Re: [ifwp] Expanding Role of ITU in Internet Affairs

[Jeff Williams <jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com>]

Harold and all,

Harold Feld wrote:

> Is anyone besides me troubled by the recent announcement that ITU and IETF
> will coordinate Internet standards?  I was particularly disturbed by press
> acounts which seem to (1) make the IETF appear to be a mere working group
> of the Internet Society, and subordinate to its authority; (2) that the
> move somehow "legitimates" the IETF by linking it to an intergovernmental
> body; and (3) that ISOC is the official spokecritter of the IETF.

  We see this as a strategical play here on the parts of the IETF and
moreimportantly the ITU and it is certainly not unexpected from where we
sit anyway. Let me lay out a possible scenario here.  The IETF, the ITU
and the ISOC are betting that the ICANN will be at least two years
out in really getting off the ground and having any real control or impact.
Now, that possibly being the case, the IETF, ISOC and more importantly the ITU
are looking to position themselves as being "Grandfathered" in as some of the
initial SUpporting Organizations, which the ICANN bylaws call for.  In the
light of IRa's recent comments that were posted yesterday in the interview
with Gordon Cook (Cook Report), it is also possibly obvious that the ITU
in particular want to be assured that the Initial Board of the ICANN has
at least one friendly person on that Board.  Remember, that there has been
allot of phone calls to Ira, and others for possible candidates for this INitial

BOard for the ICANN.  Now, with a ITU friendly Initial Board member
potential candidate and not vote or membership in the ICANN bylaws,
guess what can happen here?  You guessed it, the ITU gets to be one
of the initial Supporting Organization, defacto.  Ditto for the IETF and the
ISOC.  Now you have a "Stacked" SUpporting Organization structure partly
built in accordance with the current version of the ICANN bylaws.

  You beginning to get the picture now Harold?  I am not saying this is going to
happen,
but is is one very likely scenario to be sure.

  Now, the IETF has teemed up more closely with the ITU because the IETF does
not
want to deal with some possible Trademark issues coming down the pike once the
ICANN is up and running on all cylinders, hence they would rather the ITU
deal with those issues  and also why they are now trying to work closer with
the ITU, which the IETF once despised.  This also poses some interesting
"Stacking" possibilities under the current draft of the ICANN bylaws for
"Committees" as well now doesn't it?

>
>
> ITU has a role to play in Internet standards, surely.  The recent valuable
> contribution of the ITU in settling the standard for 56kbps modems
> demonstrates it continued relevance.  But this agreement, in light of past
> history between IETF and ITU and ITU and ISOC and all of these groups and
> the DNS Wars, worries me.

  It should, see above.  Politics makes for strange bedfellows sometimes now
doesn't
it?

>
>
> "The emperor has disolved the Senate.  The last remnants of the old
> Republic have been swept away." -Grand Moff Tarkin, "Star Wars"
>
> Harold
>
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 Regards,

--
Jeffrey A. Williams
DIR. Internet Network Eng/SR. Java/CORBA Development Eng.
Information Network Eng. Group. INEG. INC.
E-Mail jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com