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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoPlainText><span lang=EN-CA>Would there be any disagreement with a post-WCIT signon letter updating and re-contextualizing (post-WCIT) the BestBits statement?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span lang=EN-CA><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><b><span lang=EN-CA>Statement of civil society members and groups participating in the “Best Bits” pre-IGF meeting at Baku in 2012<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span lang=EN-CA><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA>We thank the Secretariat of the ITU for making the opportunity to submit our views.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA>Nevertheless, the process of the revision of the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs) has not been sufficiently inclusive and transparent, despite some recent efforts to facilitate public participation. Fundamental to the framing of public policy must be the pursuit of the public interest and fundamental human rights, and we urge Member States to uphold and protect these values.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA>We as civil society organizations wish to engage with the World Conference on International Telecommunication (WCIT) process in this spirit. Member States, in most cases, have not held open, broad-based, public consultations in the lead up to the WCIT, nor have they indicated such a process for the WCIT itself.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA>In order to address this deficiency, and at a minimum, we would urge:<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA> All Member States and regional groups to make their proposals available to the public in sufficient time to allow for meaningful public participation;<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA> All delegates to support proposals to open sessions of the WCIT meeting to the public;<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA> The ITU Secretariat to increase transparency of the WCIT including live webcast with the video, audio, and text transcripts, as far as possible, to enable participation by all, including persons with disabilities;<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA> The ITU Secretariat, Member States, and regional groups to make as much documentation publicly available as possible on the ITU’s website, so that civil society can provide substantive input on proposals as they are made available;<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA> Member States to encourage and facilitate civil society participation in their national delegations;<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA> The ITU to create spaces during the WCIT for civil society to express their views, as was done during the WSIS process.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA>Given the uncertainty about the nature of final proposals that will be presented, we urge delegates that the following criteria be applied to any proposed revisions of the ITRs:<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA> That any proposed revisions are confined to the traditional scope of the ITRs, where international regulation is required around technical issues is limited to telecommunications networks and interoperability standards.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA> There should be no revisions to the ITRs that involve regulation of the Internet Protocol and the layers above.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA> There should be no revisions that could have a negative impact on affordable access to the Internet or the public’s rights to privacy and freedom of expression.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><i><span lang=EN-CA>More generally we call upon the ITU to promote principles of net neutrality, open standards, affordable access and universal service, and effective competition.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span lang=EN-CA><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoPlainText><span lang=EN-CA> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>