AW: [governance] Internet G8 meeting

[Jeremy Malcolm]

Here's another consolidated draft, with all the generally-agreed changes
suggested so far.  As suggested, we'll also have a tweaked version of
this with a catchy headline as a press release, and for translating into
French.

--- begins ---

Basic courtesy stuff.....

We understand that the French Presidency of the G8 proposes to hold a G8
Internet meeting, immediately prior to the G8 Summit in ........, with a
view to prepare or influence the agenda for the G8 Summit regarding key
global Internet issues. We also understand that many heads of states of
G 8 countries are expected to attend this meeting. The meeting is
especially important since in the past G 8 has set up the global agenda
on many key issues, especially in the information society arena.

We are very concerned about the manner in which the G 8 Internet meeting
is being organised which is ignoring current best practice in public
policy making. It also jettisons the principle of multistakeholder
participation that has evolved globally, especially in the area of
Internet governance. It appears that the G8 meeting is organized by
large Industry with access given only to industry and government
actors.  We have also understood that there is a linkage between
donations and invitations.

Big businesses already have a disproportionately large influence on
public policy processes. For governments to sanction a dedicated meeting
with top G8 leaders and officials to plan the global agenda for Internet
related policies is inappropriate. What is required is a discussion that
includes civil society actors, who will bring to the table the concerns
of global public interest derived from a diversity of people's, of many
sections of society, interests and
concerns.

It is also pertinent to state here that since the Internet is
essentially a global phenomenon, policies framed together by the most
powerful nations, quite likely, will become the default global norm.
This is most true for architectural and economic issues, while the
global impact on other areas will also be substantial. It is therefore
appropriate that G 8 countries engage with the same, and other issues,
of Internet policies at the more democratic global forums where all
countries are present at an equal footing. In this connection, there is
the World Summit on the Information Society mandated set of processes
for dealing with pressing global Internet related issues.
Multistakeholder participation is an important part of these global IG
related processes. We see the proposed G 8 Interent meeting a
significant step backwards both for global democracy and for
multistakeholder participation.

The issues we face with internet governance and internet developments
are global in nature, and adequate solutions to the problems we face
will need to involve all countries, as well as a wide range of business,
civil society and technical interests.

We therefore request you, and other G 8 leaders, to make the proposed G
8 Internet meeting genuinely multistakeholder, following the model of
the UN IGF. We are impressed with the solid support provided by the G 8
countries for upholding a multistakeholder model for the IGF. The strong
support that many G8 countries, including your own, have shown for full
multistakeholder participation makes this current decision to limit
discussion to vested interests of governments' industry partners is
baffling and is unacceptable to many of the users of the Internet.

closing and salutations.....

--- ends ---

I'd like to go to a consensus call on this 48 hours from now if possible.

-- 

*Dr Jeremy Malcolm
Project Coordinator*
Consumers International
Kuala Lumpur Office for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East
Lot 5-1 Wisma WIM, 7 Jalan Abang Haji Openg, TTDI, 60000 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
Tel: +60 3 7726 1599

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