WebProNews

The U.N. sponsored Internet Governance Forum wrapped up yesterday with little progress on the issue of U.S. control over how people around the globe access email and Web sites.

Russian representative Konstantin Novoderejhkin asked the United Nations secretary- general to develop a group for moving Internet governance "under the control of the international community."

Some countries are not happy with the U.S. control over Internet domain names and the organization that oversees them, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). The U.S. says that the current arrangement prevents other countries from censoring Web sites by deleting entries out of domain name directories.

Brazilian officials have asked for an independent ICANN and want more solid recommendations out of the forum. "As we approach the end we're going to have to see what the world wants and perhaps it will be necessary to take more concrete decisions, or if not decisions, recommendations,'' said Hadil da Rocha Vianna, co-chairman of the forum's advisory group and director of science and technology at Brazil's foreign ministry.

Former ICANN chairman and Internet pioneer Vint Cerf said that countries that are critical of ICANN are misguided. 'I think (there are) a small number of countries that are very agitated and almost don't care what the facts are,'' he said. ''It's a very small vocal group bothered by this issue. ICANN has existed for eight years and done a great job with its plans for internationalization.''

ICANN has only 3 out of 15 board members that are from the U.S. The new chairman is from New Zealand and the president is from Australia.

The next meeting will take place next year in New Delhi, India.