Sec. 213.5  Precedence designators.

    (a) The following precedence designators are available for 
Government and public correspondence users:


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                                                  Domestic public       
            Federal Government                   correspondence and     
                                           international telephone calls
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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

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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.