RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/ACC/SPEC/KGZ/5/Rev.2/Add.1
30January 1998
ORGANIZATION(98-0341)
Working Party ontheAccession Original: English
oftheKyrgyz Republic
ACCESSION OFTHE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC
Communication from theKyrgyz Republic
Addendum
Thefollowing annexes indicated indocument WT/ACC/SPEC/KGZ/5/Rev.2, Section 2.C
"Telecommunicationservices:BasicandEnhancedTelecommunicationServices",Column4"Additional
Commitments" havebeenreceived from theGovernment oftheKyrgyz Republic.
_______________WT/ACC/SPEC/KGZ/5/Rev.2/Add.1
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ANNEX 1
REFERENCE PAPER
Scope
Thefollowing areprincipals ontheregulatory framework forthebasic telecommunications
services.
Definitions
Users means service consumers andservice suppliers.
Essential facilities means facilities ofapublic telecommunications transport network orservice
that:
(a) areexclusively orpredominantly provided byasingle orlimited number ofsuppliers; and
(b) cannot feasibly beeconomically ortechnically substituted inorder toprovide aservice.
Amajor supplier isasupplier which hastheability tomaterially affect theterms ofparticipation
(having regard toprice andsupply) intherelevant market forbasic telecommunications services as
aresult of:
(a) control overessential facilities; or
(b) useofitsposition inthemarket.
1. Competitive safeguards
1.1 Prevention ofanti-competitive practices intelecommunications
Appropriate measures shallbemaintained forthepurpose ofpreventing suppliers who, alone
ortogether, areamajor supplier from engaging inorcontinuing anti-competitive practices.
1.2 Safeguards
Theanti-competitive practices referred toabove shallinclude inparticular:
(a) engaging inanti-competitive cross-subsidization;
(b) using information obtained from competitors withanti-competitive results; and
(c) notmaking available toother services suppliers onatimely basistechnical information about
essentialfacilitiesandcommerciallyrelevantinformationwhicharenecessaryforthemtoprovide
services.WT/ACC/SPEC/KGZ/5/Rev.2/Add.1
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2. Interconnection
2.1 Thissection applies tolinking withsuppliers providing public telecommunications transport
networks orservices inorder toallow theusers ofonesupplier tocommunicate withusers ofanother
supplierandtoaccessservicesprovidedbyanothersupplier,wherespecificcommitmentsareundertaken.
2.2 Interconnection tobeensured
Interconnection withamajor supplier willbeensured atanytechnically feasible point inthe
network. Such interconnection isprovided.
(a) under non-discriminatory terms, conditions (including technical standards andspecifications)
andratesandofaquality nolessfavourable thanthatprovided foritsownlikeservices or
forlikeservices ofnon-affiliated service suppliers orforitssubsidiaries orother affiliates;
(b) inatimely fashion, onterms, conditions (including technical standards andspecifications) and
cost-oriented ratesthataretransparent, reasonable, having regard toeconomic feasibility, and
sufficiently unbundled sothatthesupplier neednotpayfornetwork components orfacilities
thatitdoesnotrequire fortheservice tobeprovided; and
(c) upon request, atpoints inaddition tothenetwork termination points offered tothemajority
ofusers, subject tocharges thatreflect thecostofconstruction ofnecessary additional facilities.
2.3 Public availability oftheprocedures forinterconnection forinterconnection negotiations
Theproceduresapplicableforinterconnectiontoamajorsupplierwillbemadepubliclyavailable.
2.4 Transparency ofinterconnection arrangements
Itisensured thatamajor supplier willmake publicly available either itsinterconnection
agreements orareference interconnection offer.
2.5 Interconnection: dispute settlement
Aservice supplier requesting interconnection withamajor supplier willhaverecourse, either:
(a) atanytime; or
(b) afterareasonable period oftimewhich hasbeenmade publicly known;
toanindependent domestic body, which maybearegulatory bodyasreferred toinparagraph 5
below, toresolve disputes regarding appropriate terms, conditions andratesforinterconnection within
areasonable period oftime, totheextent thatthese havenotbeenestablished previously.
3. Universal service
TheKyrgyz Republic hastherighttodefine thekindofuniversal service obligation itwishes
tomaintain. Such obligations willnotberegarded asanti-competitive perse,provided theyare
administered inatransparent, non-discriminatory andcompetitively neutral manner andarenotmore
burdensome thannecessary forthekindofuniversal service defined bytheKyrgyz Republic.WT/ACC/SPEC/KGZ/5/Rev.2/Add.1
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4. Public availability oflicensing criteria
Where alicense isrequired, thefollowing willbemade publicly available:
(a) allthelicensing criteria andtheperiod oftimenormally required toreach adecision concerning
anapplication foralicense; and
(b) theterms andconditions ofindividual licenses.
Thereasons forthedenial ofalicense willbemade known totheapplicant upon request.
5. Independent regulators
Theregulatory body isseparate from, andnotaccountable to,anysupplier ofbasic
telecommunications services. Thedecisions ofandtheprocedure usedbyregulators shallbeimpartial
withrespect toallmarket participants.
6. Allocation anduseofscarce resources
Anyprocedures fortheallocation anduseofscarce resources, including frequencies, numbers
andrightsofway,willbecarriedoutinanobjective,timely,transparentandnon-discriminatorymanner.
Thecurrent stateofallocated frequency bands willbemade publicly available, butdetailed identification
offrequencies allocated forspecific government usesinnotrequired.WT/ACC/SPEC/KGZ/5/Rev.2/Add.1
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ANNEX 2
NOTES FOR SCHEDULING BASIC TELECOM SERVICES COMMITMENTS
1. Unless otherwise noted inthesector column, anybasic telecom service listed inthesector
column:
(a) encompasses local, longdistance andinternational services forpublic andnon-public use;
(b) maybeprovided onafacilities-basis orbyresale; and
(c) maybeprovided through anymeans oftechnology (e.g., cable1,wireless, satellites).
2. Subsector (g)–private leased circuit services –involves theability ofservice suppliers tosell
orlease anyofnetwork capacity forthesupply ofservices listed inanyother basic telecom service
subsector unless otherwise noted inthesector column. Thiswould include capacity viacable, satellite
andwireless network.
1Including alltypes ofcable.WT/ACC/SPEC/KGZ/5/Rev.2/Add.1
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ANNEX 3
MARKET ACCESS LIMITATIONS ONSPECTRUM AVAILABILITY
Spectrum/frequency management isnot,perse,ameasure which needs tobelisted under
Article XVI. Furthermore under theGATS theKyrgyz Republic hastheright toexercise
spectrum/frequency management, which mayaffect thenumber ofservice suppliers, provided that
thisisdoneinaccordance withArticle VIandother relevant provisions oftheGATS. Thisincludes
theability toallocate frequency bands taking intoaccount existing andfuture needs. Also, theKyrgyz
Republic hasmade anadditional commitment inlinewiththeReference Paper onregulatory principles
isbound byitsparagraph 6.
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