ICANN | ICANN Meetings in Rome | ICANN Public Forum, Part 1, Real-Time Captioning

ICANN Meetings in Rome

ICANN Public Forum, Part 1

Thursday, 4 March 2004

2:00 PM

The following is the un-edited raw output of the real-time captioning taken during the meeting identified above. Although the captioning output is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors. It is posted as an aid to understanding the proceedings at the session, but should not be treated as an authoritative record.

>>VINT CERF: GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
I'D LIKE TO CALL OUR AFTERNOON SESSION TO ORDER.
MY NAME IS VINT CERF.
I'M CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF ICANN.
AND THIS IS OUR OPENING OF OUR PUBLIC FORUM.
TODAY WE HAVE A VERY EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM A PERSON WHO HAS SPENT A GREAT MANY YEARS OF HIS LIFE WORKING IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.
HE SERVES TODAY AS THE MINISTER FOR INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGIES IN ITALY.
THIS IS A NEWLY CREATED POST.
IT'S ONE WHICH SEEKS TO HARNESS INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF THE CITIZENS OF ITALY AND FOR THEIR EDUCATION, FOR THEIR IMPROVED LIFESTYLE, AND IT BRINGS WITH IT A REMARKABLE RANGE OF RESPONSIBILITIES, FROM POLICY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TO THE CREATION OF INFRASTRUCTURE FOR LEGAL OPERATION OF PARTS OF THE INTERNET, FOR PARTS OF THE ELECTRONIC BUSINESS.

HE ALSO HAS TO LOOK OUTWARD TO ELECTRONIC COMMERCE ON AN INTERNATIONAL SCALE.
SO MINISTER LUCIO STANCA, ALTHOUGH HE HAS SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF HIS TIME IN EUROPE, SERVING AS THE HEAD OF IBM EUROPE AND, BEFORE THAT, IN OTHER RESPONSIBLE ROLES FOR IBM, HAS ALSO SPENT SOME TIME IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, NOTABLY IN THE UNITED STATES, AND SERVED IN THESE VARIOUS ROLES UNTIL MARCH 2001, WHEN HE TELLS ME HE WAS APPROACHING RETIREMENT, AND IT WAS TIME TO CONSIDER SOMETHING ELSE.

I AM PERSONALLY ASTONISHED THAT MINISTER STANCA FAILED TO UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF RETIREMENT AND ACCEPTED A VERY SUBSTANTIAL AND I'M SURE VERY CHALLENGING POSITION IN HIS CURRENT ROLE.

WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US, I THINK, IN -- HEARING FROM HIM IS TO SEE ANOTHER VIEW OF GOVERNMENTAL INTEREST IN THE ELECTRONIC AGE.

SO WE THANK YOU, MINISTER STANCA, MOST HEARTILY FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH US.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.
PLEASE WELCOME MINISTER STANCA.

(APPLAUSE.)

>>MIN. STANCA: WELL, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME JUST FORMALLY THANK THE CHAIRMAN OF ICANN FOR HIS NICE INTRODUCTION.

YES, I MADE A MISTAKE.

I WAS THINKING ABOUT -- DREAMING ABOUT MY RETIREMENT AFTER LIFE THAT I HAD BEEN WORKING IN THE IT INDUSTRY.
AND THAT WAS DREAMING OF MY FREE TIME AND PLAYING GOLF AND DOING MANY THINGS.
AND THEN I MADE A DECISION TO STEP INTO GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT LIFE, BELIEVE ME.
SO HERE I AM, PROVIDING YOU WITH A GOVERNMENT VIEW OF THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE, WHICH IS -- AND ALSO THIS IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY, THE SO-CALLED DEVELOPMENT OF INFORMATION SOCIETY.
SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE AND CONTRIBUTE TO SUCH AN IMPORTANT EVENT.

ON BEHALF OF MY GOVERNMENT, THE GOVERNMENT OF ITALY, I AM PLEASED TO WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY OF ROME.
I KNOW, IF I AM RIGHT, IT'S YOUR FIRST MEETING IN ROME.
AND THAT'S ONE MORE REASON TO WISH EVERY SUCCESS TO THIS CONFERENCE.

ITALY RECOGNIZES THE ROLE OF ICANN -- THAT ICANN PLAYS IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH OF THE INTERNET, ACKNOWLEDGING ITS CRUCIAL TASK IN ENSURING TECHNICAL STABILITY AS A COORDINATING BODY ACTING FROM A GLOBAL AND LOCAL PERSPECTIVE.

AS YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY, MORE THAN 750 MILLION PEOPLE USE THE INTERNET.
THIS IS NO DOUBT DUE TO THE REMARKABLE ACTION OF ICANN IN SUPPORTING ITS DEVELOPMENT.

THIS MEETING IS TAKING PLACE ABOUT 3 MONTHS AFTER THE FIRST WORLD SUMMIT ON INFORMATION SOCIETY, ORGANIZED BY THE UNITED NATIONS IN GENEVA.
WE WERE ALL ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE SUMMIT.
IT WAS A UNIQUE OCCASION, I SHOULD SAY THE FIRST OCCASION, TO REAFFIRM THE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED BY INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AND TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AND THE OPPORTUNITIES WE FACE IN DEVELOPING AN INFORMATION SOCIETY FOR ALL.

WE AGREED ON THE NEED TO IDENTIFY A SET OF VALUES AND RULES TO BASE ITS FUTURE.

ITALY AND THE EUROPEAN UNION FIRMLY BELIEVE, AND EXPRESSED THIS CONVICTION DURING THE SUMMIT, THAT HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS ARE THE CORNERSTONES OF SUCH AN INCLUSIVE SOCIETY AS INFORMATION SOCIETY IS.

FREEDOM TO ACCESS INFORMATION, FREEDOM OF COMMUNICATION AND PARTICIPATION, TRANSPARENCY, GOOD GOVERNANCE, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AND PROTECTION OF PRIVACY ARE AT THE CORE OF THE INFORMATION SOCIETY.

IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THESE SENSITIVE ISSUES, AN APPROPRIATE BALANCE BETWEEN DIFFERENT INTERESTS AND NEEDS MUST BE ACHIEVED.
INTERNET, AS WE KNOW, IS ONE OF THE PILLARS OF THE INFORMATION SOCIETY.
IT IS INCREASINGLY CLEAR THAT IT IS GOING TO UNDERPIN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES.
IT IS SWEEPING THE GLOBE FAR MORE RAPIDLY THAN WOULD HAVE BEEN ANTICIPATED ONLY A FEW YEARS AGO.
ITS RATE OF EXPANSION DAILY OUTSTRIPS THE CAPACITY TO MAP IT.

HERE IN EUROPE, THE NUMBER OF INTERNET USERS IS FAST INCREASING.
IT IS EXPECTED TO GROW FROM A PENETRATION OF ALMOST 50% OF THE POPULATION LAST YEAR TO ALMOST 70% OF THE POPULATION IN THE YEAR 2007.

IN ITALY, MORE THAN HALF OF ALL HOUSEHOLDS USE A PERSONAL COMPUTER, WITH THE GROWTH OF 24% IN THE LAST TWO YEARS AND A MORE RAPID INCREASE IN BROADBAND ACCESS IS TAKING PLACE.
ABOUT ONE MILLION OF DOMAIN NAMES ARE ALLOCATED IN THE ITALIAN NATIONAL REGISTRY, TEN TIMES THE LEVEL OF JUST FOUR YEARS AGO.

THOSE DEVELOPMENTS SUGGEST THAT THE DECISIONS REGARDING POLICIES, REGULATION, AND RELATED INTERNET ACTIVITIES, WILL BE OF A CRUCIAL CONCERN FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
THE FINAL DECLARATION OF THE GENEVA SUMMIT HAS RECOGNIZED CONNECTIVITY AS A CENTRAL ENABLING AGENT IN BUILDING THE INFORMATION SOCIETY.
UNIVERSAL, UBIQUITOUS, EQUITABLE, AND AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO ICT INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES CONSTITUTES ONE OF THE CHALLENGES OF THE INFORMATION SOCIETY AND SHOULD BE AN OBJECTIVE OF ALL STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN BUILDING IT.

ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION, WHICH IS ENHANCED BY THE GLOBALIZATION OF INFORMATION, OFFERS NEW OPPORTUNITIES, BUT ALSO PRESENTS NEW CHALLENGES.

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AND NETWORKS ARE THE KEY TOOLS TO DEVELOP APPLICATIONS IN AREAS SUCH AS E-GOVERNMENT, E-LEARNING, E-HEALTH, AND E-BUSINESS, JUST TO MENTION A FEW EXAMPLES.

THE MORE APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE, THE CLOSER TECHNOLOGY COMES TO THE PEOPLE'S NEEDS.
HOWEVER, WHILE THE INFORMATION SOCIETY IS TRACING NEW FRONTIERS OF DEVELOPMENT, IT IS MARKING NEW LINES OF POSSIBLE SOCIAL DISADVANTAGE.

WE ALL, AND GOVERNMENTS ARE IN THE FRONT LINE, MUST TOGETHER WORK TO BRIDGE ANY FORM OF DIGITAL DIVIDE.
WE ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO TURNING THIS DIGITAL DIVIDE INTO A DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL, PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE WHO RISK BEING LEFT BEHIND.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT REASONS OF INTERNET SUCCESS IS THAT NO SINGLE ENTITY CONTROLS IT.
HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NEW MODEL OF GOVERNANCE AND COORDINATION IN ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES THAT THE INFORMATION SOCIETY POSES.

THE GENEVA SUMMIT LAUNCHED A CALL FOR A WORKING GROUP ON INTERNET GOVERNANCE, OPERATING UNDER THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL.
WE RECOMMEND THAT THE WORKING GROUP SHOULD INVOLVE ALL STAKEHOLDERS, FIRST OF ALL, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, GOVERNMENT, CIVIL SOCIETY, AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.

ITALY HAS A CLEAR POSITION ON INTERNET GOVERNANCE.
GOVERNMENT MUST BE INVOLVED ONLY WHEN PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES ARE AT STAKE.
BUT IT IS NOT THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT TO MANAGE INTERNET OR TO INTERFERE IN ITS FREE DEVELOPMENT.
THAT'S THE POSITION OF MY GOVERNMENT.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT ICANN'S TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES OFTEN INVOLVE POLICY IMPLICATIONS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED WITH THE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF ALL STAKEHOLDERS.
WE BELIEVE THAT ICANN SHOULD CONTINUE TO PLAY A CENTRAL ROLE IN THE INTERNATIONAL DEBATE AND, IN PARTICULAR, WITHIN THE WORKING GROUP CALLED FOR BY THE GENEVA SUMMIT.

ANOTHER POINT THAT ITALY SUPPORTS AS CRUCIAL IS THE SPECIAL ATTENTION THAT SHOULD BE DESERVED TO THE ROLE OF PEOPLE.
INFORMATION SOCIETY IS NOT ONLY A QUESTION OF TECHNOLOGICAL INVESTMENT, BUT OF TRAINING AND SKILLS NEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH THIS COMMON GOAL.
PEOPLE, AS USUAL, ARE THE MOST CRITICAL PLAYERS OF ANY MAJOR INNOVATION.
IT HAS BEEN SAID IN GENEVA THAT EACH PERSON SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE THE NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND, PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY IN, AND BENEFIT FULLY FROM THE INFORMATION SOCIETY.

THE SUMMIT IN GENEVA CONCLUDED ITS WORKS WITH A DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES, A SORT OF MAGNA CARTA OF THE INFORMATION SOCIETY.
THE DECLARATION UNDERLINES THAT THE INFORMATION SOCIETY BASED ON KNOWLEDGE AND DIGITAL INNOVATION IS A MAJOR OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF THE WORLD'S CITIZENS TO REAFFIRM THE VALUE OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMOCRACY.

AGREEMENT ON THE DEFINITION OF VALUES AND PRINCIPLES WAS NOT A FOREGONE CONCLUSION ON THE EVE OF THE SUMMIT.
RATHER, IT WAS THE OUTCOME OF THE EFFORT OF ALL PARTICIPANTS, A SUCCESS OF THE SUMMIT, WITH THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION UNDER THE ITALIAN PRESIDENCY, BECAUSE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT, WE HAD THE PRESIDENCY IN THE LAST YEAR.

IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, WE ALL ARE COMMITTED TO THE SECOND PHASE OF THE WORLD SUMMIT IN TUNIS IN 2005.
THE CHALLENGE IS NOW TO EXPLORE NEW INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVE TO DISCUSS AND DECIDE THE WAY FORWARD TO BUILD AN INCLUSIVE AND BALANCED INFORMATION SOCIETY.
NATIONAL EFFORTS NEED TO BE SUPPORTED BY EFFECTIVE INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL COOPERATION TO ACCOMPLISH ALL THE WORK AND OBJECTIVES THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US.

ICANN, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, HAS BEEN A SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLE OF SUCH COOPERATION.

WE WELCOME, FOR INSTANCE, ICANN APPROVAL OF A FRAMEWORK FOR THE FORMATION OF LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND GLOBAL GROUPS AT THE MONTREAL MEETING.
THIS IS A CLEAR STEP FORWARD, MORE INVOLVEMENT FROM THE USER COMMUNITY IN DECISIONS AFFECTING HOW INTERNET IS RUN.

WE SHALL ALL BE ABLE TO CAPITALIZE ON SUCH VALUABLE ASSET THAT IS ICANN.
YOUR STRENGTH DERIVES FROM YOUR INTERNATIONALITY, COMPETENCE, INDEPENDENCE, AND COMMITMENT.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY I WISH YOU THE GREATEST SUCCESS FOR THIS MEETING, AND, OF COURSE, AN ENJOYABLE STAY IN ROME.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.

(APPLAUSE.)

>>PAUL TWOMEY: THANK YOU, MINISTER.

AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE ON THE VIDEO STREAMING FOR THIS EVENT AROUND THE WORLD, I'M PAUL TWOMEY, THE PRESIDENT OF ICANN.

MINISTER, MAY I JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL, CLEAR, AND, I THINK, VERY TIMELY SPEECH.
ON BEHALF OF ICANN AND THE ICANN COMMUNITY, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK THE GOVERNMENT OF ITALY ESPECIALLY FOR ITS IMPORTANT ROLE THAT IT PLAYED AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION LAST YEAR, IN A KEY PERIOD OF TIME FOR THE WORLD SUMMIT FOR INFORMATION SOCIETY.

ALSO, I'D LIKE TO STATE HOW ICANN AND ITS STAFF HAVE GOOD AND CLOSE RELATIONS WITH THE DEPARTMENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF ITALY, AND PARTICULARLY WITH YOUR OFFICE.
AND WE APPRECIATE THOSE LINKS.

I'D LIKE TO SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOUR EMPHASIS ON BALANCE AND YOUR CLEAR STATEMENT ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT'S INVOLVEMENT IN PUBLIC POLICY AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR'S ROLE, AND POINT OUT AGAIN THE IMPORTANT RECOGNITION WE GIVE TO THE GOVERNMENT'S ROLE IN PUBLIC POLICY THROUGH THE GOVERNMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR ICANN, THROUGH WHICH THE ICANN COMMUNITY SEEKS INPUT AND ADVICE ON PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES.

MAY I SAY PERSONALLY I APPRECIATE THE BREADTH OF YOUR EXPERIENCE.

I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT AS YOU WERE SPEAKING TO US EARLIER.
YOUR EXPERIENCE IS TECHNICAL, THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND ALSO IN GOVERNMENT.
YOU ARE THE EMBODIMENT OF THE ICANN IDEAL, THE MULTISTAKEHOLDER TO THESE PROBLEMS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THE PUBLIC BENEFIT BY COMING OFF YOUR RETIREMENT LIST, BACK INTO THE TRENCHES, AND BY BRINGING YOUR SKILLS AND INSIGHT INTO THE NEEDS OF THE GLOBAL AS WELL AS THE ITALIAN INFORMATION SOCIETY.
AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY.

(APPLAUSE.)

>>VINT CERF: SO NOW -- THANK YOU VERY MUCH, PAUL.
WE ARE NOW GOING TO RECONFIGURE FOR THE PUBLIC FORUM.

I INVITE THE BOARD TO TAKE ITS PLACE ON THE STAGE.
PAUL TWOMEY AND I, AND THE MINISTER STANCA HAVE BEEN ASKED TO PARTICIPATE IN A PRESS CONFERENCE MOMENTARILY.
SO I HAVE ASKED IVAN CAMPOS TO SERVE AS YOUR MASTER OF CEREMONIES FOR A LITTLE WHILE, UNTIL WE CAN COMPLETE OUR PRESS CONFERENCE AND RETURN.
I DON'T ANTICIPATE THIS WILL BE MORE THAN A HALF HOUR OR SO.
SO, NORMALLY, WE WOULD BEGIN WITH THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT.
BUT SINCE THE PRESIDENT WILL BE ABSENT IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE, WE'LL BEGIN WITH COMMITTEE REPORTS INSTEAD.
SO AS THE BOARD IS PREPARED, IVAN, I WILL TURN THIS OVER TO YOU FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE PUBLIC FORUM.

>>IVAN MOURA CAMPOS: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. NOW THAT YOU ARE ALL DELIGHTED THAT I AM YOUR ACTING CHAIRMAN, LET ME --

(APPLAUSE.)

>>IVAN MOURA CAMPOS: THANK YOU!
THANK YOU, AMADEU.

(LAUGHTER.)

>>IVAN MOURA CAMPOS: LET US START, THEN, BY THE ICANN BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS.
THE FIRST ONE I HAVE ON MY LIST, AND I CONSULT MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBER NJERI RIONGE, ARE YOU READY TO GIVE THE AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT?

>>NJERI RIONGE: SURE.

>>IVAN MOURA CAMPOS: SO PLEASE.

>>NJERI RIONGE: I WILL PROCEED TO READ THE REPORT TO THE PUBLIC FORUM, AND I SHALL BEGIN.
THE AUDIT COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE REVIEWED THE ACTION POINTS AND SUGGESTIONS OF THE LAST MEETING HELD IN CARTHAGE, TUNISIA, AND THE FOLLOWING HAS BEEN AGREED DURING OUR MEETING HELD HERE IN ROME.

GIVEN A BULLET -- WELL, NUMBERING POINTS, REQUEST THE CEO TO CALL FOR PROPOSAL, AND DETERMINE THE TOP THREE AVAILABLE AUDITORS BY JULY 2, '04 IN KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA. RECEIVE AND REVIEW THE RFPS BY DECEMBER 2, '04 IN CAPETOWN, SOUTH AFRICA. RETAIN THE CURRENT AUDITOR, KPMG, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR THAT ENDS 30TH JUNE, 2004, AND WE NOTE THAT ICANN WILL STILL BE (INAUDIBLE) THE CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REQUIREMENTS AS KPMG WOULD BE ACTING FOR THE FOURTH CONSECUTIVE AUDIT THIS YEAR.

ANALYZE ICANN'S RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESS BY ASSESSMENTS AND REVIEWS OF THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT CONTROL STRUCTURE, WITH STAFF, WITH A VIEW TO ENHANCING THE CURRENT INTERNAL CONTROL SYSTEM WITH CLEARLY DEFINED KEY RESULT AREAS AND KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS.

THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED WITH AUDITORS IN DETAIL THE CURRENT FINANCIAL SYSTEMS AND FINDINGS THAT THE AUDITORS WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF THE COMMITTEE, AND CONFIRM THAT THEIR FINDINGS ARE WELL STIPULATED BY THE AUDIT REPORT. HOWEVER, WE NEED TO A JUST THE CURRENT FINANCIAL SYSTEM AND POLICY TO MEET CURRENT GROWTH OF ICANN, WHICH NEEDS RESTRUCTURING, WHICH IS CURRENTLY ONGOING AS INDICATED ABOVE.

THE COMMITTEE WILL FORWARD THE FINAL ADJUSTMENTS IN THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM AND POLICY ALONG WITH RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE AUDITORS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2005 BY JANUARY 2, '05 TO THE BOARD FOR REVIEW AND ADOPTION.

THE COMMITTEE IS COMMITTED TO MEETING THE ACTION PLANS FOR THIS YEAR'S 2/'04 AND 2- '05 WHICH WE WILL BELIEVE WILL GIVE THE ICANN SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY AT LARGE PER THE BYLAWS.

THANK YOU.

>>IVAN MOURA CAMPOS: THANK YOU, NJERI FOR THE REPORT. WE WILL HAVE AFTER THE REPORTS ROOM FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.

SO I'D LIKE TO CALL ON TRICIA DRAKES TO DELIVER THE BOARD GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE REPORT. TRICIA, PLEASE.

>>TRICIA DRAKES: THANK YOU, IVAN. FIRSTLY, JUST TO SAY THAT I'M DELIVERING THIS ON SHORT NOTICE ON BEHALF OF ALEJANDRO PISANTY, WHO IS ACTUALLY THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.

THE OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR COMMITTEE ARE MOUHAMET DIOP, IVAN, TOM NILES, HAGEN HULTZSCH, AND MYSELF, OBVIOUSLY, AND ALEJANDRO.

WE'VE MET FOUR TIMES, INCLUDING HERE IN ROME, SINCE THE LAST MEETING. AND IN FACT, OUR ENERGIES HAVE REALLY BEEN IN TWO MAIN AREAS.

FIRSTLY IS IN WORKING WITH THE PRESIDENT AND ICANN STAFF IN DEVELOPING AND WORKING IN THE AREA OF GOOD GOVERNANCE PRINCIPLES AND PROCESSES APPROPRIATE FOR ICANN.

AND I BELIEVE WE'RE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS ON THAT.

THE SECOND AREA IS IN RELATION TO COMMITTEES, AND PROBABLY THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE HAS TAKEN THE LARGE PART OF OUR TIME, AND I'M DELIGHTED TO SAY THAT AT THE BOARD MEETING, WE WILL BE MAKING A PROPOSAL FOR THE CHAIR OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE, AND ALSO ONE OR TWO ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE -- BOARD COMMITTEE ADJUSTMENTS.

THAT ENDS THE REPORT. THANK YOU.

>>IVAN MOURA CAMPOS: THANK YOU, TRICIA.
NOW I WOULD LIKE TO CALL UPON MYSELF, WITH ANOTHER HAT, TO DELIVER THE FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT. I HAVE PREPARED -- YES, THERE THEY ARE. OKAY. SO NEXT ONE.

HERE ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. I AM THE CURRENT CHAIR. THERE'S TRICIA DRAKES, HAGEN HULTZSCH, TOM NILES AND MIKE PALAGE.

NEXT ONE. AFTER CARTHAGE, WE HAD TWO TELECONFERENCES BESIDES AN EMBARRASSING NUMBER OF PHONE CALLS AND CONVERSATIONS, AND THEN WE HAD MEETINGS HERE IN ROME ON THE FIRST OF MARCH, ON THE 3RD, AND WE MIGHT HAVE -- I DON'T THINK THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN TODAY BECAUSE WE ARE STILL WORKING ON IT. WE WOULD HAVE A MEETING WITH THE BUDGET ADVISORY GROUP, BUT THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. SO I HAVE THIS CORRECTION TO MAKE. WE'RE STILL WORKING ON ISSUES.

NEXT.

WELL, WHAT HAVE BEEN THE MAIN ISSUES DISCUSSED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE SO FAR? WELL, FOR REASONS THAT YOU WILL ALL RECOGNIZE AND WHICH INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO STRATEGIC PLANNING, SIGNING OF THE MOU, ICANN 2.0, AND CONSULTING WITH THE COMMUNITIES, WE ARE A FEW WEEKS BEHIND WHERE WE WOULD BE AT THIS POINT IN TIME IN THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. AND I WILL COMMENT ON THAT IN THE END.

SO -- BUT WE, AS SPECIFIED IN THE BYLAWS, WE FOLLOW-UP WITH THE CEO AND THE STAFF THE CURRENT BUDGET EXECUTION, AND ALSO THE IMPACT OF THE STRATEGIC PLANNING THAT IS BEING CARRIED OUT BY THE BOARD STAFF IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMUNITY AND ITS IMPACT ON FORTHCOMING BUDGETS.

I BELIEVE THE PRESIDENT WILL MAKE COMMENTS WHEN HE COMES BACK ON EXTENSIVE CONSULTATIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE AND ARE TAKING PLACE IN IDENTIFYING ITEMS WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT THE COMMUNITY THINKS THAT NEED CHANGE, SOMETIMES IMPLEMENTATION, IMPROVEMENTS, AND SO FORTH. AND ALSO, A VERY IMPORTANT THING, WE ARE THINKING HARD IN ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF FUNDING. WE'RE TRYING TO BE VERY CREATIVE, VERY CONSTRUCTIVE, AND SOME OF YOU IN THE AUDIENCE ARE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN THIS DIALOGUE, ALSO.

NEXT ONE, PLEASE.

THANK YOU. THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT CALENDAR.

NEXT.
NEXT, PLEASE. THIS WAS JUST A TITLE.
IT'S TO REMIND MYSELF.

APPOINT -- WELL, HERE'S A LIST IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF THINGS THAT WE INTEND TO DO BY THOSE DATES. THE PRESIDENT HAS APPOINTED ALREADY THE BUDGET ADVISORY GROUP. THIS IS A CONSULTING -- THIS IS NOT A GROUP THAT IS A COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD. THIS IS A GROUP THAT CONSULTS WITH THE PRESIDENT, OR THE PRESIDENT CONSULTS WITH THIS GROUP. SO THIS IS DONE.

WE HAVE REVIEWED THE BUDGET ADOPTION CALENDAR, AND WHAT YOU ARE SEEING ON THE SCREEN IS A RESULT OF THAT.
WE SHOULD HAVE -- THERE'S ACTUALLY THREE STAGES IN THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. THERE IS SOMETHING CALLED THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET, THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED THE PROPOSED BUDGET, AND AFTER APPROVAL BY THE BOARD, IT BECOMES THE BUDGET.

SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE INITIAL PRELIMINARY BUDGET REVIEW, WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. SO WE'RE STILL WORKING ON IT, ON PROPOSING A PRELIMINARY BUDGET. SO THERE IS A MEETING WITH THE BUDGET ADVISORY GROUP. THAT HAS HAPPENED ON THE 1ST OF MARCH.

THERE SHOULD BE, ON THE 22ND OF MARCH, A REVIEW OF THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET THAT IS STILL UNDER DEVELOPMENT WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. THEN ON THE 25TH, A BUDGET ADVISORY GROUP, PLUS FINANCE COMMITTEE BUDGET REVIEW MEETING, AND WE INTEND TO POST THE PRELIMINARY DRAFT, THE DRAFT -- THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET, POST IT BY THE 30TH OF MARCH FOR COMMENTS BY THE COMMUNITY.

NEXT, PLEASE.

REVIEW WITH CONSTITUENCY GROUPS, THEN ANOTHER BUDGET ADVISORY PLUS FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.

FINAL REVIEW BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE ON THE 20TH OF APRIL. POSTING OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET ON THE 27TH OF APRIL. THERE IS A BYLAW REQUIREMENT THAT IT IS POSTED 45 DAYS BEFORE THE END OF THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. AM I RIGHT, GENERAL COUNSEL? YES. 45 DAYS.

SO THEN AS WE ALL KNOW, THERE -- OUR ANNUAL MEETING FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN JULY, WHICH IS AFTER THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, IN KUALA LUMPUR. SO SOME APPROVAL BY THE BOARD ON HOW TO OPERATE IN THE FIRST WEEKS OF JULY, WITH -- BEFORE -- WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO APPROVE THE BUDGET BEFORE THE 1ST OF JULY, BECAUSE THE MEETING HAPPENS IN JULY, THE KUALA LUMPUR. SO SOME PROVISIONS WILL BE TAKEN AND SOME APPROVALS WILL BE REQUIRED BY THE BOARD SO THAT WE CAN OPERATE IN SPITE OF THAT.

THERE ARE WELL-DEFINED PROCEDURES TO DO THAT. THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. THIS IS A CLEAR -- WE KNOW WHAT HAS TO BE DONE.
SO THIS IS BY THE 18TH OF MAY.

THEN THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PUBLIC FORUM, AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE A FINAL BUDGET APPROVAL IN MALAYSIA ON THE 23RD OF JULY.

SO THAT CONCLUDES MY FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT, AND I CHANGE MY HAT, AND I CALL UPON VENI MARKOVSKI, CHAIRMAN OF THE MEETINGS COMMITTEE, TO DELIVER HIS REPORT.

VENI.

>>VENI MARKOVSKI: THANK YOU. WE HAD A MEETING IN ROME ON THE 1ST OF MARCH, AND DURING THE DISCUSSION, WE DECIDED THAT THE DATES AND DIVISIONS FOR THE NEXT ICANN MEETINGS WILL BE SHOWN IN A MOMENT ON YOUR SCREEN.

WE HAD TO TAKE IN CONSIDERATION MANY DIFFERENT CONDITIONS: NATIONAL HOLIDAYS, REGIONS TO BE COVERED, RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS, WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE REQUIREMENTS OF IVAN CAMPOS, WHICH WERE THE MOST DIFFICULT TO SATISFY.

HOWEVER, WE MANAGE TO CAME WITH THE FOLLOWING DATES. I'LL READ THEM AND YOU WILL PROBABLY SEE THEM ON THE SCREEN IN A MOMENT.

IN 2005, THE FIRST MEETING WILL BE FROM APRIL 4 TO APRIL 8 IN LATIN AMERICA. FROM JULY 11 TO JULY 15 IN EUROPE. AND FROM DECEMBER 5 TO DECEMBER 9 IN NORTH AMERICA.

THERE IS A LITTLE ITEM TO BE DISCUSSED ABOUT THE JULY MEETING, BECAUSE THE IETF STILL HAS NOT KIND OF DECIDED EXACTLY WHEN THEIR MEETING WILL BE, SO WE HOPE THAT ICANN STAFF AND THE IETF WILL BE ABLE TO CLEAR THIS OUT SO WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME THING LIKE WHAT HAPPENED TODAY -- I MEAN THIS TIME IN ROME WHERE THE IETF MEETING IS JUST TAKING PLACE IN SOUTH KOREA.

IN 2006, WE WILL HAVE THE LAST WEEK OF MARCH IN ASIA, THE LAST WEEK OF JUNE IN AFRICA, AND THE FIRST WEEK OF NOVEMBER IN LATIN AMERICA.

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN APPROACHING ME AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE MEETINGS COMMITTEE AND START REQUESTING WHEN CAN THEY APPLY TO HOST ICANN MEETINGS. WE ARE JUST WORKING ON NEW SPECIFICATION WHICH WILL BE PUBLISHED SHORTLY; HOPEFULLY, WITHIN A FEW WEEKS, COUPLE OF WEEKS.

THEY WILL INCLUDE ALL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COMING MEETINGS. AND ALTHOUGH -- OKAY, THERE ARE THE DATES ARE THERE, INCLUDING 2007.

ALTHOUGH WE HAVE ESTABLISHED THE DATES UNTIL END OF 2007, PROPOSAL (INAUDIBLE) END UNTIL 2006. WE DO THAT BECAUSE AS ICANN CHANGES, AS THE INTERNET CHANGES, THE REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH MEETING ALSO CHANGE, AND WE DON'T WANT TO GET PEOPLE APPLY FOR 2007 WITH ONE CONDITIONS, LIKE HAVE -- LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN ROME, AND THEN FACE IN THREE YEARS THAT THERE IS A NEW REQUIREMENT WHICH THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW ON.

THE COMMITTEE THANKS ALL INTERESTED PARTIES WHO HAVE APPROACHED US, AND ALL THE ICANN STAFF, AND WE HOPE THAT THE ICANN MEETINGS WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE NATURAL PLACE FOR GETTING TOGETHER FOR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INTERNET AND MANAGEMENT OF DNS AND ROOT SERVERS.

THANK YOU.

>>IVAN MOURA CAMPOS: THANK YOU, VENI.

SO WE HAVE NOW TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ALL THESE REPORTS BY COMMITTEES; NAMELY, AUDIT COMMITTEE, THE BOARD GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND THE MEETINGS COMMITTEE.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS?
NO?
ALL RIGHT. RAUL ECHEBERRIA.

>>RAUL ECHEBERRIA: IT SEEMS TO NOT WORK.

>>IVAN MOURA CAMPOS: WELL, NOW IT ISN'T.

>>RAUL ECHEBERRIA: MY NAME IS RAUL ECHEBERRIA, I'M THE CEO LACNIC. I HAVE TWO MINOR COMMENTS ON THE MEETING COMMITTEE REPORT. ONE OF THEM IS I UNDERSTOOD THAT THE LATIN AMERICA MEETING IN 2005 IS ALREADY IN -- ALMOST DECIDED. I THINK, ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME IN WHICH THERE WILL BE ONLY ONE APPLICATION FROM LATIN AMERICA. THEN IT'S A FACT FOR US THAT THE MEETING WILL BE HELD IN ARGENTINA. MAYBE IT IS GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE WHO IS IN CHARGE OF ORGANIZING THE MEETING TO KNOW THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND THIS IS MY RECOMMENDATION TO ANNOUNCE THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AS I SAY.

THE SECOND THING IS I'M SEEING THE SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS OF 2005, AND MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS IS THERE ANY RELATION BETWEEN OUR MEETINGS AND THE WSIS? MAYBE IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO HAVE OUR THIRD MEETING BEFORE THE SUMMIT. I DON'T KNOW.

>>VENI MARKOVSKI: SHALL I? OKAY; THANKS.

FIRST OF ALL, IT'S A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH THE LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES AND WE ARE VERY HAPPY YOU ARE SO UNIFIED IN PROPOSING CANDIDACY AND SUPPORTING IT FROM ALL THE REGIONS. DIANE SCHROEDER WILL PROBABLY GET TOGETHER WITH YOU AS SOON AS THE DOCUMENT IS READY SO YOU CAN COMPLY WITH ALL THE CONDITIONS OF IVAN, THE SPECIFIC CONDITIONS.

AND THE SECOND QUESTION, AS FAR AS I KNOW, I AM ALSO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN THE WSIS AND IT'S GOING TO BE IN NOVEMBER, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF MEETINGS LIKE FROM MID OF OCTOBER UNTIL END OF NOVEMBER. SO IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO ORGANIZE ANOTHER MEETING. I MEAN, WE DON'T REALLY NEED TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING AND THAT WAS BRIEFLY DISCUSSED DURING THE MEETINGS COMMITTEE GATHERING HERE.

SO THE FIRST POSSIBLE WEEK OF DECEMBER WAS THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE IN DECEMBER AND THE LATE POSSIBLE AFTER ALL THE OTHER MEETINGS HAVE TAKEN PLACE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONLY THE IETF AND THE WSIS. THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHERS. IF DIANE IS HERE, SHE CAN TELL US. I JUST FORGET, OR IF SOMEBODY ELSE ON THE MEETING COMMITTEE REMEMBERS. BUT BELIEVE ME BELIEVE ME, FROM THE MID OF OCTOBER TO END OF NOVEMBER, EVERYTHING IS FULL. WE DON'T WANT TO CROSS ROADS WITH OTHER MEETINGS WHICH ARE ALREADY SCHEDULED.

THANK YOU.

>>IVAN MOURA CAMPOS: MAY I ADD, RAUL, THAT THERE'S ALL SORTS OF VARIABLES THAT ARE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, INCLUDING AVOIDING COLLISIONS WITH MEETINGS ALREADY ESTABLISHED BY OUR CONSTITUENCIES AND WORKING GROUPS AND SO FORTH. BELIEVE ME, IT'S VERY COMPLICATED.

TONY HARRIS.

>>TONY HARRIS: IS THIS WORKING? I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT WE HAD DECIDED IN ARGENTINA ABOUT THIS MEETING. WE DO NEED TO HAVE FINAL INSTRUCTIONS BECAUSE SINCE DEVALUATION OF THE CURRENCY IN OUR COUNTRY, EVERYBODY'S ORGANIZING MEETINGS AND COMING DOWN TO BUY THINGS.

(LAUGHTER.)

>>TONY HARRIS: SO UNLESS WE CAN MOVE QUICKLY ON THIS, I DON'T THINK WE'LL GET A HOTEL. OKAY? THANK YOU.

>>VENI MARKOVSKI: I BELIEVE -- I SAID IT SHOULD BE A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE IT'S READY. AND THE MEETING IS IN APRIL, SO WE'LL HAVE AT LEAST ONE YEAR IN ADVANCE BEFORE THE MEETING ACTUALLY STARTS. AND I THOUGHT THIS WILL BE ENOUGH. THANK YOU.

>>IVAN MOURA CAMPOS: YOUR POINT, TONY, YOUR POINT IS TAKEN. WE MUST HURRY. EVERYBODY IS WANTING TO GO TO ARGENTINA, INCLUDING ME. THINGS ARE REALLY AFFORDABLE THERE NOW. IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO GO.

>>ALICK WILSON: MY NAME IS ALICK WILSON, I'M A MEMBER OF GNSO COUNCIL, NONCOM APPOINTEE. THE BOARD MAY REMEMBER I SPOKE IN TUNISIA ON THE SUBJECT OF FINANCES, AND OF COURSE IT'S COME ABOUT AGAIN.

I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. FIRST OF ALL, THE IMPACT ON -- OF LEGAL ACTIONS ON THE BUDGET FOR THE YEAR 2004. AND SECONDLY, WHAT IMPACT THE COST OF THOSE LEGAL ACTIONS MIGHT HAVE ON THE BOARD IN ACHIEVING ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING. AND FINALLY, ON THE ALTERNATIVE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE BOARD IS LOOKING INTO.

>>IVAN MOURA CAMPOS: THERE'S ONE THING THAT I LEARNED IN THE PAST FEW DAYS. I WILL ASK OUR GENERAL COUNSEL TO ANSWER YOU.

(LAUGHTER.)

>>JOHN JEFFREY: CAN YOU HEAR ME? TO ANSWER THE QUESTION VERY SPECIFICALLY, I DON'T THINK WE KNOW THE COMPLETE IMPACT OF THE RECENT LAWSUITS. THERE CERTAINLY HAS NOT BEEN A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF TIME TO ASSESS THE COSTS THAT WILL BE INVOLVED WITH THEM. THAT'S NOT TO BE EVASIVE, BUT LITERALLY, WE'VE BEEN SERVED WITH ONE OF THEM AND NOT THE OTHER YET.

AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION, I BELIEVE, WAS RELATING TO -- IT SHOULD NOT IMPACT THE MOU.

WE INTEND TO GO FORWARD WITH BUSINESS AS USUAL, AND WE INTEND TO COMPLY WITH ALL THE REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE MOU.

>>IVAN MOURA CAMPOS: YES?

>>ALICK WILSON: MR. CHAIRMAN, THE THIRD QUESTION WAS ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES THAT THE BOARD IS SEEKING. CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT, PLEASE.

>>IVAN MOURA CAMPOS: NOT REALLY. THERE -- THINGS ARE AT A STAGE WHERE IT'S VERY TENTATIVE, AND IT WOULD BE -- IT WOULD NOT BE PRUDENT ON MY PART TO START THIS DISCUSSION HERE AND NOW BEFORE WE ARE UP TO SPEED AND ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT THESE THINGS.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT. I'M NOT AVOIDING, DODGING THE ISSUE. IT'S THAT THERE ARE STAGES IN WHICH YOU HAVE TO LET THINGS LOOSE AND THINK ABOUT ALL POSSIBILITIES AND SOME OF THEM AFTER WE FINISH, LOOK PRETTY OUTRAGEOUS, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

SO WE ARE AT THAT TIME WHERE BRAINSTORMING HAS TO HAVE A FEW MORE DAYS OR PERHAPS A FEW WEEKS OF LIBERTY TO RUN ITS COURSE. THANK YOU.

>>ALICK WILSON: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

>>IVAN MOURA CAMPOS: AMADEU.

>>AMADEU ABRIL I ABRIL: HI. OH, MY GOD. THAT'S THE NEW TACTIC TO PREVENT ME FROM GOING TO THE MIKE; RIGHT?

>>IVAN MOURA CAMPOS: HAD YOU LIVED IN LOS ANGELES, YOU WOULD NEVER DO THAT.

>>AMADEU ABRIL I ABRIL: REMEMBER THAT TORTURE IS FORBIDDEN BY SOME INTERNATIONAL TREATIES. QUESTION HERE, ONE SUGGESTION FOR ALTERNATIVE FUNDING AND IT'S REGARDING THE LAWSUIT, IT'S A FACT OF LIFE THAT SOME OF THE LAWSUITS ARISE FROM A PECULIAR CHARACTERISTIC OF AMERICAN LEGAL CULTURE. YOU GO TO COURTS BEFORE BRIEFING IN THE MORNING; YEAH?

AND IT ALSO RELATES THE COST OF THE LAWSUITS THERE HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PECULIAR SYSTEM THEY HAVE THERE AND THE PECULIAR TYPE OF LAWYERS THAT LIVE IN THAT COUNTRY.

GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE ALL HAD STRANGE IDEAS ABOUT HAVING ICANN, BY WHATEVER NAME, OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES, AND THIS WAS ONE OF THE REASONS THE LEGAL COST THREAT IN ABSTRACT, AND REGARDING THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, ICANN BEING A U.S. LEGAL ENTITY DEPENDS ON HOW THE PEACE TREATY AND HOW IT WAS, LET'S SAY, THE IMPOSITION OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. I HOPE THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT WILL MAKE A GENEROUS CONTRIBUTION TO THE ICANN LEGAL FUND TO PAY ALL THESE LAWSUITS BECAUSE THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY WOULD PREFER SOMETHING LIKE EXPORTING ALL OF THESE TO SWITZERLAND OR SOME PLACES LIKE THAT WHERE SUING IS NOT THAT EASILY AVAILABLE AND EXECUTING FOREIGN DECISIONS IS NOT THAT EASY.

ANOTHER QUESTION AND LESS CREATIVE REGARDING FUNDING.

THIS IS FOR TRICIA IN THE BOARD GOVERNING COMMITTEE. YOU SAID YOU WHAT YOU WERE DOING REGARDING THE BOARD GOVERNING GUIDELINE PROCEDURES. COULD YOU EXPLAIN IN WHICH SENSE YOU ARE VIEWING THIS CORPORATE GOVERNANCE THEME? BECAUSE ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT MY WHOLE LIFE BEING HERE AND NOW BACK HERE, DOWNSTAIRS, IS I THINK THE BOARD IS NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS IT COULD BE GIVEN THE RESOURCES IT HAS. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS. ONE OF THE REASONS IS WE HAVE MANY FUNCTIONAL COMMITTEES WITH (INAUDIBLE) ORGANIZATIONS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PROBABLY MATERIAL COMMITTEES; THAT IS, GROUPS OF BOARD MEMBERS ALSO WORKING ON THE MATERIAL ISSUES THAT ARE THE SUBJECT MATTER OF ICANN. AND THIS IS DEALT WITH IN THE WHOLE WHICH IS PERHAPS LESS EFFICIENT.

SECOND, BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONS, THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE A BOARD THAT GETS OPTIONS FROM THE STAFF, AND THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT -- WHERE THE BOARD GETS RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE STAFF. AND IN MY EXPERIENCE, ICANN IS THE SECOND TYPE, WHICH IS VERY -- I MEAN, IT'S VERY COMFORTABLE IF YOU ARE ON THE BOARD, BUT PERHAPS IT'S NOT THE BEST SOLUTION, GIVEN THE STRANGE BALANCE THAT THE BOARD, THE STAFF, AND THE OTHER CONSTITUENCIES CONSTITUTED HERE.

AND I WOULD LIKE KNOWING SOME MORE DETAILS ABOUT IN WHICH DIRECTION ARE YOU WORKING THERE.

THANKS.

>>IVAN MOURA CAMPOS: THANK YOU, AMADEU.

WELL, THE FIRST ONE, I TOOK NOTE THAT WE SHOULD APPROACH THE U.S. GOVERNMENT SO THAT THEY GIVE US -- LET ME CALL YOU -- A CONTRIBUTION, SO THAT WE CAN DEAL WITH THE U.S. LEGAL SYSTEM.
I WROTE IT DOWN.
WE WILL PROCESS THAT.

AS FAR AS BOARD GOVERNANCE, I WOULD LIKE TRICIA TO HELP ME WITH THAT, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD.
FIRST, LET ME COMMENT THAT THIS IS A NEW COMMITTEE.
AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT TRICIA MENTIONED IN HER REPORT, LIKE RULES OF CONDUCT, ETHICS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE ARE GETTING INSPIRATION FROM MANY SOURCES.
BUT THERE IS ONE POINT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE HERE.
I AM A MEMBER, AS YOU SAW, OF THE BOARD GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE ALSO.

IS THAT WE SEE IT AS A VERY IMPORTANT TASK FOR US TO MAKE THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN BOARD AND STAFF, AS AN EXAMPLE, TO BE EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT, RUN SMOOTHLY, SO THAT WE HAVE FOLLOW-UP MECHANISMS, TIME-OUT MECHANISMS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BECAUSE THEY HAVE AN IMPACT ON HOW WE PERFORM AND, ULTIMATELY, ON GOVERNANCE OF ICANN.
THERE ARE ISSUES THAT, OF COURSE, WE MUST AND WILL CONSULT WITH THE COMMUNITIES SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GET INSPIRATION, GOOD IDEAS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM ALL OF YOU.

BUT THERE IS A SIZABLE AMOUNT OF WORK TO BE DONE IN TERMS OF STREAMLINING PROCESSES.
LIKE, IF YOU TAKE AS AN EXAMPLE THERE ARE MANY WAYS OF DOING THINGS.

WE ARE AIMING AT HAVING THINGS DEFINED BEFOREHAND, DELEGATING THINGS, AND HAVING MECHANISMS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHOEVER IS IN CHARGE OF SOMETHING DELIVERS.

NOW, IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF EXAMINING INTERNAL PROCESSES, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT REQUIRE ONE OR MORE INTERACTIONS, YOU KNOW, MIDWAY, INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE BOARD OR COMMITTEES FOR EVENTUAL FINAL APPROVAL.

SO THERE IS A FLAVOR OF WORK FLOW WHEN YOU GET TO THE NITTY-GRITTY OF IT.
THERE'S SOME WORK FLOW TO BE WORKED UPON.
AND WE ARE PREPARED TO DO THAT.

WE ARE PREPARING OURSELVES WITH AMMUNITION, AND ALSO THE FACT THAT THE NEW CEO AND ALL THE CHANGES THAT HAPPENED SINCE ICANN 2.0, THE MOU, AND SO FORTH.
THERE'S A LOT OF NEW THINGS, WHICH IS GOOD.
I MEAN, WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT GOVERNANCE WITH OLD, ENTRENCHED THINGS.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE WE ARE.

OF COURSE, THERE ARE THE THINGS -- IF YOU READ WHAT OUR CHARTER IS, WE HAVE SOME ROUTINE TASKS LIKE POPULATING COMMITTEES, SUGGESTING THINGS TO THE BOARD.
THIS, OF COURSE, WILL BE DONE.

I MENTIONED HERE THE NEW THINGS THAT WEREN'T DONE BEFORE, AND WE WERE TRYING TO PUT A PRIORITY ON THAT IN ORDER TO CONTRIBUTE IN WHICHEVER WAY WE CAN TO MAKING ICANN PROCESSES MORE EFFICIENT.
TRICIA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING?

>>TRICIA DRAKES: THANK YOU, IVAN.
I THINK THE ONLY THING I'D LIKE TO ADD IS, REALLY, AT THIS STAGE, WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING IS REALLY LOOKING AT THE AREA OF CORE PRINCIPLES OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND BEST PRACTICE, BOTH FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A TRUST AND AN ORGANIZATION THAT ICANN IS.

AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN LOOKING AT THE DETAILED LEVELS OF EITHER THE PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION OR WHAT I CALL, AND ME COLLEAGUES THEN LAUGH, THE NITTY-GRITTY ASPECTS.
SO, AMADEU, WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT -- FIRST OF ALL WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE TOP LEVEL IN THAT RESPECT.

ALSO, AS IVAN SAID, I'M SURE AS THINGS MOVE FORWARD, WE WOULD WANT GOOD CONSULTATION ON THIS ASPECT.
AND THIS IS NOT JUST THE BOARD WORKING ON THIS.

IN FACT, PAUL TWOMEY, THE PRESIDENT, AND KURT PRITZ, THE V.P. OF OPERATIONS, HAVE BEEN LOOKING IN THIS AREA.
AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO GET RIGHT.
AND THERE'S NO EASY ANSWER.
BUT WE ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THE CORE -- THE APPROPRIATE CORE PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNANCE AND NOT YET AT THE NITTY-GRITTY.

AND AS MY COLLEAGUE HAS CONFIRMED, IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOU REQUIREMENTS.
SO THAT ALSO NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH AS WELL.
THANK YOU.

>>IVAN MOURA CAMPOS: ANY OTHER COMMENT?

ON THE COMMITTEE REPORTS?
IF NOT, THEN I LOOK AT MY AGENDA HERE.
WE ARE INTENDING TO HAVE A -- AT 4:00 P.M., THERE IS A SCHEDULED BREAK WITH COFFEE AND THINGS.

SO BEFORE VINT AND PAUL COME BACK, WE'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO PAUL DELIVER THE CEO'S REPORT, THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT.
SO WE'LL TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY, THEN, TO ASK IF KURT PRITZ COULD DELIVER AN UPDATE ON THE NEW STLD RFP REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. KURT.

>>KURT PRITZ: DOES THIS WORK?

YEAH, THERE WE GO.
JUST GIVE ME A SECOND TO GET WIRED UP HERE.

CAN YOU HELP ME OUT HERE?
IS THIS ME?
IT'S YOU.
OKAY.
AS YOU KNOW, AS THE RESULT OF MUCH DISCUSSION PRIOR TO AND IN CARTHAGE, THE BOARD RESOLVED TO HOLD A ROUND OF REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS FOR NEW STLDS.

THIS AFTERNOON, I AM GOING TO GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE AS TO THE STATUS OF THAT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.
IN ORDER TO KEEP THE PROCESS AS FAIR AS POSSIBLE, WE'VE BEEN VERY SCRUPULOUS ABOUT THE WAY IN WHICH WE HAVE COMMUNICATED WITH EACH OF THOSE INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR AN STLD.

THEREFORE, MY -- BECAUSE COMMUNICATIONS HAVE TO GO TO ALL THE PARTICIPANTS AT ONCE, MY PRESENTATION WILL DESCRIBE STATUS AND NOT SO MUCH THE ISSUES SURROUNDING THE APPLICATION PROCESS OR THOSE ISSUES FACED BY AN APPLICANT OF AN STLD.

SIMILARLY, IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS AT THE END, I MAY BE ABLE TO ANSWER SOME STRATEGIC DISCUSSIONS HOW ICANN SEES THIS STLD ROUND FITTING INTO THE BIGGER PICTURE.
BUT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE FAIRNESS OF THE PROCESS, I WON'T BE ABLE TO ANSWER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS RELATING TO THIS PROCESS OR SOMEBODY'S SPECIFIC APPLICATION.

NOW, IN CARTHAGE, THE BOARD RESOLVED TO HOLD THIS STLD ROUND. THAT WE'RE REALLY AFTER FOR TWO THINGS.

FIRST IS THIS RESOLUTION THAT IT ACTUALLY HAS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT OTHER FACTS AND DECIDED TO HOLD IT NOT LATER THAN DECEMBER 15TH, TO OPEN UP THE ROUND FOR APPLICATION.
VERY TYPICALLY, WE OPEN THAT ROUND ON EXACTLY DECEMBER 15TH AND NOT A DAY BEFORE.
THE BOARD IS AFTER ONE MORE THING, THOUGH.
AND THAT IS A SIDE BENEFIT OF THIS PROCESS WILL BE TO GATHER INFORMATION AND FEED INTO THE INQUIRIES WE HAVE IN THE STUDY WE'RE DOING FOR NEW GTLDS.

SO THIS PROCESS WILL CREATE SOME NEW STLDS, BUT WILL ALSO UNEARTH MUCH GOOD INFORMATION THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY TO THE GTLD PROCESS THAT'S BEING STUDIED RIGHT NOW.
SO THE PROCESS IS FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD.

ON DECEMBER 15TH, THE ICANN STAFF POSTED THE APPLICATION MATERIALS ON THE WEB.
THEY ARE OPEN FOR REVIEW BY EVERYONE.
BUT IT'S NOT AN APPLICATION IN ITSELF.
APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED BY REQUESTING A USER NAME AND PASSWORD DIRECTLY FROM ICANN.

THERE WAS NO REAL REQUIREMENT, NO REAL THRESHOLD FOR RECEIVING A PASSWORD.
AND WE ANSWERED, ESSENTIALLY, EVERY REQUEST WITH A PASSWORD AND USER NAME.
SO ALL THOSE REQUESTING A PASSWORD RECEIVED ONE, AND ALL THOSE REQUESTING A PASSWORD WERE ENABLED TO JOIN THE PROCESS.

AND I THINK THERE WAS ONE APPLICANT THAT DIDN'T GET A PASSWORD.
THE APPLICATION WAS REALLY VAGUE, AND WE ANSWERED BACK IN A COUPLE E-MAILS, ASKING FOR SOME VERIFICATION, AND DIDN'T GET IT.

THOSE REQUESTS FOR PASSWORDS WERE GENERALLY TURNED AROUND IN A DAY OR SO, AND PEOPLE RECEIVED THE ONLINE APPLICATION -- THE ONLINE APPLICATION IS A WEB-BASED APPLICATION WITH QUESTIONS AND THEN BLANKS IN THE FORM.

IT'S -- WHAT'S THAT CALLED, DAN, THE FORMAT?
ALL RIGHT.
ANYWAY, EACH APPLICANT WAS ASKED TO ANSWER A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS.

THE APPLICATION FOCUSES ON THE COMMUNITY THAT THE APPLICANT IS A PART OF, THE BUSINESS PLAN, THE FINANCIAL PLAN OF THAT PROCESS.

AFTER THE ONLINE APPLICATIONS ARE REVIEWED, THERE WILL BE AN INDEPENDENT EVALUATION.

ICANN IS IN THE PROCESS OF APPOINTING EVALUATORS NOW.
THOSE EVALUATORS WILL FILL OUT APPLICATIONS TO SEE IF THEY MEET CERTAIN THRESHOLD REQUIREMENTS.
TO CLOSE THAT INDEPENDENT EVALUATION, CERTAIN STLDS WILL BE SELECTED TO GO ON TO THE NEXT ROUND.
THAT ROUND IS A TECHNICAL AND COMMERCIAL NEGOTIATION.

SO EACH APPLICANT THAT MAKES IT TO THIS ROUND WILL HAVE SEPARATE NEGOTIATIONS IN ORDER TO FIRST DETERMINE IF AN STLD WILL BE AWARDED; AND, SECONDLY, THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT OF THAT STLD, BOTH WITH RESPECT TO TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND WITH RESPECT TO THE BUSINESS MODEL AND COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS.
AND AT THE END OF THAT, WE'LL EXECUTE AGREEMENTS, AND THOSE AGREEMENTS WILL BE ENDORSED BY THE BOARD.

THE PROCESS HAS THESE CHARACTERISTICS: IT'S A WEB-BASED PROCESS.
SO WHEN WE RECEIVE APPLICATIONS, ALL APPLICATIONS, ON ITS FACE, WILL LOOK THE SAME AND HAVE THE SAME FORMAT.
AND THAT'S AN ATTEMPT AT FAIRNESS AND IMPARTIALITY.

AFTER THAT WILL BE A BLIND, INDEPENDENT REVIEW.

SO THE ICANN STAFF WILL NOT BE -- ONCE THE REVIEWERS ARE APPOINTED, THE ICANN STAFF WILL NOT BE PRIVY TO THAT WORK THAT GOES ON THERE ONCE WE GIVE THEM GUIDELINES.
THERE'S TWO MAJOR STEPS TO THE PROCESS.
THE FIRST IS THE APPLICATION PROCESS AS YOU SEE IT NOW.

THAT'S -- I'LL JUST READ THAT.
THAT'S TO -- THIS FIRST ROUND OF THE PROCESS IS TO DEMONSTRATE INVOLVEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY, TECHNICAL COMPETENCE, FINANCIAL VIABILITY, AND A ROBUST BUSINESS MODEL.

AFTER THAT, AS I STATED BEFORE, WE'LL ENTER INTO THIS COMMERCIAL AND TECHNICAL NEGOTIATION PHASE.
AS WE SAID WHEN WE LAUNCHED THE PROCESS, THE NUMBER OF STLDS IS NOT LIMITED.
AND WE ARE GOING TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENTIALITY ON CERTAIN PORTIONS OF THE APPLICATIONS.

SO WE HAVE ASKED FOR FINANCIAL DATA AND BUSINESS PLANS THAT I'M SURE APPLICANTS WISH TO BE HELD CONFIDENTIAL.
WE ARE ONLY GOING TO EXPOSE PART B OF THE BUSINESS FORM, WHICH IS THE MORE GENERAL INFORMATION HAVING TO DO WITH THE STLD.

HERE'S THE TIME LINE TO DATE.

ON DECEMBER 15TH, WE LAUNCHED AND THE QUESTION PERIOD OPENED.
IT'S SORT OF LIKE A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT.
ALL QUESTIONS ARE PUBLIC, AND ALL QUESTIONS THAT COME TO US ARE PUBLICLY POSTED, SO ALL THE BIDDERS CAN SEE THE QUESTIONS AND THE ANSWERS.

ON -- IT WAS SCHEDULED THAT THE QUESTION PERIOD WOULD CLOSE ON FEBRUARY 27TH.
BECAUSE OF THE TIMING OF THIS MEETING AND THE ACTIVITY THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW, WE DECIDED TO EXTEND THAT QUESTION PERIOD TO THE 5TH OF MARCH.
SO IT'LL CLOSE WITH THE CLOSE OF THIS MEETING.

ON MARCH 10TH IS THE APPLICATION FEE CUTOFF DATE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPLICATION, THAT CALLS FOR FEES TO BE DELIVERED 5 DAYS BEFORE THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL APPLICATIONS CLOSE.
AND THAT IS MIDNIGHT UTC ON MARCH 15TH.
THUS FAR, WE'VE RECEIVED REQUESTS FOR 14 PASSWORDS.

WE'VE RECEIVED 38 QUESTIONS.
WE'VE ANSWERED 35 OF THEM, AND WE RECEIVED 3 MORE IN THE LAST DAY OR SO.
AND WE'VE RECEIVED THREE SETS OF APPLICATION FEES.
FINALLY, GOING FORWARD, THIS IS OUR TENTATIVE TIMETABLE.
THIS TIMETABLE IS TENTATIVE BECAUSE IT WILL VARY SOMEWHAT WITH THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED.

WE'RE GOING TO APPOINT A SET NUMBER OF REVIEWERS, AND THEN WE WILL GO THROUGH THE APPLICATIONS IN A SET SPEED.
SO THE TIMES HERE MAY CHANGE SOMEWHAT BASED ON THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED.
BUT, ESSENTIALLY, STAFF WILL REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS IN THE TWO WEEKS FOLLOWING THE CLOSE OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND VERIFY THE COMPLETENESS OF THE APPLICATIONS.

AND THEN WE'LL OPEN UP A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ONE MONTH.
AND THAT PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS JUST ON PART B OF THE APPLICATION, WHICH DEFINES WHAT THE STLD IS AND CERTAIN PERTINENT INFORMATION ABOUT THAT APPLICATION.
THE OTHER PORTIONS OF THE APPLICATION, THE FINANCE MODEL AND THE BUSINESS MODEL, WILL REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL.

MAY THROUGH JULY, THE INDEPENDENT EVALUATION WILL OCCUR.
THAT TIME MAY SHRINK OR GROW A LITTLE BIT, DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED.
AND THEN WITH THE 1ST OF AUGUST, WE'LL IDENTIFY THOSE STLDS THAT COMPLETED THE FIRST ROUND AND MET THE CRITERIA, AND WE'LL GO ON TO THE ROUND OF TECHNICAL AND COMMERCIAL NEGOTIATIONS.

THOSE NEGOTIATIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED INDIVIDUALLY WITH EACH OF THE APPLICANTS SO THAT THERE'S NO SET TIMETABLE FOR THEM.
THEY'LL EACH PROCEED ON THEIR OWN PACE, AND THEY'RE BASED ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE APPLICANT AS WELL AS THE ACTIVITIES OF THE ICANN STAFF.

IT WAS ALWAYS ANTICIPATED THAT WE WOULD CONCLUDE THIS PROCESS BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR FOR A COUPLE REASONS.
ONE IS, THAT SEEMS TO BE THE OUTER BOUND OF WHAT IS TIMELY.
AND SECONDLY, WE DO WANT TO FEED THIS INFORMATION INTO THE GTLD PROCESS.

SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
THAT'S THE UPDATE ON THE GTLD -- STLDS.
AND NOW MIRIAM SAPIRO IS GOING TO DISCUSS THE GTLD PROCESS.

>>MIRIAM SAPIRO: OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WHILE KURT IS SETTING UP THE SLIDES, I'LL START WITH A BRIEF INTRODUCTION.

MY NAME IS MIRIAM SAPIRO, AND I AM FROM SUMMIT STRATEGIES INTERNATIONAL, AND I'M PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY TO PRESENT A PRELIMINARY OVERVIEW OF THE EVALUATION OF THE NEW GTLDS, PARTICULARLY THE POLICY AND LEGAL ISSUES.

ALSO ON THE EVALUATION TEAM ARE MICHEL BRICHE AND SEBASTIEN BACHOLLET AS OVERALL COORDINATOR.
NEXT, PLEASE.

THANK YOU.

ACTUALLY, GO ONE BACK.
OKAY.

AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THE NEW GTLDS WERE INTRODUCED IN NOVEMBER 2000 AS PART OF A PROOF OF CONCEPT.

THIS WAS AFTER A DNSO DECISION TO INTRODUCE THEM IN A MEASURED AND RESPONSIBLE WAY, TRYING DIFFERENT TYPES OF TLDS AND ALSO DIFFERENT TYPES OF STARTUP MECHANISMS.

THIS WAS, AFTER ALL, THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE 1980S THAT NEW GTLDS WERE INTRODUCED INTO THE GNS.
AND THE ORDER OF LAUNCH WAS INFO, BIZ, NAME, MUSEUM, COOP, AERO, AND, HOPEFULLY, SOON, PRO.

NEXT, PLEASE.
THE -- SHORTLY BEFORE LAUNCH, THERE WAS A TASK FORCE SET UP WITH AN ABSOLUTELY UNPRONOUNCEABLE ACRONYM THAT YOU SEE UP THERE, TO DEVELOP -- WELL, FIRSTLY, TO ESTABLISH RECOMMENDATIONS ON WAYS TO CONDUCT AN EVALUATION OF THE GTLDS THAT WERE ABOUT TO BE LAUNCHED.

AND THE TASK FORCE DEVELOPED A SET OF 25 QUESTIONS AND WENT ON TO DESIGNATE ABOUT A DOZEN OF THOSE AS MOST CRITICAL AND THAT SHOULD BE ANSWERED FIRST.

THE EVALUATION TEAM HAS DIVIDED THE CRITICAL QUESTIONS INTO TWO GROUPS.

FIRST, THE LEGAL AND THE POLICY ISSUES.

AND THAT EVALUATION IS BEING DONE BY SUMMIT.
AND SECOND, THE OPERATIONAL AND TECHNICAL ISSUES. AND THAT PART OF THE EVALUATION IS BEING DONE BY SOLUCOM AND FINAKI.

THE GOALS OF THE EVALUATION ARE TO, FIRST OF ALL, ASSESS HOW WELL THE PROOF OF CONCEPT WORKED IN PRACTICE, AND, SECOND OF ALL, TO PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT COULD BE USED IN CONSIDERING NEW GTLDS.
THE TIMETABLE INVOLVES, OF COURSE, THE SUBSTANTIVE LAUNCH OF THE EVALUATION AT THE CARTHAGE MEETING.
AND BY THIS POINT, THE POLICY AND LEGAL SECTION IS NEARLY DONE, BUT AWAITING THE RECEIPT OF TECHNICAL DATA.
AND THAT ISSUE AND THE OTHER OPERATIONAL AND TECHNICAL QUESTIONS ARE BEING WORKED RIGHT NOW.

SO WITH RECEIPT OF THIS DATA, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO FINISH THE WHOLE EVALUATION IN A FEW MONTHS.
NEXT, PLEASE.

SO WHAT ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE DEEMED CRITICAL?
WELL, THERE ARE SEVEN IN THE POLICY AND LEGAL AREA, WHICH INVOLVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE STARTUP MECHANISMS, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF REGISTRATION RESTRICTIONS, THE MARKET IMPACT OF THE NEW GTLDS, THE REASONABLENESS OF THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK THAT WAS SELECTED, AND ANY REGULATORY OR LEGAL PROBLEMS NOT INVOLVING STARTUP.

THE FOUR QUESTIONS ON THE OPERATIONAL AND TECHNICAL SIDE REVOLVE AROUND THE IMPACT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES, WHOIS ACCESS, WHETHER THERE ARE ADEQUATE PROTECTIONS AND SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE, AND, LASTLY, THE PROCESS QUESTIONS.

WHAT I'LL DO NOW IS HIGHLIGHT BRIEFLY SOME OF THE METHODOLOGICAL AND SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES IN THE FIVE POLICY AND LEGAL AREAS.
FIRST, WITH RESPECT TO THE STARTUP PERIODS, THE METHODOLOGY INVOLVES INTERVIEWS WITH, AS MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW, REGISTRIES, REGISTRARS, ICANN STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS, GOVERNMENTS, INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, TRADEMARK HOLDERS, AND END USERS.

ALSO INVOLVES RANDOM SAMPLING IN AN EFFORT TO ASSESS THE CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN REGISTRATIONS AND TRADEMARKS, REGISTERED TRADEMARKS.
ALSO INVOLVES STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF TRADEMARK DISPUTES AND RELATED QUESTIONS.

THE PRELIMINARY ISSUES INCLUDE WHAT METHODS WERE USED FOR THE STARTUP PERIOD IN TERMS OF BOTH SUNRISE AND LANDRUSH; HOW UNDERSTANDABLE WERE THE PROCEDURES; WHAT WORKED WELL AND WHAT DIDN'T; WHAT WERE OTHER OPTIONS; AND HOW WELL WERE DISPUTES HANDLED.
NEXT SLIDE.

THE SECOND AREA INVOLVES THE REGISTRATION RESTRICTIONS.
AND I SHOULD SAY AT THE OUTSET THAT THE FOCUS IS ON DOT BIZ AND DOT NAME, BECAUSE THE QUESTION OF SPONSORED GTLDS WAS ADDRESSED BY SUMMIT ALREADY IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF LAST YEAR.

THIS SECTION INVOLVES INTERVIEWS WITH REGISTRIES AND ICANN CONSTITUENCIES, AND TWO DATA SAMPLES, A LARGER ONE THAT LOOKS, IN A PRIMA FACIA -- AND A SMALLER THAT IS THE SUBJECT OF MORE DETAILED REVIEW.

THE ISSUES HERE, PRELIMINARILY, INCLUDE WHETHER SELF-CERTIFICATION HAS BEEN AN EFFECTIVE DETERRENT; HAS ENFORCEMENT BY THIRD PARTIES WORKED WELL; AND WHAT OTHER OPTIONS MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT BE FEASIBLE.

WITH RESPECT TO THE SCOPE AND COMPETITIVENESS OF THE MARKET, THE METHODOLOGY INVOLVES RESEARCH ON GENERAL MARKET TRENDS, INTERVIEWS WITH STAKEHOLDERS, AND QUESTIONS FOR REGISTRANTS ON WHETHER THEY ARE NEW TO THE DNS AND WHAT THE PURPOSE OR PURPOSES OF THEIR REGISTRATIONS WERE.

THE ISSUES INCLUDE HOW STAKEHOLDERS VIEW THE IMPACT OF THE NEW GTLDS, INCLUDING IN TERMS OF CONSUMER CHOICE, PRICE, INNOVATION, SUBSTITUTABILITY AND DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS.
NEXT, PLEASE.

THE FOURTH AREA INVOLVES THE REASONABLENESS OF THE AGREEMENTS, IT INVOLVES EXAMINING THE TEXT OF THE SEVEN AGREEMENTS AND OVER 140 APPENDICES, ALSO INVOLVES INTERVIEWS WITH THE REGISTRY AND ICANN LEGAL STAFFS, AND A REVIEW OF THE NEGOTIATING DYNAMICS.

THIS IS AN EFFORT TO ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS OF HOW REASONABLE WERE THE AGREEMENTS, ARE THERE MATERIAL DIFFERENCES AMONG THEM, WHAT ARE SOME OF, IF ANY, OF NONESSENTIAL ELEMENTS.
AND I MUST SAY THE REGISTRIES LOVE THIS QUESTION.

IS THERE ANYTHING IN HINDSIGHT THAT YOU WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO OMIT FROM THE AGREEMENT.
AND THE REVERSE OF THAT IS, IN HINDSIGHT, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED BUT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO HAVE IN THERE.

THE FIFTH AREA INVOLVES LEGAL AND REGULATORY ISSUES, ALSO FURTHER INTERVIEWS AND A REVIEW OF ANY RELEVANT COURT FILINGS INVOLVING THE SEVEN NEW GTLDS.

THE ISSUES CONCERN WHAT KINDS OF LEGAL PROBLEMS MIGHT THERE HAVE BEEN THAT WERE NOT COVERED IN THE STARTUP ANALYSIS, WERE THERE ANY REGULATORY ISSUES, PERHAPS INVOLVING COUNTRY NAMES, FOR EXAMPLE, PRIVACY ISSUES, OR THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SPONSORED GTLDS AND THE REGISTRARS.
NEXT, PLEASE.

THIS IS AN EFFORT THAT REALLY DEPENDS FOR ITS SUCCESS ON THE COOPERATION OF EVERYONE INVOLVED.
AND I WANT TO EXTEND A VERY WARM THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN QUITE HELPFUL AND HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO BE.

SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR HAVE INFORMATION YOU WISH TO PROVIDE, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CONTACT ANY OF US.

THANK YOU.

>>VINT CERF: WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MIRIAM.
AND THANK YOU, IVAN, FOR ACTING AS MASTER OF CEREMONIES UNTIL I COULD RETURN.

MIRIAM, ACTUALLY, I HAD A QUESTION.
I'M SORRY.
I DIDN'T NOTICE YOU HAD RUN AWAY BEFORE I TURNED AROUND.

THIS IS REALLY A VERY BROAD QUESTION FOR EVERYONE IN THE ROOM, EVERYONE LISTENING TO THIS REPORT.
AND I HOPE WE WILL PROPAGATE THE WORD OUT BROADLY.

I HAVE BEEN HEARING SORT OF SECONDHAND REPORTS THAT THE TOP-LEVEL DOMAINS THAT ARE IN ACCESS OF THREE CHARACTERS, THOSE WHICH ARE FOUR-CHARACTERS LONG OR LONGER, ARE APPARENTLY EXPERIENCING SOME DIFFICULTIES IN THE USE -- IN THEIR USE.

BUT THE INFORMATION I HAVE IS EXTREMELY FRAGMENTARY.

IF THERE ARE TESTS OR, YOU KNOW, RESULTS OR SPECIFICS THAT ARE KNOWN, THESE SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF ICANN.

I WOULD EVEN URGE THAT THERE BE CONCERTED TESTING GOING ON BY VARIOUS PARTIES AROUND THE INTERNET, GLOBALLY, TO DETERMINE WHETHER WE HAVE SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE CURRENTLY-EXISTING SOFTWARE.

I CAN IMAGINE MANY DIFFERENT PLACES WHERE A PROBLEM CAN ARISE AND THAT MEANS THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT PLACES WHERE REPAIR NEEDS TO BE SOUGHT, BUT WE NEED SPECIFICS IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH THOSE PROBLEMS. SO WE'LL TRY TO DO MORE THAN JUST THIS ORAL ANNOUNCEMENT.

BUT MIRIAM, DID THAT COME UP AT ALL IN THE COURSE OF YOUR EVALUATIONS?

>>MIRIAM SAPIRO: IS THIS ON?

YES, THAT ISSUE HAS COME UP. IT ACTUALLY CAME UP LAST YEAR WHEN SUMMIT CONDUCTED THE ANALYSIS OF REGISTRATION RESTRICTIONS AND ENFORCEMENT IN THE SGTLDS, BECAUSE WHILE IT WAS NOT DIRECTLY RELATED, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT EARLY LAST YEAR WAS ALREADY CLEARLY A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND IT HAS DISSIPATED SOMEWHAT, BUT IT IS STILL AN ISSUE AND IT ALREADY HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION.

YOU MAKE A VERY GOOD SUGGESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE WAYS TO TEST THIS TECHNICALLY, AND I WILL CERTAINLY TALK TO THE TECHNICAL TEAM AND SEE WHETHER THAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE.

>>VINT CERF: THIS IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE. I MEAN, IT'S EASY TO TEST. YOU JUST TRY A BUNCH OF APPLICATIONS AND MAKE REFERENCE TO TOP-LEVEL DOMAINS THAT HAVE SOME FUNCTION TO THEM.

IF YOU REMEMBER TO ANNOUNCE YOURSELF, YOU HAVE SOME INFORMATION? FIRE AWAY.

>>JAAP AKKERHUIS: YES, THIS IS JAAP AKKERHUIS FROM THE COMMITTEE WITH THE TERRIBLE ACRONYM. AND THIS HAS COME UP AT (INAUDIBLE), I THINK BY DOT INFO AND DOT NAME PEOPLE.

IT SEEMS TO BE CAUSED BY A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT REASONS. PART OF IT IS BROWSERS WITH THINGS THAT KNOW HOW LONG DOMAIN NAMES SHOULD BE SO THEY JUST CUT IT OFF AND TRANSFER IT AUTOMATICALLY TO SEARCH KEY WORDS. AND IT COULD BE A PROXY AND WEB CASTING SERVICE, THEY ASSUME DOMAIN NAMES SHOULD NOT BE LONG NAMES, AND THEY GET (INAUDIBLE).

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, THOMAS.

>>THOMAS ROESSLER: THE TOPIC CAME UP ON THE GNSO COUNCIL SOME TIME AGO AND I GOOGLED A SNIPPETS FOR CODE NAME APPLICATIONS. I THINK THE FIRST TIME THAT CODE SNIPPETS AND (INAUDIBLE) BASICALLY AMOUNTED TO A LIST OF SHAME WITH RESPECT TO NEW GTLDS. IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE A TLD CAN ONLY HAVE TWO OR THREE CHARACTERS AS HEURISTICS, STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO THE KIND OF STUFF YOU'RE DEALING WITH HERE AND REALLY A WIDESPREAD USE OF BAD HEURISTICS.

>>VINT CERF: SO MY SUGGESTION HERE IS I HOPE WE DON'T HAVE TO USE PUBLIC SHAMING AS A METHOD FOR ACHIEVING THE OBJECTIVE, WHICH IS TO GET EVERYTHING TO WORK PROPERLY. BUT I DO THINK A CONCERTED EFFORT TO UNCOVER THE PROBLEM AND TRY TO AIM PEOPLE WHO CAN SOLVE IT TO DEAL WITH IT WOULD BE A USEFUL STEP FOR ICANN.

SO WE WILL TAKE THAT UNDER OUR WING.

ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MIRIAM FROM EITHER THE BOARD OR THE FLOOR? AMADEU.

>>AMADEU ABRIL I ABRIL: HI. WELL, THE QUESTION ISN'T RELATED TO MIRIAM ONLY, BUT ALSO TO WHAT KURT MADE BEFORE.

REGARDING THE PROBLEM YOU SAY, WELL, MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE I REGISTERED A DOT INFO NAME FOR ME, FOR MY WIFE, (INAUDIBLE) A REGISTRAR CREDIT HERE, AND (INAUDIBLE) I CAN'T PAY THROUGH THE GATEWAY BECAUSE THE BANK CAN'T UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS SOMETHING BEYOND DOT (INAUDIBLE) IN THE WORLD. JUST SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT CANNOT UNDERSTAND THAT CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING WITH DOMAINS, BUT THEY ARE CHECKING THE E-MAIL ADDRESSES AND THEY ARE SOMEWHERE THIS LIMIT THAT THOMAS WAS DESCRIBING HERE.

SO A SORT OF PRIMARY, A SORT OF NEW TLDS, ONE ZERO ONE FOR NEWBIES WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD HELP PEOPLE WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER THAT AS A USER, LOOK, LOOK HERE, AND THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD CHECK AND WHAT YOU SHOULD DO. BECAUSE IT IS NOT VERY EASY EACH TIME TO EXPLAIN THE SUBSCRIPTION METHOD OR NEWSPAPER WHERE IT IS PROBLEM BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW.

THEN GOING TO BIZ, I HAVE A SMALL QUESTION FOR MIRIAM AND A COMMENT FOR KURT. THE SMALL QUESTION FOR MIRIAM, YOU WERE DESCRIBING THE SORT OF THINGS THAT, WELL, WE ARE CHECKING HOW EFFICIENT THE RESTRICTIONS WERE REGARDING THE SELF-CERTIFICATION, JUST ONE EXAMPLE. THE QUESTION IS I HOPE YOU WILL ALSO CHECK THE REAL CONFLICTIVITY THAT EVEN LOW COMPLIANCE OR PARTIAL COMPLIANCE WILL BRING BECAUSE MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE THESE SORT OF CHECKS, EVEN IF THERE IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF NONCOMPLIANCE, THERE IS AN EFFICIENT DISCOURAGEMENT OF THE MOST FRINGE PART OF, YOU KNOW, HARMFUL BEHAVIORS.

I MEAN, I KNOW PEOPLE THAT HAVE A DOT NAME OR DOT AERO DOMAIN NAME THAT IS NOT WELL FIT IN THE ELIGIBILITY RULES.

THE REALITY IS BECAUSE THESE RULES, THE REAL CONFLICTIVITY IS VERY, VERY LOW, BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WHO PERHAPS DOES NOT ABIDE. BUT WE KEEP LOTS OF DANGEROUS USERS OF THESE DOMAINS AT BAY IN THE HOPE THAT YOU WILL INTRODUCE THAT. I MEAN, THE REAL CONFLICTIVITY THAT PRODUCES IT AND THE REAL CONFLICTIVITY IN THE SPONSORED OR EVEN THE NAME IS CLOSE TO ZERO OR CLOSE TO ZERO POINT ZERO ZERO ZERO SOMETHING.

THE QUESTION FOR KURT IS A GENERAL CLARIFICATION, IF YOU WILL, ABOUT THE PROCESS. WHEN YOU SAY WE ARE LOOKING OR HIRING EVALUATORS TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, SOMEHOW THE INITIAL DISCRIMINATION, MY QUESTION IS WHAT SORT OF EVALUATORS WILL YOU LOOK FOR? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF THEY COME THERE AND SAY, WELL, TECHNICAL PLAN, DON'T WORRY, MY GRANDMOTHER WILL HELP ME HANDLE THE TLD, WELL, YOU CAN CHECK THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM. BUT THERE ARE OTHER PARTS, LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, IT MIGHT BE THAT I HAVE A PERFECT PLAN BUT THIS IS NOT A SPONSORED TLD AT ALL, OR I WONDER HOW THE USUAL CONSULTANCY, WHICH LAST TIME WAS USING EVALUATORS, CAN CHECK SOMETHING LIKE VALUE ADDED TO THE DNS SPACE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND MY GENERAL RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WHILE YOU MAY USE ALL SORT OF EXTERNAL EVALUATORS, PLEASE DON'T KEEP IT BLIND TO THE ICANN STAFF AND THE ICANN BOARD, BECAUSE WE IN THE COMMUNITY, WE TRUST THIS STRUCTURE TO HAVE SOME ACQUIRED VALUES REGARDING HOW THE DNS WORK.

AND LAST TIME WE SEE -- WE SAW VERY STUPID EVALUATIONS FROM THIS INDEPENDENT TEAMS, SOMETHING LIKE HOW OFTEN WILL YOU REFRESH THE WHOIS INFORMATION? AND THE ONE GETTING THE BEST QUOTE WAS ONE WHO SAID INSTANTANEOUS, AND INSTANTANEOUS DOES NOT EXIST. IT'S THAT SIMPLE; RIGHT? BUT IT'S BETTER THAN SOME SECONDS, APPARENTLY.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AMADEU. PLEASE.

>>ERIC BRUNNER-WILLIAMS: THANK YOU, VINT. A COMMENT FOR MIRIAM. I'M ERIC BRUNNER-WILLIAMS. AS YOU KNOW, I'VE WORKED ON THE DOT BIZ PROPOSAL, THE DOT US PROPOSAL AND I ASSISTED WITH THE DOT COOP AND DOT MUSEUM ACTIVITIES. ONE THING I URGE YOU TO LOOK FOR IS THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF THE EXQUISITE TORTURE, THE FORMALISM THAT PROPOSAL RESPONDENTS GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO RESPOND AS IF THEY WERE VERY WELL CAPITALIZED ORGANIZATIONS WHEN IN FACT THEY ARE NOT VERY WELL CAPITALIZED ORGANIZATIONS.

RESPONDING TO THE PROPOSALS THEMSELVES, MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE FIRST ROUND OF STLDS AND GTLDS WAS THAT THE CAPITALIZATION WAS, IF YOU WILL, THE SERVICE LEVEL TO WHICH THE AGREEMENTS WERE MADE WERE DISPROPORTIONATE FOR SOME OF THE STLD PROPOSEMENTS. AND THE ENTIRE PROCESS IMPOSED UNNECESSARY COST, WHICH HAS DAMAGED THE FIRST ROUND OF STLD ROLLOUTS, AND POSSIBLY EVEN ONE OR TWO OF THE GTLD ROLLOUTS, ALTHOUGH THEY MAY SUFFER FROM SELF-INFLICTED INJURY. SO PLEASE TRY TO GO BEYOND THE FORMAL COMPARISON OF THE SEVEN SETS OF DOCUMENTS TO INFER THE CAPITALIZATION REQUIREMENTS THAT MEETING THE SLA BOGIES AND APPENDICES AND ALSO RESPOND TO GO THE COMPLETE TEXTUAL REQUIREMENT FOR THE RFP IMPOSED ON THAT GENERATION OF APPLICANTS AND PRESUMABLY WILL BE INFLICTED ON THE NEXT GENERATION OF APPLICANTS AS WELL.

>>MIRIAM SAPIRO: I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION AND WE WILL TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT AS WE DO THE PROCESS PART. THAT'S REALLY SOLUCOM'S PART, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT THE NEGOTIATIONS, I SHOULD SAY.

>>STEVEN METALITZ: THANK YOU, STEVE METALITZ A MEMBER OF THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CONSTITUENCY. MY QUESTION IS DIRECTED TOWARDS KURT'S PRESENTATION. I NOTICE IN YOUR FIRST, YOUR SLIDE ABOUT THE STEPS, PUBLIC COMMENT WAS NOT MENTIONED ALTHOUGH I DID SEE IN THE TIMETABLE THAT THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

BUT GIVEN THE NEW PROCESS THAT'S BEING USED IN CONTRAST TO THE PROCESS IN 2000, TO WHOM ARE THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS TO BE DIRECTED? ARE THEY DIRECTED TO THE STAFF IN DETERMINING WHETHER THE THRESHOLD REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET? ARE THEY DIRECTED TOWARD THE INDEPENDENT EVALUATORS WHO WILL REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS THAT MEET THOSE THRESHOLD REQUIREMENTS? OR ARE THEY ULTIMATELY DIRECTED TO THE BOARD THAT WILL HAVE TO ENDORSE, I THINK WAS THE WORD YOU USED, THE AGREEMENTS THAT ARE ULTIMATELY NEGOTIATED AND SIGNED BY THE STAFF?

>>KURT PRITZ: THE PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE FOLDER AND BECOME PART OF THE APPLICATION AND BE APPENDED TO IT SO WHEN THE EVALUATORS READ THE APPLICATION, THEY WILL FIRST READ THE APPLICATION AND THEN THOSE COMMENTS WILL BE PART OF IT.

SO IT WILL BE PART AND PARCEL OF THE APPLICATION.

>>MARK MCFADDEN: MARK MCFADDEN FROM THE ISP CONSTITUENCY, AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY ENGAGED IN TESTING SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED WITH THE NON-THREE CHARACTER TLDS. AND WHILE I'M NOT GOING TO REPORT ON WHAT THE RESULTS OF THE TESTING ARE, THE RESULTS ARE SURPRISING, AND AMADEU IS EXACTLY RIGHT.

THEY'RE SURPRISING IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.

AND WHAT OUR INTENT WAS WAS TO ACTUALLY COME UP WITH A BEST CURRENT PRACTICE DOCUMENT, BECAUSE WE THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS PRIMARILY AT THE APPLICATION LAYER.

THE DISCOVERY IS THAT WHILE YOU'RE RIGHT, THIS ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE, THE PROBLEM IS IN A VARIETY OF SETTINGS, NOT JUST AT THE APPLICATION LAYER BUT ALSO AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE LAYER AND THERE'S ACTUALLY A PART THAT'S AT THE POLITICAL LAYER.

AND WHAT THE COMMUNITY REALLY NEEDS IS A TAXONOMY OF THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT HAPPENS, WHEN PEOPLE HAVE COME TO US AND ASKED FOR THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM, OUR INTENT WAS -- OUR FIRST SORT OF NAIVE INTENT WAS TO PROVIDE A BEST CURRENT PRACTICE DOCUMENT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE OPERATORS OF BIND AND APPLICATION LAYER TOOLS.

THE DISCOVERY IS THE PROBLEM RUNS MUCH, MUCH DEEPER AND IS MUCH, MUCH COMPLEX THAN THAT. AND I THINK THAT THERE ARE REALLY A VARIETY OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO BE EDUCATED.

AND SO IT'S THAT TAXONOMY DOCUMENT THAT I WOULD APPEAL FOR. THE TESTING HAS TO GO ON. OUR CONSTITUENCY HAS COMMITTED TO DOING THAT TESTING IN THE FUTURE. WE HAVE DONE IT IN THE PAST AND WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO IT BUT WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEM AND HOW WIDESPREAD IT IS.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT OCCURS TO ME THAT EVEN KNOWING ABOUT PROBLEMS THAT ARE REPORTED IS IMPORTANT, BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE WILL KNOW ABOUT EVERY PROBLEM. SO FINDING A WAY TO CAPTURE EXPERIENCE, EVEN FROM USERS WHO DISCOVER PROBLEMS, SOUNDS TO ME LIKE A WORTHWHILE EXERCISE.

SO ALTHOUGH I'M NOT SURE THE EXTENT TO WHICH STAFF IS PREPARED TO COPE WITH THIS PROBLEM, WE DO NEED TO LOOK FOR SOME MECHANISM FOR CAPTURING THE ISSUES THAT ARE ARISING SO THAT PEOPLE CAN BECOME AWARE OF THEM. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT VALUABLE INPUT.

>>MICHAEL PALAGE: MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I THANK YOU FOR RAISING THIS POINT. I BELIEVE A NUMBER OF THE REGISTRY CONSTITUENCIES HAVE BEEN TRYING, IF YOU WILL, TO GET THE LIGHT OF DAY, AND I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE BRINGING THIS TO ATTENTION AT THIS TIME.

I WOULD HOPE THAT POSSIBLY, BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT ICANN AND WE TALK ABOUT GLOBAL RESOLUTION AND TECHNICAL COORDINATION, I THINK THIS REALLY GOES TO THE HEART OF WHAT WE DO AND HOPEFULLY WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAYBE ALLOCATE THIS NOT ONLY TO ICANN STAFF BUT MAYBE TO THE SECURITY AND STABILITY, BECAUSE IF WE ARE PROVIDING A CONTRACT FOR A REGISTRY OPERATOR THAT DOES NOT HAVE GLOBAL RESOLUTION OR RUNS INTO DIFFICULTIES, I THINK WE SHOULD FACILITATE HELPING THEM AND NOT, IF YOU WILL, REMOVE OBSTACLES WHERE POSSIBLE.

SO AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU FOR RAISING THIS, AND ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO EXPEDITE IT I THINK WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.

>>VINT CERF: JUST TO RESPOND TO MIKE, ONE OBSERVATION IS THAT THERE ARE OTHER ENTITIES IN OUR UNIVERSE WHO DEAL WITH OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS. I'M THINKING NANOG FOR INSTANCE IN NORTH AMERICA AND THERE ARE SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD. SO DRAWING ATTENTION TO GROUPS THAT HAVE OPERATIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE INTERNET MAY ALSO BE A TOOL HERE. I DON'T WANT TO SUGGEST THAT THE ONLY PLACE IN THE WORLD THAT CAN COORDINATE AND COLLABORATE ON FINDING THESE PROBLEMS IS ICANN, BUT WE SURELY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO DRAW ATTENTION IN THOSE PLACES WHERE SOLUTIONS MIGHT BE FOUND.

I HAVE RON ANDRUFF NEXT.

>>RON ANDRUFF: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. GOOD AFTERNOON. RON ANDRUFF FROM TRALLIANCE CORPORATION.

I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD AND THE STAFF FOR PROVIDING THE ICANN COMMUNITY WITH THE FINAL STEPS IN THIS LONG SOUGHT AFTER RFP. WE'LL TAKE SOME TIME TO CONSIDER WHAT WE FOUND OUT TODAY, OVER THE NEXT DAYS, AND WE'D LIKE TO BRING BACK SOME COMMENTS HOPEFULLY AT THE END OF THE COMMENT PERIOD TOMORROW, HOWEVER OUR KNEE JERK REACTION IS CONSIDERING THE STAFF WITH ALL OF THE WORKLOAD THAT THE COMMUNITY IS WELL AWARE OF WAS ABLE TO PREPARE AN RFP IN JUST A FEW WEEKS, WE WONDER WHY IT TAKES OVER 120 DAYS FOR EVALUATORS TO VETTE CRITERIA-BASED APPLICATIONS. EFFECTIVELY, THAT COMES DOWN TO REVIEWING ONE PAGE PER DAY FOR OUR DOT TRAVEL APPLICATION.

AND CONSIDERING WE'RE PAYING $45,000 FOR THIS AND ON TOP OF THE $50,000 THAT WAS PAID FOR THE DOT TRAVEL APPLICATION IN 2000, WE FIND THAT TO BE SOMEWHAT STRANGE AND WE'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING THAT.

THE CONTINUING PROCESS, OR THIS CONTINUING PROCESS IS APPLYING SIGNIFICANT HARDSHIP TO STARTUP COMPANIES LIKE OURS AND OTHERS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROCESS. AND FRUSTRATING THE SPONSORS OF THE APPLICATION.

THIS OVERLY LONG REVIEW SENDS A BAD SIGNAL THAT ICANN LOOKS TO EXPAND THE NAME SPACE AS WE GO FORWARD. THEREFORE, I ASK THE BOARD GIVE SOME CONSIDERATION TO THIS TIME LINE AND PERHAPS ASK THE STAFF IF THEY MIGHT FIND WAY TO TIGHTEN IT SO WE CAN ALL MOVE FORWARD ON THIS PROCESS AS WE UNDERSTOOD THIS WAS GOING TO BE A SHORT INTERIM STEP FOR A MUCH LONGER PROCESS. IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR US TO EXPLAIN TO OUR CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE ANXIOUS TO MOVE FORWARD IN THEIR INDUSTRY INITIATIVES THAT THIS TLD WILL TAKE ANOTHER SIX MONTHS BEFORE WE SEE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN AWARD. SO I WOULD HOPE THAT THE BOARD WOULD CONSIDER THIS AND, AS I SAY, I WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK TOMORROW WITH SOME COMMENTS, IF POSSIBLE, AND TRUST THAT WE MIGHT FIND A WAY TO MOVE FORWARD MORE RAPIDLY.

>>VINT CERF: WE APPRECIATE THAT ADVICE, RON. THANK YOU.

PLEASE. DON'T FORGET TO SAY WHO YOU ARE.

>>MARIA ZITKOVA: MY NAME IS MARIA ZITKOVA, I'M FROM SITA, AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP THE ISSUE OF THE ACCEPTANCE OF CERTAIN NEW TOP-LEVEL DOMAINS.

I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK LONG. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, WE HAVE (INAUDIBLE) SPONSORED TLDS BECAUSE SMALL AND NOT KNOWN. AND WE HAVE TAXONOMY ISSUES AND (INAUDIBLE) HELPED US WITH THE TESTING. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK JOHN KLENSIN WHO HEADED AN INFORMATIONAL RFP THAT DESCRIBED TO A CERTAIN EXTENT THE PROBLEM. WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY IS MAYBE NOT RIGHT HERE BUT WE CAN PROVIDE IN WRITING THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE HAVE HAD SO FAR, WHICH CAN HELP TO UNDERSTAND IT BETTER.

>>VINT CERF: I'LL NEVER TURN DOWN OFFERS OF HELP. THANK YOU.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. IN THAT CASE, WE CAN MOVE AHEAD, AND I HAVE -- OH, I'M SORRY. THERE'S ONE, AND I'M NOT SEEING T THERE YOU ARE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE?

>>CARLOS AFONSO: CARLOS AFONSO. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK A CLARIFICATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ISSUE. THERE ARE SEVERAL CCTLDS, LIKE DOT N U, DOT PW, DOT PV, ET CETERA, WISHING TO PRACTICE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES AND THEIR AGREEMENTS WITH COMPANIES TO SELL THEIR DOMAIN AND BECOMING PRACTICE GTLDS. HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT IN THE REALM OF THE GTLD DISCUSSION. WHAT IS THE SITUATION OF THESE DOMAINS THAT ARE REALLY NOT COUNTRY CODE TOP-LEVEL DOMAINS BUT ARE GENERIC DOMAINS, WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS? I FEEL THERE IS A BLACK HOLE IN DOMAINS THAT ARE FORMALLY COUNTRY CODE BUT THEY'RE NOT COUNTRY CODE. AND YOU DON'T HAVE ANY REAL REVELATION ABOUT IT. THANK YOU.

>>PAUL TWOMEY: IF I MAY RESPOND, AND I CAN APPRECIATE YOUR REACTION, I THINK IT COMES TO THE REAL DISTINCTION THAT MANY OF THE CCS WOULD FEEL ABOUT THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN ICANN'S ROLE WHEN IT COMES TO TECHNICAL POLICY RELATING TO GENERIC TOP-LEVEL DOMAINS AND WHERE ASSOCIATED POLICIES GET MADE AT THE COUNTRY OR THE HOME JURISDICTION RELATE TO GO A CCTLD.

IF A GOVERNMENT OR ADMINISTRATION MAKES A DECISION THAT IT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER IS COMFORTABLE WITH THAT PROCESS, THERE'S BEEN RECENT EXAMPLES, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH DOT LA, ICANN, I DON'T THINK, IS EMPOWERED TO INTERVENE IN THAT DOMESTIC -- IN THE DOMESTIC DECISION-MAKING PROCESS RELATE TO GO THE CC IN ITS HOME GOVERNMENT. AND I THINK THAT IS ONE OF THE CLEAR DISTINCTIONS THAT I THINK NEARLY EVERY CC HAS MADE IN THE PROCESS IN THE LONG DISCUSSION TAKING PLACE WITH THE CCNSO AND THE FORMATION OF THE CCNSO. SO WHILE I APPRECIATE YOUR OBSERVATION, I THINK IT COMES TO THE POINT OF DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE SEATS OF POWER FOR DECISION-MAKING BETWEEN GTLDS AND CCTLDS.

ERIC BRUNNER-WILLIAMS: IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO RESPOND. AGAIN, ERIC BRUNNER-WILLIAMS. I AGREE WITH THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER ABOUT THE REPURPOSED CCTLDS. THE RESPONSE FROM THE CHAIR OR FROM THE PRESIDENT, EXCUSE ME, IS THAT THIS REALLY IS AN INTERNAL MATTER OF THE HOST GOVERNMENT, MORE OR LESS.

IT'S BEEN OVER A YEAR NOW SINCE DOT IQ DISAPPEARED, AND IT'S BEEN THAT LONG SINCE I'VE BROUGHT THIS MATTER TO THE ATTENTION OF THE ICANN BOARD BY IT'S FORMER GC, LOUIS.

SO THERE IS NO -- I MEAN, THAT'S GOT TO BE ANSWERED DIFFERENTLY. YOU CAN'T POINT TO THE NON-EXISTENCE OF THE CCTLD AND SAY THAT'S A MATTER OF THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF THE CCTLD NATION STATE OR -- MY POINT IS WHERE IS DOT IQ? WE KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH DOT CC AND SO FORTH, SO WHERE IS DOT IQ?

>>VINT CERF: WELL, FIRST OF ALL, DOT IQ, AS NEAR AS I AM AWARE, ISN'T FUNCTIONING.
THE PROBLEM WE HAVE WITH INSTITUTING OPERATIONS FOR DOT IQ, AT LEAST AS I SEE IT, IS THAT WE HAVE A PROCEDURE FOR DELEGATING RESPONSIBILITY FOR OPERATING EACH CCTLD, AND PART OF THAT PROCEDURE INVOLVES A GOVERNMENTAL INTERACTION, AND IT'S NOT CLEAR WHAT ENTITY SHOULD SERVE AS THAT GOVERNMENTAL PARTY FOR DOT IQ.

SO FRANKLY, I THINK WE ARE STALLED IN TERMS OF REVIVING THAT UNTIL THERE IS A GOVERNMENT THAT CAN PARTICIPATE TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER PARTIES THAT WE NORMALLY CONSULT WITH, INCLUDING THE LOCAL INTERNET COMMUNITY, BEFORE A DELEGATION OCCURS.

IF YOU KNOW DIFFERENTLY ABOUT THE CURRENT OPERATION OF IQ, THIS WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SAY SOMETHING.

>>ERIC BRUNNER-WILLIAMS: A YEAR AGO, I STARTED DOCUMENTING THE EFFECT OF THE NETWORK OPERATIONS IN IRAQ AS WELL AS THE EFFECT ON THE NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE OR THE NIC IN IRAQ. CURRENTLY, THE SPONSORS ARE IN U.S. CUSTODY. THEY WERE, AT THE TIME, IN TEXAS AND THEY'VE BEEN TAKEN INTO FEDERAL CUSTODY FOR REASONS WHICH ARE IRRELEVANT. AND I'VE WRITTEN A SUMMARY OF HOW TO TAKE CONTROL OF DOT IQ, PRESUMING ONE IS WILLING TO COMMIT A MINOR CRIME, WHICH YOU CAN FIND AT THE FOLLOWING URL. IQ.NIC-NAA.NET. AND UNDERNEATH THERE THERE SHOULD STILL BE THE NOC PAGE WHICH DESCRIBES THE DESTRUCTION OF THE IRAQI INFRASTRUCTURE, AS WELL AS (INAUDIBLE) AS WELL AS THE STEPS ONE WOULD GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO SEIZE DOT IQ, EITHER BY SEIZING ITS ADDRESS SPACE OR THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SPONSOR AND ICANN.

SO IT'S ALL THERE AS FAR AS I KNOW, AND THAT'S STILL CURRENT DATA. THEY'RE STILL IN JAIL.
THANK YOU.

>>VINT CERF: OKAY. NOT TO HOLD EVERYBODY UP. MAYBE WE CAN TAKE THIS OFF-LINE TO GET MORE DETAIL.
COULD I TAKE THE NEXT QUESTION.

>>STEPHEN DYER: STEPHEN DYER, NOMINET. THIS IS A FOLLOW-UP TO THE LAST ONE, BUT NOT ON THE IRAQI, VINT. I'M STEPHEN DYER.

THE POINT I MADE, IS THAT COUNTRY CODES WERE BEING USED DIFFERENTLY FROM THE WAY IN WHICH THEY WERE ALLOCATED. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THE POINT THAT USUALLY MISUSE OF DOMAINS IS A LEGAL MATTER TO DO WITH DO I HAVE OWNERSHIP OF IT. IS IT MY TRADEMARK OR HAS SOMEONE ELSE STOLEN MY TRADEMARK. IT'S QUITE DANGEROUS, I THINK, IF WE TREAD INTO THE AREA OF SAYING WE SHOULD TAKE THIS DOMAIN NAME AWAY FROM THESE PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH IT FROM WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE. I THINK THAT'S A VERY DANGEROUS ROAD TO GO DOWN, AND I THINK IT NEEDS VERY CAREFUL CONSIDERATION BEFORE WE DO SO. THANK YOU.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THIS DOES GET TO THE QUESTION OF INTENT BEHIND THE ORIGINAL ALLOCATION OF THE CCTLDS, AND THE RECOGNITION THAT THE AREA'S GOVERNANCE OR HOW DO I -- THERE'S A FORMULA THE GAC USES ABOUT AREAS OF ECONOMIC INTEREST. BUT THE PARTIES WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE TOP-LEVEL DOMAINS HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL DEGREE TO SAY ABOUT HOW THEY GET USED. AND MY SENSE IS THAT OUR PRACTICES SHOULD NOT BE TO DICTATE SUCH MATTERS.

THE CCNSO MIGHT CONCEIVABLY ADDRESS QUESTIONS LIKE THAT, BUT THAT WOULD BE A DECISION THAT THEY WOULD MAKE TO PURSUE SUCH A QUESTION. I DON'T SEE ICANN HAVING A NEED TO DO THAT. QUITE INDEPENDENTLY, OF COURSE, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE OF SOME 35 YEARS, I NEVER ANTICIPATED THAT COUNTRY CODES WOULD BE USED IN THE FASHION THAT SOME OF THEM ARE. AND IT'S QUITE CREATIVE, TO FIRST ORDER. BUT NONETHELESS WE HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CC COMMUNITY THAN WE HAVE WITH THE GTLD COMMUNITY, AND THEREFORE, WE HAVE TO RESPECT THAT.

OKAY. I'M TOLD THAT THERE IS A POWER FAILURE OUTSIDE, SO TAKING A BREAK IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. SO IF YOU'RE WONDERING ABOUT THIS, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE ON.

THE NEXT REPORT THAT I HAVE ON MY CALENDAR SAYS THAT THERESA SWINEHART IS GOING TO MAKE A REPORT. THERESA, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE PREPARED TO DO?
I THINK THE ANSWER MUST BE YES, BECAUSE HERE SHE COMES.

>>THERESA SWINEHART: SORRY.
I WAS TRYING TO DEAL WITH SOME LOGISTICS HERE.
HI.
DO WE HAVE -- OH, WE HAVE IT UP.
THANKS, STEVE.

I AM DOING THE PRESENTATION ON SOME OF OUR GLOBALIZATION AND REGIONAL OUTREACH EFFORTS.

AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, ONE OF THE LARGEST OBJECTIVES THAT WE HAVE IS TO IMPROVE OUR GLOBALIZATION.

WE'VE SEEN THIS BY HAVING MEETINGS IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
THE GOVERNMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAS BEEN HAVING OUTREACH MEETINGS AT THEIR SESSIONS.
CCTLDS HAVE BEEN DOING OUTREACH AT THEIR SESSIONS AS WELL.

IN ADDITION, THE CCTLDS HAVE THEIR OWN REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL MEETINGS, AND THE RIRS HAVE THEIR OWN REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
I THINK THIS ALL HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED THAT WE ARE A GLOBAL ORGANIZATION, BUT ICANN AS SORT OF THE STAFF FUNCTION ALSO NEEDS TO DEMONSTRATE STRONG GLOBALIZATION.

SO I'LL RUN THROUGH A FEW SLIDES ON WHAT SOME OF THE STAFF THINKING IS AND SOME THOUGHTS ON OUR STEPS MOVING FORWARD.

THE BRUSSELS OFFICE -- AND I DON'T KNOW IF PAUL VERHOEF IS HERE IN THE ROOM.
NO.
PAUL VERHOEF IS THE PERSON WHO STAFFS THE BRUSSELS OFFICE.
HE IS OUR SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR GLOBAL POLICY DEVELOPMENT.
AND THAT OFFICE WAS OPENED IN JANUARY.

THE ISSUE OF HAVING REGIONAL PRESENCE HAS BEGUN FROM TWO ASPECTS.
ONE HAS BEEN A VERY STRONG INTEREST IN THE ICANN COMMUNITY TO HAVE AN INCREASED GLOBAL PRESENCE.
AS STAFF, WE HAVE FOUND OURSELVES BEING ASKED TO COME TO VARIOUS REGIONAL MEETINGS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WE HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT IT'S IMPROVED OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND INTERACTIONS WITH THE GLOBAL INTERNET COMMUNITY IN RESPECTIVE REGIONS.
WE THINK IT'LL ENHANCE OUR GLOBAL OPERATIONS AND POTENTIAL COST SAVINGS.

HOWEVER, HAVING A REGIONAL OFFICE INVOLVES PRACTICALITIES SUCH AS PRESENCE AND HOW DO YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT, LANGUAGES, AND STAFFING.
AND SO THE THIRD POINT I'LL ADDRESS IN THESE SLIDES IS HOW REPLAN TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE CRITERIA TO ESTABLISH.
NEXT SLIDE.

THERE WE GO.
THERE'S THREE ASPECTS WE VIEW WITH HAVING A REGIONAL PRESENCE.
ONE IS THAT IT WILL HAVE A GLOBAL FUNCTION.
THE ROLE OF THE BRUSSELS OFFICE AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE VICE PRESIDENT IN THAT OFFICE IS A GLOBAL ROLE.
IT'S TO FACILITATE IMPROVED GLOBAL OPERATIONS AS WELL AS DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS.
AND IT ENHANCES THE ABILITY TO HIRE LOCALLY.

IT'S ALSO A PRACTICAL ASPECT.
WE CAN ACTUALLY ENSURE THAT THERE'S SEAMLESS, 24-HOUR ABILITY TO BE RESPONSIVE.
AND MANAGING SENSITIVITIES WITH REGIONAL NEEDS.
AND IT'S ALSO GOING TO FACILITATE OUR REGIONAL OUTREACH AND THE ABILITY TO INTERACT DIRECTLY AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL AND SUPPORT DEMANDS.

THE EXPERIENCE AT BRUSSELS HAS BEEN WHILE THE POSITION IS A GLOBAL POSITION AND THAT RESPONSIBILITY IS FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE ABILITY OF THE STAFF IN THAT OFFICE TO WORK WITH THE STAFF IN MARINA DEL REY, OR WHOEVER HAPPENS TO BE TRAVELING, ALLOWS US TO BE MUCH MORE RESPONSIVE AND CARRY EACH OTHER'S WORK FORWARD.

AND THAT'S PROVED TO BE QUITE POSITIVE.
WE'VE ALSO FOUND THAT THE ABILITY TO BE RESPONSIVE IN THE SAME TIME ZONE HAS PROVEN TO BE VERY VALUABLE, IN PARTICULAR, IN RELATION TO CCTLD ISSUES.

SO THAT'S THE NEXT SLIDE, WHERE I FIND WHERE IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN BENEFICIAL.
OUR HOPE IS, IS THAT IN THIS PROCESS -- YEAH, IT STILL WORKS -- IN THIS PROCESS, IT MAY ACTUALLY, IN THE LONG RUN, ASSIST IN DECREASING COSTS, BECAUSE LOCAL STAFF CAN ATTEND LOCAL MEETINGS.

AND SO WE DON'T ALL NEED TO BE FLYING.
SO HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD IN THIS DIRECTION?

WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE AN ASSESSMENT OF WHAT ROLE, FUNCTION, AND RESOURCES REGIONAL PRESENCE SHOULD HAVE.
IT SHOULD ALL BE INTERRELATED WITH ICANN'S LIMITED ROLE AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITIES AND PROVIDE BETTER SUPPORT TO THE LOCAL AREAS AS WELL AS HAVE A GLOBAL ROLE.
WE NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT SHOULD BE OUR GENERAL APPROACH ALSO FOR THE LOCATIONS OF REGIONAL OFFICES.
AND IN WHICH REGIONAL AREAS SHOULD THESE OFFICES BE LOCATED, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION NATURAL REGIONAL GROUPINGS.
YOU HAVE SOME GROUPINGS THAT ARE NATURALLY ALIGNED WITH EACH OTHER AND OTHERS THAT ARE NOT.
AND SO THOSE ARE AREAS WE NEED TO CONSIDER.

AND HOW SHOULD THE OFFICES BE STAFFED AND THE BUDGETARY IMPACTS AND TIME LINE OF IMPLEMENTATION.
AND SO THE NEXT STEPS FORWARD ARE FOR THE STAFF TO GIVE SOME THOUGHT TO THIS AND THEN TO PROCEED IN THE APPROPRIATE DIRECTION.
AND I THINK THAT'S ABOUT IT.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, THERESA.
ARE THERE QUESTIONS FOR THERESA ON THIS SUBJECT?
I HAVE PETER DENGATE THRUSH.

>>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: JUST TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE THE CCTLDS WERE MENTIONED IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS PRESENTATION, THAT THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH US, AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THE SUGGESTION IS THERE.

LET ME MAKE IT CLEAR, THERE'S BEEN NO REQUEST FROM THE CCTLDS THAT I AM AWARE OF FOR ICANN TO INCREASE ITS GLOBALIZATION.
I'M NOT SURE IF WE WERE ASKED, THAT WE WOULD SUPPORT SUCH A PROCESS.
THE MEMBERS OF ICANN IN TERMS OF THE CCTLDS ARE CLEARLY GLOBAL.

WHY THAT MEANS ICANN NEEDS TO BE GLOBAL, I'M NOT SURE.

I THINK THE QUESTIONS OUGHT TO BE, IF WE ARE GOING TO START SPENDING MONEY ON THIS, HOW IS IT GOING TO IMPROVE THE SERVICE TO THE CCTLD MEMBERS AND THE OTHER GLOBAL MEMBERS.

AND I SUPPOSE THAT'S THE KEY ISSUE FOR US, IS THAT COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS.

AND I GUESS THE QUESTION FOR THERESA IS, WHERE'S THE BANG FOR THIS BUCK.

>>THERESA SWINEHART: OKAY.
I KNOW THIS IS A REALLY POPULAR SUBJECT.
SO I'LL JUST ANSWER ONE QUESTION AT A TIME.
ACTUALLY, WE HAVE RECEIVED REQUESTS FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN PARTICULAR.
AND WE HAVE FOUND THAT THE STAFF THAT IS CURRENTLY IN THE BRUSSELS OFFICE IS ACTUALLY DEALING ON A DAILY BASIS WITH SEVERAL DEVELOPING COUNTRY REQUESTS ON INFORMATION FROM A WIDE RANGE OF AREAS.

BUT, PETER, IT'S -- THERE ARE REQUESTS THAT ARE COMING IN.
BUT THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CCTLD REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY DOING MANY OF THEIR OWN THINGS.
THESE HAVE TO DO WITH SPECIFIC ONE-ON-ONE REQUESTS THAT COME IN.

>>VINT CERF: ELLIOT NOSS.

>>ELLIOT NOSS: HI.

THANKS, VINT.
ELLIOT NOSS FROM TUCOWS.

FIRST I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT WE GREATLY ENCOURAGE THIS INITIATIVE AND WE THINK THAT WE HAVE CUSTOMERS IN 110 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD, MANY OF WHOM FIND IT DIFFICULT TO -- CHALLENGING TO DEAL WITH, YOU KNOW, ICANN IN ONE LANGUAGE OR ONE TIME ZONE.

SO THIS IS GREAT.

I DID NOT HEAR ANYTHING IN YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT COST.
AND I AM WONDERING, WHILE I KNOW THAT SOME OF THIS WILL PASS THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT WE, AS REGISTRARS, HAVE SOME VISIBILITY TO, I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD MAKE ANY COMMENTS IN THAT REGARD.

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR THEM.

>>THERESA SWINEHART: ACTUALLY, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT, WHAT THE COSTS ARE.
THERE'S INITIAL STARTUP ASPECTS OF IT, WHICH WE FOUND IN RELATION TO OUR FIRST EXPERIENCE ON THIS.
AND THEN THERE'S SAVINGS THAT ACTUALLY OFFBALANCE THAT.

>> I'M BOB CONNELLY OF PSI, JAPAN.
THE GTLD REGISTRARS IN JAPAN WERE VERY EXCITED TO HEAR THAT SUCH WAS BEING CONSIDERED AND HAVE ASKED ME TO CONVEY TO YOU THEIR INTEREST IN OFFERING ANY COUNSEL THAT MIGHT BE OF ASSISTANCE.

>>THERESA SWINEHART: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THE ONE THING I DIDN'T ACTUALLY HIGHLIGHT IN THE SLIDES, BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO KEEP IT RELATIVELY SHORT, IS, WE'VE RECEIVED VARIOUS OFFERS OF ASSISTANCE AND EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST, WHICH IS ALSO WHAT WE'LL BE CONSIDERING IN HOW WE APPROACH THAT.

DO WE PUT OUT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS?

AND IN CASES WHERE THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST, HOW DO WE PREPARE THAT ANALYSIS?

>>VINT CERF: RAUL ECHEBERRIA.

>>RAUL ECHEBERRIA: THANK YOU.
I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD IDEA TO OPEN REGIONAL OFFICES IN ALL THE WORLD, MAINLY FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE ASSIGNMENT THAT ICANN HAS GIVEN TO THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL, AND, OF COURSE, ALSO TO THE GOVERNMENTS OF EVERY REGION, IT SHOWS SOME INTENTION TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE WAY OF MORE INTERNATIONALIZATION.

I THINK THAT DEPENDING ON THE -- WHAT YOU ARE WILLING TO PAY, IT SHOULD NOT NECESSARILY INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY YOUR BUDGET.
AND I'M SURE THAT YOU CAN CUT THE BUDGET IN OTHER AREAS.

(LAUGHTER.)

>>RAUL ECHEBERRIA: BUT I THINK THAT'S -- ANOTHER MINOR ISSUE IS THE LANGUAGE.
IT WAS ADDRESSED THIS MORNING, AND WE HAVE TALKED, MAINLY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ENGLISH SPEAKERS, LIKE ME, HAVE TALKED WITH MOST OF YOU MANY TIMES ABOUT IT.
I THINK THAT THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED VERY QUICKLY, SOON.

>>THERESA SWINEHART: YES.
ACTUALLY, ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE WE COULD SEE SOME POTENTIAL COST SAVINGS OR BENEFITS OF ALL OF THIS IS ABILITY TO HAVE THINGS IN LOCAL LANGUAGE AND ALSO ACCESS TO LOCAL TRANSLATION, WHICH WOULD BE, OBVIOUSLY, LESS EXPENSIVE THAN TRYING TO DO IT OUT OF THE UNITED STATES.

SO THERE IS A LOT OF SORT OF TRIGGER DOMINO EFFECTS THAT START TO ARISE.

>>GRANT FORSYTH: GRANT FORSYTH, BC REPRESENTATIVE ON THE GNSO.
WHAT'S THE SUBJECT -- HAS SOME GENUINE INTEREST FOR MYSELF -- THANK YOU.
-- FOR MYSELF, NOT BEING A -- IS IT AMERICAN OR NORTH AMERICAN?
I GUESS I HAVE SOME CONCERNS.

FIRSTLY, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FROM THE GNSO.
AND WHILE I SUPPORT SOME OF THE OUTPUTS OF WHAT MIGHT BE THOUGHT OF AS GLOBALIZATION, AND ONE OF THEM THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED IS TRANSLATION, PROVIDING MATERIAL IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES, FIRSTLY, I HAVE A QUESTION AS TO PRIORITY.

WE ALL KNOW THAT AS WITH ANY ORGANIZATION, ICANN DOES NOT HAVE AN UNLIMITED BUDGET.
AND ALSO, I WOULD REFLECT THAT THE PRODUCTION OF INFORMATION AND RESPONSES, ET CETERA, IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES DOES NOT REQUIRE PHYSICAL PRESENCE IN MULTIPLE COUNTRIES.

THE OTHER AREA WHICH I HAVE SOME CONCERN IS, IN YOUR DESCRIPTION OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ASSISTANCE AND --

>> POLICY.

>>GRANT FORSYTH: -- POLICY, POLICY ADVICE ASSISTANCE, THANK YOU, PAUL VERHOEF, I HAVE SOME CONCERN AS TO YOUR DESCRIPTION OF HIS OTHER ROLES, WHICH, GIVEN THAT THE GNSO THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE OF THE IC EXPRESSED A VERY STRONG SINGLE PRIORITY, WHICH WAS TO BE PROVIDED WITH POLICY SUPPORT, IF YOU NOW TELL US THAT THE MAN WHO HAS BEEN APPOINTED TO THAT ROLE ACTUALLY IS, AMONGST OTHER THINGS, LOOKING AFTER THE ICANN OFFICE IN THE 12 HOURS WHEN MARINA DEL REY SLEEPS, THAT GIVES ME SOME CONCERN.

SO I JUST EXPRESS THOSE CONCERNS AS TO THIS GLOBALIZATION ISSUE, FIRSTLY STEMMING FROM THE FACT THAT THIS IS THE FIRST I HAVE HEARD OF IT AS ANY SORT OF, QUOTE, PRIORITY, AS YOU OPENED YOUR PRESENTATION AS; AND, TWO, JUST SUGGEST THAT WHILE SOME OF THE OUTPUTS I AND OTHERS WOULD STRONGLY SUPPORT, I'M NOT SURE THAT THEY REQUIRE, YOU KNOW, A WHOLEHEARTED MOVING INTO THE REST OF THE WORLD.

>>THERESA SWINEHART: THANK YOU.
OKAY.

>>VINT CERF: I'M SORRY?
OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GRANT.
I WILL JUST MAKE ONE OR TWO COMMENTS.
FIRST OF ALL, I -- WITH MY OTHER HAT ON, MY DAY JOB, I HAVE STAFF LITERALLY SCATTERED AROUND THE WORLD.

SO IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE PARTIES ENGAGED, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE ADVICE, ASSISTANCE AREA TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEIR MANAGEMENT IN ONE PLACE AND THE PHYSICAL LOCATION ELSEWHERE, THANKS TO THINGS LIKE INTERNET IN PARTICULAR.

BUT THE OTHER OBSERVATION I'D MAKE IS THAT, FREQUENTLY, ICANN IS ASKED TO BE PRESENT IN THE TIME ZONE TO PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSIONS.
AND THE ECONOMIC AND PHYSICAL IMPACT OF EITHER TRAVELING TO GET THERE OR HAVING TO HAVE AN AVAILABLE PRESENCE THAT CAN PARTICIPATE IN THAT TIME ZONE OFTEN MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.

SO AS THE STAFF AND THE BOARD CONSIDER WAYS IN WHICH TO WORK MORE EFFECTIVELY IN THIS VERY GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT, WE'LL BE TRADING OFF THINGS OF THAT SORT IN ORDER TO MAKE THE BEST CHOICE THAT WE CAN IN ORDER TO RESPOND TO THE REQUIREMENTS.

SO I HOPE THAT AT LEAST GOES A LITTLE WAYS TOWARDS ADDRESSING SOME OF THE ISSUES.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER -- YES, I KNOW THERE ARE TWO QUESTIONS, ONE FROM MOUHAMET AND ONE FROM ROBERTO.

I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE STOP AFTER THOSE TWO.
I AM TOLD THE POWER IS BACK ON AND THE COFFEE IS AVAILABLE OUT THERE.

SO -- AND I SEE SOME CHEERING IN THE PEANUT GALLERY FROM AMADEU.
SO MOUHAMET AND THEN ROBERTO AND THEN COFFEE.

>>MOUHAMET DIOP: THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN.
I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE ANOTHER DESCRIPTION ON THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WE ARE.
I THINK THAT THERESA HAS PRESENTED THE GLOBALIZATION AS OUR AIM TO BE PRESENT AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL, TO TRY TO REACH THE COMMUNITY WE ARE SERVING.

I THINK THAT I WILL COME AND ENFORCE THE IDEA THAT LANGUAGE CAN BE SEEN AS SPACE, AS WE ARE SEEING, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE NAMING ENVIRONMENT SPACE. IF YOU LOOK AT LANGUAGE AS SPACE, I MEAN, WHERE WE HAVE TO INVEST AND DO SOMETHING IN ORDER TO REACH LOCAL COMMUNITY, WE WILL SEE IT AS PART OF THE GLOBALIZATION.

I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT IDN; I AM TALKING ABOUT LANGUAGE AND THE EFFORT WE HAVE TO DO IN ORDER TO MAKE AVAILABLE MATERIALS THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH AND WE ARE DEALING WITH EVERY DAY.

BUT THE BIG CONCERN WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT LANGUAGE IS THE BUDGET.
AND AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED, I THINK THAT IN THE PAST, ICANN HAS BENEFITED FROM SOME OUTSIDE SPONSORS WHO HAVE HELPED MAKING TRANSLATION.

I REMEMBER THAT FRANCOFONY HAS DONE THAT IN THE PAST, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.

AND I REMEMBER LAST TIME WE WERE TRYING TO RAISE THAT POINT, WE HAVE ALSO SOME ORGANIZATION FROM LATIN AMERICA WHO ARE WILLING TO GIVE SOME INPUT TO HELP ICANN GET MATERIAL AVAILABLE.

AND IF WE LOOK AT THE WEB PAGE OF ICANN, THERE HAVE BEEN IMPROVEMENTS THAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO HAVE MATERIALS AVAILABLE IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.

BUT THIS IS JUST A FIRST STEP.

AND IF YOU'RE TRYING TO GET MORE, IT'S NOT AVAILABLE.

SO I AM JUST CONVEYING TO THERESA TO LOOK AT THE PRESENTATION OF THE GLOBALIZATION AND TO INCLUDE LANGUAGE SPECIFICALLY AS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE IN THE GLOBALIZATION AND TRY TO RAISE THE POINT AND SHOW UP WITH A STRATEGY HOW WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT, STEP BY STEP, A BETTER PRESENCE OF ICANN IN TERMS OF MATERIAL AND DOCUMENTS AND INPUT, I MEAN, TRY TO MAKE IT MORE INTERACTIVE IN ORDER TO BETTER THE PARTICIPATION AS ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES AND THE BIG CONCERNS OF ICANN.

>>THERESA SWINEHART: THANK YOU.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MOUHAMET.
THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT PROBLEM, AS I'M SURE EVERYONE IS AWARE.
IF WE ARE LUCKY, SOME AUTOMATIC TRANSLATION TECHNOLOGIES MIGHT HELP A LITTLE BIT.

BUT MY EXPERIENCE SO FAR IS THAT THE QUALITY OF THE TRANSLATIONS IS OFTEN WANTING.
SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A CONTINUING CHALLENGE FOR US.

ROBERTO.

>>ROBERTO GAETANO: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
MINE IS NOT A QUESTION.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT.

THE AT-LARGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS ONE OF THE BODIES THAT ARE PART OF ICANN THAT ARE ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO LOCALIZATION AND REGIONALIZATION.
AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN IN THE LAST MONTHS GOING THROUGH OUTREACH EFFORT.
AND AT LEAST I, IN MY CONTACTS IN EUROPE WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE WILLING OR THAT WE THINK THAT COULD PARTICIPATE MORE IN THIS PROCESS, WELL, THE QUESTION THAT I'VE HAD MORE OFTEN IS, WHY DO YOU THINK THAT YOU COULD COORDINATE THE USER COMMUNITY IN EUROPE FROM MARINA DEL REY.

AND, IN FACT, I THINK THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT DECISION OF HAVING A REGIONAL OFFICE IN BRUSSELS IS GOING TO BE THE SINGLE FACT THAT IS GOING TO HELP US MORE IN EUROPE TO BE EFFECTIVE IN THE OUTREACH AND TO PRESENT A MESSAGE TO THE USER COMMUNITY THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR MISSION TO BE CLOSER WHERE THE USERS ARE.

THANK YOU.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ROBERTO.
SO I NOW SUGGEST THAT WE TAKE OUR BREAK.
I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 4:20.
SO IF WE COULD RETURN, LET'S SAY, AT 4:35, IN 15 MINUTES, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.

(BREAK).

>>VINT CERF: TWO-MINUTE WARNING.
WE'LL RECONVENE IN TWO MINUTES.

I WOULD LIKE TO RECONVENE THIS MEETING.
I AM MISSING THE NEXT PRESENTER.
SO IF ANYONE HAS SEEN PAUL TWOMEY, PLEASE PUSH HIM INTO THE ROOM.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE YOUR CONVERSATIONS, WOULD YOU DO THEM OUTSIDE.
THE REST OF YOU, PLEASE BE SEATED.
AND WE'LL HEAR FROM THE PRESIDENT.

>>PAUL TWOMEY: PERHAPS WHILE THE CHAIRMAN'S DOING A MAGNIFICENT JOB ON CROWD CONTROL, MIGHT I JUST SHARE SOMETHING BEFORE THE FORMAL PRESIDENT'S REPORT.

THERE WAS A STATEMENT BEFORE THE BREAK CONCERNING DOT IQ.

I WANTED TO READ TO THE COMMUNITY A MESSAGE THAT WE IN THE IANA FUNCTIONS PRESENTLY SEND REQUESTS AROUND THE IQ.
I'M GOING TO READ THIS CAREFULLY BECAUSE IT'S A CAREFULLY DRAFTED MESSAGE.
AND THEN WE WILL ARRANGED FOR A WAY FOR IT TO BE POSTED LATER.

BUT THIS IS A MESSAGE THAT IS PRESENTLY SENT.

IN CONSIDERATION DELEGATION OR REDELEGATION OF A COUNTRY CODE TOP-LEVEL DOMAIN SUCH AS DOT IQ, THE IANA SEEKS INPUT FROM PERSONS SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTED BY THE TRANSFER, PARTICULARLY THOSE WITHIN THE NATION OR TERRITORY WHICH THE TOP-LEVEL DOMAIN HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED TO BENEFIT.

IN THIS REGARD, THE IANA TAKES VERY SERIOUSLY THE DESIRES OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE AFFECTED COUNTRY.

FOR A MORE DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THIS PROCESS, SEE ICP-1, CCTLD NEWS, MEMO NUMBER 1.

AND THE IANA REPORT ON REQUEST FOR REDELEGATION OF THE .PN TOP-LEVEL DOMAIN.

AND EACH OF THOSE HAS A LINK.
IN VIEW OF THESE IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS, THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES IN IRAQ COMPLICATE ASSESSMENT OF THE QUALIFICATIONS OF ANY PARTICULAR ENTITY TO ASSUME THE DELEGATION OF THE DOT IQ TOP-LEVEL DOMAIN.

THERE IS CURRENTLY NO SHOWING OF THE NATURE OF THE INTERNET COMMUNITY IN IRAQ, MUCH LESS A SHOWING OF BROAD SUPPORT WITHIN THAT COMMUNITY FOR ANY PARTICULAR CHANGE IN THE PRESENT DELEGATION.

IN PARTICULAR, THE EVOLVING SITUATION IN IRAQ CREATES GREAT CHALLENGES IN ASSESSING THE VIEWS OF THE GOVERNMENT AS CONTEMPLATED BY THE RELEVANT REDELEGATION POLICIES.

UNTIL THE SITUATION IN IRAQ STABILIZES, IT DOES NOT APPEAR FEASIBLE TO SELECT A NEW DELEGEE FOR THE IQ DOMAIN.

PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

BEST REGARDS, THE IANA FUNCTION.

THAT IS A STATEMENT THAT STANDS ON ITS OWN.
I WON'T INTERPRET IT FOR YOU.

BUT THAT'S THE RESPONSE WE'RE GIVING AT THE MOMENT TO PEOPLE WHO MAKE REQUESTS AROUND DOT IQ.
WE DO RECEIVE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF REQUESTS AROUND IT, AND INQUIRIES.

WITH YOUR LEAVE, CHAIR, IF I MAY MOVE TO THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT.

GOOD.

FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES, IT'S JUST ON 11 MONTHS SINCE I TRANSFORMED MY LIFE BY AGREEING TO BE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF ICANN.

AND SEEING THAT THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING, THIS IS PROBABLY THE CLOSEST I'LL GET TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY, IF YOU LIKE, AN ANNUAL REPORT OR THE YEAR IN THE LIFE OF PAUL TWOMEY.

SO I THOUGHT, UNLIKE OTHER MEETINGS WE'VE HAD, THAT I WOULD FOCUS THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT IN GIVING A REVIEW OF -- ALMOST AN ANNUAL REVIEW, IF YOU LIKE, A REVIEW OF THE LAST 11 MONTHS, AND WHAT I THINK ARE THE IMPLICATIONS GOING FORWARD.

I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO FIVE THINGS.

I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO WHAT I THINK ARE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE ICANN COMMUNITY, THE BOARD, AND THE STAFF.

I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO THE LARGE-SCALE PROCESSES WE HAVE TRIED TO UNDERTAKE IN TERMS OF CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST 11 MONTHS.

I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU SOME SENSE OF THE FEEDBACK WE HAVE RECEIVED.

I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE AS PART OF ONE OF THOSE ISSUES IS REQUIREMENTS THAT WE PERSONALLY STILL HAVE TO IMPLEMENT IN REGARDS TO THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.
AND PERHAPS THROUGH ALL THIS DRAW TO A CONCLUSION BY TALKING ABOUT WHAT I THINK THIS MEANS IN TERMS OF CONSEQUENT FOCUS OF OPERATIONS.

LET ME TALK TO ACHIEVEMENTS. AND THESE ARE NOT IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER.

I THINK ONE OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS WAS HAVING THE EXTENSION OF THE MOU, ALTHOUGH I THINK THAT'S A REFLECTION OF OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS, TO BE TRUTHFUL.

WE HAVE GONE THROUGH ORGANIZATIONAL RESTRUCTURING AND RECRUITMENT, A NEW CEO, AND I THINK PROBABLY IMPORTANTLY, PUTTING IN A LAYER OF MANAGEMENT AND MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE ORGANIZATION.

THERE HAS BEEN THE FORMATION OF THE AT-LARGE STRUCTURES, WITH TEN ESTABLISHED SO FAR AND SIX PENDING.

TO GIVE YOU AN -- AND IMPORTANTLY, THOSE WITH THE AT-LARGE STRUCTURES, THREE ARE PRESENTLY FROM AFRICA, ONE FROM ASIA, ASIA-PACIFIC, FIVE IN EUROPE, AND ONE IN LATIN AMERICA.
AND WE HAVE FOUR PENDING, OR THE ALAC DOES, FOUR FROM ASIA-PACIFIC, ONE FROM EUROPE, AND ONE FROM LATIN AMERICA.

SO I THINK THAT'S BEEN A GOOD SIGNAL.

AND I THINK THE WHOLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AT-LARGE IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR ICANN'S CONTINUED PROGRESS.
IN TERMS OF GTLD POLICIES, THE WHOIS HAS BEEN A MAJOR PART OF EFFORTS IN THE LAST 11 MONTHS.
IT'S NOT YET CONCLUDED, BUT, HOPEFULLY, WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS GREATER SENSE IN THE WAY FORWARD.

THE TRANSFERS POLICY IS VERY CLOSE TO CONCLUSION OF IMPLEMENTATION.
WE'RE RECEIVING REPORT ON THAT, THE (INAUDIBLE) POLICY HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.

I THINK VERY IMPORTANTLY OVER THE LAST 11 MONTHS, ONE OF THE MAIN PIECES OF WORK BY THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN THE DISCUSSIONS AND FORMATION OF THE COUNTRY CODE NAMES SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION.
AND WE NOW HAVE 39 COUNTRY CODES WHO HAVE JOINED THAT ORGANIZATION.
IT WAS FOUNDED ON MONDAY.

WORK ON IDN IMPLEMENTATIONS IS AN ONGOING WORK.
IT'S A WORK BEING DONE, OBVIOUSLY, BY OTHERS AS WELL AS BY ICANN.
I DON'T WANT TO OVERSTATE THE ROLE OF THE ORGANIZATION IN IDN IMPLEMENTATION.
BUT THAT'S AN ONGOING AREA.
AND I THINK AS THE CHAIR AND OTHERS HAVE INDICATED, IT'S A VERY COMPLEX AREA, WILL CONTINUE TO BE A VERY COMPLEX AREA.

SO WHILE I NOTE THAT DOWN AS AN ACHIEVEMENT IN TERMS OF THE ICANN IDN GUIDELINES THAT WERE SORT OF WORKED THROUGH IN RIO AND AFTERWARDS, THIS IS AN AREA OF CONTINUING -- I THINK IT'S BEEN AN AREA OF CONTINUING FOCUS AND IT'S AN AREA OF CONTINUING COMPLEXITY.

WE'VE ALSO GOT THE PDP PROCESS FOR NEW REGISTRY SERVICES THAT HAS BEEN -- OR NEW REGISTRY CHANGES, WHICH HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS AND IS STILL IN DISCUSSION.

YOU'VE HEARD ALREADY THERE'S BEEN AN OPENING OF AN OFFICE IN BELGIUM.

WE HAVE THE NEW STLD APPLICATION PROCESS UNDERWAY AT THE MOMENT.

THE BROAD STRATEGIC INITIATIVE FOR THE NEW GTLDS, THE EXPERT ADVISORY WORK IS PRESENTLY BEING INITIATED.

AND AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IN TERMS OF SUPPORT FOR THE REGISTRIES AND REGISTRARS IS ACCREDITATION.
WE HAVE NOW ACCREDITED 191 REGISTRARS.

SO THERE'S BEEN QUITE A GROWTH IN THE LAST 11 MONTHS, NOT 191, BUT THERE HAS BEEN GROWTH IN THE LAST 11 MONTHS.
THAT'S SOME INDICATION OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED.

I'VE PROBABLY LEFT OFF THINGS, TO BE TRUTHFUL.

I WANTED TO GO MUCH MORE TO THE CONSULTATION, AND I WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY THE COMMUNICATIONS WE'VE HAD, PARTICULARLY MYSELF, BUT CERTAINLY BOARD MEMBERS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE STAFF, AND ALSO SHARE BACK WHAT WE HAVE HEARD.

AND I SUPPOSE THIS IS PARTLY TESTING OUR HEARING IN TERMS OF PRESENTING IT TO YOU, TO SEE IF WE HAVE IT RIGHT.
BUT IT HAS BEEN VERY EXTENSIVE.

THE LAST 11 MONTHS, FOR MYSELF, HAS BEEN SOMETHING OF A BLUR.

IT HAS BEEN A BLUR BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN IN -- TRAVELING ALMOST CONTINUOUSLY FOR THOSE 11 MONTHS, IN CONSULTATION AND DISCUSSION WITH CONSTITUENCY ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS, OBVIOUSLY, WORK IN THE OFFICES IN MARINA DEL REY AND ALSO MY POOR DAUGHTER IN SYDNEY GETS TO SEE MY OCCASIONALLY.

SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION, A LOT OF MEETINGS WITH REGIONAL INTERNET REGISTRIES, WITH COUNTRY CODES, WITH GOVERNMENTS, WITH CONSTITUENCY MEETINGS IN PLACES LIKE WASHINGTON, IN PARIS.

THERE'S BEEN QUITE A WIDE RANGE OF SORT OF CONSULTATION AND REQUESTS, STOCKHOLM WAS ANOTHER ONE IN TERMS OF BROADER AREAS OF CONSTITUENCY MEETINGS.

SO I WANTED TO SHARE BACK, YOU KNOW, THE CONSULTATIONS WE HAVE HAD HAVE BEEN WITH A WIDE RANGE OF PEOPLE: GOVERNMENTS, INTERNET ADDRESS COMMUNITIES AND THE REGISTRIES IN PARTICULAR, CCTLD MANAGERS, BOTH THROUGH PLACES LIKE APTLD AND CENTR, BUT ALSO MEETING WITH MANY MANAGERS IN THEIR OWN OFFICES, AND TRYING TO DO THAT NOT JUST IN SORT OF THE LARGE ONES, BUT ALSO IN SOME OF THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, CC MANAGERS.

MEMBERS OF THE TECHNICAL COMMUNITY.

I'D LIKE TO PUT ON RECORD MY THANKS BOTH TO JOHN FOR HIS ROLE IN LIAISON WITH THE IAB, BUT ALSO THE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH LESLIE DAIGLE AND HAROLD OVER STROM AND THEIR TWO POSITIONS IN TRYING TO WORK ON THAT.

MEMBERS OF THE AT-LARGE USER COMMUNITIES, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS HAS BEEN A PART OF OUR CONSULTATION, ESPECIALLY AROUND WHOIS, BUT OTHERWISE.

THE WIDER BUSINESS COMMUNITIES, GTLD REGISTRY OPERATORS, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY HOLDERS, INTERNET CONNECTIVITY SERVICE PRIORITIES, DOMAIN NAME HOLDERS, AND I'M CERTAIN I HAVE LEFT OFF OTHER GROUPS.

AS FAR AS DOING THE WORK, IT HAS BEEN AN EXHAUSTIVE PROCESS OF GOING TO PEOPLE AND ASKING QUESTIONS, WHAT SHOULD WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ICANN, WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING MORE OF, LESS OF, WHO IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REFORM GOING, YOU KNOW, HELP US.

AND I WANT TO FEEDBACK A SORT OF SUMMARY OF WHAT WE HAVE HEARD.

AND, IMPORTANTLY, A SUMMARY OF WHAT WE HAVE HEARD, WHICH IS WITHIN MISSION, BECAUSE WE HAVE HEARD LOTS OF THINGS THAT ARE OUTSIDE MISSION.

IF YOU -- HOW MANY REQUESTS I HAVE TO STOP SPAM AND THINGS WE SHOULD DO AROUND SPAM.

I MEAN, TO GIVE YOU SOME SENSE, THE OFFICE -- WE RUN A SERIES, QUITE A NUMBER OF COMPLAINT E-MAILS, ADDRESSES FOR INBOXES, AND WE HAVE OUR OWN INBOXES.

WE RECEIVE COMPLAINTS FROM REGISTRANTS OR USERS OF THE INTERNET AT RATES OF HUNDREDS TO SEVERAL THOUSANDS A WEEK, WHICH TAKE UP QUITE A NUMBER OF STAFF AREAS, WHICH RELATE TO SOME OF THESE AREAS, INCLUDING SPAM OR WHAT HAVE YOU.

SO THERE ARE AREAS THAT ARE NOT GOING TO BE ON THIS LIST WHICH ARE AREAS THAT WE HAVE DECIDED WHILE THEY'RE IMPORTANT, THEY'RE NOT WITHIN MISSION.
AND I ASK YOU TO KEEP AN EYE ON THIS LIST, BECAUSE IT HAS, FROM 1 TO 13, BECAUSE I LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE TABLE, IT'S A SUMMARY TABLE, AND IN SHOWING YOU THAT TABLE I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE TO SAY, HERE'S 1 TO 13 CONSTITUENCIES.
I COULDN'T WRITE THEM DOWN OTHERWISE.

LET ME GIVE YOU A SENSE OF THE SORTS OF PRIORITIES THAT THE CONSTITUENCIES HAVE SHARED BACK WITH MYSELF AND THE STAFF AND THE BOARD.

PROBABLY THE ONE WHICH IS MOST -- AND YOU'LL SEE MANY OF THESE HAVE BEEN REPORTED BACK BY NEARLY ALL THE CONSTITUENCIES.

THE FIRST ONE HAS BEEN A STRONG PUSH TO COMPLETE THE MOU PROCESS WITH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND TO COMPLETE IT SWIFTLY.
I WILL COME BACK TO THAT, BECAUSE I WANT TO GO THROUGH WITH YOU WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS IN TERMS OF THE MOU.
PROACTIVELY ENSURE THE FUTURE STABILITY AND SECURITY OF THE ROOT SERVER SYSTEM.

THAT'S BEEN A FAIRLY COMMON VOICED, WHEN ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S HAPPENING, WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IS CORE BUSINESS.
THERE IS NOT ONLY A REQUEST TO ENSURE THAT THE IANA RUNS WELL, BUT AS MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE, A REQUEST TO SUBSTANTIALLY AUGMENT ITS CORE SERVICES AND ENSURE THEY FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY.

AND I HAVE TALKED TO MANY OF THE CONSTITUENCIES HERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, I CALL FOR WORK FLOW SOFTWARE, ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS, THINGS TO HAPPEN QUICKLY, TRACKING, ET CETERA, AND, IMPORTANTLY, THE WHOLE RISK MANAGEMENT PROCESS WITHIN THE IANA PROCESS.
CERTAIN CONSTITUENCIES HAVE ARGUED QUITE STRONGLY TO INTRODUCE NEW GTLDS TO INCREASE COMPETITION IN THE DOMAIN NAME SPACE.

OTHER CONSTITUENCIES WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO SEE EXPANDED RESOURCES TO ASSIST DEVELOPING NATION INTERNET COMMUNITIES WITH ISSUES AROUND EDUCATION AND TECHNICAL COORDINATION.

I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE -- ONE OF MY GREAT LESSONS IN THE LAST 11 MONTHS IS THAT WHILE WE DO HAVE A GLOBAL INTERNET COMMUNITY, AND I THINK VINT YESTERDAY SAID THERE'S ABOUT A BILLION USERS OF THE INTERNET NOW, WE DON'T HAVE A SET OF GLOBAL PROBLEMS.
WE HAVE A -- WE DO HAVE SOME GLOBAL PROBLEMS.
BUT MANY PROBLEMS ARE ACTUALLY REGIONAL.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S AT ALL SURPRISING, BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF THE INTERNET IS A WAVE OF ADOPTION.
AND SO MANY OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE IMPORTANT, SAY, IN NORTH AMERICA IN THE EARLY 1990S AND MID-1990S ARE NOW BECOMING IMPORTANT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, WHILE NORTH AMERICA IS WORRIED ABOUT OTHER DIFFERENT SETS OF ISSUES.

I CAN CLEARLY REPORT TO YOU THAT THE ISSUES IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC ARE VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE ISSUES IN NORTH AMERICA, NORTHEAST ASIA, SOUTHEAST ASIA, LET ALONE THE ISSUES IN AFRICA, ET CETERA.
SO WHILE WE SERVE A GLOBAL COMMUNITY, THE ISSUES THAT PEOPLE FEEL ARE ACTUALLY DIFFERENT ACCORDING TO WHERE THEY ARE IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY.

LET ME GIVE YOU JUST A SMALL EXAMPLE.

A VERY BIG ISSUE IN NORTH AMERICA AND OTHER PARTS OF THE DEVELOPED WORLD IS THE PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS.
TRADEMARKS, ET CETERA.

WHEN I TRAVEL AND VISIT, TALK TO PEOPLE IN EAST ASIA, FOR INSTANCE, I WAS TALKING RECENTLY TO THE MINISTER AND THE PERMANENT SECRETARY AND THE MANAGER IN THAILAND.
THEY JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE QUEEN'S NAME.

SENSITIVE TERMS IN EAST ASIA ARE NOT SO MUCH DISCUSSIONS ABOUT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND TRADEMARKS AND MUCH MORE ABOUT SENSITIVE TERMS IN THE CONTRA, ROYAL FAMILY NAMES, OFTEN PLACE NAMES.

IF I MOVE FURTHER WEST TO THE MIDDLE EAST, A LOT OF THE TERMS PEOPLE ARE VERY SENSITIVE ABOUT ARE RELIGIOUS TERMS.

WHEN I DISCUSS -- WE HAVE DISCUSSIONS IN AFRICA, THE TERMS PEOPLE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT ARE OFTEN GEOPOLITICAL TERMS, OFTEN PUT IN TERMS OF ONLINE NEO COLONIALISM.

I KNOW WE HAVE A WIPO WORKSHOP, SO I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO JONATHAN'S TASK FORCE ON THIS.

I JUST WANT TO SHARE IT WITH YOU IN TERMS OF THE WAY PEOPLE EVEN IN ONE NARROW ISSUE, WHICH IS PROTECTION OF TERMS, EACH REGION HAS A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT THAT ISSUE AND EXPECTS -- THE PEOPLE ARE VERY INTERESTED, THEY MAKE IT VERY CLEAR TO ME, I HAVE SOME GOOD FRIENDS HERE FROM VIETNAM, WE HAD A GOOD MEETING IN VIETNAM IN DECEMBER AMONGST A WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE IN ASIA, AND IT WAS MADE VERY CLEAR TO ME IN THAT MEETING FROM VARIOUS PEOPLE IN EAST ASIA THE SORT OF TERMS.
AND THEY EXPECT IT TO BE MET.
THERE'S NO SORT OF QUESTION.

SO THIS ISSUE OF HOW YOU ACTUALLY INTERACT WITH DEVELOPING NATIONS AND REGIONS AROUND EDUCATION, TECHNICAL COORDINATION, AND LISTENING TO THE ISSUES THEY THINK ARE IMPORTANT IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVE HEARD VERY STRONGLY IN THE LAST 11 MONTHS.

RELATED TO THAT, THEN, IS INCREASED PREPARATION OF ICANN MATERIALS IN MULTI-LINGUAL FORMATS.

THAT'S BEEN A VERY IMPORTANT PART PUT FORWARD.
IT'S BEEN PUT FORWARD IN TERMS OF PARTICIPATION.
AND I THINK THAT'S QUITE IMPORTANT.

ALSO, WE HEARD STRONG FEEDBACK ABOUT PROTECTING CONSUMER INTERESTS.
THERE WILL BE SEVERAL ISSUES I WILL WALK THROUGH HERE NOW IN TERMS OF CONSUMERS.
ONE IS INFORMATION AND SERVICE.
ONE WAS IMPORTANTLY HOW TO EDUCATE CONSUMERS ON HOW TO OBTAIN RESOURCES FOR DISPUTE RESOLUTION, CONSUMER PROTECTION, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.

NOT NECESSARILY WITHIN ICANN, BUT CERTAINLY THE ABILITY TO LIAISE AND INTERACT WITH GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES WHO HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES HERE.
A VERY STRONG SIGNAL, PARTICULARLY FROM THE REGISTRAR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO THE REGISTRY COMMUNITY, IS AROUND WHAT THEY REFER TO AS COMPLIANCE, WHICH IS TO BE SURE THAT THE WAY THE MARKET OPERATES IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ACCREDITATION AGREEMENTS AND, AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE SUPPORT OF LOOKING AFTER THE RIGHTS OF USERS AND REGISTRANTS, AND TO ENSURE THAT THE BEHAVIOR THAT IS BEING DONE TO PROTECT THOSE PEOPLE IS ACCORDING TO WHAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE IN OUR PRESENTLY -- IN OUR AGREEMENTS.

SO VERY STRONG SIGNAL, VERY CONSISTENT SIGNAL BACK FROM THAT COMMUNITY ABOUT COMPLIANCE, COMPLIANCE.
ALSO A SENSE OF STRENGTHENING SERVICES TO GTLD REGISTRIES TO ADDRESS THEIR GROWING NEEDS AS THEY'RE INTRODUCED. AND THIS PARTICULARLY, I THINK, IS DIRECTED TOWARDS THE PROCESS OF INTRODUCTION OF NEW GTLDS AND HOW WE THINK THROUGH AND ASSIST AND HOW THE COMMUNITY THINKS ABOUT THAT PROCESS OF ESTABLISHMENT OF GTLDS.
I HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE ABOUT COMPLIANCE WITH THE SERVICES TO HELP REGISTRARS.
THIS IS PUT A BIT MORE IN THE POSITIVE WAY.
BUT STRENGTHEN SERVICES TO REGISTRARS TO ENSURE A HEALTHY, COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE.

ONE OF THE ASPECTS WAS COMPLIANCE.
THERE ARE OTHER ASPECTS AS WELL.

AND, FINALLY, TO MATERIALLY AID GTLD REGISTRARS WITH MANAGING CONSUMER COMPLAINTS.
I'D LIKE TO PUT INTO THAT MATTER AIDING ICANN TO HELP DEAL WITH REGISTRARS' CONSUMERS COMPLAINTS THAT WE GET.
BUT YOU CAN GET THE SENSE OF THAT SET OF THE SORTS OF FEEDBACKS WE HAVE RECEIVED, TALKING TO THE CONSTITUENCIES.
AND I TRIED TO GIVE YOU SOME INDICATION OF WHICH CONSTITUENCIES SEEMED TO GIVE THAT MESSAGE.

NOW, IT'S NOT A SURVEY, SO IT'S AN IMPRESSION, IF YOU LIKE, FROM MANY CONVERSATIONS.

BUT THAT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW -- WE'VE TRIED AS WELL AS DOING THE JOB AND DOING THE TASKS THE BOARD HAVE ASKED, AND THE STAFF, WE ALSO TRY TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT ADDITIONAL THINGS DO PEOPLE WANT. AND THAT'S BEEN A STRONG PART THERE.

LET ME THEN GO TO ONE OF THE FIRST REQUIREMENTS, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT CONSISTENTLY, EVERY CONSTITUENCY HAS SAID THEY WANT TO SEE, WHICH IS THE COMPLETION OF THE MOU.
I WANTED TO TAKE YOU THROUGH THE MOU REQUIREMENTS AND GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHAT'S SITTING IN THERE AND THE FUNCTIONS AND TASKS THAT ICANN HAS TO PERFORM.

BEFORE I DO THAT, GO THROUGH THE PROVISIONS, LET ME SHARE WITH YOU THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I HAVE AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, A VERY CONSISTENT MESSAGE.
IT'S ACTUALLY A MESSAGE THAT IN VARIOUS HATS I HAVE HEARD FROM TWO DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATIONS, WHICH IS, IT IS THEIR POLICY THAT THESE FUNCTIONS ARE BEST RUN THROUGH AN INTERNATIONAL, MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PRIVATE-SECTOR LED OPERATION, AND NOT RUN THROUGH THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
AND IT'S A VERY STRONG COMMITMENT.

AND I STILL HEAR THIS VERY STRONGLY FROM PEOPLE LIKE FORMER DEPUTY SECRETARY BOARDMAN WHO IS NOW DEPUTY SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, BUT, HOWEVER, STILL KEEPS AN INTEREST IN THIS ARENA, VERY STRONG MESSAGE ABOUT THEIR POLICY TO ENSURE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE MOU CONCLUDED AND THE TRANSFER OF RESPONSIBILITIES TO TAKE PLACE.

NOW, THE REQUIREMENTS -- I'M NOT TRYING TO SPEAK FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, I'M JUST REPORTING TO YOU WHAT THEY TOLD ME.
THE REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE MOU FALL IN SOME ASPECTS INTO FOUR AREAS.
THERE ARE A SERIES OF ACCOUNTABILITY PROVISIONS, OPERATIONAL PROVISIONS, ONE I WOULD CALL DUE DILIGENCE ACTIONS, AND OUTREACH PROVISIONS.

THE OVERALL TURN OF THE DOCUMENT, THOUGH, IS VERY MUCH AROUND DUE DILIGENCE.
IT IS A MASS-DOWN SHAKE LIST, A BIT LIKE IF YOU WERE GOING TO A VENTURE CAPITALIST TO RAISE THE MONEY, HERE'S THE CHECKLIST TO GET THE NEXT ROUND OF CAPITAL.

IT'S A BIT THE SAME, HERE ARE THE THINGS THEY WANT TO SEE IN TERMS OF DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE THE TRANSFER.
ON ACCOUNTABILITY -- I'M SORRY THIS IS SO SMALL.
I COULDN'T -- I'LL READ THROUGH IT.

FIRST OF ALL ON ACCOUNTABILITY, TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE EXPERTISE AND ADVICE ON PRIVATE SECTOR FUNCTIONS RELATED TO TECHNICAL MANAGEMENT OF THE DNS.
TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND TO TEST AND IMPLEMENT PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES TO IMPROVE TRANSPARENCY, EFFICIENCY, AND TIMELINESS IN THE CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF POLICIES RELATED TO TECHNICAL MANAGEMENT OF DNS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE NEED TO ACCOMMODATE INNOVATION IN THE PROVISION OF DNS SERVICES.

AND ONE EXPRESSION OF THAT IS THE GNSO WORK PRESENTLY BEING DONE ON NEW REGISTRY CHANGES IN THE PDP.
CONTINUE TO DEVELOP, TEST, AND IMPLEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS TO ADDRESS CLAIMS BY MEMBERS OF THE INTERNET COMMUNITY THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY DECISIONS IN CONFLICT WITH ICANN'S BYLAWS, CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS, OR OTHERWISE TREATED UNFAIRLY IN THE CONTEXT OF ICANN PROCESSES.
THIS IS THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW PANEL WHICH WE RECEIVED A REPORT ON AT THIS MEETING, THE OMBUDSMAN AND ALSO THE RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD, ISSUES ALONG THOSE LINES.
LET'S MOVE TO THE OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS.

TO CONTINUE TO CONSULT WITH -- THE FIRST ONE BASICALLY FOCUSES ON SECURITY, TO CONSULT WITH THE MANAGERS OF ROOT NAME SERVERS AND OTHER APPROPRIATE EXPERTS WITH RESPECT TO OPERATIONAL AND SECURITY MATTERS RELATING TO THE SECURE AND STABLE OPERATION OF THE DOMAIN NAME AND NUMBERING SYSTEM IN ORDER TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN THOSE MATTERS, INCLUDING ICANN'S OPERATION OF THE AUTHORITATIVE ROOT, UNDER APPROPRIATE TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

VERY IMPORTANT PROVISION THERE ABOUT WORKING THROUGH ON THE SECURITY ISSUES AND ON THE O

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