CONFIDENTIAL
THE NORTH SOUTH DIALOGUE
THE NEW WORLD INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION ORDER (NWICO) (See also separate brief on the New International Economic Order.)
1. Parallel to the demand for a New International Economic Order ldc's are also calling for a New World Information and Communication Order to achieve what they feel would be 'a more just and balanced' flow of information and distribution of the
Indeed ldc's have means of international communications.
argued that NWICO is a pre-requisite to the achievement of NIEO.
UK Policy
2. UK aims are:
3.
i) to confine discussion of NWICO as fas as possible to
UNESCO, though it is realised that technical considera- tions relevant to NWICO will arise in specialised bodies such as ITU, UNCPUOS etc;
ii) to oppose any resolution which could have the effect of interfering with freedom of expression especially by limitations imposed on the media by Governments;
iii) to discourage sterile ideological rhetoric and con-
centrate attention on practical measures to help developing countries to build up their communication resources in accordance with their own priorities.
We acknowledge there is an imbalance in the quantitive flow of information between developed and developing countries and in their technological capacity and we understand the desire of ldc's to see a less partial coverage of their develop- ment. However the solution does not lie in more direct
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CONFIDENTIAL
/Governmental