[Fsfe-ie] Re: 2004 dates for the EU Competitiveness Council

[James Heald]

Ciaran O'Riordan wrote:

[several clarifications snipped]

> 
>>Nevertheless, for the time being I for my part am not publicising the
>>IPU contact info.
> 
> 
> Of course, we have no option but to reinvent the work of FFII whenever
> FFII will not share it's findings.

Um, I'm not sure that's quite fair.

The national campaigns are central to what FFII is trying to do, and all 
the information I can think of circulates pretty freely.  If information 
ever doesn't get to the campaign co-ordinators on the front line, that's 
a communications foul-up, not policy.

In the case of the IPU contact info, that was the info I sent straight 
to the fsfe-ie list.  I was asking Hartmut not to put it onto the 
central site, because getting the trust and confidence of IPU that we 
are useful, constructive, helpful sort of people is potentially one of 
the most important relationships we have to build.

Inevitably mass-lobbying produces some megaphone attempts from some 
people with the sensitivity of a rhino wearing hobnail boots.  Much 
better if we can try to develop a quiet informal conversation inside the 
tent, than start shouting outside it.  That's why it is so important 
that we have a clear leading "relationship manager", to make sure that 
contact is attempted with the maximum of sensitivity, if possible by 
people who are local, informed and credible.

That's why I wanted to leave a clear run to IFSO to have full awareness 
and co-ordination of all approaches, and (IMHO) thought it best not to 
particularly encourage freelancers.


> 
> I understand there can sometimes be good tactical reasons for witholding
> data.  If you'd like to send anything off-list, feel free, and if you
> indicate that certain data is not to be distributed, I'll respect this.
> It's not the way I like to work, but that's a secondary issue.

The information is straight off the net, so it's not as if we're burying 
anything.

I just think if we can go in as people who are quiet and subtle and know 
what they are talking about, this is much the best way to establish any 
relationship with confidence on both sides.

We need to move quickly; we also need to make sure we get it right.