SINGAPORE - The process of determining how best to transfer stewardship of key Internet technical functions from the US Government to the International community began on Monday during ICANN's 49th public meeting in Singapore.

According to ICANN, the discussions were driven by the recent announcement that the United States Government (USG) will transfer the stewardship of key Internet technical functions to the global community.

"This is indeed momentous," ICANN President and CEO Fadi Chehadé told an international news conference. "The decision by the United States Government validates the idea that people around the world can come together and manage a global resource that is borderless."

Explaining the next steps in the transition process, Fadi Chehadé went on to say, "We will now take the global process launched today by the ICANN community to the world. We will have meetings and consultations with the public, communities and with our fellow technical organizations, the IETF, the Regional Internet Registries, and here most importantly in the Asia Pacific region, APNIC, who will be partnering with us in getting the word out to involve everyone into that process."

"I would like to congratulate ICANN for successfully setting up two regional hubs last year, one in Istanbul, Turkey, and the other here in Singapore," said Dr. Yaacob Ibrahim, Singapore's Minister for Communications and Information. "It underscores ICANN's commitment to serve the global community. and I believe that Asia-Pacific hub in Singapore will be a great vehicle for ICANN to reach out to the region.

"Absolutely central to everything that we do and that matters to the world at large is the security, stability and resiliency of the system," said Board Chair Dr. Stephen D. Crocker. "The discussion that is taking place now has to do with the stewardship, but with the proviso of continued stability and rock-solid operations of the core functions."

ICANN's 49th Public Meeting in Singapore will continue through Thursday, 27 March.