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<BODY bgColor=#ffffff lang=EN-US link=blue style="tab-interval: =
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<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV align=left class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr><FONT =
face=Tahoma 
  size=2><BR></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV class=Section1>
  <P align=center class=body 
  style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: =
center"><B 
  style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=black =
face=Arial size=4><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; =
FONT-WEIGHT: bold; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">Press 
  Release<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
  <P align=center class=body 
  style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: =
center"><B 
  style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=black =
face=Arial size=4><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; =
FONT-WEIGHT: bold; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
  <P align=center class=body 
  style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: =
center"><st1:place><B 
  style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=black =
face=Arial size=4><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; =
FONT-WEIGHT: bold; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">Cancun</SPAN></FONT></B></st1:place><B 
  style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=black =
face=Arial size=4><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; =
FONT-WEIGHT: bold; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US"> 
  Forum on Communication Rights vs. 'Free Trade'</SPAN></FONT></B><B 
  style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=black =
face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-WEIGHT: bold; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US"> 
  </SPAN></FONT></B><FONT color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><BR 
  style="mso-special-character: line-break"><![if =
!supportLineBreakNewLine]><BR 
  style="mso-special-character: =
line-break"><![endif]><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P align=center class=body 
  style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: =
center"><I 
  style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><FONT color=black face=Arial =
size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-STYLE: italic; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: =
'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: =
normal">Tuesday, 
  September 9th<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></I></P>
  <P align=center class=body 
  style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: =
center"><I 
  style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><FONT color=black face=Arial =
size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-STYLE: italic; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: =
'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: =
normal">In 
  the Ex <SPAN =
class=SpellE>Palenque</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></I></P>
  <P align=center class=body 
  style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: =
center"><st1:time 
  Hour="10" Minute="0"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: =
normal"><FONT color=black 
  face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-STYLE: italic; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: =
'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: =
normal">10:00am 
  - 12:00pm</SPAN></FONT></I></st1:time><I 
  style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><FONT color=black face=Arial =
size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-STYLE: italic; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: =
'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: =
normal"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></I></P>
  <P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><FONT 
  color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B 
  style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=black =
face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-WEIGHT: bold; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">Press 
  conference</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT color=black face=Arial =
size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">: 
  <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><FONT 
  color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Monday, 
  September 8<SUP>th</SUP>, </SPAN></FONT><st1:time Hour="9" =
Minute="0"><FONT 
  color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">9am</SPAN></FONT></st1:time><FONT 
  color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">, 
  </SPAN></FONT><st1:place><FONT color=black face=Arial =
size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Coco</SPAN></FONT></st1:place><FONT 
  color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US"> 
  4<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><FONT 
  color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B 
  style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=black =
face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-WEIGHT: bold; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">Contacts:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT 
  color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US"> 
  <BR>International: </SPAN></FONT><st1:PersonName><FONT color=black =
face=Arial 
  size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Sasha 
  Costanza-Chock</SPAN></FONT></st1:PersonName><FONT color=black =
face=Arial 
  size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">: 
  <A href="mailto:schock@asc.upenn.edu">schock@asc.upenn.edu</A> - =
(011) 52 
  998.890.4768<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=body 
  style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><st1:country-region><st1:place><FONT 
  color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">Mexico</SPAN></FONT></st1:place></st1:country-region><FONT 
  color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">: 
  <A href="mailto:isaurapool@hotmail.com">isaurapool@hotmail.com</A> - =
  998.887.8167<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><SUP><FONT 
  color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></FONT></SUP></P>
  <P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><FONT 
  color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">This 
  September at the World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in 
  </SPAN></FONT><st1:place><FONT color=black face=Arial =
size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Cancun</SPAN></FONT></st1:place><FONT 
  color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">, 
  the US Trade Representative has proposed to expand the <SPAN 
  class=SpellE>WTO's</SPAN> power over media and culture. The 
  </SPAN></FONT><st1:country-region><st1:place><FONT color=black =
face=Arial 
  size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">US</SPAN></FONT></st1:place></st1:country-region><FONT 
  color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US"> 
  wants to submit Communications and Audiovisual Services, including =
film, 
  radio, television, video, and music production, as well as media =
distribution 
  services such as satellite, cable and broadcast, to the <SPAN 
  class=SpellE>WTO's</SPAN> General Agreement on Trade in Services 
  (GATS).<BR><BR>This would spell disaster for vibrant media systems =
worldwide: 
  public funding for media, including mass, alternative, community, and 
  citizens' media, could be attacked as "barriers to trade." Media =
ownership 
  limits, as well as laws and initiatives that encourage diverse, =
locally-owned 
  media, could be considered outright trade violations. Public funding =
for 
  cultural and artistic production could also come under =
attack.<BR><BR>On 
  September 9<SUP>th</SUP>, representatives from the Movements assembled =
in 
  </SPAN></FONT><st1:place><FONT color=black face=Arial =
size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Cancun</SPAN></FONT></st1:place><FONT 
  color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US"> 
  will meet to denounce the idea of surrendering media and culture to =
the WTO or 
  any other 'free trade' agreement, and to strategize on how to build =
the 
  international movement for Communication Rights.<BR 
  style="mso-special-character: line-break"><![if =
!supportLineBreakNewLine]><BR 
  style="mso-special-character: =
line-break"><![endif]><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><FONT 
  color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Members 
  of the press are encouraged to attend a press conference the morning =
of Monday 
  the 8<SUP>th</SUP>, to attend this event, and to arrange interviews =
with 
  representatives of the Communication Rights movement during the WTO 
  Ministerial.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B 
  style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=black =
face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-WEIGHT: bold; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
  <P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B 
  style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT color=black =
face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-WEIGHT: bold; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">Background<BR></SPAN></FONT></B><FONT 
  face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">In 
  </SPAN></FONT><st1:place><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">Cancun</SPAN></FONT></st1:place><FONT 
  face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">, 
  trade ministers from 146 countries will continue negotiations on the =
General 
  Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). Critics argue that this =
agreement is 
  used to override the democratic process, weaken national laws, and =
undermine 
  public interest regulations around the world through trade mechanisms =
that 
  favor the privatization of every sector of life and the sale of all =
public 
  services - including education, health care, electricity and water, =
just to 
  name a few - to the world's largest, most powerful transnational =
corporations. 
  <BR><BR>Requests to include Communication and Audiovisual Services in =
GATS - 
  film, radio, television, video, and music production, as well as media =
  distribution services such as satellite, cable and broadcast - have =
been put 
  forward before. <SPAN class=GramE>To date, many countries have =
resisted these 
  requests and fought for an (albeit limited) exemption from GATS known =
as the 
  'cultural exception.'</SPAN> So far, this stopgap has kept many media =
and 
  cultural services out of the agreement. If Communications and =
Audiovisual 
  Services do find their way into GATS this September, the repercussions =
will be 
  severe. <BR><BR>Certain measures taken by governments to defend or =
build media 
  localism, diversity, and pluralism could be classified as 'barriers to =
trade;' 
  other WTO member nations would be able to attack them using the =
binding 
  dispute mechanism of the WTO. Decisions on 'trade disputes' made by =
the WTO 
  are enforced by international law - member nations must comply with =
WTO 
  rulings or face multi-million or -billion dollar punitive sanctions. A =
variety 
  of measures crucial to delivering high quality public service =
broadcasting 
  would be seen as clear violations of GATS rules, including limits on =
media 
  ownership, specific restrictions on foreign media ownership, public =
service 
  obligations, and rules regarding cross ownership. 
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><FONT 
  face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><FONT 
  face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US">Even 
  if a country exempts its broadcast regulations and programs that =
support media 
  and culture from the current round of negotiations, the goal of GATS =
is 
  "progressive liberalization." This means that there would be strong =
pressure 
  to discard such exemptions in future, built-in negotiations. In =
addition, 
  efforts to improve regulatory structures would be impaired, since the =
legally 
  binding trade obligations of GATS virtually "lock-in" the regulatory =
status 
  quo. Any adjustments to regulatory structures that would change =
country 
  commitments under GATS would require compensation to all trading =
partners. At 
  a time of such dynamic change in the regulatory environment for media =
and 
  broadcast, this would be a public policy disaster. <BR><BR>For these =
reasons, 
  concerned citizens in many nations (including the European Union) have =
so far 
  successfully lobbied their governments to reject US proposals on 
  Communications and Audiovisual Services, and to block agreements that =
could 
  impact their nations' media systems. People everywhere recognize that =
a free, 
  diverse, local, and independent media system is a fundamental =
requirement for 
  a functioning democracy, and that ensuring such a media system =
requires 
  regulation in the public interest as well as support for public =
service, 
  local, nonprofit and independent media. <BR 
  style="mso-special-character: line-break"><![if =
!supportLineBreakNewLine]><BR 
  style="mso-special-character: =
line-break"><![endif]><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=body style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in =
0pt"><FONT 
  face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: =
9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: =
EN-US"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><FONT =
color=black 
  face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
FONT-STYLE: italic; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: =
'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-style: =
normal">Organizers:<U><o:p></o:p></U></SPAN></FONT></I></P>
  <P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New =
Roman'">AMARC 
  - World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters<BR><SPAN 
  class=GramE>CENCOS <BR>Centro</SPAN> de <SPAN =
class=SpellE>Medios</SPAN> <SPAN 
  class=SpellE>Independientes</SPAN> </SPAN></FONT><st1:place><FONT =
color=black 
  face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New =
Roman'">Cancun</SPAN></FONT></st1:place><FONT 
  color=black face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; =
mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New =
Roman'"><BR>COMCOSUR<BR>CRIS 
  - Communication Rights in the Information Society<BR>Free =
Press<BR>Global 
  Project<BR>Las <SPAN =
class=SpellE>Agencias</SPAN><BR><U>OURMedia</U>/<SPAN 
  class=SpellE>NUESTR@Smedios</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial =
size=2><SPAN 
  style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: =
12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New =
Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-size: =
12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New =
Roman'"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: =
10pt"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
  <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN 
  style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: =
10pt"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML=
>