International Telecommunication Union

Extract

The conference of the International High Frequency Board in Mexico City terminated April 10, 1949 after having been in session since October 22, 1948. The purpose of the meeting was to consider frequency requirements of all countries, technical engineering problems, a frequency assignment plan and generally “to put to an end the anarchy prevalent in high frequency broadcasting.” Although it was first suggested that all problems should be considered anew at a future meeting of a technical committee in France, the majority of delegations felt that a final agreement should be concluded at Mexico at the same time as the Basic Plan for allocations which would only need to be completed by technical considerations. A French proposal that only those countries which had signed the Mexico Agreement by June 15, 1949 might take part in the work of the technical committee was adopted by 43 votes to 1 with 5 abstentions. The agreement was approved by 50 of the 69 countries participating; the United States and the Soviet Union did not sign the agreement.