[chapter-delegates] FYI - in the coming discussion of the WGIG questionnaire

[Rajnesh D. Singh]

-----Original Message-----
From: Fred Baker
Sent: Tuesday, 7 June 2005 7:19 PM

On Jun 6, 2005, at 11:44 PM, Vittorio Bertola wrote:
>> assuming that the ITU would be unable to manage a root server is
>> ingenerous to them
>
>perhaps. But they are not asking to manage a root server. They are 
>asking to control the contents of all of them.
>
>And look at the one they do control, the enum root. In that server, 
>Taiwan can't get access to its own country code (886) because Red China

>vetoes it. Regardless of your position on the Taiwan Straits issue, it 
>demonstrates that the ITU can't manage a server in a manner that serves

>all affected parties well.


This one issue highlighted above by Fred is of concern in the wider
context
and embodies a fundamental flaw in the proposed (if that is the correct
word to use) changes with internet control and (for the want of a better
word)
governance.

If "the internet is for everyone" than we cannot preclude anyone,
whoever so they
may be and whatever political (or non-political for that matter)
views/stance they take.

Much in the same way, I look forward to the DoC ceding whatever it has
to cede to
make ICANN an independent treaty organisation, and out of US
jurisdiction and policy
(other than whatever local laws apply in the normal sense for being
based in the US,
which I have no problem with. The problem is when one country/state
starts to dictate what
you [as an International Organisation] can or cannot do in relation to
another country/state,
it then defeats the purpose of being "international").

Not too long ago (late last year if memory serves me right) one of my
colleagues
(who also lurks on this list) was in attendance at a conference where
there was a presentation
by ITU on this issue of "internet governance". As told to me (I was not
in attendance), my colleague
raised this very issue of whether ITU is really capable of handling the
internet and the
various technical (and socio-political) issues that go with. From what I
understand, my
colleague was essentially shut down and told he did not know what he was
talking about.
Present at the meeting were ITU/UN Reps, Government, Telecom Regulators
and Telecom Carriers,
with some limited NGOs. I found it interesting that my colleague was
told he did not
know what he was talking about - he has setup a couple of ccTLDs and
ISPs - his views
and comments were ignored for the rest of the conference. Quite sad.
Maybe my colleague will
elaborate on what transpired - I leave it to him.
BTW - my colleague also refers to me as a "reformed telco" ie. a
telecoms engineer now working
in the IT world appreciative of the "issues between the 2 camps" :)