Delegates from 135 nations gathered in Geneva for five days last week to try to hammer out a draft set of goals ahead of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) due to be held here from December 10-12.

But despite working until midnight on Friday and agreeing on 90 percent of the agenda, they remained divided over the question of security and control of the Internet, how to finance the global development of the information society and the role of the media and freedom of expression.

"We have had several preparatory committees and ... the resumed (meeting) last week didn't finish its work," said Yoshio Utsumi, secretary general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which is managing the summit.

Yet another set of talks would be held on December 5 and 6, he told a news conference in Geneva.

Delegates were largely split over the actual wording of a draft declaration and plan of action, which should be resolved in the coming days, he said.

At the same time, Utsumi conceded it was unlikely participants would agree ahead of the conference on the issues of Internet governance and the possible creation of a fund to help connect developing nations to new technologies.

These matters would likely be further discussed at the second stage of the summit, which is due to take place in Tunisia in 2005.

Utsumi remained confident the first conference next month -- which is expected to attract at least 62 heads of state from nations including Cuba, France, Germany and Iran -- would be a success.

"We have succeeded in raising awareness at the highest political level of the implications of the information society," he said.

"Commitment has been expressed to tackle the injustice of the digital divide and to develop new frameworks for cyberspace to ensure that the benefits of the information society are extended to all, not just to a priviledged few."

About 7,000 people are expected to attend the three-day summit in Geneva.

SPACE.WIRE