Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10TRIPOLI71
2010-01-25 15:58:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tripoli
Cable title:
WATCHING THE SECRETARY'S INTERNET FREEDOM SPEECH FROM
how-toVZCZCXRO7145 PP RUEHTRO DE RUEHTRO #0071 0251558 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P R 251558Z JAN 10 FM AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5730 INFO RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 1537 RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 0859 RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 0978 RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 0919 RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 0032 RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 6283
UNCLAS TRIPOLI 000071
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/PPD (CHERY-MADOR),NEA/MAG; DUBAI FOR MEDIA HUB
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM KPAO OIIP PREL LY
SUBJECT: WATCHING THE SECRETARY'S INTERNET FREEDOM SPEECH FROM
TRIPOLI
REF: STATE 4203
UNCLAS TRIPOLI 000071
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/PPD (CHERY-MADOR),NEA/MAG; DUBAI FOR MEDIA HUB
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM KPAO OIIP PREL LY
SUBJECT: WATCHING THE SECRETARY'S INTERNET FREEDOM SPEECH FROM
TRIPOLI
REF: STATE 4203
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Embassy Tripoli assembled 40 prominent
Libyan guests on January 21 to watch the Secretary's speech on
Internet Freedom live over the Internet. Despite limited
bandwidth, participants took part in a lively discussion
covering a range of topics, such as government control of the
Internet, freedom of expression, America's role in the
development of the Internet, and the future of the World Wide
Web on Libyan and world culture. The local media did not report
on the Secretary's remarks. END SUMMARY
2. (SBU) Embassy Tripoli organized a "watch party" at a local
hotel, assembling a group of 40 Libyan guests to watch Secretary
Clinton's remarks via the State Department's live streaming web
software CO.NX. Guests included prominent print and television
journalists, academics, businesspeople, and young scholars. The
event began at 9 AM EST with a discussion of the Internet's
influences on political, economic, and social discourse in
Libya. Low bandwidth ultimately prevented the continuation of
the live feed of the speech. Instead, Embassy's PAO continued
the discussion, with conversation touching on all of the themes
that the Secretary mentioned in her speech. Following the
discussion, several guests opined that this was one of the best,
most open conversations they had ever enjoyed in Libya. Most
guests acknowledged that while the Internet is not censored in
Libya -- no pages are blocked -- local security agencies monitor
Internet activities. Some guests defended the practices of the
government in enforcing the country's moral ethos and Islamic
values.
3. (SBU) The Public Affairs Section distributed copies of the
Secretary's remarks as delivered in English and Arabic and
posted the texts on the Embassy's website. A photographer and
journalist from Oea newspaper, a daily newspaper owned by Saif
al-Islam al-Qaddafi's al-Ghad Company, attended the event, but
according to international press, the newspaper's operations
were suspended the following day. (Note: A subsequent Libyan
press report quoted a local government source as denying the
news that the publication was shut-down. We do not believe the
possible closure of the paper was related to the reporter's
attendance of our event. End note.) The speech was not reported
in local media.
CRETZ
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/PPD (CHERY-MADOR),NEA/MAG; DUBAI FOR MEDIA HUB
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM KPAO OIIP PREL LY
SUBJECT: WATCHING THE SECRETARY'S INTERNET FREEDOM SPEECH FROM
TRIPOLI
REF: STATE 4203
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Embassy Tripoli assembled 40 prominent
Libyan guests on January 21 to watch the Secretary's speech on
Internet Freedom live over the Internet. Despite limited
bandwidth, participants took part in a lively discussion
covering a range of topics, such as government control of the
Internet, freedom of expression, America's role in the
development of the Internet, and the future of the World Wide
Web on Libyan and world culture. The local media did not report
on the Secretary's remarks. END SUMMARY
2. (SBU) Embassy Tripoli organized a "watch party" at a local
hotel, assembling a group of 40 Libyan guests to watch Secretary
Clinton's remarks via the State Department's live streaming web
software CO.NX. Guests included prominent print and television
journalists, academics, businesspeople, and young scholars. The
event began at 9 AM EST with a discussion of the Internet's
influences on political, economic, and social discourse in
Libya. Low bandwidth ultimately prevented the continuation of
the live feed of the speech. Instead, Embassy's PAO continued
the discussion, with conversation touching on all of the themes
that the Secretary mentioned in her speech. Following the
discussion, several guests opined that this was one of the best,
most open conversations they had ever enjoyed in Libya. Most
guests acknowledged that while the Internet is not censored in
Libya -- no pages are blocked -- local security agencies monitor
Internet activities. Some guests defended the practices of the
government in enforcing the country's moral ethos and Islamic
values.
3. (SBU) The Public Affairs Section distributed copies of the
Secretary's remarks as delivered in English and Arabic and
posted the texts on the Embassy's website. A photographer and
journalist from Oea newspaper, a daily newspaper owned by Saif
al-Islam al-Qaddafi's al-Ghad Company, attended the event, but
according to international press, the newspaper's operations
were suspended the following day. (Note: A subsequent Libyan
press report quoted a local government source as denying the
news that the publication was shut-down. We do not believe the
possible closure of the paper was related to the reporter's
attendance of our event. End note.) The speech was not reported
in local media.
CRETZ