[WSIS CS-Plenary] WSIS update

[Renata BLOEM]

Hi all,

I have been in and out of the Office and could not follow all of your
discussions. But here are some up-dates (according to discussions with some
persons available in the Secretariat, including with Mr. Samassekou and with
Ambassador Nouminen)

* Proposed Format of the Summit, Statements, Roundtables etc: Most of you
have probably seen, but please look again at the ITU Website PrepCom 3 and
look for Document WSIS/Pc-3/Doc/8(Rev.2)-E (29 September 2003) with the
Annexes 1 and 2.(This document contains still up to date information) It
says all about Statements in Plenary, (4 times at end of each session, 1
hour for observers, CS 3 Minutes statements) Roundtable discussions: 4
Roundtables on the overarching theme:"An Information Society for All:
Opportunities and Challenges", with three of them discussing related
subthemes. Decision on those subthemes will be made next week. The
Roundtable interventions will probably be the most newsworthy, with full TV
coverage etc. To each of the Round tables we can suggest 5 CS speakers. If
e.g. Shirin Ebadi would not be available on the 10th (because of receiving
her Nobel prize) to open CS intervention in the Plenary, she could
participate as one of the major CS representative on the overall Roundtable.
We can submit names until 15 November, explicitly through our own
self-organizing mechanisms. We should, of course, be in contact with the CSD
and Mr Utsumi, the Secretary-General of the Conference.. who has the last
say on this.

* Access: Please look at www.palexpo.ch under facilities and the Conference
Centre. At the bottom you will find Multipurpose rooms. Only those and Hall
IV, ICT 4D, will be accreditation-badge free. (I hope Sean, you have one of
those rooms). However, an entrance fee for no badge holders will be asked
for of CHF 20 per day to cover installation costs. Security measures will be
heavy in all restricted (for badges) areas.

* Overpass tickets: The Secretariat wants to let CSB organize the
distribution of the 600 tickets for the Plenary. Since I have nightmarish
memories on what happened in Durban and Johannisburg, I suggest a short
discussion on how to do this inclusive and intelligently. Please come up
with best practice!
E.g.:I received today the following from New York for the upcoming
High-level Section of the General Assembly:
		"...1.  As usual, passes will be handed out at the main lobby at the
visitor's
		entrance to the UN on 45th street and 1st Avenue.  There will be a desk at
		the lobby of the visitor's entrance, where passes can be picked up, from
		9am to 9:45 am and 2pm to 2:45 pm on 28, 29 and 30 October 2003.  Please
		note that your pass will be vaild for all three days of the High Level
		Dialogue."
This is first come first, neutral, but can take a lot of time and long
quews. I would suggest to give overpasses out during the day at intervals
each one ahead of the next day. (To note: In general interest for Plenary
sessions diminishes after the official opening. So called other/side events
are more interesting)


* Fellowships for Summit: Categorically 60% from LDCs and 40% from
developing and transition countries. No way to try arguing about an extra
list for CSB or CT Group members, they will fall according to their
countries into the overall list which will cover some 100 persons.


* PrepCom 3 extended, Nov.10 -14: No need to reregister, but the Secretriat
would like to have a short announcement of participation via fax: 41 22 730
5881. Registration is still open also for those who did not attend PrepCom3
but are accredited. PrepCom 3 procedures apply, but this all does not help
us very much. There are no funds for CS participation for this period!

* Current Consultations: PrepCom 3 gave the mandate to Mr Samassekou to
engage in informal consultations to find ways and mechanisms how to approach
the sticky issues in the document. There will be a number of informal
governmental meetings to address these, e.g. whether or how some governments
want to work together on some of the issues and propose solutions to
PrepCom3 extended. These consultations will go on until 30/31 October. From
what I understand, no negotiations before that. But we (CT Group) should
have ready soon our "life and death issues," e.g. on the declaration. We
should single out two to three priority ones,(before going into the rest)
and submit language on these to Ambassador Nouminen directly. Can CT Group
please do this?

That is all for today and apology for this lengthy epistle.



Renate Bloem
President of the Conference of NGOs (CONGO)
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CH-1211 Geneva 10
Tel: +41 22 917 1881
Fax: +41 22 917 0373
E-mail: rbloem at ngocongo.org
Website: www.ngocongo.org
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