[WSIS CS-Plenary] CSB meeting - 22 Sept.

[wsis at iprolink.ch]

Dear all,

Just for your information, please find below a summary of yesterday's meeting of
the CSB for WSIS PrepCom-3 (22 Sept., 14:00-15:00).

Best,

Philippe Dam



==========

Notes on Civil Society Bureau Meeting
22 sept.-05



5. B2B meetings
As a follow-up to the meeting with the Inter-Governmental Bureau on 21
September, CSB members expressed their disappointment with the low level of
interaction. It was almost exclusively one-way (CS to Governments) and the
meeting only lasted about 40 minutes. To improve interaction, it was agreed
that copies of the CS statement should be distributed to the government
delegates at the next meeting.

Although the response from the Tunisian ambassador was understood as globally
positive, the CSB noticed it still has not received a satisfactory response,
among these the request for free Wi-Fi and the use of the 400,000 Dinars for
civil society. Therefore, it was decided that the CSB would try to arrange a
new meeting with the Tunisian ambassador and the executive director of the WSIS
ES after the release of the Host County Agreement, expectedly on 23 September.

It was decided that Renata Bloem, Mohamed Tijani Ben Jemaa, Viola Krebs and
Francis Muguet would represent the CSB at this meeting.

With regard to funding, Civil Society would also have to lobby other governments
for additional contributions.

7. Mediation
The possibility of a Mediation Forum, previously discussed at the 19 September
meeting has been proposed to the Tunisian delegation by Renate Bloem, but she
has not yet received any response. As an alternative, it was proposed to hold a
side event Friday or Monday under the title gPracticing Human Rights in the
WSIS processh as this title may attract both groups.

The proposal was endorsed by the CSB. However additional information was needed
from potential participants from both parties before going on with the
practical organisation of this Mediation Forum.

9. Criteria for overpasses
œ	High Level Panel (35 overpasses for CS): one overpass per caucus, working
group or family should be the basic principle for the repartition of overpasses
to the HLS. Further and more precise guideline information would be provided at
the next CSB meeting.
œ	Guidelines for the repartition of overpasses to the Plenary were still under
discussion and would be circulated on Friday.

10. Preparations for and logistics at Tunis Summit
œ	CSB members agreed that they should stay at the same hotel in Tunis to
further interaction between them. If possible they should also try to be close
to the Governmental Bureau.
œ	Further to a presentation of the new proposed arrangements for the civil
society area in Tunis, the CSB agreed that a meeting should be convened with
the Secretary-General of the WSIS Organizing Committee. On this occasion,
questions related to document importation and other issues should also be
discussed.




The next CSB meeting would be held on Friday 23 September (10:00-11:00, Room
XXIII).