PLENIPOT BEGINS RESOLUTION APPROVAL PROCESS BUT KEY ISSUES UNRESOLVED
MARRAKESH, Morocco -- It being almost past crunch time -- as one delegate put it -- for completing work at this year’s ITU Plenipotentiary (Plenipot) Conference here, Mon. afternoon’s plenary session was scuttled to allow 2 main substantive committees to grapple with large number of unresolved resolutions. Warning that everything must be done by Thurs. afternoon, leaving only 24 more working hours, plenary chmn. pleaded with delegates to keep their remarks brief. In 2 hours, delegates approved several resolutions on first reading and gave final (2nd reading) nod to several others. However, one committee meeting lasted late into evening as member states debated issues related to ITU structural changes, while other thorny matters, such as ITU’s financial footing, remained unresolved (see separate story).
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Communications Daily is required reading for senior executives at top telecom corporations, law firms, lobbying organizations, associations and government agencies (including the FCC). Join them today!
Two Internet-related resolutions sailed through first reading in Mon.’s plenary. Resolution 102 originally instructed Secy.-Gen. to take “major” role in international discussions and initiatives in domain-name arena. That language wound up being softened to “significant.” Delegates also approved on first reading resolution on role of administrations of ITU member states in the management of internationalized domain names (IDNs).
Other resolutions that flew through first reading included: (1) Changing ITU Convention to allow Sector Members to serve as observers at meetings of Council and its committees and working groups, subject to conditions set by Council. (2) Stepping up ITU’s role in information and communication network security. (3) Closing digital divide by, among other means, allocating money for pilot projects in Internet Protocol-based network technology in rural and remote communities. (4) Encouraging administrations and international telecom operators to implement ITU-Telecom Standardization Sector (ITU-T) recommendations to cut down on any negative effects alternative calling procedures may have on developing countries, and asking administrations using alternative calling procedures to give due regard to decisions of other counties whose regulations didn’t permit such services. (5) Instructing director of Radiocommunications Bureau to report to world radiocommunication conference on progress of ITU-Radio studies on use of high frequencies. (6) Helping Bosnia and Herzegovina rebuild its telecom network.
Delegates finalized on 2nd reading several resolutions, including: (1) Regional preparations for Plenipot conferences, which calls upon ITU Secy.-Gen. to consult with and help member states and regional and subregional organizations prepare for future conferences. (2) Asking Secy.-Gen. to convene world telecom policy forums on an ad hoc basis, within ITU’s budget, to create venue for global exchange of information and views on changes in telecom sector. (3) Revisions in general rules for ITU conferences and assemblies. (4) Telecommunications in service of humanitarian assistance, aimed at ensuring “unhindered use of telecommunications equipment and services” for disaster mitigation and relief operations. Mexico, which at first had balked at agreeing to resolution over concerns about provisions in Tampere Convention on providing of telecom resources for disaster relief (CD Oct 11 p7), said Mon. its problems were resolved after consultation with Canada. (5) Recommendation that ITU members figure out some way to coordinate rotation of ITU Council member states on voluntary basis. (6) Submission of first report of Credentials Committee to Plenipot, which recommends that member states get their credentials in as early as possible, and in any case before 9th day of conference.
In sharp contrast to morning session, members of Committee 5 (policy, reform and legal matters) spent much of afternoon haggling over draft Canadian proposal on evolving role of World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA). Draft, which melded separate proposals floated by Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela, and Japan, seeks to give standards sector more flexibility in its work, Canadian delegate said. Canada has invested great deal of energy on standards sector, she said. Although WTSA already takes advantage of flexibility given it by ITU Constitution, she said, it should do more to take into account “the current reality.” WTSA is “the” high-level ITU-T forum, delegate said, and Canada “firmly believes” that it should address strategic direction of standards sector. Plenipot should affirm “a forward direction for the WTSA,” she said. While none of delegations opposed draft, they spent nearly 3 hours wordsmithing version, which eventually will go to plenary for first reading.
Delegates labored late into evening on resolution to set up group to study whether and how to restructure ITU. Document has undergone intense negotiation and is being represented as compromise of many competing proposals. Nevertheless, it prompted great deal of debate at Committee 5 meeting, as many delegations voiced general support for draft but criticized or questioned specific language. Committee chmn. finally announced draft would go to plenary as no agreement could be reached.