CLARIFICATION BY FINANCE MINISTRY

Responding to reports appearing in a section of the Press that can lead to an inference that there is disagreement among the Group of Ministers over the issues under consideration of the GOM on Telecom, the Finance Ministry emphatically states that there is no disagreement on any of these issues. The Group of Minister in its meeting held on September 25, 2003 had taken all decisions unanimously. These included the following:

1. About release of adequate spectrum needed for the growth of the telecom sector;
2. Charting a course towards a Universal Licence (Unified Licensing Regime); and
3. Reviewing adequacy of steps for enforcing limited mobility within the SDCA for WLL (M) services of Basic operators, and recommending the future course of action in this regard.

On each of these issues, not only was there no disagreement, there was no difference of approach either. It is further clarified that necessary follow up steps have already been taken on all issues, including the three listed above.