----- Original Message ----- From: <shears@isoc.org> To: <chapter-delegates@elists.isoc.org> Sent: Monday, November 14, 2005 1:57 PM Subject: [Chapter-delegates] Update from WSIS PrepCom in Tunis

Dear all,

Please find below a report on the highlights from

yesterday's sessions in

Tunis.

Should you have questions, comments, don't hesitate. Also please share any insights, intelligence.

And if you are at WSIS, don't forget to come by the Internet Pavilion.

Best,

Matthew

--------------------------------------------------------------

PrepCom 3 Resumed in Tunis, 13 November 2005.

Sub-Committee A on Internet Governance

After brief opening comments, the session moved

Sub-Committee A, picking up where the discussion had left off in Geneva. Opening statements from the CCBI and the Chinese delegation left no doubt in the minds of others present that the diversity of views had not lessened since Geneva. As was to be expected, a number of countries talked about, inter alia, a role for the UN, either with regarding the Forum or oversight mechanisms, the need for recognition of the legitimate concerns of governments regarding ccTLDs, while others called for safeguarding the security and stability of the Internet.

After an hour of general statements the Chair took

room by summarizing the debate at that point. He noted that the group worked on a basis of consensus and that they only had some 13 hours of negotiating time left. He noted the polarized range of views and used this to focus on the common ground, seeking to move forward in that area. A number of delegations agreed with this approach going forward and the Chair asked Canada and a smaller group of countries to work up a list of consensus areas. During the Canadian-led discussion

agreement on the need for some sort of a Forum function, among others, BUT this was qualified by recognition that the agreement was subject to further discussion and reaching agreement on its mandate.

Sub-Committee B on the Political Chapeau, Financial Mechanisms and Implementation and Follow-up (thanks to Sebastian Ricciardi from the ISOC Argentinean chapter for his report).

While not as contentious perhaps as the discussion on Internet governance, and with text closer to finalization, discussion in Subcommittee B revolved around a cluster of sensitive issues: human rights, freedom of expression and sovereignty. Recognizing the

straight into the temperature of the there was general diversity of views on these

issues, Iran and Norway were asked to enter into informal consultations and come up with a language for read-out the following day.

Discussion of other complicated and wide-ranging issues such as the gender divide, corporate responsibility of transnational corporations and assistance to children followed, although in the latter case it was not possible to address them in any specificity. Another area of controversy related to technology transfer with suggestions that "preferential terms" should be used in international documents - the United States, among others, said that most technology transfer is done by the private sector and that they should determine the terms under which such transfers should be undertaken.

As to implementation of WSIS follow-up, two schools of thought became apparent regarding detailing the stakeholders who would undertake such follow-up. The group that proposes a full listing of involved parties and their respective roles - largely UN/ITU and other intergovernmental organizations - one the one hand, and the group that wishes to be less prescriptive and more flexible as to how does what on the other. Concerns related to multi-stakeholder participation were also raised in this context, with a focus on not prejudging who might implement that follow-up.

Finally, there was agreement for the need for a World Information Society Day, date to be decided.

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