[Ecommerce] ICC Seeks U.N. Takeover While Excluding ICANN, U. S. Government from Meeting

Thu Dec 18 20:52:02 2003

William,

 Will do or done..

New, William wrote:

> Hi, this is William New, reporter at Tech Daily. I attended WSIS and
> reported on Abu-Ghazaleh proposal and directly as Catuai her position. Th=
is
> is reported in several stories in Tech Daily from last week, one of which=
 I
> included below. I'm not sure how to put it on the listserve but feel free=
 to
> do so if it's helpful.
>
> NATIONAL JOURNAL'S TECHNOLOGY DAILY
> 12-10-2003
>
> International: U.S. Announces $400 Million For Overseas Tech Investment
>
> GENEVA--The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), a U.S. agency
> that insures private-sector investment in risky countries, announced
> Wednesday that it would establish a $400 million support facility to
> encourage U.S investment in the telecommunications and information
> technology sectors of emerging markets.
>
> The announcement comes a day after a gritty compromise was reached by
> negotiators here at the World Summit on the Information Society to study
> the issue of whether a new global development fund for information and
> communications technology is needed. The United States had resisted the
> developing country proposal for a new fund, preferring instead to
> strengthen existing funds.
>
> In a press briefing Wednesday, OPIC President and CEO Peter Watson said
> the new money is "part of an ongoing effort" to fund ICT
> development.
>
> Debate also resurfaced Wednesday over Internet governance, as
> International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) President Maria Cattaui publicly
> endorsed a proposal to designate the U.N. Information and Communications
> Technology Task Force for multi-stakeholder discussions about governance
> issues.
>
> Cattaui said in a press briefing that the responsibility for the director=
y
> of Internet domain names held by the Internet Corporation for Assigned
> Names and Numbers (ICANN) is separate from the emerging governance issues
> such as criminality, intellectual property and security.
>
> She argued that the Internet is a "unique" mix of public and private
> components operated in a cooperative, not dictated, way. For instance, th=
e
> basic protocols of the Internet are not owned by anyone, "they are just
> there," and therefore a public good, she said.
>
> Cattaui emphasized that businesses do not seek the creation of a new
> organization to oversee the Internet, but rather a platform for
> discussion. "It is premature to talk about an organization," she said.
> Cattaui also stressed that there is no parallel for the Internet to
> telecommunications networks.
>
> The proposal was made in response to the weekend agreement by WSIS
> negotiators to form a group to study Internet governance over the coming
> year. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, vice chairman of the U.N. ICT Task Force, who
> made the proposal in question, stressed that he does not wish to criticiz=
e
> the United States.
>
> "We all owe a great debt to the United States of America for giving us
> this great gift," he said in the briefing. "That said, this great America=
n
> gift needs to be internationalized."
>
> Cattuai said in an interview, "The ICC does not support any kind of
> governance issue being put into any kind of intergovernmental hands." Wit=
h
> ICANN President Paul Twomey sitting nearby, Cattuai praised ICANN's work
> to bring various constituencies together to focus on the domain name
> system. But ICANN is not expected to deal with standards and protocols,
> which should be left in the hands of existing technical and engineering
> organizations, she said.
>
> Cattuai and Twomey agreed separately that they would not seek to expand
> ICANN's mission to cover emerging governance issues. "We are not looking
> to expand our charter," Twomey said in an interview. Cattuai said she did
> not expect a decision on the working group at this week's meeting.
>
> by William New
>
> National Journal's Technology Daily
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jeff Williams [mailto:jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2003 10:07 PM
> To: William Drake
> Cc: john bolk; ecommerce@lists.essential.org; icann board address;
> General Assembly of the DNSO; Paul Twomey
> Subject: Re: [Ecommerce] ICC Seeks U.N. Takeover While Excluding ICANN,
> U.S. Government from Meeting
>
> William and all,
>
>   I also have no idea of exactly what Abu-Ghazaleh said to anyone other
> than what has been reported to me form trusted INEGroup folks that
> were in attendance.  It is clear enough to me and our members, that
> some factions loyal to the UN and/or are associated closely with the UN
> that a desire to do a power grab by one of more UN organizations
> is factual.  It is also clear to me and almost all of our members
> that ICANN's leadership from it's very beginnings is less than
> adequate or responsible to ALL stakeholders/users, either
> commercially oriented or not.
>
>   As such it if logical to consider either dismantling ICANN
> as it is currently or have all of its current BoD and staff members
> resign and hold elections where any and all stakeholders/users
> of interest or interested parties elect whom they wish to assume
> ICANN's duties as outlined in the White paper and MoU.
>
> William Drake wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > I of course don't know what Talal Abu-Ghazaleh actually said to Jennife=
r
> > Schenker of the International Herald Tribune, or how she understood it.
> But
> > in her article she has him proposing that ICANN should be "placed under
> the
> > umbrella" of and subject to the "oversight" of the UN's ICT Task Force,=
 of
> > which he is Vice Chair.  This implies that the Task Force would have so=
me
> > sort of actual authority over ICANN on an ongoing basis.  Hence, we now
> have
> > people speculating here about a UN power grab with corporate backing.
> This
> > would be a rather strange bedfellows scenario.
> >
> > However, if this is really what Abu-Ghazaleh told Schenker or what he
> > proposed in the Dec. 9 private meeting, it is not what he has said in
> > public.  For example, in his plenary speech at WSIS
> > http://businessatwsis.net/mainpages/position/policy/tag.php  he merely
> > stated that, "The UN ICT TF provides a dynamic multi-stakeholders forum=
 to
> > debate issues concerning the Internet as called for by the Prepcom
> > resolution. ICANN performed well under its mandate. What is not in its
> > mandate is yet to be addressed."  Similarly, on the ICC site (he chairs
> the
> > ICC's E-Business IT & Telecom Commission), his proposal is described as=
 a
> > suggestion that the TF could be "a platform for future discussions" on
> > Internet governance, and he is quoted as saying that there should be
> > continuing "operational management of the internet under private sector
> > leadership, driven by the dynamics of business."
> > http://www.iccwbo.org/home/news_archives/2003/stories/tag.asp.   Also o=
n
> the
> > ICC site, one finds a piece from Dec. 10 called "Don't sidetrack ICANN =
is
> > business plea"
> > http://www.iccwbo.org/home/news_archives/2003/stories/icann.asp in whic=
h
> he
> > states that "companies engaged in e-commerce wanted to preserve the
> existing
> > Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers," and ICC Secretary
> > General Maria Livanos Cattaui warns "against proposals to replace ICANN
> with
> > any intergovernmental organization to manage root servers, domain names
> and
> > address assignments."  And in the "The final business statement--WSIS
> > Geneva,"
> > http://www.iccwbo.org/home/news_archives/2003/stories/wsis_final.asp th=
e
> > Honorary Chair of ICC, Richard McCormick, told the plenary that the not=
ion
> > of Internet governance is an oxymoron and that the net should remain
> subject
> > to private coordination.
> >
> > This all seems rather different from the IHT account.  Anyone who has
> > participated in its meetings knows that as currently constituted the TF=
 is
> > in no position to exercise oversight over ICANN or anything else; on
> policy
> > matters, it's mostly just a floating, open forum, and it has a very tin=
y
> > support staff.  Making it an operating entity with authority would be a
> huge
> > step that governments are highly unlikely to take; indeed, mention of t=
he
> TF
> > was removed from the WSIS texts.  So my guess is that he was simply
> > proposing that the working group governments decided to set up at WSIS =
be
> > under the ICT TF.  We know that as an input to the next stage of WSIS, =
the
> > working group is supposed to discuss questions like what is Internet
> > governance and what public policy dimensions might require internationa=
l
> > frameworks.  But what form the WG will take is very much up in the air.
> The
> > governments and Kofi Anan could decide to connect it to the TF or
> separately
> > constitute a group of luminaries or follow a more constituency-based
> model;
> > only time will tell.
> >
> > If my guess is wrong and Abu-Ghazaleh actually did suggest that the TF
> > should acquire operational authority, from the ICC statements above I'd
> > guess further that he was speaking entirely on his own without clearing=
 it
> > with private sector colleagues.   Perhaps someone who has seen his
> proposal
> > or talked to him could clarify.  Either way it doesn't matter, the UNIC=
T
> TF
> > seems unlikely to be in charge of anything more than a discussion, if
> that.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Bill Drake
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: ecommerce-admin@lists.essential.org
> > > [mailto:ecommerce-admin@lists.essential.org]On Behalf Of john bolk
> > > Sent: Saturday, December 13, 2003 12:04 AM
> > > To: Jeff Williams
> > > Cc: ecommerce@lists.essential.org; icann board address; General Assem=
bly
> > > of the DNSO; Paul Twomey
> > > Subject: Re: [Ecommerce] ICC Seeks U.N. Takeover While Excluding ICAN=
N,
> > > U.S. Government from Meeting
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > [ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
> > > The really interesting thing about the ICC WSIS proposal is that
> > > ICC represents many big US companies such as AT&T, Microsoft,
> > > Boeing, Oracle, Verizon, AOL, etc.
> > >
> > > With big US companies supporting the proposal to let the UN ICT
> > > Task Force take over ICANN's responsibilities it looks like
> > > things could change soon.  Not sure I understand why a buzz org
> > > would like governments to govern the Internet though?
> > >
> > > The proposal was stated again by an ICC official at WSIS today:
> > > http://businessatwsis.net/mainpages/position/policy/tag.php
> > >
> > > http://businessatwsis.net/mainpages/media/press/news.php?news_id=3D15
> > >
> > >
> > > Jeff Williams <jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> > > John and all,
> > >
> > > I am not surprised to here of the unfortunate forcible removal of
> ICANN's
> > > CEO Mr. Twomey's removal form this UN ICC meeting. As ICANN has
> > > snubbed many stakeholder groups including ICC and INEGroup amongst
> > > many others form it's terribly flawed "Reform" process started by
> > > the former
> > > ICANN CEO Stuart Lynn, and finalized by Mr. Twomey. The much discusse=
d
> > > and debated ICANN Cabel has led it to growing disdain on global
> > > basis.
> > >
> > > However all this aside, it is also obvious that from earlier
> > > reports that the
> > > US is not interested nor willing to consider a major Role of the UN o=
r
> > > any UN agency to play a significant management role for managing
> > > the central aspects of the Internet, nor determine policy there unto
> > > pertaining.
> > >
> > > ICANN was warned time and time again of the "error in its ways"
> > > as far back as 1999, and either ignored such warnings unwisely
> > > or did not have the intellectual capacity by which to address these
> > > many and repeated warning adequately and as such has served
> > > to divide stakeholders/users rather than act as a catalyst to
> > > unite them...
> > >
> > > john bolk wrote:
> > >
> > > > --
> > > > [ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
> > > > CircleID, Dec 09, 2003
> > > >
> > > > ICC Seeks U.N. Takeover While Excluding ICANN, U.S. Government
> > > from Meeting
> > > >
> > > > An organization which purports to be "the voice of world
> > > business" is proposing a de facto U.N. takeover of ICANN. The
> > > proposal by a senior official of the International Chamber of
> > > Commerce (ICC) would place ICANN under the U.N. umbrella and give
> > > a strong role to U.N. agencies and to various national
> > > governments, including those that suppress free speech and free
> > > enterprise. In a move of breathtaking arrogance, the ICC refused
> > > to even invite ICANN or U.S. government representatives to the
> > > meeting at which they are presenting their proposal. As reported
> > > here by Jennifer Schenker:
> > > >
> > > > "Paul Twomey, the president of the Internet's semi-official
> > > governing body, Icann, learned Friday night what it feels like to
> > > be an outsider. Mr. Twomey, who had flown 20 hours from Vietnam
> > > to Geneva to observe a preparatory meeting for this week's United
> > > Nations' conference on Internet issues, ended up being escorted
> > > from the meeting room by guards. The officials running the
> > > meeting had suddenly decided to exclude outside observers. Mr.
> > > Twomey's ejection may underscore the resentment of many members
> > > of the international community over the way the Internet is run
> > > and over United States ownership of many important Internet
> > > resources. Although Mr. Twomey is Australian, Icann - the
> > > Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers - is a
> > > powerful nonprofit group established by the United States
> > > government in 1998 to oversee various technical coordination
> > > issues for the global network. Icann and the United States
> > > government are expected to come under heavy fire at the conference,
> > >  which
> > > > begins Wednesday in Geneva and will be one of the largest
> > > gatherings of high-level government officials, business leaders
> > > and nonprofit organizations to discuss the Internet's future."
> > > >
> > > > Any proposal or process for overhauling ICANN's governance that
> > > excludes key stakeholders is a major step backwards for the goals
> > > of openness and transparency. Furthermore, for a business group
> > > to propose giving a strong role in managing the infrastructure of
> > > the international information economy to the United Nations, an
> > > organization best known for unwieldily, costly, ineffective, and
> > > unaccountable bureaucracies, is downright strange. Corporations
> > > that contribute to the ICC may want to reconsider how best to use
> > > their shareholder's resources.
> > > >
> > > > http://www.circleid.com/article/394_0_1_0_C/
> > > >
> > > > ---------------------------------
> > > > BT Yahoo! Broadband - Save =A380 when you order online today.
> > > Hurry! Offer ends 21st December 2003. The way the internet was
> > > meant to be.
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > Ecommerce mailing list
> > > > Ecommerce@lists.essential.org
> > > > http://lists.essential.org/mailman/listinfo/ecommerce
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > >
> > > --
> > > Jeffrey A. Williams
> > > Spokesman for INEGroup LLA. - (Over 134k members/stakeholders strong!=
)
> > > "Be precise in the use of words and expect precision from others" -
> > > Pierre Abelard
> > >
> > > "If the probability be called P; the injury, L; and the burden, B;
> > > liability depends upon whether B is less than L multiplied by
> > > P: i.e., whether B is less than PL."
> > > United States v. Carroll Towing (159 F.2d 169 [2d Cir. 1947]
> > > =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
> > > CEO/DIR. Internet Network Eng. SR. Eng. Network data security
> > > Information Network Eng. Group. INEG. INC.
> > > E-Mail jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com
> > > Contact Number: 214-244-4827 or 214-244-3801
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Ecommerce mailing list
> > > Ecommerce@lists.essential.org
> > > http://lists.essential.org/mailman/listinfo/ecommerce
> > >
> > > ---------------------------------
> > >    BT Yahoo! Broadband - Save =A380 when you order online today.
> > > Hurry! Offer ends 21st December 2003. The way the internet was
> > > meant to be.
> > >
>
> Regards,
>
> --
> Jeffrey A. Williams
> Spokesman for INEGroup LLA. - (Over 134k members/stakeholders strong!)
> "Be precise in the use of words and expect precision from others" -
>     Pierre Abelard
>
> "If the probability be called P; the injury, L; and the burden, B;
> liability depends upon whether B is less than L multiplied by
> P: i.e., whether B is less than PL."
> United States v. Carroll Towing  (159 F.2d 169 [2d Cir. 1947]
> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
> CEO/DIR. Internet Network Eng. SR. Eng. Network data security
> Information Network Eng. Group. INEG. INC.
> E-Mail jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com
> Contact Number: 214-244-4827 or 214-244-3801
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ecommerce mailing list
> Ecommerce@lists.essential.org
> http://lists.essential.org/mailman/listinfo/ecommerce

--
Jeffrey A. Williams
Spokesman for INEGroup LLA. - (Over 134k members/stakeholders strong!)
"Be precise in the use of words and expect precision from others" -
    Pierre Abelard

"If the probability be called P; the injury, L; and the burden, B;
liability depends upon whether B is less than L multiplied by
P: i.e., whether B is less than PL."
United States v. Carroll Towing  (159 F.2d 169 [2d Cir. 1947]
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
CEO/DIR. Internet Network Eng. SR. Eng. Network data security
Information Network Eng. Group. INEG. INC.
E-Mail jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com
Contact Number: 214-244-4827 or 214-244-3801