Re: [ga] ALAC Statement on WSIS Declaration of Principles and Plan of Actions

["todd glassey" <todd.glassey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

PLEASE remove me from this mailing list! I have tried
twice already and apparently it doesn't work

Todd
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeff Williams" <jwkckid1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Vittorio Bertola" <vb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: <ga@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 6:33 PM
Subject: Re: [ga] ALAC Statement on WSIS Declaration of
Principles and Plan of Actions


> Vittorio and all former DNSO GA members or other
interested stakeholders/users,
>
>   RALO's are a poor and unexceptable structure and
method of
> being inclusive of Stakeholders/users.  It is because
such a
> structure is manipulative in the extreme.  This many
stakeholder/user
> groups have already communicated on a number of
occasions.
>
> Vittorio Bertola wrote:
>
> > This statement has just been released by the ALAC.
Comments or questions
> > are welcome.
> >
> > At Large Advisory Committee's Statement
> > on WSIS Declaration of Principles and Plan of
Actions
> >
> > January 20, 2004
> >
> > At the World Summit on the Information Society held
on December 10 to 12
> > in Geneva, the member states of the United Nations
adopted the Declaration
> > of Principles and the Plan of Action that include
specific language on the
> > issue of "Internet Governance" (as attached).
> >
> > ICANN's At Large Advisory Committee welcomes the
fact that these
> > statements clearly recognize the role of civil
society as a full
> > participant in the international management of the
Internet, and bring
> > attention to the need for a deep involvement of
individual users into its
> > governance.
> >
> > Specifically, we believe that the technical
management of the Internet
> > should remain as much as possible in the private
sector and civil society,
> > or providers and users of the specific services,
and include governmental
> > participation only as overseer and ultimate
guarantor of the public
> > interest. We are concerned that excessive
intervention by governments into
> > technical Internet operations, in local, regional
and international
> > arenas, might interfere with its smooth and healthy
operation, limit
> > innovation and cause over-regulation, countering
the existing workings of
> > the Internet and the principles that caused its
success as a tool to
> > foster economic development and to increase freedom
of communication.
> >
> > This is why we strongly endorse the idea of a
community-driven consensus
> > that is behind the very existence of ICANN. We
would also like to mention,
> > however, that user participation in ICANN
activities has not yet been
> > given the full attention or support  it deserves,
and call for further
> > improvements of the users' role inside the ICANN
framework. This should be
> > an issue of primary importance in the Internet
governance discussions
> > between now and the second WSIS phase in Tunis,
together with other
> > fundamental items such as increasing ICANN's
international footprint,
> > internal diversity, and multilingualism.
> >
> > However, the scope of ICANN activities should
remain limited to technical
> > matters that require world-wide coordination,
understanding that in some
> > areas they cannot be parted from their social and
political consequences,
> > and that these consequences must be considered in
the technical
> > policy-making process. ICANN can be successful only
if it focuses on those
> > issues that it can address. Issues such as the
Digital Divide, in-country
> > competitive and pricing policies, and, more
generally, those that pertain
> > to Internet usage control rather than to Internet
technical coordination,
> > should be left to those fora best-suited to handle
them.
> >
> > The At Large Advisory Committee, as mandated by the
ICANN Bylaws, is
> > currently setting up a practical organizational
structure to foster the
> > representation and participation of Internet users
and their civil society
> > organizations from around the globe. This structure
will be based on
> > Regional At Large Organizations (RALO) that will be
constituted in each of
> > the five ICANN Regions by a set of accredited At
Large Structures (ALS),
> > or civil society groups and organizations who
represent different types of
> > Internet users and different countries of the
world. This ambitious
> > program will create an effective and diverse
instrument for participation
> > to global and regional Internet policy-making
processes by all netizens of
> > the world.
> >
> > For this reason, we declare our willingness to
participate in the
> > forthcoming multi-stakeholder working group
activities organized by the
> > Secretary General of the United Nations, to channel
into these activities
> > the voices of the global user community on Internet
name and address
> > resource management issues, as mandated by our
mission.
> >
> > Moreover, while pointing out that ICANN-specific
issues only constitute a
> > part of the broader set of issues labeled as
"Internet Governance", we
> > also think that the experience gathered in these
years of ICANN could be
> > positively used to draft a workable model for the
multi-stakeholder
> > governance of other issues. We want to remain
focused on finalizing and
> > operating an effective user participation mechanism
within ICANN, but at
> > the same time we think we can bring an important
contribution to the next
> > phase of Internet Governance discussions at WSIS.
> >
> > Finally, we support the Civil Society Declaration,
"Shaping Information
> > Societies for Human Needs", which clearly endorses
inclusive
> > participation, transparency, and democratic
accountability and recognizes
> > the need for "full and effective participation of
marginalized
> > stakeholders like developing and transitional
countries, global civil
> > society organisations, small and medium-sized
enterprises, and individual
> > users." This, in the interest of the global
network, should be considered
> > one of the main objectives of any revised structure
for Internet governance.
> >
> > Reference 1
> > Declaration of Principles of WSIS
> > Final version as adopted on Dec 12, 2003 in Geneva
> >
> > 48.     The Internet has evolved into a global
facility available to the
> > public and its governance should constitute a core
issue of the
> > Information Society agenda. The international
management of the Internet
> > should be multilateral, transparent and democratic,
with the full
> > involvement of governments, the private sector,
civil society and
> > international organizations. It should ensure an
equitable distribution of
> > resources, facilitate access for all and ensure a
stable and secure
> > functioning of the Internet, taking into account
multilingualism.
> > The management of the Internet encompasses both
technical and public
> > policy issues and should involve all stakeholders
and relevant
> > intergovernmental and international organizations.
In this respect it is
> > recognized that:
> > policy authority for Internet-related public policy
issues is the
> > sovereign right of States. They have rights and
responsibilities for
> > international Internet-related public policy
issues;
> > the private sector has had and should continue to
have an important role
> > in the development of the Internet, both in the
technical and economic fields;
> > civil society has also played an important role on
Internet matters,
> > especially at community level, and should continue
to play such a role;
> > intergovernmental organizations have had and should
continue to have a
> > facilitating role in the coordination of
Internet-related public policy
> > issues;
> > international organizations have also had and
should continue to have an
> > important role in the development of
Internet-related technical standards
> > and relevant policies.
> > 50.     International Internet governance issues
should be addressed in a
> > coordinated manner. We ask the Secretary-General of
the United Nations to
> > set up a working group on Internet governance, in
an open and inclusive
> > process that ensures a mechanism for the full and
active participation of
> > governments, the private sector and civil society
from both developing and
> > developed countries, involving relevant
intergovernmental and
> > international organizations and forums, to
investigate and make proposals
> > for action, as appropriate, on the governance of
Internet by 2005.
> >
> > Plan of Actions of WSIS
> >
> > C6.     Enabling environment
> > 13.     To maximize the social, economic and
environmental benefits of the
> > Information Society, governments need to create a
trustworthy, transparent
> > and non-discriminatory legal, regulatory and policy
environment. Actions
> > include:
> > a) Governments should foster a supportive,
transparent, pro-competitive
> > and predictable policy, legal and regulatory
framework, which provides the
> > appropriate incentives to investment and community
development in the
> > Information Society.
> > b) We ask the Secretary General of the United
Nations to set up a working
> > group on Internet governance, in an open and
inclusive process that
> > ensures a mechanism for the full and active
participation of governments,
> > the private sector and civil society from both
developing and developed
> > countries, involving relevant intergovernmental and
international
> > organizations and forums, to investigate and make
proposals for action, as
> > appropriate, on the governance of Internet by 2005.
The group should,
> > inter alia:
> > i)      develop a working definition of Internet
governance;
> > ii)     identify the public policy issues that are
relevant to Internet
> > governance;
> > iii)    develop a common understanding of the
respective roles and
> > responsibilities of governments, existing
intergovernmental and
> > international organisations and other forums as
well as the private sector
> > and civil society from both developing and
developed countries;
> > iv)     prepare a report on the results of this
activity to be presented for
> > consideration and appropriate action for the second
phase of WSIS in Tunis
> > in 2005.
> > c) Governments are invited to:
> > i)      facilitate the establishment of national
and regional Internet Exchange
> > Centres;
> > ii)     manage or supervise, as appropriate, their
respective country code
> > top-level domain name (ccTLD);
> > iii)    promote awareness of the Internet.
> > d)In cooperation with the relevant stakeholders,
promote regional root
> > servers and the use of internationalised domain
names in order to overcome
> > barriers to access.
> > di)
> >
> > Reference 2
> >
> > "Shaping Information Societies for Human Needs"
> > Civil Society Declaration to the World Summit on
the Information Society
> > Unanimously Adopted by the WSIS Civil Society
Plenary on 8 December 2003
> >
> >
(http://wsis-online.net/smsi/file-storage/download/WSIS
-CS-Decl-08Dec2003-eng1.htm?version_id=313554)
> >
> > 2.4.7 Global Governance of ICT and Communications
> > International "rules of the game" play an
increasingly central role in the
> > global information economy.  In recent years,
governments have liberalised
> > traditional international regulatory regimes for
telecommunications, radio
> > frequency spectrum, and satellite services, and
have created new
> > multilateral arrangements for international trade
in services,
> > intellectual property, "information security," and
electronic commerce.
> > At the same time, business groups have established
a variety of
> > "self-regulatory" arrangements concerning Internet
identifiers (names and
> > numbers), infrastructure, and content.
> >
> > It is not acceptable for these and related global
governance frameworks to
> > be designed by and for small groups of powerful
governments and companies
> > and then exported to the world as faits accomplis.
Instead, they must
> > reflect the diverse views and interests of the
international community as
> > a whole.  This overarching principle has both
procedural and substantive
> > dimensions.
> >
> > Procedurally, decision-making processes must be
based on such values as
> > inclusive participation, transparency, and
democratic accountability.  In
> > particular, institutional reforms are needed to
facilitate the full and
> > effective participation of marginalized
stakeholders like developing and
> > transitional countries, global civil society
organisations, small and
> > medium-sized enterprises, and individual users.
> >
> > Substantively, global governance frameworks must
promote a more equitable
> > distribution of benefits across nations and social
groups.  To do so, they
> > must strike a better balance between commercial
considerations and other
> > legitimate social objectives.  For example,
existing international
> > arrangements should be reformed to promote:
efficient management of
> > network interconnections and traffic revenue
distribution, subject to the
> > mutual agreement of corresponding operators;
equitable allocations of
> > radio frequency spectrum and satellite orbital
slots that fully support
> > developmental and non-commercial applications; fair
trade in electronic
> > goods and services, taking into account the
developing countries' need for
> > special and differential treatment; an open public
domain of information
> > resources and ideas; and the protection of human
rights, consumer safety,
> > and personal privacy.  In parallel, new diverse
international arrangements
> > are needed to promote: financial support for
sustainable e-development,
> > especially but not only in less affluent nations;
linguistic, cultural,
> > and informational diversity; and the curtailment of
concentrated market
> > power in ICT and mass media industries.
> >
> > In light of the relevant controversies in the WSIS
process, special
> > attention must be given to improving the global
coordination of the
> > Internet's underlying resources.  It must be
remembered that the Internet
> > is not a singular communications "platform" akin to
a public telephone
> > network; it is instead a highly distributed set of
protocols, processes,
> > and voluntarily self-associating networks.
Accordingly, the Internet
> > cannot be governed effectively by any one
organisation or set of
> > interests.   An exclusionary intergovernmental
model would be especially
> > ill suited to its unique characteristics; only a
truly open,
> > multistakeholder, and flexible approach can ensure
the Internet's
> > continued growth and transition into a multilingual
medium.  In parallel,
> > when the conditions for system stability and sound
management can be
> > guaranteed, authority over inherently global
resources like the root
> > servers should be transferred to a global,
multistakeholder entity.
> >
> > The international community must have full and easy
access to knowledge
> > and information about ICT global governance
decision making.  This is a
> > baseline prerequisite for implementation of the
principles mentioned
> > above, and indeed for the success of the WSIS
process itself.   We need
> > public-interest oriented monitoring and analysis of
the relevant
> > activities of both intergovernmental and
"self-governance" bodies
> > including, inter alia, the International
Telecommunication Union, the
> > World Trade Organization, the World Intellectual
Property Organization,
> > the United Nations Conference on International
Trade Law, the Organization
> > for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Hague
Conference on
> > International Private Law, the of Europe, the Asia
Pacific Economic
> > Cooperation, the North  American Free Trade
Agreement, the Internet
> > Corporation for Assigned  Names and Numbers, and
Wassenaar Arrangement.
> >
> > As a viable first step in this direction, we
recommend the establishment
> > of an independent and truly multistakeholder
observatory committee to: (1)
> > map and track the most pressing current
developments in ICT global
> > governance decision-making; (2) assess and solicit
stakeholder input on
> > the conformity of such decision-making with the
stated objectives of the
> > WSIS agenda; and (3) report to all stakeholders in
the WSIS process on a
> > periodic basis until 2005, at which time a decision
could be made on
> > whether to continue or terminate the activity.
> >
> > --
> > .oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo vb.
> > Vittorio Bertola - vb [a] bertola.eu.org
> > http://bertola.eu.org/    <-- Vecchio sito, nuovo
toblog!
>
> Regards,
>
> --
> Jeffrey A. Williams
> Spokesman for INEGroup LLA. - (Over 134k
members/stakeholders strong!)
> "Be precise in the use of words and expect precision
from others" -
>     Pierre Abelard
>
> "If the probability be called P; the injury, L; and
the burden, B;
> liability depends upon whether B is less than L
multiplied by
> P: i.e., whether B is less than PL."
> United States v. Carroll Towing  (159 F.2d 169 [2d
Cir. 1947]
>
=======================================================
========
> CEO/DIR. Internet Network Eng. SR. Eng. Network data
security
> Information Network Eng. Group. INEG. INC.
> E-Mail jwkckid1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Contact Number: 214-244-4827 or 214-244-3801
>
>