Domain Registration Related News
ICANN rules out ITU merger
December 2004
Extending the mandate of the Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)
could do irreparable harm to it and Internet
governance in the future, says ICANN CEO Paul
Twomey.
Speaking at a press conference at the end of the
corporation's five-day meeting in Cape Town
yesterday, Twomey reiterated previous statements
that ICANN was only responsible for a small part
of Internet governance.
Twomey also dismissed any chance of a merger
between ICANN and the International
Telecommunications Union (ITU), as has been mooted
by some involved in the overall debate about the
role and control of the Internet.
It must be understood that the ITU was created in
the guise of classical telecommunications
framework of agreements between governments.
However, the Internet is built on the co-operation
of about 200 000 computer networks, he said.
ICANN chairman Vinton Cerf said at the same press
conference that his corporation was only
responsible for a small part of Internet
governance.
Issues such as electronic commerce, fraud and
child pornography should be dealt with by bodies
such as the United Nations and through government
agreements, he said.
|