Outcome of World Summit on the Information Society Meeting in Geneva, Sw...

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

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Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2003 23:43:38 -0500 (EST)
From: AMBOLLC () aol com
Subject: Fwd: Outcome of World Summit on the Information Society Meeting in
 Geneva, Sw...
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From: statelists () STATE GOV
Subject: Outcome of World Summit on the Information Society Meeting in 
Geneva, Switzerland on December 10, 2003

  Media Note
  Office of the Spokesman
  Washington, DC
  December 10, 2003


  Outcome of World Summit on the Information Society Meeting in Geneva,
  Switzerland on December 10, 2003


  The United States welcomes and joins in the global consensus that has 
emerged
  this week in final preparations for the United Nation s World Summit on the
  Information Society (WSIS).

  We believe that the keys to prosperity in the Information Society are
  education, individual creativity and an environment of economic and 
political
  freedom. Access to information is at the core of a truly inclusive 
Information
  Society.  The success of the WSIS lies in the extent to which the global
  community has outlined a vision of the information society that truly 
enhances
  our lives and embraces and encourages freedom in all regions of the world ,
  said Ambassador A. Gross the Head of the U.S. Delegation to the WSIS.

  As part of the WSIS process, the global community has come together for the
  first time to
  recognize that information and communication technologies (ICTs) are a key
  element of political progress, economic growth, and social development. By
  agreeing to the Declaration of Principles and Plan of Action, the United 
States
  reaffirms our commitment to the importance of the use of ICTs to promote 
peace,
  security and stability and to enhance democracy, respect for human 
rights, open
  and transparent government and the rule of law. Throughout the rigorous
  preparatory process, the United States has emphasized a set of priority 
issues
  that highlight the fundamental building blocks of an Information Society
  infrastructure development, human capacity building, and network 
security. We
  are pleased that through the adoption of the WSIS Declaration of 
Principles and
  Plan of Action, the international community recognized these elements as
  critical to achieving our common vision.

  The delegates to the WSIS identified and achieved consensus on a series of
  difficult issues that represent key challenges presented by the Information
  Society. First, States have affirmed their commitment to freedom of the 
press,
  as well as to the independence, pluralism and diversity of the media. The
  United States believes that the principle free flow of information, as
  enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, lies at the heart of
  the Information Society. Second, states agreed that achieving ubiquitous and
  affordable access to ICT infrastructure and services requires a stable,
  predictable and fair national economic climate that can attract private 
capital
  and the development of human capacity through education and training.

  The WSIS also recognized that building confidence and security in the use of
  ICTs is a critical element of the Information Society and that all 
stakeholders
  must act nationally and cooperate internationally to foster a global 
culture of
  cyber security. The United States welcomes the plan of action that will 
involve
  all participants in this global effort.
  2 In addition, a global consensus was developed around a multi-stakeholder
  approach to the Internet.

  The WSIS also acknowledged the importance of intellectual property to the
  Information Society. The United States believes that the contributions 
made to
  the Information Society by creators and inventors are essential. Through
  existing intellectual property protection agreements these contributions are
  protected so that innovation and creativity by all people are 
encouraged. The
  wide dissemination of knowledge is also important to the Information society
  and we are pleased to have this reaffirmed by the WSIS.
  We believe that the Summit will be another step to enable all of our 
citizens
  to reap the benefits offered by the Information Society. The United States
  notes with great satisfaction the commitment of the WSIS to the inclusion of
  all stakeholders in the development and expansion of the information 
society.
  We are committed to working in close partnership with governments, the 
private
  sector, civil society and international organizations to implement the 
common
  vision of the future set out in the WSIS Declaration of Principles and 
Plan of
  Action.

  2003/1247
  [End]

  Released on December 10, 2003

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