[also intended to go to the list, but sent instead just to Adam -- my mistake --c.a.] -----Original Message----- From: "carlos a. afonso" <[log in to unmask]> To: "Adam Peake" <[log in to unmask]> Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2004 12:17:48 -0300 Subject: Re: [NCUC-DISCUSS] Some comments on WGIG nominees Well, I feel like I am a more stringent critic than Bill regarding the whole ICANN structure (hard for me to say and swallow the inevitable truth: we do not have another one to look forward to at this point, so let us try and work inside it but anchored on a strong political guidance from the outside ot it). I have had the opportunity to work with Bill in the context of an SSRC program (one of the most brilliant fellows I ever met), and I must agree with Adam here, but, again, let us make sure we follow a fully open procedure for a suggested names' list. I would not dare calling it nomination, since the WG will in essence decide "internally" who will be able to join the group, as I grasped from three meetings with Markus in KL (we could not stand each other anymore ::))). fraternal rgds --c.a. -----Original Message----- From: Adam Peake <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2004 13:46:30 +0900 Subject: Re: [NCUC-DISCUSS] Some comments on WGIG nominees > Actually, I was trying to make a different point when I mentioned > Paul, Bill, Susan, etc. Anyway... > > > > >>Bill Drake (who has made v. important contributions to WSIS civil > >>society on ICT governance, understands the ICT for development > >>aspects > > > >I know Bill well. He is part of my world, an academic political > >scientist > >with a good knowledge of global governance processes. His strength > >is in traditional telecom institutions like ITU and trade in > telecomm > >services > >in the WTO. "ICT for development" has never been one of his research > >areas and he doesn't spend time in developing countries, so don't > >oversell > >him there Adam. He is smart and creative and would be very vocal. He > is > > > >just as undiplomatic as Karl Auerbach, he is reknowned for his > >directness. > >(Might be interesting for Adam to explain the double standard here.) > > > I find Bill to be diplomatic, and anyone who has seen him work in > WSIS would agree. And I really do object to everything been turned to > personal attack "Adam to explain the double standard here." > > Stop it. > > > >I have two problems with Bill. One is that he has had real trouble > >grasping > >and accepting the importance of ICANN as a governance model, > >and the importance of the ICANN issue in the creation of the WGIG. > >He has never attended an ICANN meeting, and his technical knowledge > >of Internet is weak. As late as December 2003 he was insisting that > >the WSIS Internet Governance Caucus rename itself the "Global ICT > >Governance" caucus because Internet governance was so "narrow and > >unimportant." > > > >The other is that I think the other two No. American nominees are > >preferable. I think that Susan Crawford has given much more thought > >to the broad range of IG issues, and that Pam Samuelson > >has a much better grasp of the central IPR issues, and so would > prefer > > > >the other names for North America over him. But I would not consider > >him > >unacceptable. > > > This is a very unfair and inaccurate description of Bill Drake's work > generally, and work in WSIS specifically (out of context as usual.) > It's all public record and I hope we will not see selective quoting > to try and distort that record. > > This is a very good example of why the "winnowing process" must be > done in public, not the private method suggested. Too often we are > not able to be impartial when personalities are involved. > > Thanks, > > Adam > > > > >Re: Pindar Wong - I am surprised to see him nominated by Norbert. > >Pindar is a very smart man. He pioneered the ISP industry in Hong > >Kong (and cleverly sold off the business just before the rush > >of competition made it unprofitable). He was an ICANN Board > >member appointed by the ASO. He was a key figure in the formation > >of the Asia Internet Association, an ISP trade association. Pindar > is > >the consummate insider. He fulfills all the criteria that Adam > thinks > >Karl > >Auerbach doesn't have: he won't rock the boat, he will be > diplomatic, > >he will make insider deals. The problem is, there is no real nexus > with > > > >the values and principles of this constituency. I've known him and > >watched > >him for years and I don't know what he believes on policy issues; he > >seems > >to be a pure pragmatist. He is a businessman. He has personal > >integrity. But > >I do not see how he can be expected to represent or give voice to > the > >values > >and policies favored by civil society in a global process. And I > don't > >think > >he would be answerable to civil society; I think his identity as a > >businessman > >and insider would override other considerations, although I do think > he > >would > >make an effort to communicate with us. > > > >--MM