17 November 2005 -- A conference sponsored by the UN on the Internet and technology issues continues today in Tunisia.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan spoke at the opening of the three-day conference yesterday. He said the aim is to strengthen and protect the Internet.
"As I understand it, what we are striving for is to protect and strengthen the Internet and to ensure that its benefits are available to all," Annan said. "The United States deserves our thanks for having developed the Internet and making it available to the world."
Several countries like Iran, China, and Brazil want more international control over certain aspects of the Internet.
But an agreement reached before the conference opened in Tunis keeps important technical aspects such as the domain-name system under American control.
(compiled from agency reports)