appear circuitous. A modern definition of the word 'telecommunication' confines the term to "the sending and receiving of messages over a distance by electrical means”. Under such interpretation microwaves utilized for power transmission would not be 'signals' in the sense of 'messages' and, consequently, the ITU would appear to have no competence over them. Despite the force of the preceding logic—should it be correct—it might be pointed out that one of the functions of ITU is to coordinate uses of the radio frequency spectrum "in order to avoid harmful interference between radio stations of different countries" and to coordinate efforts "to eliminate harm- ful interference between radio stations of different countries." While such interference has to arise between radio stations of different countries, it may be argued that any activity even if not related to telecommunications which would interfere with the ITU's discharge of its assigned functions could be regarded to be of legitimate concern to ITU. Thus, while ITU may have no competence to deal with microwave frequencies for purposes of power transmission if such transmission is not regarded as telecommunication, any harmful interference even though arising out of a source other than communications would fall under ITU's competence. An additional consideration in the foregoing line of reasoning is that the SPS would also have to use frequencies for normal telecommunications between ground controllers and the satellite whether manned or unmanned. This would clearly fall into ITU's
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