A/RES/56/19 stability and security and may adversely affect the security of States in both civil and military fields, Considering that it is necessary to prevent the use of information resources or technologies for criminal or terrorist purposes, Noting the contribution of those Member States that have submitted their assessments on issues of information security to the Secretary-General pursuant to paragraphs 1 to 3 of resolutions 53/70, 54/49 and 55/28, Taking note of the reports of the Secretary-General containing those assessments, 2 Welcoming the initiative taken by the Secretariat and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research in convening an international meeting of experts at Geneva in August 1999 on developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security, as well as its results, Considering that the assessments of the Member States contained in the reports of the Secretary-General and the international meeting of experts have contributed to a better understanding of the substance of issues of international information security and related notions, 1. Calls upon Member States to promote further at multilateral levels the consideration of existing and potential threats in the field of information security, as well as possible measures to limit the threats emerging in this field, consistent with the need to preserve the free flow of information; 2. Considers that the purpose of such measures could be served through the examination of relevant international concepts aimed at strengthening the security of global information and telecommunications systems; 3. Invites all Member States to continue to inform the Secretary-General of their views and assessments on the following questions: (a) General appreciation of the issues of information security; (b) Definition of basic notions related to information security, including unauthorized interference with or misuse of information and telecommunications systems and information resources; (c) The content of the concepts mentioned in paragraph 2 of the present resolution; 4. Requests the Secretary-General to consider existing and potential threats in the sphere of information security and possible cooperative measures to address them, and to conduct a study on the concepts referred to in paragraph 2 of the present resolution, with the assistance of a group of governmental experts, to be established in 2004, appointed by him on the basis of equitable geographical distribution and with the help of Member States in a position to render such assistance, and to submit a report on the outcome of the study to the General Assembly at its sixtieth session; _______________ 2 2 A/54/213, A/55/140 and Corr.1 and Add.1, and A/56/164 and Add.1.