US embassy cable - 05PARIS7677

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 007677 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS 
 
E.O. 12958:    N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, ECPS, ETRD, ECON, EINT, ETTC, UNESCO 
SUBJECT:  USUNESCO:  UNESCO'S WSIS PREPARATION 
 
REF: Paris 7472 
1.   (SBU) SUMMARY:  During a November 7 
presentation to member states on UNESCO 
preparations for WSIS, Assistant Director General 
Abdul Waheed Khan discussed Internet governance, 
the possibility of UNESCO and ITU leading roles in 
post-WSIS implementation, the UNESCO "brand" at 
WSIS, planned UNESCO activities at WSIS (This 
includes a roundtable entitled "Shaping the Future 
Through Knowledge", and starring Viviane Reding, 
the EU Information Society Commissioner.) and the 
potential for new UNESCO instruments coming out of 
WSIS. END SUMMARY. 
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INTERNET GOVERNANCE 
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2.  (SBU) Khan described UNESCO's position on 
Internet governance as ensuring ethical and 
political openness - the free flow of ideas and 
freedom of expression.  He stated that UNESCO 
wanted to see technical openness guaranteed 
because the current open architecture contributes 
to greater access worldwide.  He stated that 
interoperability and openness were critical 
features of any Internet governance mechanism. 
(COMMENT:  The use of the word "any" here suggests 
Khan does not want to be pinned down as supporting 
either the USG or EU position on Internet 
governance.  END COMMENT.) He also stated that it 
should harness continuing innovation on the 
Internet, safeguard stability, avoid fragmentation 
and protect against government censorship because 
this would move against UNESCO's advocacy of the 
free flow of words and ideas. 
3.  (SBU) A German delegate to UNESCO asked Khan 
how UNESCO should deal with the misuse of ICTs 
under the current Internet governance system. 
Khan responded that security is one issue related 
to the misuse of ICTs, and he acknowledged that 
UNESCO does not have competence in this area.  He 
added that when it comes to pedophilia and 
pornography, the examples of misuse that are most 
frequently cited, UNESCO believes in the free flow 
of information.  If there is abuse, he stated, 
every land has its own laws that apply.  We cannot 
have a blanket law for this, he added. 
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UNESCO and ITU to Share WSIS Implementation? 
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4.  (SBU) As noted in reftel, UNESCO passed a 
General Conference resolution stressing the 
leading roles of UNESCO and the ITU in WSIS 
implementation.  Khan stated that throughout the 
WSIS process, UNESCO has contributed to the WSIS 
plan of action, therefore it should have a 
significant role, but along with others.  He added 
that UNESCO couldn't implement WSIS on its own. 
Follow up, he said, was distinct from 
implementation, and should involve all members of 
the UN family. He noted that ECOSOC, not UNESCO, 
had a political role. 
5.  (SBU) The ITU, Khan stated, is an important 
agency engaged in developing ICT infrastructure 
with a major role in creating access to the 
Internet.  Once you have access, Khan continued, 
UNESCO would come in on substance.  He explained 
that this meant UNESCO would ask if content was 
produced locally and was in a local language so 
that ICTs can be used for development.  UNESCO's 
value-added at WSIS, he stated, is its 
demonstrated role in building a knowledge society 
- as opposed to an information society, which is 
limited to infrastructure.  Khan stated that a 
knowledge society builds political empowerment and 
cultural engagement.  It is more, he said, than 
creating an infrastructure and hoping people will 
use it.  (COMMENT:  We note that there is a 
perception at UNESCO that the ITU wanted WSIS to 
be its show and that UNESCO has had to fight for 
engagement.  This may be why UNESCO has pushed the 
"knowledge society" concept over "information" 
since its value-added is its historic expertise in 
education, science, culture and, more recently, 
media freedom.)   When pressed by the Japanese 
delegation, Khan acknowledged that there was no 
agreement between UNESCO and the ITU for WSIS 
follow up. 
6.  (SBU) When pressed by the Indian delegation to 
take more member states views into account on 
copyright/intellectual property issues, for 
example, Khan stated that member state views were 
important, but his job was to develop the UNESCO 
brand at WSIS. Too many points would make it hard 
for people to distinguish UNESCO's value-added in 
the WSIS process.  He stated that the Director 
General's intervention at WSIS would focus on the 
essence of UNESCO's value-added:  knowledge 
society, universal access, cultural and linguistic 
diversity, freedom of expression and education for 
all via ICTs.  Other views would be addressed 
through UNESCO activities at WSIS, he added. 
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UNESCO Activities at WSIS: 
-------------------------- 
7.  (SBU) At WSIS, UNESCO will host two round 
tables - a high level round table "Shaping the 
Future through Knowledge" with Viviane Reding, the 
EU's Commissioner for the Information Society, 
President Rayna of the Dominican Republic, and the 
Egyptian Minister of State for Administrative 
Development, among others.  (COMMENT:  It is not a 
balanced group of viewpoints.) UNESCO will host a 
second roundtable:  "The Role of UNESCO in the 
Construction of Knowledge Societies through the 
UNITWIN and UNESCO Program."  (UNITWIN was 
established at the 1992 UNESCO General Conference 
and is the abbreviation for the University 
Twinning and networking scheme at UNESCO.) UNESCO 
will also host a workshop on ICTs and people with 
disabilities (to include discussion of special 
library services and free or open software 
solutions, as well as ICTs for autism).  UNESCO 
has constructed a chic pavilion with a VIP lounge 
at stand 2303 at Tunis where it will host an "ICT 
for All" exhibit and establish partnerships with 
the private sector and NGOs visiting the stand. 
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WSIS and Normative Instruments: 
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8.  (SBU) The Japanese delegation asked Khan to 
provide more specifics on UNESCO's role with WSIS 
action line 10 "Ethical dimensions"  -- would this 
lead to any normative instruments, such as one for 
ICTs and people with disabilities?   Khan 
responded that this was one area where UNESCO 
could develop an instrument.  UNESCO had not taken 
a decision on this, but he would have a follow up 
meeting.  The current budget is not based on this. 
To determine how UNESCO, as a standard setter, can 
contribute, would need further debate, Khan 
stated. 
9.  (SBU) Mission followed up with the Japanese 
delegation to ask whether they were hoping to have 
such an instrument or whether they had heard 
interest from other delegations.  The Japanese 
reported that they had not, though it was possible 
that someone would want to do this in the future. 
Mission Charge raised the question again with 
several Western DCMs who shuddered at the thought 
of further instruments, and agreed that if UNESCO 
wanted to be pro-active in helping people with 
disabilities access ICTs, it could do so without a 
new instrument. 
11. (SBU)  COMMENT: Khan is clearly playing it 
safe with vague wording that pleases both the EU 
and the US on Internet governance, a battle he 
appears happy to stay as far away from as 
possible.  To placate the many viewpoints on WSIS 
at UNESCO and forge its identity at WSIS, he has 
chosen to brand UNESCO as an organization whose 
experience in education, culture, science, and 
media freedom primes it to build knowledge 
societies.  At the same time, Mission notes that 
UNESCO is sponsoring forums at WSIS where 
viewpoints on Internet governance and WSIS 
implementation will not be balanced.  Japan's 
interest in the division of labor between the ITU 
and UNESCO is interesting, since both UN 
organizations are headed by Japanese Director 
Generals, who are rumored to not get along. 
KOSS