7 July 1998

See EFA campaign: http://jya.com/cryptoff-wa.htm

From: "Brian Gladman" <gladman@seven77.demon.co.uk>
To: "UK Crypto List" <ukcrypto@maillist.ox.ac.uk>
Subject: Wassenaar Controls on Cryptography
Date: Tue, 7 Jul 1998 15:32:07 +0100

Hi Everyone,

Subsequent to my earlier postings, I have had an exchange with Greg Taylor
who heads up Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) about the next round of
the Wassenaar Arrangement, the body that 33 Nations use reach agreement on
joint action on strategic export controls.

As many on the list will know, the Wassenaar Arrangement has had a
significant impact on cryptography export controls and there seems little
doubt that some of the Nations represented (the US for example) will seek to
use the next round to move towards a more repressive rather than a less
repressive cryptography export control regime.

Greg revealed a number of things of interest to ukcrypto, one being that the
Wassenaar Secretariat now has its own website at www.wassenaar.org.   (I
should have known this but didn't).

EFA have been digging into what the Australian position in Wassenaar is
likely to be and finds that they may suggest that crypto at and below 40
bits is no longer controlled (big deal!).  More ominously, however, it is
possible that they will push for the General Software Note waiver to be
tightened to the point where no software containing crypto is exempt!    Not
surprisingly EFA is not very impressed by the proposed Australian government
stance and would like to see if it is possible to work with other
organisations on an international basis to make sure that a sufficient
number of Nations go into the next Wassenaar round with policy proposals
along the lines of my recent postings - that is that only crypto
specifically designed for defence or weapons use should remain on the
controlled list.

Greg believes that the schedule for the next Wassenaar round is to have an
'Experts Group' meeting in September followed by a Plenary session in
November.  Nigel may be able to give us more accurate information here?  If
Greg is right we do not have much time to influence events.

I am keen to see if we can get a significant group of UK commercial
interests to come together to press for the removal of all crypto controls
except for products specifically designed for defence or weapons use and I
wonder whether the DTI, the FEI, or one of the companies who monitor this
list, might be prepared to host a meeting to see if we can achieve a clear
position on this to be put the the UK government as an input to the
forthcoming Wassenaar round?

Greg is also keen to see if we can develop a concerted international input
to the next round bearing in mind that there are 33 countries represented in
Wassenaar:

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of
Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom and United States.

We need contacts in any of the above countries who might be prepared to
co-ordinate actions to seek government positions in Wassenaar that remove
all controls on cryptography other than for products specifically designed
or intended for defence or weapons use.  In fact Greg is already interacting
with groups in Australia, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain,
Sweden, UK and the USA so it is people/organisations in other countries on
the list that he is especially keen to contact.

If anyone on this list has contacts who might be in a position to take up
this cause I would be most grateful if they would let me have their names
and email addresses.

If someone else would like to lead on this activity I would be happy to hand
over the 'baton' but in the absence of a volunteer I will be happy to stay
with it for the moment.  In order to reduce list bandwidth perhaps people
can email me direct with their responses.  If these is sufficient interest I
would be happy to report any result to the list.

     Brian