From: MikePiet@aol.com
Subject: SNET: [piml] ..Confirmed - Plans to Cut Yugo Internet Access
Date: 14 May 1999 13:33:13 -0400
To: piml@egroups.com, FPE@onelist.com


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Clinton deciding whether to cut Yugoslavia Internet access
11.29 a.m. ET (1530 GMT) May 14, 1999
By Ted Bridis, Associated Press


WASHINGTON (AP) ^W Confronted with a dilemma of war in the information age,
the Clinton administration is trying to decide whether its trade embargo
extends to Internet access for some of Yugoslavia's citizens.

Loral Space and Communications Ltd. of New York said it may be forced to cut
transmissions into Yugoslavia from one of its satellites, which serves at
least two of the country's major Internet providers.

"We're still not clear on this whole thing,'' said Jeannette Clonan, a
spokeswoman for Loral Space.

President Clinton issued an executive order two weeks ago banning U.S.
companies from selling or supplying to Yugoslavia "any goods, software,
technology or services,'' although the order allows for the "special
consideration of the humanitarian needs of refugees.''

The National Security Council said information services are generally
considered exempt from trade embargoes, but that electronic commerce is
affected. The Internet performs both functions.

"We'll need to inquire further about the appropriate applications of the
law,'' said David Leavy, a spokesman for the security council.

Loral Space said Thursday that it was discussing its obligations under the
embargo with the Treasury Department, which didn't respond to requests for
comment.

Experts said any move by the United States to limit civilian use of the
Internet would be unprecedented.

NATO has already attacked Serbian broadcast stations to stem what it
describes as propaganda, and Serbs have established an extraordinary network
on the Internet criticizing ongoing air strikes.

But the Internet also serves as a conduit for civilians to receive
unadulterated news reports about NATO efforts.

"The Internet remains at this point one of the major sources inside
Yugoslavia for objective news reporting about the war,'' said Jim Dempsey of
the Washington-based Center for Democracy and Technology.

Word of the threat to shut down Internet access to at least parts of
Yugoslavia spread quickly across the global network, where it was condemned
in some e-mail messages and online discussion groups.

"To put it bluntly, we somehow got used to air-raid sirens, bombings and
threats of invasion, but we don't know how we're going to survive without the
Internet,'' said Alex Krstanovic, cofounder of Beonet, one of the Internet
providers in Yugoslavia.

But some argued that access should be cut off.

"Continuing to provide these services would be kind of like giving aid to the
enemy,'' one person wrote.

The possible loss of Internet access also illustrated the fragility of the
computer network and the importance assigned to it internationally.

Computer traffic in Yugoslavia uses both satellite and traditional land-based
telephone lines, but the loss of the Loral satellite could dramatically
reduce the Internet bandwidth available to citizens there, causing slow
connections or even blackouts.

Web sites reliant on the Loral satellite continued to be accessible overnight
Thursday, and there were no substantiated reports of anyone unable to
retrieve information from outside the country using the Internet.

A spokeswoman at the organization that registers Web addresses ending with
the country's "yu'' suffix said that she was familiar with the reports but
that there had been no problems yet.


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