null
Lucia A Keegan  11/17/2006 11:17:27 AM  From  DB/Inbox:  Lucia A Keegan

Cable 
Text:                                                                      
                                                                           
      
UNCLAS    SENSITIVE     PARIS 07358

SIPDIS
cxparis:
    ACTION: SCI
    INFO:   DCM POL LABO ENGO ECSO AGR UNESCO AMBO SCIO AMB
            ECON ESCI

DISSEMINATION: SCIX
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: ESTH RDRY/ECON SDWYE
DRAFTED: ECON: HSULLIVAN; EST
CLEARED: CLEAR: USOECD: JMALLORY

VZCZCFRI245
RR RUEHC RUCNDT RUEHGV RUEHZN
DE RUEHFR #7358/01 3171627
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131627Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY PARIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3066
RUCNDT/USUN NEW YORK
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2524
RUEHZN/EST COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 PARIS 007358 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR IO/EDA, OES, EB/CIP, EUR/WE 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: ECPS TINT KWWW PREL FR
SUBJECT: CSTD PARIS PANEL MEETING ON WSIS OUTCOME PRODUCES GUIDANCE 
DOCUMENT 
 
NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary: The November 6-8, 2006 Paris Panel Meeting of the 
UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) Panel 
Meeting on WSIS outcome "Promoting the building of people-centered, 
development-oriented, and inclusive information society, with a view 
to enhancing digital opportunities for all people" did not raise 
significant 'red flags' for the U.S., with the exception of Brazil's 
occasional assertions that the Committee should address "internet 
governance."  On the margins of the meeting, U.S. officers who 
attended as observers reminded Commission leadership and staff that 
internet governance issues were not appropriate subjects for the 
Panel Meeting, and Commission leadership agreed.  Some participants 
(e.g., Brazil, Germany) were clearly taking directions from their 
capitals while others (e.g., Ethiopia) appeared little aware at the 
beginning of the meeting why the Commission was focusing on the 
Information Society.  In general, however, delegates came 
well-informed and engaged in the discussions.  Commission leadership 
appreciated the presence of U.S. officers as observers.  The Panel 
produced a document -- still subject to minor language editing 
changes -- in response to ECOSOC's resolution 2006/46, which had 
requested the Commission's review of this WSIS outcome.  The 
document is produced in full at para. 15, below.  End Summary. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
Information Society - People-centered and Inclusive 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U)  The UNCTAD-provided Secretariat began the three-day meeting 
by explaining the purposes for the Commission's Panel Meeting and 
defining the concept of a people-centered, development-oriented and 
inclusive information society as a framework for development.  The 
Secretariat provided a chart showing the differences of internet 
 
SIPDIS 
penetration in various continents and also on the varying rates of 
growth.  The Secretariat noted that in Africa, although internet 
penetration in 2005 was only 3.6 percent, over the decade 1995-2005, 
internet use grew by 600%.  The Secretariat noted that governments 
should focus on a people-centered, development-oriented, inclusive 
Information Society, consistent with WSIS decisions.  Inclusive 
means that all stakeholders should participate, with benefits and 
opportunities available to all.  The purpose of the Information 
Society is to improve the quality of life for consumers, the 
Secretariat continued.  Various stakeholders have different roles. 
 
SIPDIS 
The government should develop national e-strategies, create an 
investment-friendly environment, deregulate, privatize, and 
liberalize the telecommunications sector.  The private sector will 
develop and finance the internet and its infrastructure.  Civil 
society will focus on local issues, while international 
organizations will help implement the WSIS. 
 
¶3. (U)  According to the Secretariat, the main obstacles to 
narrowing the digital divide are: 
 
- The high cost of telecommunications for the poor in developing 
countries; 
 
- Lack of human resources to develop the information infrastructure 
exacerbated by a brain drain of qualified personnel; 
 
- Lack of local content, which limits its usefulness to poor, rural 
populations. 
 
¶4. (SBU) In the ensuing discussion session, Charles Geiger, WSIS 
Executive Director from 2003 to 2005, commented substantively that 
governments should not try to control the direction of technology or 
internet growth since the technology was moving faster than 
governments could grasp developments.  For example, he suggested, 
the growth in mobile telephony occurred organically, not as a result 
of WSIS outcomes.  However, governments should use information 
communication technology (ICT) in the health sector, to promote 
transparent government (e-government), and improve distance 
learning.  These measures would promote social development, 
according to Geiger. 
 
¶5. (U) The Greek delegate said that he was surprised that in some of 
the examples of countries discussed that mobile telephony 
penetration surpassed that of fixed line.  Geiger replied that, in 
many areas of the developing world, mobile penetration is greater 
because of the lack of protection, as in the wireline world.  He 
noted that in India, one might have to wait seven years for a 
wireline telephone, but consumers could get mobile phones in 24 
hours.  Additionally, the decrease in mobile phone rates have made 
them more affordable than fixed line telephones in many areas. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
Brazil Opposes a Focus on Investment; CSTD Demurs 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶6. (SBU) The Brazil representative thought that CSTD should focus on 
decentralization.  If governments tried to plan too much, they would 
not succeed because technology evolves faster than governments can 
plan.  Second, the Commission should downplay the role of foreign 
investment since the primary development should be at the community 
level.  Brazil, he commented, had 90 percent television penetration, 
while the internet had only reached 13 percent.  To wait for this 
percentage to slowly increase would be slower than the switch to 
digital TV, which would allow for interaction between the two 
systems.  He also emphasized that free and open source software 
helps to reduce costs, particularly in e-government.  No one else 
took up these points, except that Sudan expressed interest in the 
technology permitting greater interactivity with television systems. 
 Geiger emphasized that UNCTAD was not the WTO (implying that Brazil 
should not bring its GATS telecom mode 3 agenda into this forum.) 
 
------------------------------ 
CSTD Reviews WSIS Action Items 
------------------------------ 
 
¶7. (U) In a subsequent intervention, Geiger ran through the eleven 
action items from the Geneva WSIS Summit, reviewing which 
organizations were responsible for follow-up on each action item. 
He noted that the UN Group on Information Society (UNGIS) was 
created on July 14, 2006 to coordinate implementation of WSIS.  Its 
effectiveness would be proportionate to the extent that responsible 
UN agencies (primarily the ITU, UNDP, and UNESCO) provided it input, 
he suggested.  On April 17, 2006, the Global Alliance for 
Information and Communication Technology formed to provide private 
sector and civil society input into the CSTD's work.  Likewise, 
according to Geiger, the UNDP and the World Bank ought to be engaged 
with the CSTD's work so that its recommendations could be filtered 
into organizations that had financing capabilities. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Brazil responded by noting that the CSTD's role is to 
review and assess implementation of WSIS, not implementation itself. 
 However, to do so effectively, the CSTD needed to have better 
feedback on what the various UN agencies were doing to implement the 
WSIS outcomes.  Furthermore, the eleven action items from the Geneva 
conference should not be the sole scope of coverage since limiting 
its work to those would ignore the outcomes from the second WSIS 
Summit in Tunis.  Geiger agreed.  He noted that Brazil's position on 
internet governance "has always been very strong," but questioned 
the extent that the CSTD could effectively work on all WSIS issues. 
 
 
¶9. (SBU) The Romanian delegate suggested that CSTD create five 
parallel groups that would focus on implementation of the various 
recommendations.  Turkey noted that the recommendations were not 
mutually exclusive. 
 
------------------------------------- 
Summary of Individual Country Reports 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) Commission members gave a number of reports regarding the 
state of the information society in their respective countries.  The 
German representative presented on a study that the GOG performed 
for the German Parliament on internet usage in Sub-Saharan African 
educational institutions.  It concluded, inter alia, that the 
internet could not solve many of the problems that African 
educational institutions faced such as large class sizes, poor 
salaries for teachers, and lack of funding.  However, it could, for 
example, spur joint programs between various institutions to share 
ideas about curriculum development. 
 
¶11. (U) The Lesotho representative gave a brief presentation about 
efforts it is undertaking to provide an environment conducive to 
building an information society involving, for example, new 
telecommunications laws.  Lesotho said that it would need 
multilateral assistance to achieve its goals.  Sudan presented its 
experiences, noting that internet only exists in big cities and 
towns, while 75 percent of the population lives in rural areas. 
Sudan uses solar energy to power its ICT in rural areas.  It has 
placed emphasis on connecting its universities and polytechnic 
institutions.  Sudan plans to establish a science park managed by 
specialized professionals to stimulate and manage the flow of 
knowledge and technology among universities, R&D institutions, 
companies and markets.  It also aims to facilitate the creation and 
growth of innovation-based companies through incubation, spin-off 
processes, and provision of other value-added services.  Sudan did a 
feasibility study on whether its science park could attract foreign 
and private sector investment.  The science park will cost USD 500 
million.  Phase One would cost USD 150 million, which a large Arab 
Gulf country has already provided.  This sum will finance, inter 
alia, communications and fiber optics requirements. 
 
¶12. (SBU) The Brazilian representative said that 97.2 percent of 
households have electricity, but, in the Amazon region, the 
percentage of households with electricity is much lower.  The 
percentage of the population with access to the internet is also not 
evenly distributed, but in no area is it over 30 percent except for 
Brazilia.  Brazil therefore has planned to introduce digital TV with 
the possibility of interactivity.  Through a remote control system, 
Brazilians can access TV on demand.  This is an opportunity for 
digital inclusion since internet reaches so few people and will take 
a long time to grow organically.  Brazil noted that the elements for 
a roadmap for digital inclusion included: noting countries' 
experience; promoting democratic governance based on transparency, 
accountability, and participation; infrastructure according to 
community interest; commitment to local development; the promotion 
of e-government; and the usefulness of free, open source software. 
The role for ECOSOC and CSTD should be to coordinate public policy 
issues at the international level and internet governance, according 
to the Brazilian representative. 
 
¶13. (U) The Moroccan representative discussed various initiatives 
the government was taking to promote connectivity in its educational 
system. She also mentioned the Casablanca Technopark, which boasts 
140 ICT companies with 750 permanent job positions. 
 
¶14. (U) Geiger, Hamdi, the delegates from Brazil, Chile, the GAID, 
and another NGO met following closure of the second day to propose 
how the instant CSTD Panel Meeting should make recommendations for 
the benefit of the tenth session of the CSTD, to be held in May 
¶2007.  That group prepared a document which was accepted - subject 
to minor revisions (yet to be included in the draft) on the 
following day.  The document, read by the Chilean delegate is as 
follows: 
 
---------------------------- 
CSTD Recommendation Document 
---------------------------- 
 
¶15. (U) The text of the 'Recommendation' document produced by the 
special CSTD Panel Meeting held in Paris, November 6-8, 2006 to 
provide guidance to the CSTD's Tenth Session to be held in May 2007 
follows.  Begin text: 
 
"The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) adopted a vision 
of a people-centered, development-oriented, and inclusive 
information society, with the view to creating digital opportunities 
for all people.  The Tunis Agenda for the Information Society, 
adopted in 2005 by the WSIS and endorsed by General Assembly 
Resolution 60/252, requests the Council to oversee the system-wide 
follow-up of the Geneva and Tunis outcomes of the Summit, and to 
that end, requests the Council, at its substantive session of 2006, 
to review the mandate, agenda and composition of the Commission on 
Science and Technology for Development, including considering 
strengthening the Commission, taking into account the 
multi-stakeholder approach, 
 
In this regard, the ECOSOC Resolution 2006/46 requests the 
Commission to review and assess the progress made in implementing 
the outcomes of the Summit and advise the Council thereon, including 
through the elaboration of recommendations to the Council aimed at 
furthering the implementation of the Summit outcomes, and that to 
that end, the Commission shall: 
 
-- review and assess progress at the international and regional 
levels in the implementation of Action Lines, recommendations and 
commitments contained in the outcome documents of WSIS; 
 
-- share best and effective practices and lessons learned, and 
identify obstacles and constraints encountered, actions and 
initiatives to overcome them and important measures for further 
implementation of WSIS outcomes; 
 
-- promote dialogue and foster partnerships in coordination with 
other appropriate UN funds, programs and specialized agencies to 
contribute to the attainment of the WSIS objectives and 
implementation of its outcomes, to use ICT for development and the 
achievement of internationally agreed development goals, with the 
participation of governments, the private sector, civil society, and 
the UN and other international organizations according to their 
different roles and responsibilities; 
 
Bearing in mind that the comprehensive review by the GA of WSIS will 
take place in 2015, and the ECOSOC requested that in its next 
session the Commission shall develop a multiyear work program, the 
Panel takes note of the issues paper presented by the Secretariat, 
and after considering this matter requests the Secretariat to make 
consultations with relevant stakeholders and to present to the 
Commission a draft program of work that should be flexible and 
inclusive. 
 
In order for the ECOSOC, through CSTD, to carry out its mandate of 
overseeing system-wide follow up of the WSIS effectively, it will 
require that the Commission has an effective interface with all 
agencies and mechanisms that are tasked with implementation of WSIS 
outcomes and other post-WSIS activities. 
 
In this regard, the Panel proposes the following: 
 
Multi-year work program and methods of work: 
 
The Panel requests the UNCTAD Secretariat to prepare a Note for 
consideration at the Tenth Session, which contains proposals for a 
multi-year work program of the Commission and new methods of work. 
This Note should take into account the timeframe for the 
comprehensive review, as well as the clustering and sequencing of 
thematic issues from WSIS outcome documents.  The work program 
should adequately address the thematic concerns of WSIS, but also be 
flexible enough to accommodate any future need for adjustment, in 
view of the fast pace of technological development.  To gather 
inputs on the work program, the Secretariat will carry out informal, 
open-ended consultations before February 2007, with a wide range of 
stakeholders.  These consultations could be scheduled back-to-back 
with meetings of action line facilitators and moderators. 
 
The Note should also elaborate on new methods of work of the 
Commission, including through interactive dialogues during its 
annual session, with the active participation of action line 
facilitators, and other agencies and mechanisms involved with the 
implementation of WSIS outcomes.  Additionally, the Note should 
propose concrete ways to explore development-friendly and innovative 
use of electronic media, drawing upon existing online databases on 
best practices, partnership projects and initiatives, as well as 
other collaborative electronic platforms, which would allow all 
stakeholders to contribute to follow up efforts, share information, 
learning from the experience of others and explore opportunities for 
partnerships. 
 
Since WSIS implementation constitutes ongoing activities over a wide 
area, which will be fast evolving, the Commission may have a wide 
range of topics to examine every year.  The Panel suggests that the 
Commission could invite the facilitators of action lines, and other 
agencies and mechanisms involved in implementation of WSIS, as well 
as members of other stakeholder groups, to participate in its annual 
session. 
 
The Panel also proposes that the Commission at its Tenth Session in 
May 2007 requests the United Nations system entities, including the 
regional commissions, engaged in the implementation of the Geneva 
and Tunis outcomes of the World Summit for the Information Society 
to collaborate closely with the Commission on Science and Technology 
for Development by providing it with periodic reports on the 
progress made in the implementation of the main themes and Action 
Lines of the World Summit for the Information Society, with a view 
to enabling the Commission to monitor, review and appraise progress 
achieved and problems encountered in the implementation, and to 
advise the Council thereon."  End text of document. 
 
------------------------------ 
CSTD leadership and commentary 
------------------------------ 
 
¶16. (SBU) Below are the CSTD leaders, who guided the discussion 
during the meeting: 
 
Chairman - Stefan Moravek, former Slovak Ambassador to South Korea 
and Kenya.  Aware of U.S. positions and 'red lines.'  Would welcome 
a U.S. return to the Commission. 
 
Vice President - Dr. Arnoldo K. Ventura, Special Adviser to the 
Prime Minister on Science and Technology, Jamaica. 
 
Executive Director - Charles Geiger.  Knows the WSIS 'inside out' 
having participated in both the Geneva and Tunis WSIS Summits.  Also 
aware of USG sensitivities regarding internet governance, and worked 
to assure this item remained "off the agenda."  He would like to see 
the U.S. become more involved in the work of the Commission. 
 
Secretariat -- Mongi Hamdi, Secretary to the UN Commission on 
 
SIPDIS 
Science and Technology for Development, Office of the Secretary 
General for UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)  - Spent 
nearly 20 years in the U.S., first studying at Harvard and 
University of Southern California, followed by a long spell at UN 
Headquarters in New York (14 years).  His interventions emphasized 
the importance of investment in building infrastructure; the 
importance of deregulation; and focusing the role of government and 
international organizations on issues such as the digital divide. 
On the margins of the meeting, he asked U.S. observers to relay a 
request to Washington to rejoin the Commission, noting that USG 
interests could best be served by working as an insider rather than 
an outsider. 
 
President of Prepcom WSIS Tunis Phase - Ambassador Janis Karkins. In 
a WSIS follow-up presentation, he urged members and UN bodies 
working on WSIS issues to adhere to its mandate, to avoid reopening 
discussion of issues already addressed, and to operate within the 
allocated resources. 
 
¶17.  (SBU) Comment: The CSTD principals welcomed U.S. officers who 
observed (from USOECD, Science Officer Mallory on 11/6; Embassy 
Paris, ECON/Telcoms Officer Sullivan on 11/7; and Embassy Paris ESTH 
Couns Dry on 11/8).  They expressed interest in the USG becoming 
more engaged in the Committee, and believed with the expansion from 
30 to 40 members, there would be more participants that are 
"like-minded" with the U.S. on Information Society issues.  Many 
participants were clearly taking directions from their capitals, and 
delegates came well-informed and engaged in the discussions.  That 
said, the "reform" of this Commission is "a work in progress," 
although its work clearly is important to the task of development. 
Its present focus on WSIS implementation also makes its work 
relevant to the U.S.  End Comment. 
 
STAPLETON