[governance] Re: GA 2nd Committee expected to adopt text on

[Milton L Mueller]

I had the same reaction to this resolution as Meryem. Indeed, I could barely make it through to the part about IGF the resolution was so full of bloated rhetoric, for which I have very little patience. While I found the language in the resolution objectionable for the same reasons as Meryem, I must confess I did not take it all that seriously, viewing it as typical UN blah-blah.  

--MM

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Meryem Marzouki [mailto:meryem at marzouki.info]
> Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2010 9:28 AM
> To: governance at lists.cpsr.org
> Subject: Re: [governance] Re: GA 2nd Committee expected to adopt text on
> November 30
> 
> Thanks Stephanie for the text and a big thank to Izumi for keeping us
> informed in details! Regarding the resolution to be adopted, I think
> we should have a closer look at its entirety, not only at the
> provisions of IGF extension. And, inter alia, what I read from the
> 3rd paragraph of the resolution is really worrying:
> 
> "Noting that cultural diversity is the common heritage of humankind
> and that the information society should be founded on and stimulate
> respect for cultural identity, cultural and linguistic diversity,
> traditions and religions, and foster dialogue among cultures and
> civilizations, and noting also that the promotion, affirmation and
> preservation of diverse cultural identities and languages as
> reflected in relevant agreed United Nations documents, including the
> Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity of the United Nations
> Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, will further
> enrich the information society"
> 
> The mention of "traditions and religions" is particularly concerning
> here. As is the lack of *any* mention of rights or freedoms.
> 
> I'm wondering what others think of the implications of this
> provision, and the general vision conveyed by this resolution?
> 
> Best,
> Meryem
> 
> --
> Meryem Marzouki - Paris, France
> Email: meryem at marzouki.info
> Lab. LIP6/CNRS/UPMC - www-polytic.lip6.fr
> IRIS (Imaginons un réseau Internet solidaire) - www.iris.sgdg.org
> EDRI (European Digital Rights) - www.edri.org
> 
> 
> Le 24 nov. 10 à 10:46, Izumi AIZU a écrit :
> 
> > Texts on the IGF extension from the PDF:
> >
> > 17. Decides to extend the mandate of the Internet Governance Forum for
> > a further five years, and in this regard, invites the
> > Secretary-General to continue with the convening of the Internet
> > Governance Forum for a multi-stakeholder policy dialogue on Internet
> > governance issues according to its mandate as set out in paragraph 72
> > of the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society,12 while recognizing
> > at the same time the need to improve it with a view to  linking it to
> > the broader dialogue on global internet governance;
> >
> >  18. Welcomes the decision by ECOSOC in paragraph 30 of E/2010/2 to
> > invite the Chair of the Commission on Science and Technology for
> > Development to establish, in an open and inclusive manner, a working
> > group which would seek, compile and review inputs from all Member
> > States and all other stakeholders on improvements to the Internet
> > Governance Forum, in line with the mandate set out in the Tunis
> > Agenda13, and which would submit a report to the Commission at its
> > fourteenth session, in 2011, with recommendations, as appropriate,
> > that would constitute an input by the Commission to the General
> > Assembly, through the Economic and Social Council;
> >
> >  19. Stresses that the consideration of IGF improvements should be
> > based on the inputs to be provided to the working group by all Member
> > States and all other stakeholders, including those comments received
> > during the online consultation and the consultation undertaken by the
> > Under Secretary General in the fourth meeting of the IGF held in Sharm
> > El-Sheikh, Egypt in November 2009 with particular consideration of,
> > inter
> > alia, enhancing participation from developing countries, exploring
> > further voluntary options for IGF financing and improving the
> > preparation process modalities, and the work and the functioning of
> > the Secretariat;
> >
> > 20. Also decides that the desirability of continuation of the Internet
> > Governance Forum be considered again by Member States at the General
> > Assembly within the context of a ten-year review of implementation of
> > the outcome of the World Summit on the Information Society in 2015;
> >
> > 21. Stresses the need for the enhanced participation of developing
> > countries, in particular from least developed countries, in all the
> > Internet Governance Forum meetings, and in this regard invites member
> > states as well as other  stakeholders to support the participation of
> > Governments and other stakeholders from developing countries to the
> > Forum itself as well as the preparatory meetings;
> >
> >  22. Welcomes the decision by ECOSOC in paragraph 24 of E/2010/2 to
> > invite the Secretary-General to convene open and inclusive
> > consultations involving all Member States and all other stakeholders
> > with a view to assisting the process towards enhanced cooperation in
> > order to enable Governments on an equal footing to carry out their
> > roles and responsibilities in respect of international public policy
> > issues pertaining to the Internet, but not of the day-to-day technical
> > and operational matters that do not impact upon those issues, through
> > balanced participation of all stakeholders, especially developing
> > countries, in their respective roles and responsibilities, as stated
> > in paragraph 35 of the Tunis Agenda14, and requests the
> > Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly for consideration
> > at its sixty- sixth session, through the Economic and Social Council,
> > a report on the outcome of these consultations and takes note of the
> > invitations circulated by the USG to
> > participate in the open consultations on enhanced cooperation on
> > international public policy issues pertaining to the internet;
> > -----
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