was the Board’s and Operations Committee’s approval of the Agreement on Cooperation between Intersputnik and the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (ITSO). Closer ties with ITSO will help both organizations share experience in the field of satellite telecommunications. Immediately after approval, the Agreement on Cooperation was signed by ITSO Director General Mr. Jose Toscano, who attended an Intersputnik session for the first time as an observer, and Intersputnik Director General Mr. Vadim Belov.
Within the limits of the approved agenda, the Board and the Operations Committee reviewed a wide range of issues related to Intersputnik’s current operations and prospects of further growth. The delegates heard the report of the Director General on the main aspects of the Organization’s performance in 2014. Despite the negative trends in the currency and financial market resulting from the downfall of the rouble and weakening of the euro versus the US dollar, especially in Q4 of last year, the Directorate managed to meet the targets set in the finance plan for 2014. Nevertheless, the unstable economic situation that persisted in the Russian market in early 2015 could not but affect Intersputnik’s business and made it necessary to update its financial indicators for 2015. After discussing this matter, the Board and then Operations Committee approved an updated version of the Organization’s finance plan for 2015.
Much attention was paid to the development of the international satellite telecommunications system focused on the procurement of Intersputnik’s own satellite resource based on new spacecraft and the maximum possible use of the Organization’s orbit and spectrum resource. The delegates were informed of progress in the implementation of joint satellite projects and prospects of potential cooperation with new partners to use satellite networks, which remain available. The Board and the Operations Committee upheld steps taken by the Directorate and instructed it to complete current satellite projects using Intersputnik’s orbit and spectrum resource and start new ones.
Invited by the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation, the next joint session of the Board and Operations Committee, timed to coincide with the 45th anniversary of Intersputnik, will be held in the Russian Federation in November 2016.
About INTERSPUTNIK
Founded in 1971 under the Agreement on the Establishment of the Intersputnik International System and Organization of Space Communications, Intersputnik is an international intergovernmental organization headquartered in Moscow. The Organization’s mission is to contribute to the consolidation and expansion of economic, scientific, technological and cultural relations using satellite telecommunications, video and audio broadcasting and to support cooperation and coordination of the efforts of the member countries aimed at designing, procuring, operating and expanding an international satellite telecommunications system. Intersputnik can be joined by the Government of any state that shares the principles of Intersputnik’s activity. Today, the Organization has twenty six member countries.
Intersputnik operates an international satellite telecommunications system and makes its geostationary orbit and frequency resource on 22 satellites available to telecommunications operators and corporate customers. Through its subsidiary Isatel Intersputnik offers full-scale services related to the installation and operation of satellite communications networks.
Within the framework of its long-term cooperation with the Russian Satellite Communications Company, Intersputnik makes available to its users the resource of Express-series satellites. Intersputnik is the official distributor of satellite resource and services of the European satellite operator Eutelsat S.A., markets and sells ABS, Intelsat, SES, Chinasat and Gazprom Space Systems satellite capacity, and works together with other regional and domestic satellite telecommunications operators.
Using its intergovernmental organization status Intersputnik filed its own orbit and frequency resource in a number of geostationary orbital positions. This resource is used under projects with interested partners to establish new satellite telecommunications systems.
More about Intersputnik at www.intersputnik.com
For details, please contact
Intersputnik: Victor Veshchunov
+7 (495) 641-44-25, info.media@intersputnik.com
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