NEWS RELEASES

June 16, 2000 (5:00 p.m. EDT) No. 153

CANADA AND UNITED STATES SIGN AGREEMENT CONCERNING OPERATION OF COMMERCIAL REMOTE SENSING SATELLITE SYSTEMS

Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright today signed an agreement between Canada and the United States concerning the operation of commercial remote sensing satellite systems.

"Canada and the United States have struck an agreement concerning the operation of commercial remote sensing satellites authorized from our respective jurisdictions," said Mr. Axworthy. "Both governments are developing a regulatory environment for these systems that balances the broad promotion of the private use of high-performance imaging satellites with the need to protect national security and foreign policy interests. This new agreement will foster enhanced co-operation between Canada and the United States as we pursue competitive commercial endeavours in outer space."

National Defence Minister Art Eggleton welcomed today's announcement. "Canada and the United States have co-operated on defence- and security-related issues for many years," said Mr. Eggleton. "This agreement represents another significant achievement in addressing our mutual security needs."

The aim of the agreement is to ensure that commercial remote sensing satellite systems will be controlled in each country in such a manner as to protect shared national security and foreign policy interests while promoting the commercial benefits to be derived from these systems.

The agreement recognizes that Canada and the U.S. share mutual interests in regulating and controlling commercial remote sensing satellite systems operating from their respective territories or subject to their respective jurisdictions. Such systems are currently moving from public ownership to private ownership in both countries. The agreement also specifically covers the operations of RADARSAT-2, Canada's first commercial remote sensing satellite system.

Canada and the United States will undertake a series of consultations with respect to implementing the agreement and increasing co-operation on various aspects of their respective policies for commercial remote sensing satellite systems.

The agreement essentially applies to high-performance earth observation satellites used for such purposes as cartography, land-use, and natural resource and environment management. It does not apply to meteorological, navigation or communications satellites.

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The Joint Statement on Commercial Remote Sensing Satellite Systems is attached.

For further information, media representatives may contact:

Debora Brown

Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs

(613) 995-1851

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874

Randy Mylyk

Office of the Minister of National Defence

(613) 996-3100

Media Liaison Office

Department of National Defence

(613) 996-2353

This document is also available on the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade's Internet site: http://www.dfait-maeci-gc.ca.

CANADA/UNITED STATES JOINT STATEMENT

COMMERCIAL REMOTE SENSING SATELLITE SYSTEMS

Within the context of our close bilateral relationship in defence and security matters, respective national policies of the Government of the United States and the Government of Canada reflect a common desire to protect national security and foreign policy interests while promoting commercial gains from space-based remote sensing. As a result, both our governments share mutual interests in regulating commercial remote sensing satellite systems operating from our respective territories or subject to our respective jurisdictions in accordance with national policies, laws and regulations.

Today, the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States reaffirm our commitment to maintaining a partnership in the development and application of space technology, including the furtherance of commercial remote sensing activities. As a reflection of this endeavour, the United States and Canada have entered into an agreement that fosters broad private uses of commercial remote sensing satellite systems, while protecting common national security and foreign policy interests.

The agreement, accommodating the advanced capabilities of RADARSAT-2, a Canadian synthetic aperture radar satellite system to be launched by a U.S. commercial space launch vehicle in 2003, will contribute to enhanced co-operation between our two countries in the commercial remote sensing satellite sector.