[WSIS CS-Plenary] Next GFC Meetings [u]

[Robert Guerra [c]]

A couple of comments:

1. that the meetings are starting to be closed - isn't new. It also  
happened during the Geneva phase before PC3 and the summit.  civil  
society at that time had someone on the inside , as there was a youth  
caucus member working in the WSIS Executive secretariat.

The ITU was, and i think is still - open to having a civil society  
person in the executive secretariat. However, this time - the opening  
on the inside has not been advantage off. I asked a week or so ago if  
the new CONGO @ WSIS staff had any status with the WSIS ES - and was  
told that no arrangement is in place, and that they are operating @  
CONGO and not @ the ITU.

Consequently, the only "civil society" representative working @ the  
Executive secretariat is Moncef Achur .(he  is from Tunisia). he  
isn't active on the CS lists, but is in touch with our Geneva based  
colleagues. From what i've been told, he's quite surprised as well  
that CS seems to have been no longer permitted to enter the GFC  
meetings.


2. I would be interested to know what the reasons, could have lead to  
this change...

Reading over the notes from the last GFC meeting it seems that the  
Civil society participants where the only ones speaking. Where the  
points raised constructive? was the meeting agenda enhanced by CS  
participation, or was it disrupted by CS.  It is hard to tell , as  
the comments that came form the meeting didn't include a political  
analysis of HOW the interventions were being received and what was  
occurring in the "informal" discussions"

Was something said or done by one of the CS actors at the meeting  
that upset one or more of the GFC members? Something we need to know  
- as those wanting to close the meeting may , or may not be who we  
think they are. Definitely more information is needed.


In the meantime, i would suggest -  PrepCom present is contacted, as  
well as friendly governments to see what the reasons are.

regards

Roibert



--
Robert Guerra <rguerra at privaterra.org>
Managing Director, Privaterra <http://www.privaterra.org>



On 24-Jun-05, at 11:12 AM, Ralf Bendrath wrote:

> Hi Philippe,
>
> thanks for passing this news.
>
> As this is pretty unusual (I don't want to talk about a scandal yet):
>
> Did they give any resons for this or at least tried to excuse this  
> behaviour?
>
>
>> In spite of what was proposed by President Karklins, during the  
>> GFC Informal Consultation (13 June), the WSIS Bureau decided *not  
>> to invite Civil Society observers to attend the next GFC meetings*  
>> (27 June, 4 July and 11 July 2005).
>> These meetings will be open to representatives of GFC Members and  
>> observers from governments *ONLY*.
>>
>
> Thanks, Ralf
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