Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06OSLO865
2006-07-10 14:55:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Oslo
Cable title:  

INTERNET GOVERNANCE-NORWEGIAN RESPONSE

Tags:  ECON ECPS EINT ETRD ETTC NO 
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VZCZCXYZ0021
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNY #0865 1911455
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101455Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY OSLO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4267
INFO RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN PRIORITY 2092
RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI PRIORITY 7809
RUEHRK/AMEMBASSY REYKJAVIK PRIORITY 0701
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 2878
UNCLAS OSLO 000865 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ECPS EINT ETRD ETTC NO
SUBJECT: INTERNET GOVERNANCE-NORWEGIAN RESPONSE

REF: A. OSLO

B. 775

C. STATE 89981

UNCLAS OSLO 000865

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ECPS EINT ETRD ETTC NO
SUBJECT: INTERNET GOVERNANCE-NORWEGIAN RESPONSE

REF: A. OSLO

B. 775

C. STATE 89981


1. (U) On July 10, we received the Norwegian government's
response to reftel b points. The response points were
presented by Peter Wille, Deputy Director General in the
MFA's Section on the World Trade Organization. The text of
the points are found at paragraph 2.


2. (U) Begin text. The Internet is an immensely powerful
tool for individuals everywhere, enhancing their freedom and
development, regardless of frontiers. The Internet has also
become an integrated and vital part of every country's basic
infrastructure. Perhaps even more importantly, the Internet
is instrumental to globalization and the emergence of a
globalized society. The Internet is a global public good.

The importance of the Internet to our civil, political,
economic, social and cultural life explains why Norway was
actively involved in the debate on Internet Governance at the
World Summit on the Information Society. The continued
security and stability of the Internet is our foremost
objective.

Any change to the system of Internet Governance must keep
this in mind and promote an enabling environment for
competition, driven by the private sector, with a
multistakeholder nature, facilitating innovation and
development (begin italic) at the edges (end italic),where
decisions are made at the local level.

Norway appreciates the unique role of the United States in
the development of the Internet and as the benevolent
guardian of the continued security, stability and functioning
of the Internet. At the same time we share the sense of
democratic deficit the current governance regime can cause
around the world, a sense of democratic deficit which can
undermine the spirit of cooperation necessary to deal with
common threats to the Internet, including cybercrime and spam.

We therefore welcome the balanced outcome of the Tunis
Summit. In this context, and as an element of progress
towards enhanced international cooperation on Internet
Governance, we very much welcome the inclusive international
approach now taken by the United States government concerning
its future relationship with ICANN.

Norway agrees with the United States that continued private
sector leadership in the development of Internet must be
ensured. Norway also supports the work of ICANN as the
technical manager of the Domain Name and Addressing System
(DNS) and recognizes the progress made so far. We stress
that it is important that governments do not interfere in the
day to day management and operation of DNS and other
functions of Internet operations that are necessary to
preserve the stability and security of Internet usage.

The Norwegian government believes the Government Advisory
Committee (GAC) within ICANN could continue to give advice on
technical and operational matters. However the GAC is
currently not structured nor mandated to take the role of an
accountable body in matters concerning public policy issues.

We believe that in order to ensure democratic Internet
Governance, the US government should retain a formal link to
ICANN, be it an MOU or a similar mechanism.

In the longer term, and as a response to the Internet being
vital to every country and a global public good, we would
like to see an evolution towards internationalization of this
relationship between ICANN and government. We stand to
cooperate constructively with the United States in a gradual
transition to such enhanced internal cooperation on Internet
Governance. End Text.
Visit Oslo's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/oslo/index.cf m

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