US Net authorities refuse to negotiate

NEWS The hopes of an Internet ruled by industry, not by government, have been dashed by the refusal of two leading federal agencies to take part in negotiations. The Birkman Centre at Harvard University was to host last-ditch talks this weekend, but representatives told Jim Dixon, one of the organisers of the international forum, that Iana (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority) and Network Solutions were not planning to attend. The Internet community has until 30 September to produce an independent alternative to Iana, which is currently controlled by the US government. Dixon now expects the new Iana to be based on proposals from NSI and Iana, acting without a public mandate. In a Web posting on the Iana mailing list, Dixon criticises Iana's proposals. "The new corporation... has a board that selects itself. It has articles and bylaws that can be changed casually without any sort of reference to the outside world; no hearings or public notice are required," he wrote yesterday. In particular, Dixon complained that Iana had ignored the opinions of the EC and the consensus reached by the International Forum on the White Paper, which has been consulting Internet representatives around the world.