The United States and Russia opposed modifying the Convention of the International Mobile Satellites Organisation (IMSO), under discussion it its Intersession Working Group (IWG); this was also due to reservations about the legal validity of the process, especially the implied extension of the IMSO?s activity. Though represented, the two countries thus decided not to participate in the fundamental work of the second IWG meeting, established by the 16th IMSO Assembly, held from 20 September to 3 October in London.
The similarly controversial issues of the budget and sharing the costs of IMSO operations, particularly with respect to personnel and installations, were relegated to a subsequent IWG meeting, along with the issue of the legal methodology for possible expansion in the IMSO context, which should take place in the week of 2-6 February 2004 in London.
See: Inmarsathttp://www.inmarsat.com
