Countries that back controversial cost-sharing plan on internatio...

next week’s Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) telecom ministerial meeting in Shanghai, China, said David Gross, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secy. of State for International Communications. ICAIS grew out of World Telecom Standardization Assembly recommendation 2 years ago that administrations involved in international Internet connections forge bilateral commercial cost-sharing agreements. U.S. is opposed to idea, however, on ground that it amounts to regulation that could hamper Internet development. Now, said Gross, U.S. has “extraordinarily good story” to tell APEC participants about how changes in Internet market over last 2 years make it essential that individual parties be allowed to decide how to connect with each other when neither has market power. Gross doesn’t see any market power issues in international arena, he said, although there may be lack of competition in certain economies. Other key issues are likely to be network security and broadband, he said. At next week’s meeting, Gross said, he, NTIA Dir. Nancy Victory and FCC Comr. Copps would hold several “substantial” bilateral meetings with Chinese delegates, as well as with Malaysia, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong and others. They also are trying to set up meetings with Korea and Australia, he said.