Satellite Ceos Urge U.s. To Relax Export Controls On China

摘要

Chief executives officers of the world's largest satellite providers have urged Congress and the Obama administration to relax export controls that bar launches of U.S. satellites or satellites that use U.S.-made components to certain countries, citing the potential to take advantage of the growing Chinese launch market.rnDuring a keynote session at the March 24-27 Satellite 2009 conference in Washington, the CEOs said the International Traffic in Arms Restrictions (ITAR) are hurting U.S. companies and don't make sense in today's global environment. They also complained that the interpretation of satellite export restrictions by the State Department, which oversees ITAR, was too expansive. The ITAR rules control the permanent and temporary export of defense articles and services, including satellites and space craft and related equipment, to certain countries.rn"It's just way too broad," said Dan Goldberg, president and CEO of Telesat Holdings, Inc. He called for a "much more careful view of what should be controlled and what shouldn't be."