a) The sovereign rights put forward by the equatorial countries are directed towards rendering real benefits to their respective peoples and to the world community, in complete contrast to the present state of affairs, in which the orbit is used primarily for the benefit of the most developed countries. b) The segments of the orbit corresponding to the areas of the high seas beyond the national jurisdiction of States shall be considered as the common heritage of mankind. Consequently, the competent international agencies may regulate their use and exploitation whenever that is for the benefit of mankind. c) The equatorial States do not object to free orbital transit or the transit of communications requiring satellites covered and authorized by the International Telecommunication Convention, when these satellites pass through their space territory in gravitational flight outside their geostationary orbit. d) Devices to be placed in a fixed position on an equatorial State's segment of the geostationary orbit shall require previous and express authorization on the part of the State concerned, and the operation of the device shall be governed by the national law of that State. It is to be understood that this authorization is different from the coordination requested in cases of interference among satellite systems, as specified in the Radio Regulations. The authorization in question clearly relates to countries' right to allow the operation of fixed radio stations within their territory. e) The equatorial States do not acquiesce in the presence of satellites on their segments of the geostationary orbit and declare that the existence of such satellites does not confer any right to place satellites there or to use the segment unless expressly authorized by the State exercising sovereignty over the segment in question. 4. Treaty of 1967 The Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, signed on 27 January 1967, cannot be considered as a final answer to the problem of the exploration and use of outer space, particularly since the international community is now calling in question all the terms of international law which were drawn up at a time when the developing countries could not count on adequate scientific advice and were thus not able to detect and assess the omissions, contradictions and inconsistencies in the texts, which were prepared with great ability by the industrialized Powers for their own benefit.
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