[LINK] US gov retains ICANN oversight

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

US gov't retains ICANN oversight: Commerce Dept. will retain
ICANN oversight for three more years with an 18-month review

By Juan Carlos Perez, IDG September 29, 2006
(Btw, wasn't Paul Twomey once a Link member?)

http://www.infoworld.com/article/06/09/29/HNicannoversight_1.html?
source=NLC-TB2006-09-29

The U.S. government will remain involved with the management of the
Internet's domain name system after its current agreement with the
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) expires
on Saturday..

The U.S. Commerce Department will retain ICANN oversight for three more
years, although there will be a review in 18 months of ICANN's progress
toward becoming a more stable, transparent and accountable organization,
the government agency said in a statement Friday. 

A spokesman for ICANN said that at this 18-month review a decision could
be taken to give ICANN total autonomy..

"We do have a new agreement but it's a much lighter one and it does show
there's clearly light at the end of this tunnel" toward full autonomy,
said Paul Twomey, ICANN's president and chief executive officer.

Duties retained by the Commerce Department include helping ICANN achieve
greater transparency and accountability in how it evaluates and adopts
policies, the government agency said. In addition the Commerce Department
said it will continue its oversight of the security and operation of root
name servers. 

"I'm very comfortable with where we are at this point, yet eager to get
on with the remaining steps that will allow us to function without any
additional assistance," said Vint Cerf, ICANN's board chairman. ICANN
is a private, nonprofit organization based in California. 

The Commerce Department held a July hearing on the matter and previously
called for written comments, receiving about 700 of them. On Friday, the
agency said that consultation process revealed broad support for
continuing the transition towards a fully autonomous ICANN but with the
Commerce Department's continued involvement. 
--

Cheers all ..
Stephen Loosley
Melbourne, Australia