<P>Robert</P>
<P>If I understand your message the WSIS is a very "flexible" process since it depends on CS contributions to open it or close it for its participation. </P>
<P>Well, but what are the criteria ? And where is transparency ? I guess our CS MSP freaks will quickly answer these questions. </P>
<P>BTW : CS participated rather regularly during WSIS Phase 1 (the Paris Meeting was particularly inclusive for us).</P>
<P>Jean-Louis Fullsack</P>
<P>CSDPTT<BR><BR><BR><BR></P>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #ff0000 2px solid">> Message du 24/06/05 17:43<BR>> De : "Robert Guerra [c]" <RGUERRA@LISTS.PRIVATERRA.ORG><BR>> A : plenary@wsis-cs.org<BR>> Copie à : <BR>> Objet : Re: [WSIS CS-Plenary] Next GFC Meetings [u]<BR>> <BR>> A couple of comments:<BR>> <BR>> 1. that the meetings are starting to be closed - isn't new. It also <BR>> happened during the Geneva phase before PC3 and the summit. civil <BR>> society at that time had someone on the inside , as there was a youth <BR>> caucus member working in the WSIS Executive secretariat.<BR>> <BR>> The ITU was, and i think is still - open to having a civil society <BR>> person in the executive secretariat. However, this time - the opening <BR>> on the inside has not been advantage off. I asked a week or so ago if <BR>> the new CONGO @ WSIS staff had any status with the WSIS ES - and was <BR>> told that no arrangement is in place, and that they are operating @ <BR>> CONGO and not @ the ITU.<BR>> <BR>> Consequently, the only "civil society" representative working @ the <BR>> Executive secretariat is Moncef Achur .(he is from Tunisia). he <BR>> isn't active on the CS lists, but is in touch with our Geneva based <BR>> colleagues. From what i've been told, he's quite surprised as well <BR>> that CS seems to have been no longer permitted to enter the GFC <BR>> meetings.<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> 2. I would be interested to know what the reasons, could have lead to <BR>> this change...<BR>> <BR>> Reading over the notes from the last GFC meeting it seems that the <BR>> Civil society participants where the only ones speaking. Where the <BR>> points raised constructive? was the meeting agenda enhanced by CS <BR>> participation, or was it disrupted by CS. It is hard to tell , as <BR>> the comments that came form the meeting didn't include a political <BR>> analysis of HOW the interventions were being received and what was <BR>> occurring in the "informal" discussions"<BR>> <BR>> Was something said or done by one of the CS actors at the meeting <BR>> that upset one or more of the GFC members? Something we need to know <BR>> - as those wanting to close the meeting may , or may not be who we <BR>> think they are. Definitely more information is needed.<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> In the meantime, i would suggest - PrepCom present is contacted, as <BR>> well as friendly governments to see what the reasons are.<BR>> <BR>> regards<BR>> <BR>> Roibert<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> --<BR>> Robert Guerra <RGUERRA@PRIVATERRA.ORG><BR>> Managing Director, Privaterra <HTTP: www.privaterra.org><BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> On 24-Jun-05, at 11:12 AM, Ralf Bendrath wrote:<BR>> <BR>> > Hi Philippe,<BR>> ><BR>> > thanks for passing this news.<BR>> ><BR>> > As this is pretty unusual (I don't want to talk about a scandal yet):<BR>> ><BR>> > Did they give any resons for this or at least tried to excuse this <BR>> > behaviour?<BR>> ><BR>> ><BR>> >> In spite of what was proposed by President Karklins, during the <BR>> >> GFC Informal Consultation (13 June), the WSIS Bureau decided *not <BR>> >> to invite Civil Society observers to attend the next GFC meetings* <BR>> >> (27 June, 4 July and 11 July 2005).<BR>> >> These meetings will be open to representatives of GFC Members and <BR>> >> observers from governments *ONLY*.<BR>> >><BR>> ><BR>> > Thanks, Ralf<BR>> > _______________________________________________<BR>> > Plenary mailing list<BR>> > Plenary@wsis-cs.org<BR>> > http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/plenary<BR>> ><BR>> ><BR>> <BR>> _______________________________________________<BR>> Plenary mailing list<BR>> Plenary@wsis-cs.org<BR>> http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/plenary<BR>> <BR>> </BLOCKQUOTE>