Attachment bio.2004.doc

This document pretains to SES-LIC-20041208-01798 for License on a Satellite Earth Station filing.

IBFS_SESLIC2004120801798_408677

                                Donald Abelson
                      Federal Communications Commission
                          Chief, International Bureau


        Donald Abelson has been Chief of the International Bureau at the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) since July 1999. In this capacity, he oversees the
Bureau’s coordination of the FCC’s international activities and its role as the focal point
for the FCC’s regulation of international telecommunication services (including the
licensing of international and domestic submarine cable and satellite networks). Mr.
Abelson manages the Bureau’s provision of technical advice to the Executive Branch
regarding international telecommunications issues (regarding the International
Telecommunications Union (ITU) (including, the World Radiocommunications
Conferences) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD)) and on bilateral telecom issues (including issues in telecom trade negotiations).
Mr. Abelson is also a member of the FCC’s executive board that manages spectrum
policy matters, with a particular interest in satellite and terrestrial services and networks.

        Abelson came to the Commission with extensive experience in international
communications issues. Before being named to his current position, Abelson served as
Assistant U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) for Industry and Communications (1998/9).
In this capacity, he led USTR’s effort to facilitate global electronic commerce over the
Internet. As USTR’s Chief Negotiator for Communications and Information (1997/8),
Abelson headed the U.S. delegation to the World Trade Organization (WTO)
negotiations on basic telecommunications services from 1994, through their successful
conclusion in February 1997. These negotiations resulted in a precedent-setting
agreement on basic telecommunications in which 70 countries made trade commitments
covering 95% of global local, long-distance and international services delivered by wire,
wireless and satellite technologies.

        In 1993, as Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Services, Investment and
Intellectual Property, Abelson was the senior negotiator for the United States on the
General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), which forms a part of the World Trade
Organization (WTO). In previous assignments at USTR, Abelson lead the U.S. team that
secured trade deals on telecommunications terminal equipment practices with Japan
(1983-1985) and Europe (1985-1988). And, for a decade between 1977 and 1987,
Abelson was the chief negotiator on standards-related trade issues.

      Abelson has a Master’s Degree in International Economics from the School of
Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University (SAIS) (1975) and a
Bachelor’s Degree from Sarah Lawrence College (1972).

June 2004



Document Created: 2004-12-07 11:53:43
Document Modified: 2004-12-07 11:53:43

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