ICANN’s disengagement on course - Official

DESPITE the assuming confusion over the recent United States’ insistence to retain the Internet root servers, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has indicated its readiness to continue to respect the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US government.

The MoU, it would be recalled would expire come September 2006.
This indication by ICANN was given by the General Manager for Global Partnerships at ICANN, Ms. Theresa Swinehart.

Speaking to Highway Africa News Agency (HANA) at the just ended ICANN’s conference in Luxembourg, Ms. Swinehart said that the US government declaration indicating its intention to retain control of root servers, had not affected the validity of the existing MoU in any form.

She said that in terms of the MoU, ICANN would remain firmly tucked under the wings of the US government until September next year when the MoU expires.

She expressed the believe that Washington’s confidence on the future of ICANN, is not equivocal.

“The statement by the US represents the situation as it is now.
There is nothing to show that the memo will not be fulfilled. We’re still on course,” Swinehart asserted.

Also reacting to the pronouncement, chairperson of the African Regional Registry (AfriNIC), Pierre Dandjinou said the US declaration could be interpreted in two ways; either that there is a need for more security on the internet or that it is merely a political statement inviting other countries for dialogue.

Dandjinou opted that the declaration may have been a political statement inviting all other countries with various concerns to the discussion table.

“In this discussion, security issues will be raised and dealt with,” AfriNIC boss said.