What are the COSINE/CPMU in the Rare officie doing?

[Peter Lothberg <]

Some days ago, we all received a long document that looked like this;

>NOTE: the document has been received September 8, 1992.
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>COA (92)080
>T.Kalin
>24.8.92
>			RARE and RIPE / RIPE - NCC
  .......

>RIPE:
>
>   RIPE should stay a technical IP coordinating body within RARE, but 
>having much more interaction with the RARE management, technical and
>executive bodies (CoA, RTC, REC, Raresec) than in the past
>   according to its charter, RIPE should be serving wider population than
>RARE membership
>   one should observe gradual merger (or at least very close cooperation)
>between identical or  related Working Groups of RARE and RIPE, leading to a
>coordinated management of technical activities
>   RIPE should  support establishment and utilisation of the EMPB,
>particulary in the pilot phase, where the its expertise is crucially needed

I have now learned through reliable sources that the EMPB/PTT-telecom is 
planning to subcontract "IP network Consulting" for EMPB to Softlabs.

Another strange thing seems to be that the receiver was "Bruce Wallace at 
PTT telecom" I thought he was with the CPMU?

This means that the IP-comunity of Europe will probably have a zero influence 
on the network, that are supposed to serve our comunity. And that CPMU totally
ignores the skills of the Ripe comunity.

We have to pay twice, as the skills of the coumunity are not used, and we 
have to pay the consultants on our taxes/charges!

I might be wrong, if someone has better knowledge about this, please speak up.

-Peter