AW: AW: [WSIS CS-Plenary] Re: [CS Bureau] Next GFC Meetings

Tue Jun 28 12:07:12 BST 2005

Dear all,
 At the end of the last "open meeting" of the GFC on june 13, following 
repeated requests from civil society for the possibility of attending as 
silent onlookers during the next "closed" meetings on June 27 and the 
following two meetings in July, President Karklins said explicitely, "I 
heard no objection to the presence of civil society and private sector 
actors as silent observers during the upcoming meetings and provided there 
is no objection from the Bureau, we will do so". 
 My information is that was implicitly the case and that some people did 
sneak in quietly without being expelled.
 I am afraid we should not have raised the issue formally and sould have 
tried to sneak in as well.
 Still, the problem remains. The more we ask for a formal decision, the most 
likely there will be a negative answer.
 Therefore my suggestion is a direct contact with Karklins to check whether 
the meeting of the 27 was indeed attended by some silent observers and to 
indicate that we intend to have at least one person attending in a quiet and 
discrete mode during the next two meetings. 
 Best
 Bertrand

 On 6/26/05, Dr. Francis MUGUET <muguet at mdpi.org> wrote: 
> 
> Dear Wolfgang
> 
> >Thanks Francis, for the further development of our reaction. I agree, 
> first we have to have a F2F talk with Karkelins to find out, whether this is 
> a U-turn or only a burocratical matter.
> >
> Lets hope for the latter
> 
> > In case it is a burocratical matter, we should call for a limited number 
> of "silent observers" (in the WGIG we called them "onlookers").
> >
> >
> Thanks for the suggestion.
> This is a good name that avoids ambiguity,
> although it might be difficult to translate the nuance in other languages,
> for example in French, it is translated by "spectateurs"
> which is translated again in French as "spectactors", giving away
> the implicit context of a show...
> but onlookers is not much different that spectactors !
> 
> >
> >But if we realize, that this is the start for a new approach, we should 
> made our protest public.
> >
> >
> >
> Of course !
> 
> I also noticed in the CONGO speech before the general assembly the
> absence of reference
> to the WSIS. I do not know Renate's reasons for this, but Renate could
> always underline
> this omission in the next F2F meeting, because it was no longer
> appropriate to quote the WSIS,
> by reasons of this surprising non-inclusive GFC new procedure...
> bringing some moral pressure?
> With the recent events in New York, Renata should be a stronger position
> to negotiate and
> to show that the recent GFC procedural move
> is out of sync with was is happening in New York.
> 
> Hopping for the best
> 
> Francis
> 
> >Best
> >
> >w
> >
> >
> >________________________________
> >
> >Von: plenary-admin at wsis-cs.org im Auftrag von Dr. Francis MUGUET
> >Gesendet: So 26.06.2005 00:24
> >An: plenary at wsis-cs.org
> >Betreff: Re: AW: [WSIS CS-Plenary] Re: [CS Bureau] Next GFC Meetings
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >Hello,
> >
> >The CS must react strongly but wisely.
> >
> >Currently on the ITU site we have :
> >What is currently annonced on the ITU sites are the following dates :
> >Fifth meeting*
> >27 June 2005, Geneva (Switzerland)
> >Sixth meeting
> >4 July 2005, Geneva (Switzerland)
> >Seventh meeting
> >11 July 2005, Geneva (Switzerland)
> >*Meeting open to representatives from GFC Members and observers from
> >governments.
> >Nothing is said concerning CS participation to GFC6 and GFC7
> >
> >Let me remind everybody that previous "Open" GFC meetings were
> >meetings Civil Society could take part as speaking observers, and this
> >was really great.
> >
> >"Closed" meetings were completely closed to Civil Society,
> >as far as I remember.
> >
> >Now, it seens that we are entering the twilight zone of
> >"Semi-closed"/"Semi-Open" meetings.
> >It is good that previously "Closed" GFCs meetings could
> >become open to some silent states observers.
> >
> >What would be a severe blow to the CS
> >is that there should no other "Open" GFCs meetings at all, at least
> >in a decent proportion, 33% to 50% seems acceptable,
> >
> >It would better that CS silent observers be
> >admitted in all the "Closed" meetings, this
> > was my understanding of the closing remarks by
> >Karklins, at the June 13 meeting
> > and not that all next GFC meetings should be
> >be "semi-closed" with CS as silent observers.
> >
> >If there is such a non-inclusive and sad evolution,
> >the CSB, since we are dealing with procedural matters,
> >and speciffically Renate and Viola, the elected CSB liaison officers,
> >should have ASAP a meeting with Karklins and the executive secretariat
> >to have further explanations and possibly negotiate
> >a better deal.
> >
> >If the situation is locked, and hopefully
> >knowing who are the true responsables of this
> >surprising non-inclusive evolution,
> >then the CSB can draft a letter to be proposed to the CS plenary to be
> >discussed.
> >Writting a letter without knowning the real motives and without
> >identifying the puppet masters, could paradoxically destabilize our
> >friends,
> >those who, like seemingly Karklins, are supporting the multi-stakeholder
> >approach,
> >because their enemies could bring our protest letter as a sign
> >of "mismanagement" and further weaken their positions.
> >Our strong protest letter must be on target, the right target.
> >
> >Best regards
> >
> >Francis
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >>Dier List,
> >>
> >>if CS is excluded officially from the GFC, we should write an official 
> letter of protest to both Mr. Karkelins and Mr. Utsumi (probably also to Mr. 
> Annan), arguing, that while we recognize the intergovernmental nature of the 
> WSIS process, we insist, that principle 1 of the WSIS Declaration of 
> Principles has to be implemented by all sides, and in particular by 
> governments.
> >>
> >>Principle 1 reads :
> >>
> >>"1) The role of governments and all stakeholders in the promotion of 
> ICTs for development
> >>
> >>1. Governments, as well as private sector, civil society and the United 
> Nations and other international organizations have an important role and 
> responsibility in the development of the Information Society and, as 
> appropriate, in decision-making processes. Building a people-centred 
> Information Society is a joint effort which requires cooperation and 
> partnership among all stakeholders."
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>Principle 1 says clearly, that CS has to be included into policy 
> development and, as appropriate, also in the decision making processes. 
> While we recognize, that in this phase, when we move towards a decision 
> making process, it can be not appropriate, that CS is included (but even 
> this is a questionsmark), we call for our "right to be informed" which is 
> part of Article 19 of the Univeral Declaration of Human Rights. We can refer 
> to the WGIG practice, where "closed sessions" has been open for "onlookers", 
> that is parties who have a special interest but have no right to speak. The 
> practicie worked and did not underminde the efficiency of the work of the 
> group.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>It would be a great step backwards, a violation of the WSIS principles 
> by the governments and a provocation which could lead to (unwanted) 
> alternative actions in the preperation of the Tunis summit which could 
> undermine the constructive involvement of all stakeholders bnoth in further 
> development of the WSIS process and the implementation of the Plan of 
> Action. And it would be in sharp contrast to the emerging spirit of mutual 
> trust and cooperation.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>The letter should be signed officially by the President of the CS Bureau 
> and the Spokespersons we have elected during PrepCom2.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>Best
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>wolfgang
> >>
> >>_______________________________________________ Plenary mailing list 
> Plenary at wsis-cs.org 
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> >>_______________________________________________
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> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >--
> >
> >------------------------------------------------------
> >Francis F. MUGUET Ph.D
> >
> >MDPI Foundation Open Access Journals
> >Associate Publisher
> >http://www.mdpi.org http://www.mdpi.net
> >muguet at mdpi.org muguet at mdpi.net
> >
> >ENSTA Paris, France
> >KNIS lab. Director
> >"Knowledge Networks & Information Society" (KNIS)
> >muguet at ensta.fr http://www.ensta.fr/~muguet
> >
> >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
> >Financing Mechanismns : http://www.wsis-finance.org web
> >
> >UNMSP project : http://www.unmsp.org
> >WTIS initiative: http://www.wtis.org
> >------------------------------------------------------
> >
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> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> 
> 
> --
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------
> Francis F. MUGUET Ph.D
> 
> MDPI Foundation Open Access Journals
> Associate Publisher
> http://www.mdpi.org http://www.mdpi.net
> muguet at mdpi.org muguet at mdpi.net
> 
> ENSTA Paris, France
> KNIS lab. Director
> "Knowledge Networks & Information Society" (KNIS)
> muguet at ensta.fr http://www.ensta.fr/~muguet
> 
> 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
> Financing Mechanismns : http://www.wsis-finance.org web
> 
> UNMSP project : http://www.unmsp.org
> WTIS initiative: http://www.wtis.org
> ------------------------------------------------------
> 
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