[AusNOG] Commsday: Russia, allies back off proposal to extend regulation across Internet

[Skeeve Stevens]

Hey all,

This was in this mornings Commsday.  Seems like great news

...Skeeve

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*Russia, allies back off proposal to extend regulation across Internet*
*
*
In an extraordinary development late last night, Russia and its allies
China, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates withdrew a
radical proposal to overhaul international telecommunications regulations
which would have given national governments sweeping new powers to regulate
global ICT service providers such as Facebook and Twitter as well as
Internet governance.

CommsDay was told by sources that International Telecommunications Union
secretary-general Hamadoun Toure personally intervened to persuade
the Russians to withdraw their proposal following American threats to walk
out of the World Conference on International Telecommunications if the
revisions were considered for ratification.

In a fast moving night:
 United States delegation chief Ambassador Terry Kramer denied comments
attributed to him by Dow Jones that his country would walk out of the
conference if it sought to regulate Internet content. CommsDay has
confirmed with Dow Jones that he made the comments now denied.

 Russia withdrew, without explanation, a proposal with China, Saudi
Arabia, Sudan, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates that would massively
increase the ambit of international telecommunications regulations to cover
almost all telecommunications and Internet activities. The proposal, leaked
on Saturday, was disowned by a member of the Egyptian delegation which last
night made a strong statement in favour of Internet freedom. This hinted at
serious dysfunction behind the Russian-led coordination efforts.

 A steering committee was immediately convened to get the conference, in
danger of collapse, back on track. There was reportedly applause in the
committee room as progress was made, especially on the detail of who the
revised regulations might apply to. However access to the room was blocked
by guards. Previously there were concerns that loose wording could extend
the ambit of the regulations as far as users of virtual private networks
and ham radio operators. The secretive machinations of a working group—the
so-called Committee 5—will now apparently give way to open plenary sessions.

Observers tell CommsDay that the radical Russian proposals had the effect
of galvanising the conference into action. Although Russia and allies have
formally withdrawn their proposed treaty revision, other countries may
still attempt to advance some of the main points. Australian delegate Dr
Bob Horton is believed to have played a major role last night, chairing an
ad hoc meeting attempting to resolve the arguWCIT bombshell: SG averts
collapse of conference LEAKED: The Russia-led proposalent over how Internet
traffic is charged. African states and their supporters seek to restore the
old voice traffic settlements regime for Internet traffic to provide a
revenue source. The result of these efforts was unclear as we went to press
5AM Australian Eastern Summer Time.

CommsDay was told last night that secretary general Toure personally called
top Russians and asked them to back off because this would split the
conference nproductively. “The head of delegation, considered a young tyro,
apparently acted on his own and they shot him down. Partial confirmation is
that Touré personally delivered the news to regional meetings before it was
announced.” our source said, emphasising this was not officially confirmed.

CommsDay sources say that the US delegation’s hundred-plus members fanned
out to meet with almost every participating country in a last ditch effort
to block the Russia-led move over the weekend. On sheer numbers, the
Russia-led proposal would probably win a majority vote but there is an
overriding preference by the ITU to forge a consensus on the eventual
outcome.

The alternative was a walkout by the US delegation and potentially some of
its core allies. According to the .nxt website, Poland had also threatened
to walk from the event. Australia generally supports the US position
backing the status quo on Internet governance.

CIVIL SOCIETY OBJECTS: Meanwhile, a group of civil society organisations
from the US, Europe, India and Africa has slammed the ITU and WCIT process
for a lack of transparency and input from outside groups.

In a letter to the ITU, they state “Now that the conference is in session,
we wish to call your attention to three immediate and pressing matters: the
lack of any official standing to the public comments solicited prior to
WCIT at the ITU’s invitation; the lack of access to and transparency of
working groups, particularly the working groups of Committee 5; and the
absence of mechanisms to encourage independent civil society participation.”

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*

*
*Skeeve Stevens, CEO - *eintellego Pty Ltd
<http://www.commsday.com/>
<http://www.commsday.com/>
 <http://www.commsday.com/>skeeve at eintellego.net ; www.eintellego.net

Phone: 1300 753 383; Cell +61 (0)414 753 383 ; skype://skeeve

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