[WSIS CS-Plenary] RE: [WSIS-CT] Opening Ceremony Speaker PCT proposal : Richard Stallman

[Dr. Francis MUGUET]

Dear Beatriz 
>
> I am completely agree with this proposal,  did you ask Richard about it?
 Yes, of course we discussed the strategy with Richard within the PCT
group.  The only thing I might add is that of course  if Bolkestein
position is evolving, the strategy must evolve accordingly. 

 Thanks a lot
 Muchas Gracias!

 Francis

 PS I forgot to announce that a version of the proposal in French and in
Spanish will be posted soon.

 
> Regards from Buenos Aires! 
> 
> Lic. Beatriz Busaniche
> busaniche at caminandoutopias.org.ar
> Centro de Teletrabajo y Teleformación
> www.caminandoutopias.org.ar
> 
> 
> 
> -----Mensaje original-----
> De: ct-admin at wsis-cs.org [mailto:ct-admin at wsis-cs.org] En nombre de Dr.
> Francis MUGUET
> Enviado el: miércoles, 05 de noviembre de 2003 14:36
> Para: plenary at wsis-cs.org
> CC: ct at wsis-cs.org
> Asunto: [WSIS-CT] Opening Ceremony Speaker PCT proposal : Richard Stallman
> 
> 
>  Hello everybody 
> 
>  Besides the selection rules that have been just proposed by the C&T  for
> discussions and that of course we fully intend to abide, 
>  it has been recognized that the discussion concerning 
>  the Opening Ceremony speaker has already started and obviously 
>  this choice requires a very broad consensus. Therefore the 
>  PCT group is setting forward a proposition for discussions.
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Our propositions is based both
> on the merits of the speaker
> as well as the purpose and usefulness of his intervention.
> 
> Without Richard Stallman, the information society would probably be the
> dominion of ruthless monopolies, leaving little practical possibilities for
> any freedom at all. Without the Free Software movement, without the GPL,
> there would have been probably no GNU/Linux operating systems that now
> running on the vast majority of Web servers. Richard Stallman is well versed
> with all the technical, legal, economical and philosophical aspects of the
> issues of the Civil Society.
> 
> It is proposed that the first part of his speech (about 2/3 ) should convey
> the declarations that would have prepared by the various thematics groups of
> the Civil Society as compiled by the C&T drafting group.
> 
> In the last part, Richard Stallman should focus on the issue of Free
> Software and Software patents. As all of you are aware, the fight against
> software patents is a crucial issue, and a decisive battle is now been
> fought in Europe that is going to have worldwide consequences. It is
> proposed that in the name of the CS; Richard Stallman would publicly
> challenge Mr. Frits Bolkestein, the European Commissioner to accept the
> decision of the European parliament and not to try to remove the patent
> directive, as he threatened he would do, from the authority of the European,
> parliament to put it under the authority of governments as a technocratic
> re-negotiation of the European Patent Convention, in order to that software
> patents be approved despite the vote of the parliament.!
> 
> The exact text from Frits Bolkestein
> http://europa.eu.int/comm/commissioners/bolkestein/index_en.htm
> http://swpat.ffii.org/players/bolkestein/index.en.h is :
> 
> "Now if we fail in our efforts to achieve a harmonization of patent law
> relating to computer-implemented inventions in the European Union, we may
> well be confronted with a renegotiation of the European Patent Convention.
> And if I may be blunt, President, the process of renegotiation of the
> European Patent Convention would not require any contribution from this
> parliament. So the situation is clear: there is a single objective but a
> choice of means. Either we proceed using the community method, or we take a
> back seat and watch while member states go via the route of an
> intergovernmental treaty.
> 
> Such a provocative undemocratic statement shall not
> be tolerated by the CS. The message is that the Information Society shall
> not be ruled by technocrats but with respect of the democratic rights. This
> is a question of basic rights.
> 
> Therefore the purpose of the end of Richard Stallman intervention should be
> dual : 1/ Help to remove the threat of software patent over Europe and over
> the world. 2/ Reaffirm the rights of the people in front of an arrogant
> technocracy at the service of special interests.
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------ 
> Francis F. MUGUET Ph.D 
> muguet at mdpi.org   muguet at ensta.fr  
> 
> MDPI Foundation   http://www.mdpi.net 
> 
> World Summit On the Information Society (WSIS)
> Civil Society Working Groups 
> Scientific Information :  http://www.wsis-si.org  chair 
> Patents & Copyrights   :  http://www.wsis-pct.org co-chair
> ------------------------------------------------------ 
> 
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-- 

------------------------------------------------------ 
Francis F. MUGUET Ph.D 
muguet at mdpi.org   muguet at ensta.fr  

MDPI Foundation   http://www.mdpi.net 

World Summit On the Information Society (WSIS)
Civil Society Working Groups 
Scientific Information :  http://www.wsis-si.org  chair 
Patents & Copyrights   :  http://www.wsis-pct.org co-chair
------------------------------------------------------