§  213.5   Precedence designators.

   (a) The following precedence designators are available for Government
   and public correspondence users:
   Federal Government Domestic public correspondence and international
   telephone calls
   Flash Flash emergency.
   Immediate Immediate emergency.
   Priority Priority emergency.
   Routine (No domestic equivalent.)

   (b) Government and non-Government users of public correspondence
   services will handle their international messages in accordance with
   current ITU Telegraph Regulations. Government users should note that,
   generally, the only precedence designator available for their use for
   international messages sent over public correspondence circuits if Etat
   Priorite. The ITU Regulations do not contain precedence designators
   which equate to Flash, Immediate, or Priority. Accordingly, Government
   messages whether Flash, Immediate, or Priority precedence when sent
   over international public correspondence circuits will be handled as
   Etat Priorite messages. Thus, Priority messages will receive the same
   treatment in transmission and processing as Immediate or Flash
   messages. Conversely, Etat Priorite messages received in the United
   States shall be transmitted and processed in the order of receipt, to
   the extent possible. The precedence designator available for
   non-Government users of public correspondence services is Urgent. The
   Urgent designator is limited for use only during wartime conditions, as
   declared pursuant to section 606 of the Communications Act of 1934.

   (c) Domestic and International U.S. common carriers, insofar as
   practicable by agreement with their foreign correspondents, shall
   endeavor to arrange the proper level of precedence handling of
   international messages and calls originating, terminating in, or
   transiting the United States: Provided, however, That insofar as
   international messages are concerned the level of precedence shall be
   consistent with the International Telecommunication Conventions and
   regulations thereunder.

   (d) The Government designators shall be used throughout the Federal
   Government. All messages and telephone calls sent via public
   correspondence services shall use domestic or international public
   correspondence designators as appropriate. Thus, the responsibility is
   on Government and public correspondence users to recognize and use the
   appropriate designators when using public correspondence services.

   (e) On international telephone calls the carrier's operator will
   convert to the appropriate international designator.