That initiative would open the Treaty to additional signatories, a step calculated to make it more difficult to change its terms in the future.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy

If the U.S. doesn't deliver, there is a clause in the agreement that states the Open Skies treaty -- phase I included -- can be torn up.

CNN: Open Skies explained

The treaty could open up new markets for Colombian exports, but also bring increased competition.

FORBES: International

They say that if you open up the ABM treaty, or walk away from it, it throws the entire security relationship between the United States and Russia up in the air.

CNN: Jill Dougherty on Bush and Putin's meeting

But at least the inner cores must, by treaty, remain open to new members.

ECONOMIST: A treat from Nice

Parker does not see much of an impact on low-cost carriers from the Open Skies Agreement, a treaty in effect since March that allows carriers to fly new routes into other countries.

FORBES: Raymond James' James Parker

Hungary, Sweden and the Czech Republic also expressed reservations about treaty change -- but left the door open, pending parliamentary debate.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Instead, a treaty that sets out high-level principles for traditional telecommunications such as competition and open and transparent regulatory process, would foster continued innovation in technologies and services that ride on that underlying telecommunications.

FORBES: Net Threat: The Dangers From Global Web Regulation

Late last year, the United States led a coalition of countries that refused to sign an International Telecommunications Regulations treaty because it proposed regulations that many Western countries considered to be a threat to the open Internet.

FORBES: Dealing with Spam and Cyberattacks: Control Vs. Openness