Hi all, The WCIT Panel Discussion at the Prague ccNSO members meeting attracted a large audience, with many non-ccTLD folks also attending the session, the result was standing-room-only in the ccNSO room. Sally Wentworth from ISOC provided a valuable background to the ITU's International Telecommunications Regulations (ITR's) which are the focus of the discussions at the WCIT event in Dubai in December this year. The panelists included Fahd Batayneh (.jo), Martin Boyle (.uk), Mathieu Weill (.fr), Nick Thorne (Former UK Ambassador to UN), Olga Cavalli (Argentina GAC), Patrik Fältström (Technical Community). The very affirmative answer from all panellists was that ccTLD managers should seek to be more engaged in the WCIT process, despite the fact that the ITU makes it difficult for "outsiders" to engage in their activities and the secretive nature surrounding documents and proposals. In some instances ccTLD staff have been attached to their Government delegations to the ITU, and can then potentially participate as expert advisers to their Government. Other ccTLDs have been able to attach to other members of the ITU, sometimes their telco etc, and have been able to participate in that way. And despite the fact that ccTLDs may have differing objectives in terms of what they might consider positive outcomes from the WCIT process, the fact that they can influence the outcomes is seen as a positive and worthwhile action. The feeling from the panel is that the ITU is more likely to reach more sensible resolutions if people with expertise in aspects of the Internet are able to provide appropriate input. The strong feeling from the panellists, and from the 90%+ green card signal from the audience, was that a follow-up panel discussion should be planned for ICANN Toronto. Keith Davidson WCIT Panel Moderator