ARTCC DATA CTLR SEES 2 ACFT ON CONVERGING DSNDING COURSES AND ADVISES THE RADAR CTLR. THE RADAR CTLR DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DATA CTLR WAS SAYING; AND DID NOT TAKE ACTION TO SEPARATE THE ACFT.

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I WAS WORKING THE D-SIDE POS AT THE APPLETON RADAR SECTOR. THE RADAR CTLR WAS MODERATELY BUSY. WHEN THE R- CTLR WAS ASKED IF HE WANTED A BREAK; HE TOLD THE RELIEVING CTLR TO PLUG IN AND TRACK UNTIL THE BRIEFING WAS COMPLETED. AT THAT TIME; I ANSWERED A CALL FROM ZOB. AFTER I MOVED MY CHAIR TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE TRACKER; I NOTICED CONFLICT ALERT FLASHING WITH ACR X AND ACR Y. SINCE I DIDN'T HEAR THE DSCNT CLRNC TO ACR X; I ASKED THE R-CTLR IF ACR X WAS REALLY DSNDING TO FL310. THE R-CTLR SAID THAT HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS TRYING TO TELL HIM. I POINTED TO THE 2 DATA BLOCKS (STILL FLASHING) AND SAID THAT THEY WERE BOTH GOING TO FL310. NO REAL RESPONSE BY R-CTLR TO MINE AND THE TRACKER'S PROMPT. A FEW SECONDS LATER; ACR Y SAID HE SHOWED TFC AND ASKED THE CTLR IF THERE WAS TFC JUST OFF THE L SIDE. NO RESPONSE. THE ACR X THEN ASKED ABOUT THE TFC AND SAID HE HAD ACR Y IN SIGHT. THE R-CTLR RESPONDED WITH 'ACR X SAY ASSIGNED ALT.' ACR X SAID OUT OF FL320 FOR FL310. R-CTLR RESPONDED 'ROGER.' AFTERWARD; ACR Y WAS GIVEN DSCNT. ACR X HAD STOPPED DSCNT ON HIS OWN. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE DISCIPLINE TO THE CTLR (AND POSSIBLE DRAGNET -- ME) FOR LACK OF ACTION IN THIS SIT. HAVING A DEAL IS ONE THING; BUT LETTING 2 AIRPLANES SIDESWIPE AT 1 MI IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. EVEN WHEN THE PLTS WERE CONCERNED; NO INTELLIGENT RESPONSES WERE GIVEN. NO TURNS OR ATTEMPT AT VERT SEPARATION WAS MADE. 2 MINS AFTER THE DEAL; ACR Y ASKED ABOUT THE SIT. THE R-CTLR RESPONDED THAT HE WAS TOO BUSY TO 'CALL THE TFC.' I WAS ABOUT TO TAKE THE FREQ AND TELL ACR X TO STOP DSCNT WHEN HE CALLED TFC IN SIGHT. I DIDN'T WANT TO ISSUE CONFUSING INSTRUCTIONS ONCE HE HAD ACR Y IN SIGHT. BOTH ACFT WERE TCASII EQUIPPED BUT NO ONE SAID ANYTHING ABOUT AN RA.