International Telecommunications Union

Second Session of the Administrative Council: The second session of the Administrative Council of the International Telecommunications Union met in Geneva from January 20 to February 11, 1948 in accordance with a resolution adopted at the Council's first session at Atlantic City in September 1947. Chairman of the second session was Francis Colt de Wolf (United States) who was elected as interim chairman in place of Mr. Fortouchenko (USSR) who could not attend the meeting because of illness. Despite considerable initial difficulty the Council adopted approximately 35 resolutions, decisions, or opinions. Its most important administrative and financial decisions had to do with: 1) the budget of three million Swiss francs which had been set at Atlantic City and was approved by this session; 2) the transfer of the general secretariat of the Union from Beme to Geneva which, because of financial difficulties, was deferred until January 1, 1949; 3) the decision to transfer the secretariat and laboratories of the International Telephone Consultative Committee (CCIF) to Geneva as the expense of moving could be met by the CCIF itself. In addition the Council heard the reports of its various commissions and considered the relationship of ITU to other international organizations and conferences. The lack of coordination between the secretariats of ITU and the United Nations was noted, and the Union's Secretary-General directed to bring the matter to the attention of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.