World telecom development conference in Istanbul

The 3rd world conference on telecom development held in Istanbul March 18-27, with the participation of over 30 ministers and officials from several countries.

The conference will debate many issues related to telecom development in the world, the action plan for 2003-2006 and the organization of the coming conference of plenipotentiary representatives to be held in Marrakesh September 23 through October 18.

The opening session of the conference will be chaired by president of the International Telecom Union (ITU), Turkish head of state, Ahmet Necdet Sezer.

ITU's roots date back to the establishment of the International

Telegraph Union, of which the Convention was signed in 1865 by 20 founding members including Turkey.