<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-US">The following statement includes minor changes as requested during discussion. We should now have consensus on the following statement on The Way Forward. Please
indicate YES or NO in response as soon as possible. Thanks! Ginger<br></span></p><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p dir="ltr"><br><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-US"></span><span lang="EN-US"></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-US">STATEMENT</span><span lang="EN-US"><br>
<br>
The Internet Governance Caucus supports "Internet Rights and
Principles" as a major theme for IGF-4 in Egypt. This should lead to discourse at the IGF meetings
moving towards the definition and clarification of rights in relation to
the Internet, and how they relate to pre-existing definitions of human
rights. It also includes a space for discussions about the responsibilities
of all parties.<br>
<br>
The concept of "rights" continues to stress the importance of
openness and universal access. This framework will continue to emphasize the significant
themes of access to knowledge and development, while adding the important
issues of basic user rights and control to access, content and applications of
their choice, in keeping with current international debates regarding an
"open Internet" and relevant aspects of the often confusing network
neutrality discussions.<br>
<br>
The inclusion of "principles" allows for wide discussion of the
responsibilities that the different stakeholders have to each other.
It allows for open examination of the principles that should govern the Internet, particularly in its
commercial facets.<br>
<br>
Within the mandate of the IGF and in support of strengthening this<br>
multistakeholder process, we ask that the IGF Secretariat continue and<br>
expand the use of Remote Participation as a tool for attendance at the IGF<br>
2009 in Egypt as a proven method to include new voices. To that end, we<br>
recommend that the Secretariat recognize the Remote Participation Working<br>
Group as a collaborating organization for the RP at the IGF 2009, especially<br>
in the area of Hub participation, and facilitate the use of the RP resources<br>
from the first planning stages for this 4th meeting.</span></p>