Request for advice

[Milton Mueller]

Fwd: Template for ICANN Constituency/Stakeholder Input on WSIS

Dear members:
The message below was sent to the Chair and Council members
of NCUC. It is asking us to provide "input" into a template
that would then be used by ICANN's "WSIS Workshop
Planning Group" and probably also by ICANN management
to formulate some kind of common position to take into the
WSIS process.

The questions we are asked to fill out are in themselves
rather harmless. However, I view the idea of ICANN as a
whole "developing a bottom-up consensus to guide positions
on Internet governance" with some concern and puzzlement.
It would seem that our members, and the constituent parts of
ICANN, can develop their own positions. Many of us are already
deeply involved in the WSIS process anyway and don't
need "guidance".

However, I could be wrong about this, so I solicit the
membership's advice.

My recommendation is to fill out the questions with
the relevant facts but add at the beginning a caveat
stating that NCUC and its members reserve to themselves
the ability to represent their own positions, either
individually or collectively as a constituency, in the
WSIS process.

I am copying ALAC members on this. I will forward their
replies to the list if they wish.

--MM

=====================================
FROM:           WSIS Workshop Planning Group* <WSISWPG at icann.org>

SUBJECT:        Template for CANN Constituency/Stakeholder Input on
WSIS

At the WSIS Workshop in Kuala Lumpur
(<http://www.icann.org/meetings/kualalumpur/icann-wsis-workshop-01jul04.htm>
), ICANN constituencies/stakeholder groups were invited to complete
the
template included below and return it to the WSIS Workshop Planning
Group*.
The Planning Group would greatly appreciate receiving a completed
template
from your group by 13 August 2004. Please email it to
WSISWPG at icann.org.

As discussed at the WSIS (World Summit on the Information Society)
Workshop
in Kuala Lumpur, the template is being used to gather input from the
ICANN
community.  It is an initial step towards developing a bottom-up
consensus
to guide positions on Internet Governance, and to strengthen ICANN
stakeholder awareness of WSIS and WSIS participants' understanding of
ICANN.
Submissions will be used to develop a statement with key themes about
ICANN
and Internet Governance, which can be used as input and guidance for
the
ICANN community and as a resource in working with other entities via
the
WSIS process.  The statement will be circulated for endorsement and
consideration by ICANN Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees
(as
appropriate) and will be presented at the next WSIS Workshop at the
Cape
town ICANN meeting in December 2004.

Thank you for your help with this effort.  Please contact us if you
have any
questions or need additional information.

The WSIS Workshop Planning Group <WSISWPG at icann.org>:

Vittorio Bertola, At-Large Advisory Committee
Izumi Aizu, At-Large Advisory Committee
Marilyn Cade, Business Constituency
David Fares, BusinessConstituency/USCIB
Tony Holmes, Internet Service & Connectivity Providers
Elana Broitman, Registrars
Jeff Neuman, Registries
Peter Dengate Thrush, InternetNZ
Theresa Swinehart, ICANN
Denise Michel, ICANN

----------------------------------------------

TEMPLATE FOR ICANN CONSTITUENCY/STAKEHOLDER INPUT ON WSIS (*Please
email to
<WSISWPG at icann.org> by 13 August 2004)

1.  Name of Constituency/Stakeholder Group; description of group;
contact
information.

2.  Role group plays regarding the Internet's system of unique
identifiers
and its stable and secure operation (what do you do?).

3.  Explain how ICANN's activities/responsibilities effect what you
do.

4.  Explain why and how your group's members participate in ICANN (and
give
examples of some of the priority ICANN issues/activities in which your
group's members are involved).

5.  Activities outside of ICANN:  Describe the Internet-related
issues/activities addressed by (or affecting) your group's members that
are
outside of ICANN's mandate? What are some of the other international
and
national fora in which your group's members are involved?

6.  Internet governance:  Identify the other international or regional
organizations your group's members work with, if any, on Internet
governance
discussions/issues [eg. ITU, WIPO, OECD, CITEL, APEC-TEL, IETF, etc.].
Explain how your group  members have participated in WSIS.