INTERNET GOVERNANCE-NORWEGIAN RESPONSE

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 WHITNEY