WSIS - AUSTRIA BACKS EU POSITION, BUT

UNCLAS VIENNA 003594

SIPDIS

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E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: ECPS ETRD ECON EINT ETTC AU
SUBJECT: WSIS - AUSTRIA BACKS EU POSITION, BUT

STRESSES PRIVATE SECTOR PREDOMINANCE

REF: (A) STATE 196384; (B) STATE 203862;

(C) STATE 203863

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1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The GoA backs the EU position on Internet governance, but stresses the private sector predominance. The GoA does not aim at a change of the existing Internet governance structure, but seeks a problem solving mechanism in form of a "public private partnership." END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) Per ref (A) instruction, Post presented WSIS demarche to Matthias Traimer, head of the Federal Chancellery's department for media and internet issues, and Christian Singer, head of legal services in the telecom and postal services department of the Federal Ministry for Transportation, Innovation and Technology. Per refs (B) and (C),we also gave them copies of the letter of the Secretaries of State and Commerce to UK Foreign Secretary Straw and European Commission President Barroso. Moreover, we distributed the USG position to representatives of the Austrian Internet community. After our presentation, Traimer informed State Secretary in the Chancellery Franz Morak, whose portfolio includes media and Internet issues, about the demarche.


3. (SBU) The GoA supports the EU position and has contributed to the EU paper. Singer felt that the USG may have misinterpreted some aspects of the EU position paper, but in his opinion the misinterpretation of the "like-minded group" was obvious. He denied that the EU position paper aims at replacing existing mechanisms and principles, an idea that the GoA would not support. The GoA supports private predominance and seeks new cooperation in the form of private public partnership. It also supports intergovernmental technical supervision, not political control or co-control, as well as transparent procedures and joint solutions with ICANN, in particular a dispute settlement mechanism. The GoA opposes any idea for abolishing ICANN or even limiting its tasks, according to Singer.


4. (SBU) Addressing a major USG concern, Singer explained that the EU has no plans for interfering with the day-to-day operations of ICANN. The GoA primarily aims at two goals, which it reportedly also defended in the intra-EU discussions:

-- inclusion of governments and all other stakeholders on an equal basis in the flow of information to ensure transparent procedures, decisions, etc.

-- on that basis, define the principles for ICANN decisions and appeal procedures of member governments against them.


5. (SBU) Questioned whether the EU position was fixed or still in flux, Traimer and Singer explained that the EU position is fixed, since the Ministerial Council has adopted it. Any changes would again require approval of the Ministerial Council. However, a not yet publicized addendum to the EU paper explains that the "role of governments is the definition of public policy principles."


6. (SBU) Asked about any concrete problems the GoA had with the current ICANN structure, which illustrates the necessity for the proposed problem solving mechanism, Singer mentioned recent troubles with changing root zone files: When the network provider "KPN Quest" went bankrupt in 2002, there was an imminent danger of the shutdown of the Domain Name System (DNS) server. The

Austrian registration authority (nic.at) had major discussions with ICANN on data protection issues before being able to receive the go-ahead for the required changing of the root-zone file. This is an example where a new mechanism could set rules for managing root zone files and DNS servers.


7. (SBU) Traimer and Singer will be on the Austrian delegation to WSIS in Tunis, which will comprise about 25 representatives from the GoA and the Austrian Internet community.

PHILLIPS