INTERNATIONAL EARTH ROTATION SERVICE (IERS) 
  	       SERVICE INTERNATIONAL DE LA ROTATION TERRESTRE


BUREAU CENTRAL DE L'IERS
OBSERVATOIRE DE PARIS                                   
61, Av. de l'Observatoire 75014 PARIS (France)
Tel.      : 33 (0) 1 40 51 22 26
FAX       : 33 (0) 1 40 51 22 91
Internet  : iers@obspm.fr


                                                 Paris, 1 July 1997
                                                           



                                                 Bulletin C 14
                                

                                                 To authorities responsible for                  
                                                 the measurement and distribution                
                                                 of time                                         




                          INFORMATION ON UTC - TAI
                      



 No positive leap second will be introduced at the end of December 1997.
 The difference between UTC and the International Atomic Time TAI is :		
		

       from 1997 July 1, 0h UTC, until further notice : UTC-TAI = - 31 s


 Leap seconds can be introduced in UTC at the end of the months of December 
 or June,  depending on the evolution of UT1-TAI. Bulletin C mailed every six 
 months, either to announce a time step in UTC, or to confirm that there will
 be no time step at the next possible date.




                                                 Martine FEISSEL	
                                                 Director			
                                                 Central Bureau of IERS