ICANN TO BE IN CHARGE WITH ASSIGNING THE NEXT INTERNET ADDRESSES AWAY FROM THE US GOVERNMENT COME NEXT YEAR 2016

The head of the nonprofit group that oversees the world's Internet addresses expressed confidence Thursday that it would be privatized and out of US government control by year's end.

Fadi Chehade's comments came despite criticism in the US Congress, where some lawmakers have resisted the plan to end Washington's key management role in the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

Chehade said all the necessary components for a new stewardship scheme are accounted for and there will be "major legitimizing endorsements" from several countries in coming weeks.

"It is now up to the community to wrap them up, put them in a nice little box with a bow and ship them to Washington," Chehade said, of the pieces of a plan to supplant a contract ICANN has with the US Department of Commerce.

http://news.yahoo.com/icann-sees-privatization-internet-management-soon-214027950.html