US ready for battle at information summit

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States is determined to prevent the creation of a new UN body to control the internet and will fight for freedom of expression to be highlighted this month at the first-ever world summit on information technology, a senior US official said.

In addition, the official, David Gross, the State Department's coordinator for international communications and information policy, said Washington would not support an African-backed proposal for a UN "digital solidarity fund" to finance internet infrastructure projects in the developing world.

Gross, who will lead the US delegation to the December 10-12 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva, said he was confident that US views would be heard, even if it had to be done through a separate statement.

But he allowed that getting them into the summit's final declaration might be difficult given the ongoing intense debate ahead of ...