longer deal exclusively with telecommunications but also with microwave energy transmission, possibly limited to the earth-space arena. However, since the United States appears to wield substantial influence on the workings of ITU-related bodies, it may not be in its interest to accept a suggestion that another organization should be established to deal with energy transmission by microwaves. 4.2 Claims of Equatorial Countries Another key issue for U.S. policy will be how to deal with the claims of sovereignty by equatorial countries over segments of their geostationary orbit and the additional assertion that segments of the orbit corresponding to the open sea beyond national jurisdiction are the "common heritage of mankind." This is a key issue because—according to scientific projections—power GEOSAT-s would , . . . likely occupy positions on the equatorial plane which would be, in part, over equatorial countries and, in part, over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Any circumspect U.S. policy regarding the claims of equatorial countries must take note of the discussions at the 17th Session of the Legal Subcommittee of UNCOPUOS which clearly reveal the overwhelming conviction of its members that the legal and scientific arguments marshalled in support of the claim of equatorial countries were untenable. At the same time, the discussions also disclose that a number of delegates appeared to take a somewhat conciliatory position with respect to a possible consideration by the Subcommittee of the development of principles governing the use of geostationary orbit.
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