Article VIII: Meeting of Signatories (a) The Meeting of Signatories shall be composed of all the Signatories. In accordance with paragraph (b) and (c) of Article VI of this Agreement, the Meeting of Signatories shall give due and proper consideration to resolutions, recommendations and views addressed to it by the Assembly of Parties or the Board of Governors. (b) The Meeting of Signatories shall have the following functions and powers: (i) to consider and express its views to the Board of Governors on the annual report and annual financial statements submitted to it by the Board of Governors; (ii) to express its views and make recommendations on proposed amendments to this Agreement pursuant to Article XVII of this Agreement and to consider and take decisions, in accordance with Article 22 of the Operating Agreement and taking into account any views and recommendations received from the Assembly of Parties or the Board of Governors, on proposed amendments to the Operating Agreement which are consistent with this Agreement; (iii) to consider and express its views regarding reports on future programmes, including the estimated financial implications of such programmes, submitted by the Board of Governors; (iv) to consider and decide on any recommendation made by the Board of Governors concerning an increase in the ceiling provided for in Article 5 of the Operating Agreement; (v) to establish general rules, upon the recommendation of and for the guidance of the Board of Governors, concerning: (A) the approval of earth stations for access to the INTELSAT space segment, (B) the allotment of INTELSAT space segment capacity, and (C) the establishment and adjustment of the rates of charge for utilization of the INTELSAT space segment on a non-discriminatory basis; (vi) to take decisions pursuant to Article XVI of this Agreement in connexion with the withdrawal of Signatory from INTELSAT; (vii) to consider and express its views on complaints submitted to it by Signatories directly or through the Board of Governors or submitted to it through the Board of Governors by users of the INTELSAT space segment who are not Signatories; (viii) to prepare and present to the Assembly of Parties, and to the Parties, reports concerning the implementation of general policies, the activities and the long-term programme of INTELSAT; (ix) to take decisions concerning the approval referred to in subparagraph (b)(ii) of Article III of this Agreement; (x) to consider and express its views on the report on permanent management arrangements submitted by the Board of Governors to the Assembly of Parties pursuant to paragraph (g) of Article XII of this Agreement; (xi) to make annual determinations for the purpose of representation on the Board of Governors in accordance with Article IX of this Agreement; and (xii) to exercise any other powers coming within the purview of the Meeting of Signatories accordance with the provisions of this Agreement or the Operating Agreement. (c) The first ordinary meeting of the Meeting of Signatories shall be convened by the Secretary General at the request of the Board of Governors within nine months after the entry into force of this Agreement. Thereafter an ordinary meeting shall be held in every calendar year. (d) (i) In addition to the ordinary meetings provided for in paragraph (c) of this Article, the Meeting of Signatories may hold extraordinary meetings, which may be convened either upon the request of the Board of Governors or upon the request of one or more Signatories which receives the support of at least one-third of the Signatories including the requesting Signatory or Signatories. (ii) Requests for extraordinary meetings shall state the purpose for which the meeting is required and shall be addressed in writing to the Secretary General or Director General, who shall arrange for the meeting to be held as soon as possible and in accordance with the rules of procedure of the Meeting of Signatories for convening such meetings. The agenda for an extraordinary meeting shall be restricted to the purpose or purposes for which the meeting was convened. (e) A quorum for any meeting of the Meeting of Signatories shall consist of representatives of a majority of the Signatories. Each Signatory shall have one vote. Decisions on matters of substance shall be taken by an affirmative vote cast by at least two-thirds of the Signatories whose representatives are present and voting. Decisions on procedural matters shall be taken by an affirmative vote cast by a simple majority of the Signatories whose representatives are present and voting. Disputes whether a specific matter is procedural or substantive shall be decided by a vote cast by a simple majority of the Signatories whose representatives are present and voting. (f) The Meeting of Signatories shall adopt its own rules of procedure, which shall include provision for the election of a Chairman and other officers. (g) Each Signatory shall meet its own costs of representation at meetings of the Meeting of Signatories. Expenses of meetings of the Meeting of Signatories shall be regarded as an administrative cost of INTELSAT for the purpose of Article 8 of the Operating Agreement.