[WSIS CS-Plenary] geneva

[Wolfgang Kleinwächter]

Dear all,

here some of my observations from the recent WGIG Meeting in Geneva

1. we made a great step forward with the multistakeholder approach.  
While the participation of non governmental groups in the governmental 
Internet Governance Working Group from PrepCom2 to PrepCom3bis++ was 
blocked and we were moving through the revolving door, in the WGIG 
meeting in Geneva it was taken for granted that governmental and 
non-governmental speakers are communicating on the same level. When 
Jeanette proposed the CS IG Caucus ideas about the composition of the 
WGIG, it came along like a  "draft resolution" and it was treated by 
governments as something like this. The Canadian government commented 
on it and showed that serious proposals from non-governmental actors 
are worth to be considered by governments. The same happened with ideas 
like bill´s "Soft Power" and other proposal tabled by civil society 
speakers. I think the meeting has helped to build new trust and it 
reduced suspision - on both sides. Certainly, it was on procedures only 
and it will look different if it comes to substance. But the first step 
was in the right direction and it is always difficult to go back if all 
agree that this was a positive experience. We should be thankful to 
Kummer and Desai who has helped to make this happen. And it is also a 
great step forward, the the CS IG Caucus has demonstrated visibly that 
it is able to act and is united in its diversity. Regardless of all the 
deficiencies and weaknesses (and the confrontational tone and 
bitterness) we have seen over the last weeks on the list, the way how 
Jeanette and Adam are guiding the process enables us to move forward.

2. the real conflicts are the same as they have been in December 2003. 
No move.  And it is Chinese governments vs. US government. If you read 
the statements of the two delegations, than you see the whole spectrum 
of fundamental (political and philosophical) conflicts. There are some 
interesting new nuances in the Chinese position, but not in the 
substance. The Chinese government argues that private sector leadership 
and self governance of the Internet was wonderful and great in the 
early days of the Internet. Thanks to everybody who has contributed and 
made this happen. But this was the past. Moving to the future, we need 
now new innovations and their innovative proposal is that we have to 
move from private sector leadership to governmental leadership with 
(governmental controlled) participation of private industry and civil 
society. As the "biggest problem of todays internet" she singled out 
the "mjssing of a legitimate organisation under the UN". If this is 
true, than WGIG is about the creation of a new UN Organisation? We 
should not take this pill and try to bypass such a debate on new 
hierarchies and burocracies. We should discuss the concrete issues and 
look into the organisational options for each issue which would allow a 
more diversified and pluralistic approach. What we have to contribute 
as the caucus is that we need more innovative ideas which respect the 
sovereignty of the hierarchical nation states and strengthens the 
responsibility of governments, where needed, but keep the flexibility 
of the network and its self-governenace elements where it makes sense 
and is needed to stimulate innovation and development. And the 
interests of the users should be in the center of all solutions.

3. There is a long way to go. In my optimistic scenario, WGIG will 
produce a report which includes not more than
a. a map of issues
b. a map of institutions and
c. a SWOT analysis of different options and scenarios with descriptions 
like "on the one hand" but "on the other hand". Recommendations will 
say "some propose this" and "some propose that". But such a report 
would be good,. It would enable WSIS II to negotiate a more specific 
mandate for another group which could start to develop concrete 
solutions for unsettled issues after WSIS II. This could be done also 
in parallel with the transformation of ICANN to full independence 
(ICANN 3.0) when the MoU with the DoC will terminate (November 2006) . 
On the basis of recommendations of WGIG II to a WSIS III (somewhere 
between 2007 and 2009) some real decisions, if needed, could be made. 
Be patience. We are only on the eve of a new beginning.  .

Attached is my statement from Mondays afternoon session.

Best regards

Wolfgang

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