[governance] on Observers at MAG meeting

[Roland Perry]

In message <4D67653A.6070707 at wzb.eu>, at 09:15:54 on Fri, 25 Feb 2011, 
Jeanette Hofmann <jeanette at wzb.eu> writes

>Anriette is also right about the very good coordination of all 
>ISOC-related members. We have noticed this many times, also on this 
>list.

For several of the people involved, performing (and then delivering) 
that co-ordination role is their full-time job.

>Civil society cannot compete in this respect, neither can governments 
>btw.

But that's also the case for plenty of the government officials. To such 
an extent that many require a small team following different aspects (eg 
different people doing IGF, or ICANN or ITU).

>CS and governments have the same problem: we simply do not agree to the 
>extent that ISOC folks do.

The EU comprises a diverse set of governments, who don't always agree. 
However, for Internet Governance issues they meet together and agree a 
common position, which is then communicated at meetings such as these, 
by the country holding the Presidency.

(I wonder why they didn't this week, it would have been Hungary's turn. 
Traditionally they'd be called upon very early in the day to set the 
scene from a government perspective. According to the transcripts 
Hungary only spoke towards the end of the afternoon and for a Dynamic 
Coalition and not the EU).

> We disagree not only in terms of substance,

And the "ISOC folks" don't always agree, but the internal debates are 
held elsewhere (and for RIRs something akin to the common position and 
the rotating spokesperson emerges; that's one of the NRO's roles).

>we also disagree in terms of political style. The latter might even be 
>more divisive.

Disagreeing with one another in public can have that effect. I have no 
instant solution though, especially one that's devoid of funding issues.
-- 
Roland Perry
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