On 3 May 2007, the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications of RF hosted the meeting of the Russian working group on Internet Governance. Representatives of the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications, Federal Security Service, Security Council, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs of RF, Radio Research Institute, Institute of the Information Society, Coordination Council of the National Internet Domain participated in the meeting.

The participants discussed Russia’s suggestions on the agenda of the second Internet Governance Forum, which will take place on 12-15 November 2007 in Rio-de-Janeiro, Brazil.

The First Internet Governance Forum was conducted in Athens, Greece, on 30 October - 2 November 2006. The main issues of the Forum were Access, Openness, Security and Diversity. The program of the second Forum in Rio-de-Janeiro aims to preserve and develop those issues by discussing the role of governments as the key interested party, which provides for favorable environment for increasing access to ICT and freedom of speech, development of international cooperation, implementation of security solutions, fighting illiteracy, access to information for disabled, and so on.

Taking into account the importance and the topicality of Internet use in resolving the mentioned problems the Russian party suggests including a set of questions under general title “Organization of International Internet Governance” into the Rio Forum agenda. According to the Russian WG’s opinion, this question should be discussed on the Forum’s first day. The second suggestion posted by Russia relates to the necessity to have a final document of the Forum, which should include the main coordinated viewpoints of participants. The Russian WG was commissioned with the responsibility to work out suggestions on the procedure of preparation of this document.

More details regarding the above problems may be obtained on the website of Internet Governance Forum.

Tatiana Ershova, IIS General Director, participated in the meeting of the Working Group. She countenanced the WG’s suggestions and emphasized the necessity of stirring up the Russia’s position on the problem of governmental policy aimed at supporting the local content development within the context of the main issue “Diversity”.