<html><head></head><body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><div>"We regret that Google did not take the opportunity to choose to join ITU as a member, which would have enabled it to participate in its own right in the WCIT-12 preparatory process"</div><div><br></div><div>Hmm, so now have to be a member to access participation, documents, etc<br><br>On Nov 27, 2012, at 22:26, Maye Diop <<a href="mailto:mayediop@gmail.com">mayediop@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br><br></div><div></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><h1 class="entry-title">FYI<br></h1><h1 class="entry-title"><a href="http://itu4u.wordpress.com/2012/11/23/the-google-campaign-an-itu-view/">http://itu4u.wordpress.com/2012/11/23/the-google-campaign-an-itu-view/</a><br></h1>
<h1 class="entry-title">The Google campaign – An ITU view</h1>
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<abbr class="published" title="November 23, 2012 4:37 pm">November 23, 2012</abbr> · by <span class="author vcard"><a href="http://itu4u.wordpress.com/author/itu4u/" title="Posts by itu4u" rel="author">itu4u</a></span> · in <a href="http://itu4u.wordpress.com/category/broadband/" title="View all posts in Broadband" rel="category tag">Broadband</a>, <a href="http://itu4u.wordpress.com/category/contributors/paul-conneally/" title="View all posts in Paul Conneally" rel="category tag">Paul Conneally</a>, <a href="http://itu4u.wordpress.com/category/wcit-12/" title="View all posts in WCIT-12" rel="category tag">WCIT-12</a> <span class="edit"></span>
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<p>ITU notes the recent comments made by Google in relation to the upcoming <a href="http://www.itu.int/en/wcit-12/Pages/default.aspx">World Conference on International Telecommunications</a> (WCIT-12) in Dubai.</p>
<p>Google has erroneously claimed that WCIT-12, which will take place in
Dubai from 3-14 December, will be used as a forum to increase
censorship and regulate the Internet.</p>
<p>The freedom of expression and the right to communicate are already enshrined in many <a href="http://www.un.org/en/">UN</a> and international treaties that <a href="http://www.itu.int/en/Pages/default.aspx">ITU</a> has taken into account in the establishment of its <a href="http://www.itu.int/net/about/basic-texts/constitution/chaptervi.aspx">Constitution and Convention</a>, and also its mandate by <a href="http://www.itu.int/plenipotentiary/2010/index.html">the Plenipotentiary Conference</a>, which is the Supreme Organ of ITU. These treaties include <a href="http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml#a19">Article 19 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights</a> and <a href="http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm#art19">Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights</a>.</p>
<p>These Articles – as well as <a href="http://www.itu.int/net/about/basic-texts/constitution/chaptervi.aspx">Article 33 and 34 of the ITU Constitution</a> – clearly establish the right to communication and the limits that governments can impose on those rights.</p>
<p>Since the ITU Constitution prevails over the <a href="http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/itr/">International Telecommunication Regulations</a> (ITRs), nothing in the ITRs has the power to result in a reduction of freedom to communicate.</p>
<p>ITU’s mandate in the Internet is laid down by the <a href="http://www.itu.int/pub/S-CONF-ACTF-2010/en">Plenipotentiary Conference Resolutions which were agreed to by consensus in 2010</a>. Nothing can be agreed at WCIT-12 to change this mandate.</p>
<p>Google has also incorrectly stated, on its official website, that
governments alone, working behind closed doors, should not direct the
Internet’s future.</p>
<p>The so-called closed-door meeting is however inclusive of 193
national delegations which are participating in WCIT-12. In addition,
ITU is pleased to note that private sector companies and civil society
organizations have registered to attend WCIT-12 in large numbers.</p>
<p>The United States, where Google itself is headquartered, has
confirmed more than 125 people in its delegation to WCIT-12, with a
large majority of these delegates representing the private sector and
civil society.</p>
<p>It is interesting to note that Google representatives are part of the United States delegation.</p>
<p>We regret that Google did not take the opportunity to choose to join
ITU as a member, which would have enabled it to participate in its own
right in the WCIT-12 preparatory process.</p>
<p>The very thorough and inclusive preparatory process leading up to the WCIT-12 has been completely transparent.</p>
<p>At ITU, transparency is achieved at the national level, through
national consultations in national languages. A process we believe more
inclusive than simply posting an English language text online.</p>
<p>ITU firmly believes that a revised treaty can help harness the power
of ICTs to deliver social and economic benefits in every nation on
earth, including across every sector.</p>
<p>The current ITRs paved the way for today’s information and communication technologies.</p>
<p>This includes mobile and the Internet. The revised ITRs have the
exciting potential to pave the way for a broadband revolution in the 21<sup>st</sup> century.</p>
<p>ITU’s goal is to continue enabling the Internet, as it has done since the Internet’s inception.</p>
<p>We must keep the Internet open for business to sustain growth in the vast and inter-dependent global digital economy.</p>
<p><a href="http://itu4u.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/contributor_paul_conneally11.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-557" title="contributor_paul_conneally1" alt="" src="http://itu4u.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/contributor_paul_conneally11.jpg?w=640"></a>By:Paul Conneally<br>
Head of Communications and Partnership Promotion Division, ITU</p><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>---------------------<br>Mme Ndéye Maimouna DIOP<br>Spécialiste ICT4D<br><br>
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