August 11, 1997
                                
              PETER COWHEY TO LEAVE THE COMMISSION
             
     Today, Peter Cowhey announced that he will step down as Chief of the Commission's International
Bureau. He will be leaving the Commission, where he has served in numerous capacities since 1994, to
return to his professorship at the Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies at the
University of California, San Diego.  

     Cowhey has been Chief of the FCC's International Bureau since March 1997.  As Bureau Chief, he
has overseen many important international proceedings including the Commission's recent action lowering
international telephone settlement rates.  He also guided new proposals on how to implement the WTO
agreement on basic telecommunications services by changes in the Commission's rules governing foreign
investment and service to the U.S. market by foreign communications satellites.  In addition, he issued two
licenses for "Big LEO" satellite systems, enabling them to offer global voice and data services.  He has also
supervised the FCC deliberations on the BT-MCI merger proposal, the little LEO rulemaking, and the
purchase of the Primestar DBS holdings.  

     Cowhey has been a member of the Bureau since 1994 when he joined as an advisor to Chairman
Hundt and also became Chief of the Multilateral and Development Affairs Branch of the
Telecommunications Division of the International Bureau.  In 1995 he became Senior Counselor for
Economic and Competition Policy in the International Bureau.  As Senior Counselor, Cowhey advised the
Bureau Chiefs and FCC Commissioners on competition policy involving international services, including the
development of benchmarks for accounting rates and the Commission's Flexibility Order on Accounting
Rates.  He also supervised the Commission's work in support of U.S. Government negotiations on the WTO. 
Cowhey oversaw work on international trade and regulatory policies involving the telecommunications
industries.  During his tenure at the Commission he has been a member of the U.S. delegations to the WTO,
OECD, the Intelsat Assembly of Parties, APEC, and the APEC and G-7 Information Society Ministerials.  

     Chairman Reed Hundt said, "Peter's encyclopedic knowledge of international trade and
telecommunications, along with his brilliance and creativity, have contributed immensely to the successes of
the Commission's international policies.  Peter was the architect of the FCC's participation in the WTO
negotiations on telecommunications, as well as the settlement rate benchmarks policies adopted last week by
the Commission.  He not only ranks in the first circle of academics in the area of international relations, he
has proven that he can put theory into practice.  For his wit, wisdom and accomplishments, we thank him and
will miss him."   
                                  -FCC-