Re: IAB agendas now public

[Christian Huitema <[e-mail]>]

On 9/5/2018 9:49 PM, Brian E Carpenter wrote:

> Yes. And I didn't mean that all politics should be in executive
> session. It's just that if the IAB needs to discuss how it should
> respond to external politically charged events, the discussion would
> happen in one of three ways:
>
> 1. In an open session, in which case the IAB would be showing its
> weaknesses to the other parties.
>
> 2. In an executive session.
>
> 3. If #2 is not an option, in a secret meeting.
>
> I like #3 less than #2. So if there's to be a new dispensation,
> I think the IAB needs to be able to hold executive sessions about
> external (non-I*TF) matters as well as the usual HR/legal matters.
> In general, I don't see why internal I*TF matters would need
> secrecy.

The IAB does a lot of discussions with external partners. Sometimes that
involves bargaining, and bargaining often involves a part of bluff. One
of the concerns is that if the IAB entirely discusses its bargaining
positions in open meetings, then the other party will effectively see
through the bluff, and the IAB/IETF negotiation position will be much
weakened.

-- Christian Huitema