[WSIS CS-Plenary] Canada Statement read in PrepCom 3 plenary - Sept 30

[james.archibald at staff.mcgill.ca]

Thanks, Robert.

A good example of Canada's efforts to "engage constructively".  Let's hope all
the stakeholders will be able to stay the course, focus on the big picture and
make the Summit work.

Regards,

Jim


Quoting Robert Guerra <rguerra at lists.privaterra.org>:

> Copied from the written text made available at the Canada desk after
> the statement was read. TThe text below is an unofficial copy.
>
> The authentic text will shortly be available on the WSIS/ITU site.
>
>
>
> WSIS Preparatory committee 3
> Second phase, Tunis
> Geneva, 19-30 September 2005
>
>       Statement
> Delivered by Canada
>
>
> Mr. Chairman,
>
> I take the floor on behalf of the 25 member states of the European
> Union as well as Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro,
> Switzerland, Norway, New Zealand, Iceland, Monaco, Australia, the
> United States of America and Canada in order to emphasize that our
> governments are dedicated to achieving a successful World Summit on
> the Information Society (WSIS), as demonstrated by our active
> involvement in the first phase and our continued engagement in the
> preparations for the second phase in Tunis.
>
> We believe that the subject matter of the Summit is key to
> development for all members of the United Nations, whether developing
> or developed. Therefore, we wish to work closely with Tunisia, as
> host of the Summit in November, to ensure a successful outcome.
>
> We find it necessary to make this statement because of several
> incidents which occurred during the Preparatory Committee, raising
> concerns about the participatory nature of the summit.
>
> Our Governments expect the Governments, Institutions and non-State
> actors taking part in the WSIS process to respect fully the
> Declaration of Principles agreed on the 10 to 12 December 2003.
>
> The Geneva Declaration reaffirms the right to freedom of opinion and
> expression, including the right to hold opinions without interference
> and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any
> media regardless of frontiers. These rights must be upheld in all
> countries in order to promote the building of the global information
> society and ensure a successful second phase of the World Summit. We
> expect Tunisia, as host of this UN Summit, to demonstrate that it
> strongly upholds and promotes these rights.
>
> As the Government of Tunisia will know, the Summit envisages and
> important and inclusive role for the Private sector, civil society,
> international organizations, institutions of knowledge production and
> of editorially independent media both for the preparations and in the
> final summit itself. We expect Tunisia,as host country, to do all it
> can to eliminate any grounds for concern and to ensure that
> arrangements for the Summit take account of and guarantee the
> unhindered participation of Non Governmental Organizations and their
> members.
>
> This is the only way to make sure that this will be a Summit in
> Tunisia, not a Summit on Tunisia.
>
>