would be considered the common heritage of mankind, and there would be safeguards for everyone, provided the international community regulated the use and exploitation of the orbit." In the following language the Bogota States agreed to the transiting of space objects when outside the geostationary orbital positions of the signatories. Thus, "The equatorial states do not object to the free orbital transit of satellites approved and authorized by the International Telecommunication Convention, when these satellites pass through their outer space in their gravitational flight outside their geostationary orbit." This statement appears to be consistent with their view that the geostationary orbit is a natural resource of the State, since in the relevant passage the geostationary orbit was identified as not being a part of outer space. The equatorial States contemplate granting permission to the space resource States to place permanently in the geostationary orbital area of the granting States the foreign space object. Such permission is to be in the form of a "previous and expressed authorization on the part of the concerned states, and the operation of the device should conform with the national law of that territorial country over which it is placed." By such consent the authorizing State is allowing a foreign State to operate within the territory of the former. The Bogota States also indicated that the presence of foreign space objects currently U.N. Doc. A/AC.105/C.1/SR.199, p. 7, February 28, 1978. Carl Q. Christol, "The Legal Common Heritage of Mankind: Capturing an Illusive Concept and Applying it to World Needs," Proceedings of the 18th Colloquium on the Law of Outer Space 42 (1976). Declaration, op. cit., p. 6. Ibid., p. 6.
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