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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>This morning, we had a briefing with the Chair
of the WSISII Prepcom. This briefing will be daily from
9:15-10:00. We were told that it was a close meeting. Nevertheless
some of us were able enter the gallery. However, this afternoon,
when we were about to go to the gallery, we were told by the person responsible
for checking entry that we were now allowed to enter the main room.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We also had a briefing from the ( U.K) and the
Netherlands on behalf of the European Union. This will also take place
daily after the session 6:00 p.m.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I attended the whole morning session and part
of the afternoon one. Philippe Dam reported on these..</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The Chair announced that tomorrow he will start
first with the discussion of Chapter 2 and then proceed with what the rest of
the Chapeau and what was pending agreement on the
Chapeau. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I wish to provide my own
general comments on what I felt were issues that
were contentious. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The first one was on Para. 4. To find a
balance between "freedom ôf expression" and freedom of the
media. Onthe phrase of the text "editorially independent media in the
information society". China asked the iquestion "what is the
"media" and proposed to delete it. The Chair recalled that the media was
discussed at great length in the Geneva Phase and is in the Geneva Declaration
of Principles.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Para. 9 on leading role of governments in
patnership with other stakeholders, the Chair after listening to the many
comments, took note that many wanted to see that governments play a leading
role. In line with this, the Chair proposed the following rewording,
"We reaffirm the role of each stakeholder as outlined in Para.3 of the Geneva
POA. Egypt wanted to insert after "role" the phrase "and responsibility",
which the Chair felt was a good proposal and will incorporate it in the text to
be submitted tomorrow.. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>On the proposal of the Chair to delete
Paras3-5, Norway made a long statement to support keeping para4
this on grounds that a knowledge-based society is recognized as being the
key to development, which was endorsed by U.S., Egypt, Canada.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Paras 32 and 33 on the issue of trade, the Chair
wanted to delete all parasm referring to this as being outside the purview of
WSIS. However, Honduras (G77) and Egypt expressed that
there was a tight relationship between Trade and Development and ICT and many
paras were in fact found in the Geneva text.. Canada was of the view
that the first sentence of para 32 was certainly not for the Group to
negotiate since comprehensive financial strategy that covers debt sustainability
as it was within the mandate of the Finance Ministry. It was howevere
prepared to agree to 32 and 33 without this first sentence. U.S.was
prepared to look at 33..</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Paras 34 and 35, Thailand wanted to make certain
that cultural diversity be kept. Egypt mentioned that UNESCO just adopted
a Convention on Cultural Diversity which should be relected here as regards
promotion and protetion of cultural diversity. Mexico wanted to insert
"indigenous language and the U.S. and Norway agreed that indigenous and cultural
diversity should be in the language of the document. The Chair at
this late hour of the evening plead for flexibility on the part of Thailand and
U.S. to accept 34.and delete 35 incorporating in 34 the two concepts of
indigenous.and culotural divdersity.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The session ended at this point.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Conchita</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> <FONT face=Arial size=2> .
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