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> Meetings

ICANN PUBLIC FORUM
29 MARCH 2006
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND

>>VINT CERF: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I AM -- HAD POSTPONED THE START A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WE HAVE A SPARSE AUDIENCE.
IT COULD BE THAT THIS IS AN INDICATION THAT NOBODY'S INTERESTED IN THESE REPORTS.
IF THAT'S THE CASE, AT SOME POINT, WE MIGHT DISBAND WITH THE -- OR DISPENSE WITH THE REPORTS.
SO IN ORDER TO GAUGE THAT LEVEL OF INTEREST, I'M GOING TO WAIT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE.
ALSO, AT SOME POINT, WE PROBABLY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GET FEEDBACK FROM ALL OF YOU WHO PARTICIPATE IN THESE OPEN MEETINGS AS TO WHETHER THIS FORMAT AND CONTENT IS WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
IF IT'S NOT, WE NEED TO FIX THAT.
SO THAT CAN BE A TASK FOR THE MEETINGS COMMITTEE TO BEGIN TO LOOK AT.
IF YOU'LL FORGIVE ME, I'M GOING TO WAIT ANOTHER FOUR MINUTES UNTIL 1:15, AND THEN WE'LL BEGIN.
(PAUSE)

>>VINT CERF: GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY.
I SHOULD BEGIN WITH THE TRADITIONAL MAORI WELCOME, WHICH I'M PRACTICING REPEATEDLY NOW.
TENA KOTO, TENA KOTO, TENA KOTO. WELCOME TO THE FIRST PART OF THE PUBLIC FORUM.
WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER SESSION OF THIS TYPE TOMORROW.
LET ME SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS FIRST ABOUT SCHEDULE.
FIRST OF ALL, I APOLOGIZE FOR BEGINNING LATE, JUST GETTING ALL THE PIECES TOGETHER DIDN'T QUITE COME TOGETHER AS PROMPTLY AS WE EXPECTED.
SPECIFICALLY, TONIGHT, HOWEVER, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO END THE MEETING AT 5:45 RATHER THAN 6:00, ALTHOUGH IF WE RUN THROUGH THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND OPEN MICROPHONE PERIOD AND THERE ARE NO MORE QUESTIONS BEFORE THAT TIME, I WON'T EXTEND THIS MEETING ARTIFICIALLY.
SO IF WE FINISH BEFORE 5:45, I'M SURE NO ONE WILL OBJECT.
THE BOARD HAS BEEN INVITED TO A RECEPTION OF THE PACIFIC ISLAND MINISTERS, WHO ARE ASSEMBLED HERE FOR PART OF THIS WEEK.
AND SO WE NEED TO BE THERE IN TIME TO BE GREETED BY THAT DELEGATION.
SO WE WILL CLOSE THIS SESSION AT 5:45 OR SOONER, DEPENDING ON HOW THE QUESTIONS GO.
SECOND, TOMORROW MORNING HAD BEEN -- IT HAD BEEN POSTED THAT WE WOULD START AT 8:30.
FOR SEVERAL REASONS, WE NEED TO START HALF AN HOUR LATER TO ACCOMMODATE SOME OTHER MEETINGS.
AND SO WE WILL BEGIN TOMORROW AT 9:00 IN THE MORNING, NOT 8:30.
CLEARLY, NOT ALL OF THE ATTENDEES ARE IN THE ROOM RIGHT NOW.
SO WE WILL POST THIS INFORMATION.
BUT IF YOU SHOULD HAPPEN TO SEE A COLLEAGUE THAT MIGHT NOT BE HERE NOW, YOU MIGHT REMIND THEM THAT WE WILL START AT 9:00 AND NOT 8:30.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO INVITE PAUL TWOMEY, OUR CEO, TO BEGIN WITH HIS REPORT.
SO, PAUL, IF YOU'RE READY, WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE THE LECTERN.

>>PAUL TWOMEY: SEEMS THAT I'M TECHNOLOGICALLY CHALLENGED.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, VINT.
AND THIS IS A REPORT TO THE BOARD AND TO THE COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO CHANGE STYLE A LITTLE BIT OF THIS REPORT.
TRADITIONALLY, THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT IS A BACKWARD-LOOKING REPORT.
I WANTED, ACTUALLY, TO GIVE SOME SUMMATION OF SOME OF THE BACKWARD THINGS WE'VE ACHIEVED, OR THE WRONG WAY OF PUTTING IT, THE THINGS WE'VE ACHIEVED RECENTLY.
BUT I PARTICULARLY WOULD LIKE TO ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT SOME INITIATIVES WE'RE TAKING NOW, GOING FORWARD, WHICH I THINK ARE IMPORTANT AND I WANT TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND SOME OF THESE ARE ACTUALLY VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY'RE EVOLUTIONS (INAUDIBLE) WHAT WE'RE DOING (INAUDIBLE) START AND TOOLS (INAUDIBLE) THE COMMUNITY.
JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS.
WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THE OPERATIONAL PLAN AND STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESSES.
THE REVIEW OF THAT -- THE FINAL CONSULTATION ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN TOOK PLACE YESTERDAY. THERE IS A FINAL DRAFT OF THAT DOCUMENT BEING SHARED AMONGST THE BOARD, TO GIVE YOU THE SUMMATION OF WHAT'S TO COME OUT OF THAT CONSULTATION.
TOMORROW, WE SHALL POST THAT AS THE FINAL, FINAL, FINAL DRAFT.
IT'LL COME BEFORE YOU FOR APPROVAL AT THE BOARD MEETING ON FRIDAY.
THE OPERATIONAL PLAN IS A DOCUMENT WHICH WAS SHARED.
WE HAD A VERY GOOD PROCESS IN THIS ROOM YESTERDAY, GOING THROUGH SOME PROJECTS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAD ASKED FOR.
THEY HAD ASKED FOR THIS SORT OF PROJECT-BY-PROJECT BREAKDOWN OF HOW TO ACHIEVE THE STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS, TALKING THAT THROUGH IN TERMS OF BOTH OUTCOMES AND ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES.
THERE WAS VERY GOOD FEEDBACK.
THERE WAS YET AGAIN A FURTHER INDICATION OF THE DESIRE THE COMMUNITY HAS FOR VARIOUS THINGS TO OCCUR.
AND ONE OF THE OBSERVATIONS I WOULD MAKE ABOUT THE OPERATIONAL PLANNING PROCESS IS THAT IT FOCUSES ON THE STRATEGIC PROJECTS, THE PROJECTS TO ACHIEVE THE STRATEGIC PLANNING GOALS.
IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY ILLUMINATE AS WELL THE BUSINESS-AS-USUAL FUNCTIONS.
SO IT TENDS TO FOCUS ON THE NEW THINGS OR THE DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT NOT SO MUCH THE THINGS TO DO WHICH ARE BUSINESS AS USUAL.
SO PART OF THE PROCESS OF THE OPERATIONAL PLANNING AND THE CONSEQUENT BUDGETING WILL HAVE TO TAKE THOSE TWO THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION.
THIS PROCESS WILL CONTINUE IN CONSULTATION -- AND I WON'T GO THROUGH THE TIMETABLE HERE, AGAIN, TO TRY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OTHER ISSUES.
BUT IT WILL COME BEFORE THE BOARD FOR INCORPORATION WITH THE BUDGET IN OUR MEETING IN MARRAKESH.
THERE ARE A SERIES OF PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEES PRESENTLY IN OPERATION.
ONE IS THE COMMITTEE WHICH IS THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON IDNS.
AGAIN, THIS HAS BEEN TALKED A LOT ABOUT THIS WEEK.
BUT THAT COMMITTEE IS WORKING FORWARD ON A TIMETABLE FOR PROPOSED TRIAL FOR THE TESTING AT THE TECHNICAL LEVEL OF TWO MEANS OF POTENTIALLY ENTERING IDNS IN THE ROOT.
THAT IS DNAMES AND NS RECORDS.
IT BEHOOVES ME TO BE QUITE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT WE MEAN BY USING "TEST" IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.
THIS IS NOT "TEST" AS IN IN 2001, WE HAD A TEST BED FOR NEW GTLDS.
THIS IS "TEST" AS IN A SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENT.
THE COMMITTEE IS TALKING ABOUT POTENTIALLY HAVING A NAME -- IT'S NOT YET BEEN DECIDED, BUT IT COULD ACTUALLY BE AN EQUIVALENT OF THE ENGLISH WORD "TEST."
DOT TEST.
IT IS SOMETHING WHICH WILL HAVE NO ECONOMIC VALUE AND AFTER THE TRIAL, WILL BE REMOVED, SO THAT WE KNOW NO ACCRUED ECONOMIC POSITION FOR ANYBODY INVOLVED IN THE TEST.
AND THERE WILL BE NO ASSUMED OUTCOME OF WHAT MAY HAPPEN IN THE IDN TLD SPACE FROM THE TEST.
WHAT WE ARE DOING IS TRIALING AND TESTING THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF PUTTING SUCH RECORDS IN THE ROOT ZONE.
THE PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON STRATEGIC -- THE PRESIDENT'S STRATEGIC COMMITTEE WILL COME BACK TO, LATER ON, I THINK THIS AFTERNOON OR TOMORROW, FOR A SPECIAL REPORT ON PROGRESS ON THAT FROM MYSELF AND ONE OF MY OTHER COCHAIRS, PETER DENGATE THRUSH.
THE GNSO, THE CCNSO, THE ASO, AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY DURING THIS MEETING.
THE ASO OBVIOUSLY NOT SO MUCH HERE, BUT LOTS OF DISCUSSIONS.
THERE IS SOME SUMMATION OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THEIR WORK ON THIS PAGE FOR THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING AT THE VIDEO STREAMING OR AUDIO STREAMING AND CAN SEE A POWERPOINT.
BUT I WON'T GO THROUGH THOSE IN DETAIL.
I'LL LEAVE THOSE FOR THEIR OWN CONSTITUENCIES TO REPORT TO US.
I'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT STRATEGIC PLAN AND OPERATIONAL PLAN UPDATE.
CHAIRMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY NOW TO SHARE BOTH WITH THE BOARD AND WITH THE COMMUNITY THE PROGRESSION OF THINKING AROUND HOW STAFFING SHOULD BE BEST CONSIDERED TO SUPPORT THE MISSION THAT HAS BEEN PUT TO THE -- PUT TO ICANN.
AND WHICH FALLS OUT A LITTLE BIT OF CONSIDERING WHAT'S OCCURRING THROUGH THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE OPERATIONAL PLAN UPDATE.
I AM VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE CHALLENGES OF TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WE, IN AN APPROPRIATE -- IN APPROPRIATELY EFFICIENT WAY, HAVE THE RIGHT RESOURCES TO ASSIST THE COMMUNITY AND THE BOARD TO ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVES, NOT MOVING BEYOND MISSION SCOPE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME UNDERSTANDING THAT THE -- IF YOU LIKE, THE DEMANDS ON US AS A COMMUNITY TO ACHIEVE OUR MISSION AND THE DEGREE OF INTEREST OF THAT AND THE GLOBALIZATION OF THE INTEREST OF THAT IS CERTAINLY DRIVING INCREASING DEMANDS.
AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WOULD HAVE BEEN, IF I CAN USE THE WORD, NEUTRALLY IMPRESSED, WITHOUT NECESSARILY DENOTING APPROVAL, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPRESSED YESTERDAY DURING THE OPERATIONAL PLANNING CONSULTATION OF JUST HOW MUCH -- HOW MANY PROBLEMS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY FORESAW, HOW MANY ACTIONS THEY THOUGHT TO TAKE FORWARD TO MEET OUR MISSION.
SO WE NEED TO THINK THROUGH AN APPROPRIATE WAY FOR HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT PROPER STAFFING FOR THIS.
AND IT IS CLEAR THAT ONE FIRST FACTOR THAT I SHOULD SHARE IS, ALTHOUGH WE'VE HAD BUDGETED STAFFING AT SOMETHING CLOSE TO 60 FOR THE LAST 12, ACTUALLY LONGER THAN 12, MONTHS, ACTUAL STAFFING HAS RUN AT LESS THAN TWO-THIRDS OF THAT NUMBER BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO BE MANAGING CAUTIOUSLY AGAINST CASH, BECAUSE WE HAVE FACED, AS I SHARED WITH THE COMMUNITY AT OUR LAST MEETING, A SAWTOOTH IN CASH RECEIPTS BECAUSE OF OUR BUDGETING PROCESS AS IT THEN STOOD.
AND, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE OF ISSUES OF LITIGATION COSTS, ET CETERA.
WE ARE NOW, IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, HAVING BEEN -- GONE THROUGH SO SMOOTHLY AN VANCOUVER, WE ARE MOVING NOW TO FILL POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ON BUDGET BUT NOT BEEN -- WE HAVE NOT -- I HAVE NOT FELT COMFORTABLE TO MOVE CASH-WISE TO EMPLOY.
AND WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO ADDRESS DEMANDS OR SUGGESTIONS BROUGHT BY THE COMMUNITY AND BY THE BOARD OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS -- AGAIN, SOME OF THESE GO BACK 18 MONTHS -- ABOUT THINKING ABOUT HOW PROPERLY TO ACHIEVE PROPER SUPPORT FOR THE FUNCTIONS.
SO LET ME TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THOSE FUNCTIONS ARE IN TERMS OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING THERE IS A NEED FOR FOR SUPPORT.
APPARENTLY THERE'S A FUNCTION CALLED "PRESIDENT."
ONE OF THE VERY KEY FUNCTIONS THAT WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT AND WE'RE HEARING A LOT, AGAIN, HERE AT THIS MEETING IN THE DISCUSSIONS WITH CONSTITUENCIES, IS AROUND STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATION.
NOW, I SHOULD MAKE THE POINT THAT, OBVIOUSLY, ANYBODY INVOLVED IN STAFF AND DOING THE WORK THAT WE DO IS COMMUNICATING ALL THE TIME.
SO I'M ALWAYS HESITANT TO USE THE WORD "COMMUNICATION."
BUT I WANTED TO FOCUS THAT THERE'S A CLEAR FUNCTION ABOUT COMMUNICATION, AND SUPPORTING A TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION PROCESS, WHICH IS, I THINK, VERY IMPORTANT FOR DOING OUR WORK.
I KNOW PEOPLE LIKE MIKE PALAGE AND OTHERS HAVE OFTEN BEEN VERY STRONGLY PUTTING TO US THAT WE NEED TO BE REALLY FOCUSING ON OUR COMMUNICATIONS, WE NEED TO BE FOCUSING ON HOW WE HAVE THIS TWO-WAY INVOLVEMENT, AND HOW WE GET MESSAGES OUT.
THIS IS NOT EASY.
AND A LITTLE ADVERTISEMENT HERE, ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY, OR ANYBODY ONLINE WHO HAS GOOD EXAMPLES OF HOW PEOPLE DO REALLY GOOD COMMUNICATIONS BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS IN THESE SORTS OF ENVIRONMENTS, I WOULD LOVE TO GET EXAMPLES.
IT'S NOT JUST A QUESTION, I THINK, OF RESOURCES HERE, THERE'S CLEARLY A QUESTION OF RESOURCES.
BUT AT THE MOMENT I THINK ALSO THERE'S A QUESTION OF GOOD MODELS.
SO I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT.
WE HAVE A STRONG NEED FOR WHAT I WOULD CALL QUALITY ASSURANCE AND SUPPORT.
WE HAVE -- I THINK MANY PEOPLE, WHEN THEY'RE INTERACTING AT LEAST WITH ME PERSONALLY, AND MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE TALKING TO ME, MAKE THE POINT THAT THE ICANN STAFF ARE CONSTANTLY FACED WITH THIS CHALLENGE OF HAVING TO DO SO MUCH WITH NOT -- MAYBE NOT A (INAUDIBLE) OR MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE QUESTION COMES BACK, "YOU'RE NOT RESPONSIVE ENOUGH," YOU KNOW, "THIS IS NOT DONE FAST ENOUGH," IT'S NOT CLEAR THAT -- YOU KNOW, PHRASES USED, "TRAINS RUNNING ON TIME," ET CETERA.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY VALID AND I THINK WELL UNDERSTOOD AND ACCEPTED.
AND PART OF IT IS A RESOURCING -- A LOT OF IT IS A RESOURCING QUESTION.
AND THE OTHER PART IS A FOCUS QUESTION, A MANAGEMENT FOCUS QUESTION AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE RIGHT LEVEL OF MANAGEMENT FOCUS ON THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE OF QUALITY ASSURANCE AND SUPPORT.
I PROBABLY DON'T NEED TO EXPLAIN TO YOU THAT WE HAVE A LEGAL FUNCTION.
WE ALSO HAVE A NEED FOR WHAT -- I USE THE WORD CAREFULLY -- BUT WE HAVE A CUSTOMER SERVICE OBLIGATION, CUSTOMER SERVICE FUNCTION.
WE NEED TO SERVE AND WE DO SERVE PEOPLE FOR WHOM WE DO DAY-TO-DAY INTERACTION ACTIVITIES.
I CAN GIVE YOU EXAMPLES WOULD BE, FOR INSTANCE, IANA, IANA INTERACTION, INTERACTION WITH REGISTRIES, INTERACTION WITH REGISTRARS IN THEIR DAY-TO-DAY INTERACTIONS AGAINST THE CONTRACTS.
COMPLIANCE TYPE ISSUES ARE ANOTHER EXAMPLE.
IF YOU LIKE, THIS IS CUSTOMER SERVICE.
AND IT IS OUTWARD -- IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT -- YOU KNOW, I'D SAY PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT FUNCTION WE HAVE IN THE SENSE THAT IT IS THE SERVING OF THE COMMUNITY IN THE DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITY THAT WE NEED TO DO.
WE HAVE A POLICY FUNCTION, WHICH IS, I THINK, AGAIN, CLEAR AND VERY IMPORTANT.
AND WE'VE HAD BOTH A NEED FOR GLOBAL -- THE INTERNATIONAL -- OUR INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT OR OUR GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT, WHICH MANY OF YOU PEOPLE KNOW, YOU KNOW -- I'M ONLY GOING TO -- I'VE ONLY GOT TO MENTION WSIS TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT.
BUT ALSO THE ROLE WE PLAY AS A PART OF A GROUPING OF INTERNATIONAL INTERNET ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE TO INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER, SUPPORT EACH OTHER, COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER, PUT FORWARD POSITIONS, UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER, IS -- OBVIOUSLY, HAS BEEN A NEED FOR ICANN, HAS BEEN AN INVOLVEMENT OF ICANN SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING.
BUT I THINK WE CAN ALL RECOGNIZE IT IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.
THOSE WHO ATTENDED THE BRIEFINGS ON INTERNET GOVERNANCE, FOR INSTANCE, CAN SEE THAT.
RELATED TO THAT COMES, I THINK, AN EVOLUTION OF SOMETHING THAT I THINK BRUCE TONKIN FIRST SAID TO ME 18 MONTHS AGO, IS A RECOGNITION OF, IF YOU LIKE, THAT WE HAVE A SPECIAL FUNCTION ABOUT OUTREACH OR, I THINK, INCREASINGLY, THE MORE I THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S ACTUALLY A QUESTION OF ENGAGEMENT, SOME FORM OF STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT, STRATEGIC THOUGHT ENGAGEMENT, NOT JUST TO BE REACTIVE AND BUILDING SENSE, BUT TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND ENGAGE.
THE MORE I THINK ABOUT THAT, THAT BECOMES SOMETHING THAT DRAWS FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF ALL OF THE OTHER PARTS OF OUR FUNCTION.
SO THERE'S A NEED FOR THAT FUNCTION AS WELL.
SO THAT'S BEEN SORT OF THE THINKING OF, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD -- WE'VE LOOKED AT WHAT THE -- HAS BEEN ASKED OF THE STAFF.
WE THINK MORE AND MORE ABOUT THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THAT STAFF AND SAY, OKAY, IF THAT'S THE FUNCTIONS, WHAT DO WE DO TO SUPPORT THOSE FUNCTIONS?
WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO?
AND I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME POINTS.
FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THERE'S A NEED AND WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS A POSITION OF RECOGNIZING SOME OF THESE POSITIONS OF SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT POSITIONS.
AND I'D LIKE FIRST OF ALL TO MAKE A VERY CLEAR ANNOUNCEMENT AND CONGRATULATIONS POINT TO KURT PRITZ, WHO HAS DONE, I THINK, A VERY -- A MAGNIFICENT JOB IN WORKING A LOT, VERY CLOSELY, WITH THE REGISTRIES, AT THE REGISTRARS, WITH IDNS, WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, HAS BEEN VERY -- IS, I THINK, A VERY SERVICES-FOCUSED PERSON.
VERY -- I MEAN, VERY FOCUSED ON TRYING TO PLEASE THE CUSTOMER, DELIGHT A CUSTOMER.
AND SO KURT IS ASSUMING THE POSITION OF SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR SERVICES.
IN OTHER WORDS -- AND WE'LL BE LOOKING DIRECTLY AS TAKING ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY OF HOPING TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE DELIVERING VERY GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE.
I THINK THAT'S --
[ APPLAUSE ]

>>PAUL TWOMEY: WE ARE ALSO, THEN -- I MIGHT JUST GO TO THIS NEXT SLIDE.
WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO -- COMPLEMENTARY TO THAT, TO REINFORCE THIS NEED FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE, MOVING NOW TO ADVERTISE FOR AND LOOK FOR A SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR OPERATIONS, A CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER TYPE CHARACTER DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO LOOK AT THAT QUALITY ASSURANCE, THE TRAIN IS RUNNING ON TIME ASPECT, AND ENSURING THAT THE -- THAT THE PROCESS IS ABOUT A RESPONSIVENESS AND HOW WE OPERATE AS A BUSINESS INSIDE THAT RECEIVES THE RIGHT SORT OF DIRECT ATTENTION IT NEEDS TO HAVE.
AND THAT ADVERTISEMENT'S BEING PREPARED, AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES.
AND I THINK THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT, VERY IMPORTANT POSITION.
WE ALSO ARE LOOKING ABOUT ENGAGEMENT IN A POSITION THAT IS STILL EVOLUTIONARY, STILL LOOKING AT A SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT POSITION AROUND THIS ENGAGEMENT FUNCTION, WHICH (INAUDIBLE).
I'D LIKE TO PARTICULARLY ALSO MAKE A SORT OF CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WE HAVE A VICE PRESIDENT POSITION NOW FOR GLOBAL AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS.
AND THAT THERESA SWINEHART HAS BEEN APPOINTED TO THAT POSITION.
MY CONGRATULATIONS TO THERESA.
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A KEY AND IMPORTANT ROLE.
SHE'S DONE A GREAT JOB IN MANY OF THESE AREAS, SHE'S ACTUALLY DONE A GREAT JOB WITH FEW RESOURCES.
BUT NOW GIVING HER A FEW MORE.
SO THERE'S A NEW POSITION OF VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS.
[ APPLAUSE ]

>>PAUL TWOMEY: WE'RE IN THE POSITION AT THE MOMENT OF -- IN FINAL INTERVIEW STAGE FOR A POSITION OF VICE PRESIDENT, POLICY COORDINATION.
AND THAT -- WE EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SOME FINAL DECISIONS ON THAT, I WOULD SAY, WITHIN A WEEK OR TWO AND BE ABLE TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON THAT SO WE HAVE THAT POSITION FILLED.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN BOTH PUTTING FORWARD CANDIDATES AND ALSO INVOLVED IN THE ENGAGEMENT AND THE INTERVIEWING PROCESS, WHICH HAS BEEN VERY USEFUL FOR MYSELF.
THE OTHER POSITION THAT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO FILL AND MAY DO SO SHORTLY IS A POSITION WE'RE CALLING EXECUTIVE OFFICER.
AND THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S RESPONSIBILITY, PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY, IS ABOUT THE STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATION FUNCTION, AND POTENTIALLY ALSO SOME DEGREE OF ANALYSIS, ECONOMIC ANALYSIS-TYPE FUNCTION, BOARD SUPPORT-TYPE FUNCTIONS AS WELL.
SUPPORTING HERE.
AND I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT OUR INTENTIONS ON COMMUNICATIONS, SOME OF THE WORK WE NEED TO DO THERE.
NOW, I'VE PUT BEFORE YOU NOW A SENIOR MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE WHICH IS AN EVOLUTION OF WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
AND IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH UNDER THE PRESENT BUDGETARY SITUATION.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY THIS EVOLUTION, I THINK, OF OUR SENIOR MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE TO TRY TO MEET MORE THE NEEDS THAT PEOPLE HAVE RAISED TO US, TO MEET SOME OF THE CONCERNS PEOPLE HAVE HAD ABOUT QUALITY ASSURANCE, ABOUT RESPONSIVENESS, TO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BUSINESS OF SERVING -- SERVING CUSTOMERS, THE CLIENTS, SOME OF THOSE ASPECT IS INCREASINGLY BECOMING A MORE-THAN-FULL-TIME JOB TO FOCUS, OUR FOCUS ON COMMUNICATIONS BEING AN IMPORTANT PART, WE NEED A DEDICATED MANAGEMENT TOWARDS.
SO I PUT THAT UP AS -- FOR YOUR INFORMATION.
IF I CAN JUST MOVE TO THE COMMUNICATIONS.
WE ARE LOOKING, THEN, ALSO AT RECRUITMENT, INCLUDING A RECRUITMENT FOR GENERAL MANAGER, PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.
AND IT IS MY HOPE AND INTENT THAT THIS POSITION WILL BE VERY MUCH DEDICATED TO THE SORT OF THING I THINK WAS FIRST HOPED FOR WHEN IT WAS -- WHEN THIS POSITION WAS FIRST DISCUSSED, A POSITION DEDICATED TOWARDS THE TWO -- MANAGING THIS TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION, GETTING BETTER AT TRYING TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE USE TOOLS FOR TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION, ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
OTHER STAFF, OBVIOUSLY, A MEDIA STAFF, TECHNICAL WRITING STAFF.
WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL WEB STAFF, BECAUSE WE CLEARLY NEED TO REVAMP THE WEB SITE.
I DON'T THINK THAT NECESSARILY MEANS WE GET RID OF THE PRESENT ONE.
BUT WE'VE GOT, CLEARLY, COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS ABOUT HOW WE'RE USING OUR WEB SITE.
MANY PEOPLE HAVE THAT.
THAT'S A REALLY EASY THING TO SAY AND A VERY HARD THING TO DO, BY THE WAY, IN MY EXPERIENCE.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE SOME TIME AND EFFORT ON THAT.
I THINK WE SHOULD ALSO BE LOOKING AT MOVING INTO THINGS LIKE ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER FUNCTIONALITY AND OTHER SORT OF TOOLS FOR INTERACTING POTENTIALLY ALSO WORKING WITH SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS ABOUT HOW THEIR NEEDS MIGHT BE FOR SUCH TOOLS AND COMMUNICATING WITH THEIR MEMBERS.
SO I THINK THIS IS AN AREA WE NEED TO PLACE A LOT OF ATTENTION ON.
AND I THINK CERTAINLY ONE THING THAT I'VE HEARD OUT OF THE LAST SIX MONTHS OF DIALOGUE WITH THE COMMUNITY IS THIS IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO MUCH BETTER AT.
JUST QUICKLY, THEN, THAT'S THE SORT OF QUICK SUMMATION ON THINGS I WANTED TO POINT OUT ON THE STAFFING AND WHERE WE'RE MOVING ON STAFF.
ON THE IANA UPDATE, I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY TELL PEOPLE, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER DAVID'S ACTUALLY GIVING MORE DETAIL IN THE AGENDA, BUT WE'RE CONTINUING TO IMPROVE RESPONSIVENESS TO REQUESTERS.
I THINK THAT'S GOING WELL.
THERE ARE ADDITIONAL FULL- AND PART-TIME STAFF BEING HIRED.
AND THERE ARE AUTOMATION PROJECTS UNDERWAY FOR ALL AREAS, WHICH ARE CONTINUING.
BUT I PREFER TO HAVE DAVID ACTUALLY SPEAK TO THIS DIRECTLY RATHER THAN TO HAVE ME GO THROUGH THIS.
BUT I WILL POINT OUT THAT THE IANA IS ALSO WORKING TOWARDS A NEW WEB SITE.
IT HAS HAD THE SIMILAR FEEDBACK THAT ITS WEB SITE IS LESS THAN USEFUL.
AGAIN, I THINK THIS'LL BE A SITUATION WHERE WEB SITES WILL RUN IN PARALLEL.
THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND, INDEED, MACHINES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE RELIANT ON THE PRESENT WEB SITE.
SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE TAKING THE PRESENT WEB SITE DOWN.
BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO HAVE A COMPLEMENTARY WEB SITE WHICH MIGHT BE MORE USER FRIENDLY TO THOSE COMING TO THE IANA WHO DON'T COME WITH 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE OF USING THE IANA WEB SITE AS IT IS NOW.
.

>>VINT CERF: I'M SORRY, PAUL.
JUST A SMALL NOTE.
THEY COULDN'T HAVE 20 YEARS' OF EXPERIENCE USING A WEB SITE, BECAUSE THE WORLDWIDE WEB WASN'T INVENTED UNTIL 1989, AND IT DIDN'T BECOME POPULARLY AVAILABLE UNTIL 1994.

>>PAUL TWOMEY: I KNEW IF I SAID THAT, I WALKED INTO SOMETHING.
SEE, THE TROUBLE IS, IF YOU'RE ORIGINALLY TRAINED IN HISTORY, YOU THROW THOSE NUMBERS OUT WITH GAY ABANDON.
THE LAST POINT I'D LIKE TO BRING TO THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE IT'S ALSO -- AND TO THE BOARD -- IT'S ALSO AN ACTION THAT IS UNDERWAY NOW AND GOING -- AND IS BUILDING, IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP REGIONAL LIAISON NETWORK.
AND THIS IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT EXPERTISE, IN CHARGE OF LIAISING WITH DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD REGIONS AND THEY ACT AS A NETWORK, COMPLEMENTING AND SUPPORTING EACH OTHER IN RESPECTIVE AREAS.
THEY'RE VERY MUCH THERE TO SUPPORT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, TO SUPPORT THE AT-LARGE PROCESSES IN THOSE COMMUNITIES, TO SUPPORT AND INTERACT WITH THE CCS AND WITH GOVERNMENTS AND OTHER MEMBERS IN THOSE REGIONS.
I'M NOT CERTAIN THEY'RE ALL IN THE ROOM, BUT BAHER ESMAT, PERHAPS HE CAN STAND UP FOR THOSE IN THIS ROOM WHO CAN SEE HIM.
HE HAS JOINED ICANN FROM -- HE'S IN EGYPT AND HAS JOINED US FROM THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT, BUT HAS HAD EXPERIENCE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR WORKING IN THE MIDDLE EAST, BUT HE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT WORKING ON GOVERNANCE ISSUES.
I'D LIKE TO PARTICULARLY PUT ON RECORD MY THANKS TO MINISTER TARIK OF EGYPT WHO HAS BEEN A GOOD AND CLOSE FRIEND AND HAS BEEN WORKING WITH US ON THIS POSITION.
BAHER IS ALSO ENGAGING IN THE WORLD ON THESE ISSUES.
AND HE IS A COURAGEOUS MAN.
SO WE APPRECIATE HIS JOINING US.
PABLO'S NEXT TO BAHER.
HE HAS JOINED US FROM LATIN AMERICA.
HE IS A CITIZEN OF MEXICO.
AND BY COINCIDENCE, I SUSPECT, PABLO IS A FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE GAC.
AND IS A -- BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED IN A LOT OF THE INTERNET GOVERNANCE ISSUES AS WELL, BUT HAS GOOD EXPERIENCE IN LATIN AMERICA AND IS WORKING IN LATIN AMERICA, RECENTLY WAS INVOLVED IN A TOUR IN LATIN AMERICA TALKING TO LAC TLDS, AND LACNIC, ET CETERA.
ANNE-RACHEL INNE, WHO I THINK MANY PEOPLE KNOW, IS OUR REGIONAL LIAISON FOR AFRICA.
JACOB MALTHOUSE IS OUR REGIONAL LIAISON FOR CANADA AND THE CARIBBEAN.
AND GIOVANNI SEPPIA, WHO JOINED US FROM GENERAL MANAGER OF CENTR, IS OUR REGIONAL LIAISON FOR EUROPE.
AND I DOUBT WHETHER GIOVANNI'S IN THE ROOM.
HE'S OUT LIAISING.
THESE -- I THINK THIS IS A VERY HIGH-QUALITY TEAM.
I'M VERY PLEASED THAT THEY HAVE JOINED US.
AND THEY ARE PEOPLE THERE FOR TO YOU TALK TO, TO INTERACT WITH, TO ASK QUESTIONS, TO BE IN ENGAGEMENT.
THEY DON'T REPLACE THE SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS OR THE BOARD.
THEY DON'T REPLACE THE NEED THAT WE DO A GLOBAL FUNCTION.
THEY ARE THERE AS A LIAISON, AS A GLUE FOR COMMUNICATION.
AND I EXHORT TO YOU MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN TO THEM AND TO GET TO KNOW THEM.
THAT, CHAIRMAN, WOULD CONCLUDE MY REPORT.

>>VINT CERF: VERY GOOD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, PAUL.
ALL OF WHICH -- ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE WONDERFULLY GOOD NEWS, ESPECIALLY THE AUGMENTATION OF STAFF WITH SUCH WONDERFULLY QUALIFIED PEOPLE.
I KNOW I PERSONALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM, AS I'M SURE THE REST OF THE BOARD WILL AS WELL.
IF OUR GNSO COUNSEL CHAIR IS READY, I'LL INVITE HIM TO MAKE THE COUNCIL REPORT NOW.
IT'S BRUCE TONKIN. I SEE HE'S ASSEMBLING HIMSELF AND ALL OF HIS EQUIPMENT.
SOME DAY WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THIS WIRELESSLY AND FROM YOUR SEAT.
OF COURSE IF IT'S NOT ADEQUATELY SECURE, SOMEONE WILL REPLACE YOUR SLIDES WITH THEIR SLIDES PARTWAY THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.

>>MOUHAMET DIOP: VINT?

>>VINT CERF: YES, GO AHEAD, MOUHAMET.

>>MOUHAMET DIOP: BEFORE BRUCE CONNECTS HIS LAPTOP, I THINK I HAVE A SHORT QUESTION BASED ON THE REPORT THAT THE CEO OF ICANN HAS MADE.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE EVOLUTION IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF POSITIONS THAT YOU HAVE INCREASED BASED ON ALL THE CHALLENGES THAT THE ORGANIZATION IS FACING NOW.
BUT MY QUESTION IS DO YOU THINK IT'S ENOUGH BASED ON ALL THE NEW CHALLENGES AND THE SIZE OF THE CHALLENGES WE ARE FACING? DO YOU THINK THAT THE EXISTING STRUCTURE YOU HAVE PRESENTED WILL BE ABLE TO COVER THE CHALLENGES THAT THE ORGANIZATION IS FACING NOW?

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU, MOUHAMET.
BRUCE, I THINK YOU ARE ON -- THERE YOU ARE. YOU ARE UP.

>>SUSAN CRAWFORD: VINT, WHAT ABOUT AN ANSWER?

>>PAUL TWOMEY: WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO ANSWER MOUHAMET'S QUESTION?

>>VINT CERF: I'M SORRY. APOLOGIES.
GO AHEAD.

>>PAUL TWOMEY: I THINK -- I THINK IT'S AN APPROPRIATE STRUCTURE FOR THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE TODAY AND IT'S AN APPROPRIATE STRUCTURE BASED AROUND THE PRESENT BUDGET.
I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK OUT THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, PARTICULARLY AS WE LOOK AT THE OPERATIONAL PLANNING PROCESS, AS TO WHETHER NEW CHALLENGES ARE BEING REINFORCED.
ONE THING THAT'S CLEAR TO ME IS WHERE WE GO WITH IDNS AND THE AMOUNT AND EFFORT AND TIME NEEDED IN IDNS, WHAT'S THE DEDICATED RESOURCES TO THAT.
SIMILARLY, THERE'S A QUESTION OF WHAT ARE THE DEDICATED RESOURCES THAT WE MAY NEED TO NEW GTLD PROCESS. IF WE MOVE TO NEW GTLDS, HOW ARE WE GOING TO HANDLE THAT QUESTION? THAT'S ALL BEEN OUTLINED IN THE OPERATIONAL PLAN.
SIMILARLY, AS I KNOW IT'S CLOSE TO YOUR HEART, HOW DO WE DO PROPER SUPPORT FOR ENGAGEMENT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING FROM PARTS OF THE WORLD TO BE INVOLVED IN THE ICANN PROCESS, AND HOW DO WE HAVE THAT SORT OF RESOURCE.
AND I THINK THAT'S ALL COVERED A LOT IN THE PROJECTS IN THE OPERATIONAL PLAN PROCESS.
I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE SOME COMFORT IN THE FACT THAT AS ICANN IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT MULTISTAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATION WITH OUR PRESENT STRUCTURES, WE ARE IN THE POSITION TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THESE SORT OF AMENDMENTS AND CHANGES AND BE FLEXIBLE OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD HANG ON TO THAT, BECAUSE IT DOES LET US CHANGE.
I WOULD POINT OUT THAT AS WE MAKE THIS EVOLUTION FROM A SMALL ORGANIZATION TO A MEDIUM-SIZED ORGANIZATION, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH -- ONE OF THE CHALLENGES AT THE STAFF LEVEL IS HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THE TRANSITION TOWARDS MORE STRUCTURES, SOME DEGREE -- A GREATER DEGREE OF HIERARCHY. THERE IS ALWAYS A VERY IMPORTANT CHALLENGE OF HOW DO YOU BRING STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE THING FROM THE VERY BEGINNING THROUGH TO A NEW ORGANIZATION WHICH NO LONGER WE TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING AROUND THE WATER COOLER. NOW WE HAVE A DIFFERENT SORT OF STRUCTURE. AND THERE ARE CHALLENGES WE HAVE GOT TO MIGRATE TO.
I THINK ONE THINGS WE NEED TO BE A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT AS WE GO TO THAT PROCESS IS JUST HOW MANY REPORTS THE CEO RECEIVES. WHAT IS THE ROLE OF SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS I THINK AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS PROPOSAL I PUT TO YOU IS THESE POSITIONS OF SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTS. I THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
SO MOUHAMET, I HOPE THERE ARE HOOKS IN THAT STRUCTURE THAT WILL LET US KEEP EVOLVING. AND IF WE SEE AND THE COMMUNITY SEES AND WE SEE AS A RESULT OF THE COMMUNITY'S DEMANDS THAT WE NEED TO SORT OF CHANGE THAT, WE SHOULD FEEL SAFE TO DO SO.

>>VINT CERF: OKAY. THANK YOU, PAUL.
BRUCE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. WE'D LIKE TO TAKE THE GNSO COUNCIL REPORT NOW.

>>BRUCE TONKIN: THANK YOU, VINT.
THE TOPICS I'LL COVER IN THE REPORT IS, I GUESS, PROGRESS ON OUR WORK ON WHOIS. NEW GTLDS, CONTRACTUAL CONDITIONS FOR GTLDS, IDNS, AND JUST A VERY SHORT MENTION OF A DISCUSSION WE HAD THIS AFTERNOON OR THIS MORNING ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION NAMES.
FIRSTLY, WITH RESPECT TO WHOIS, THE WHOIS TASK FORCE HAS BEEN WORKING ON A DEFINITION OF PURPOSE TO GET CLARITY AROUND THAT.
THERE ARE TWO VERSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD BY THE TASK FORCE. THEY WERE DISCUSSED IN OUR COUNCIL MEETING TODAY, AND WE'LL BE VOTING ON THOSE IN THE NEXT ONE OR TWO WEEKS TO MAKE A CHOICE. AND THEIR WORK IS CONTINUING ON THE TOPICS OF ACCESS CONTROL, WHO GETS ACCESS TO WHAT DATA.
AND ACCURACY IMPROVEMENT.
WITH RESPECT TO THE TOPIC OF INTRODUCING NEW GTLDS, WE BROKE THE DISCUSSION UP INTO A NUMBER OF AREAS, ONE OF WHICH WAS THE QUESTION OF SHOULD NEW GTLDS BE INTRODUCED AT ALL. AND I GUESS THE ROUGH CONSENSUS SO FAR IS THAT, YES. BUT SUBJECT TO GETTING THE SELECTION CRITERIA RIGHT.
SO THAT, THEN, BRINGS US TO SELECTION CRITERIA.
SOME CONSTITUENCIES HAVE STATED THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO JUDGE THE CRITERIA FOR THE SELECTION CRITERIA. AND THOSE ARE PRETTY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT FROM THE ICANN MISSION AND BYLAWS. BUT CERTAINLY THAT THEY BE FAIRLY NEUTRAL, THEY BE OBJECTIVE, AND THEY BE PREDICTABLE.
AND ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING PREDICTABLE IS IF YOU APPLY FOR A NEW GTLD, SAY IN 2006, AND THEN YOU PUT EXACTLY THE SAME APPLICATION FORM IN 2007 WITH PERHAPS A DIFFERENT EVALUATION PANEL, THAT YOU WOULD HOPEFULLY GET THE SAME ANSWER. SO THAT THE PROCESS IS FAIRLY OBJECTIVE AND PREDICTABLE.
WE'VE HAD QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT SELECTION CRITERIA SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS WEEK. AND SOME WILL BREAK DOWN INTO THOSE THAT HAD STRONG SUPPORT, AND STRONG SUPPORT IS PROBABLY WHERE THERE IS, SAY, FOUR OR MORE CONSTITUENCIES THAT SUPPORT IT. AND I CAN SAY THAT THERE WAS BASICALLY UNANIMOUS SUPPORT THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS AS PART OF THE SELECTION CRITERIA.
THE ONE THAT WAS DISCUSSED SPECIFICALLY WAS THAT THE -- ANY IDN-BASED IMPLEMENTATIONS MEET THE STANDARDS.
AND THEN THE INTENT IS ALSO TO TRY AND IDENTIFY A SELECTIVE SET OF INTERNET ENGINEERING TASK FORCE RFCS AND OTHER STANDARDS THAT MIGHT EXIST THAT SPECIFICALLY RELATE TO THE DNS THAT AN OPERATOR WOULD BE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH.
WE FEEL THERE WOULD BE SOME SORT OF APPLICATION FEE. THE INTENT OF THAT IS IT WOULD PAY FOR THE COST OF DOING AN APPLICATION PROCESS, BECAUSE THERE MAY NEED TO BE SOME CONSIDERATION FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND OTHERS WITH RESPECT TO THE -- HOW THAT FEE IS PAID.
THE OPERATOR WOULD NEED TO DEMONSTRATE FINANCIAL VIABILITY. THERE'S A LOT OF DEBATE ABOUT THIS AS TO ARE WE TRYING TO EVALUATE WHETHER IT'S A GOOD BUSINESS OR A BAD BUSINESS. AND I THINK IT SORT OF CONVERGED DOWN TO SAYING THAT WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THERE IS DO THEY HAVE A PLAN THAT PROVIDES CREDIBILITY TO THEIR STATEMENT THAT THEY CAN MEET THE TECHNICAL CRITERIA.
SO IF YOU HAVE TECHNICAL CRITERIA, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT REQUIRE SOME SORT OF DIVERSITY OR DISASTER RECOVERY BUT THE BUDGET IS ONE DOLLAR, YOU WOULD TEND TO THINK THAT THEY MAY NOT REALLY BE ABLE TO MEET THAT TECHNICAL CRITERIA.
THE OTHER THING WAS THE CONCEPT OF TRYING TO CLEARLY DIFFERENTIATE I GUESS THE INTENDED USE OF THE DOMAIN NAME SPACE WITH RESPECT TO ITS PURPOSE FROM OTHER EXISTING DOMAIN NAME SPACES. AND I GUESS THE EXAMPLE HERE WOULD BE THAT IF WE HAVE A DOMAIN SPACE SUCH AS .JOBS, IT MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE TO INTRODUCE ANOTHER DOMAIN SPACE CALLED .EMPLOYMENT IF THEY ARE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.
BUT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO INTRODUCE .VACATION FOR THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE JOBS.
THE SELECTION -- FURTHER SELECTION CRITERIA THAT HAD STRONG SUPPORT WAS THE CONCEPT OF USING ICANN ACCREDITED REGISTRARS. ICANN GOES THROUGH A PROCESS OF ACCREDITING REGISTRARS AND MAKING SURE THEY ARE COMPLYING AND HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO MANAGE DNS RECORDS. AND SO THERE SEEMED TO BE STRONG SUPPORT FOR CONTINUING WITH THAT PROCESS.
THERE WAS ALSO THE CONCEPT THAT IF A TLD HAS SOME FORM OF PURPOSE OR CHARTER, THAT THEY HAVE MECHANISMS TO ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE REGISTERING THAT DOMAIN SPACE COMPLY WITH THAT CHARTER, AND THERE'S SOME MECHANISMS TO ADDRESS VIOLATIONS.
AND FINALLY, WHICH IS PROBABLY FAIRLY OBVIOUS, AND THIS HAD SUPPORT FROM EVERYBODY, THAT THE NEW OPERATOR OR NEW GTLD WOULD MEET ICANN POLICIES IN PLACE AT THE TIME.
SO THOSE ARE ALL CRITERIA THAT HAD STRONG SUPPORT.
AND THE INTENT FOR THE NEXT STEP THERE IS TO BASICALLY TAKE THOSE SELECTION CRITERIA THAT HAD STRONG SUPPORT AND TRY TO CREATE AN EXAMPLE OR REFERENCE IMPLEMENTATION OF HOW THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IN A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. AND THAT WOULD HELP US TO CONSIDER DO WE HAVE THE POLICIES FOR SELECTION CRITERIA RIGHT, WHEN YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE IN AN ACTUAL RFP.
AND IN A LOT OF THE CRITERIA WE HAVE MENTIONED SO FAR HAVE BEEN PROBABLY CONSISTENT WITH MUCH OF THE CRITERIA OF THE PREVIOUS ROUNDS WITH RESPECT TO TECHNICAL CRITERIA, FOR EXAMPLE. SO THAT WE CAN DRAW INFORMATION FROM THOSE RFPS TO JUST GET A SKELETON OF WHAT AN RFP MIGHT LOOK LIKE SO FAR.
THERE ARE OTHER CRITERIA THAT AT THIS STAGE ONLY HAVE MEDIUM SUPPORT. AND BY "MEDIUM," I'M SAYING ROUGHLY HALF THE CONSTITUENCIES IN THE GNSO SUPPORTED.
AND IT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME CONSTITUENCIES THAT SUPPORT ALL OF THESE CRITERIA. AND THEY ARE MORE ALONG THE LINES OF THAT AN APPLICANT MUST REPRESENT A WELL-DEFINED COMMUNITY, AND THE REGISTRANTS WOULD BE LIMITED TO MEMBERS OF THAT COMMUNITY. AND AN ALTERNATIVE VERSION OF THIS, WHICH DOESN'T REQUIRE YOU TO REPRESENT A COMMUNITY BEFORE YOU PUT A PROPOSAL FORWARD, IS THAT THE APPLICANTS WOULD ESTABLISH A CHARTER THAT ADDRESSES A DEFINED PURPOSE WITH ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND THAT REGISTRANTS MUST MEET THAT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.
THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE ACCURATE VERIFICATION OF THE ELIGIBILITY OF THE REGISTRANT, AND AN EXAMPLE OF A TLD THAT'S DOING THIS AT THE MOMENT IS .TRAVEL WHERE THERE IS AN AUTHENTICATION PROCESS TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE IN SOME WAY INVOLVED IN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY BEFORE YOU ARE ABLE TO REGISTER A DOMAIN NAME IN THAT DOMAIN NAME SPACE.
AND FINALLY, THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME REQUIREMENT FOR THE APPLICANT TO EXPLAIN HOW THEY MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS FOR THE GLOBAL INTERNET COMMUNITY.
SO HAVING LOOKED AT THE SELECTION CRITERIA, THE NEXT TOPIC IS THEN HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THE PROCESS OF ALLOCATING TLDS TO THOSE APPLICANTS. SO ASSUMING YOU HAVE A NUMBER THAT HAVE MET THE SELECTION CRITERIA, YOU MAY WELL, IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, YOU MIGHT HAVE A PARTICULAR ALLOCATION OF ICANN STAFF RESOURCES TO MANAGE THE PROCESS OF INTRODUCING TLDS. SO YOU MAY HAVE SOME LIMITED NUMBER OF TLDS THAT YOU CAN INTRODUCE IN ANY GIVEN YEAR.
SO THEN YOU'D NEED TO DECIDE, WELL, IF I HAVE 20 APPLICANTS THAT HAVE MET THE SELECTION CRITERIA BUT I ONLY HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCING TO INTRODUCE 10, WHICH 10 DO I CHOOSE?
ALTERNATIVELY, IF I HAVE TWO APPLICANTS FOR THE SAME STRING OR MAYBE THE SAME PURPOSE, WHICH APPLICANT DO I CHOOSE?
THE TWO BROAD METHODS THAT WERE DISCUSSED WAS, ONE, THE TRADITIONAL FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED APPROACH. SO IF HAD 20 APPLICATIONS AND ONLY 10 AVAILABLE POSITIONS, I WOULD PROCESS THE FIRST TEN THAT PASSED THE SELECTION CRITERIA AND THEY WOULD GET THOSE TEN POSITIONS.
AND THEN SEPARATELY DEAL WITH THE ISSUE OF CONFLICT WITH THE SAME STRING.
OR THE MAIN ALTERNATIVE TO THAT IS -- WAS DESCRIBED AS COMPARATIVE EVALUATION, AND THIS IS WHERE YOU WOULD ATTEMPT TO RANK THE APPLICANTS WITH RESPECT TO SELECTION CRITERIA. AND YOU MAY WELL DIVIDE THOSE SELECTION CRITERIA INTO ABSOLUTE AND RELATIVE.
AND THIS IS PROBABLY SIMILAR TO WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE .NET EVALUATION PROCESS, WHERE THERE WAS A SELECTION OF A SET OF SELECTION CRITERIA. AN INDEPENDENT BODY WAS ASKED TO BASICALLY EVALUATE THE APPLICANTS AND SCORE THEM AGAINST EACH OF THE CRITERIA. AND THEN ULTIMATELY SOME CRITERIA WERE EITHER YES OR NO, YOU EITHER MET THE TECHNICAL SPEC OR YOU DIDN'T, AND OTHER CRITERIA, IF YOU HAVE A LOOK AT THESE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST ONE IN PARTICULAR, "EXPLAIN HOW THE TLD MAXIMIZES BENEFITS FOR THE GLOBAL INTERNET COMMUNITY" IS NOT REALLY A YES/NO ANSWER. IT'S REALLY HOW WELL ARE YOU ABLE TO PUT YOUR POSITION WITH RESPECT TO MAXIMIZING BENEFITS.
SO THAT WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF A RELATIVE CRITERIA, THAT IN THIS COMPARATIVE EVALUATION PROCESS SOME DECISION BY A GROUP OF PEOPLE WOULD BE MADE AS TO WHICH MEETS THAT -- WHICH APPLICANT HAS THE BEST ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, ESSENTIALLY.
SO THAT'S ALLOCATION METHODS.
AND I SAID THAT I THINK THE COMMITTEE SO FAR IS ROUGHLY EVENLY SPLIT BETWEEN THESE TWO OPTIONS. AND THERE IS, IN FACT, SOME MEMBERS THAT THINK THAT YOU SHOULD CHOOSE THE METHOD DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF APPLICANT. SO IF THE APPLICANT WAS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, IT MIGHT FALL INTO ONE CATEGORY, AND IF THEY WERE FOR-PROFIT THEY MIGHT FALL INTO ANOTHER CATEGORY. SO THEN YOU HAVE THE ISSUE OF IDENTIFYING WHICH CATEGORY IS THE APPLICANT IN AND THEN YOU'D NEED TO CHOOSE WHICH ALLOCATION METHOD. BUT THAT'S PROBABLY IN THE MINORITY. MOST OF THE COMMITTEE WAS SPLIT BETWEEN WHETHER THEY WANTED ONE OF THESE ALLOCATION METHODS OR THE OTHER ONE OF THE ALLOCATION METHODS.
THE NEXT TOPIC FOR US TO ADDRESS IS WHAT CONTRACTUAL CONDITIONS SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED FOR THE FUTURE AND WHAT FORM OF THE AGREEMENT SHOULD THERE BE BETWEEN ICANN AND THE NEW TLD OPERATOR, WHAT CONSTRAINTS SHOULD THERE BE. AND THIS WE WILL BE WORKING ON OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS IN ADVANCE OF THE ICANN MEETING IN MARRAKESH.
SO IN TERMS OF A PROCESS GOING FORWARD, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS AS WE MOVE THROUGH EACH OF THESE SELECTION CRITERIA AND DISCUSS THEM AND IDENTIFY WHERE THERE IS AGREEMENT AND WHERE THERE IS NOT, WE ARE DRAFTING INITIAL REPORTS. AND THESE WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE GNSO WEB SITE, AS TYPICALLY AT THE END OF EACH OF OUR MEETINGS ON THIS TOPIC.
AND ULTIMATELY, WE'LL HAVE A FINAL INITIAL REPORT THAT WILL COVER ALL THE TERMS OF REFERENCE AND THAT WILL BE POSTED ON THE ICANN WEB SITE PRIOR TO THE MARRAKESH MEETING.
I EXPECT THAT IN SOME AREAS THERE WILL BE A FAIRLY DEFINITIVE POLICY SUGGESTION WHICH HAS VERY STRONG SUPPORT, AND IN SOME AREAS WE'LL BE PRESENTING SOME ALTERNATIVES WHERE THE COUNCIL SEEMS TO BE EVENLY SPLIT, AND WE'LL BE SEEKING FURTHER INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC AND OTHER PARTS OF THE ICANN COMMUNITY TO GET SOME GUIDANCE ON THAT.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY, AFTER WE GO THROUGH THAT FINAL COMMENT AND INPUT PROCESS, WE WOULD THEN NEED TO VOTE IN SITUATIONS WHERE WE MAY NOT HAVE COMPLETE AGREEMENT.
I SEE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE LEARNED SO FAR IS WE BELIEVE WE HAVE MADE FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ON EACH OF THE TERMS OF REFERENCE WE HAVE EXAMINED SO FAR. BUT THE WAY WE HAVE DONE THAT IS, INSTEAD OF HAVING TELECONFERENCES WHERE YOU SORT OF SPEND AN HOUR EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE'VE HAD SOME VERY INTENSIVE, FOCUSED PHYSICAL MEETINGS. WE HAD A TWO-DAY MEETING IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AND ANYONE THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THAT WILL ATTEST TO THE PACE AT WHICH THAT MEETING WENT. IT WAS PRETTY MUCH TWO VERY FULL DAYS.
AND ALSO THIS PAST WEEKEND IN WELLINGTON WE ALSO SPENT TWO VERY FULL DAYS LOOKING AT THESE ISSUES.
I THINK WE NEED ANOTHER TWO OR THREE FULL-DAY MEETING TO ADDRESS THE CONTRACTUAL TOPIC, WHICH WILL INCLUDE SOME BRIEFINGS FROM STAFF ON HOW CONTRACTS WORK AND SO ON. BUT HOPEFULLY BY MARRAKESH WE'LL HAVE A FAIRLY SOLID PROPOSAL FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY TO CONSIDER AND PROVIDE INPUT ON.
THEN WE HAVE A VERY BIG GAP BETWEEN MARRAKESH AND SAO PAULO OF SIX MONTHS, AND WE NEED TO WORK OUT, WELL, WHAT CAN WE ACHIEVE WITHIN THAT GAP THAT ALSO MAKES SURE WE GET AS MUCH PARTICIPATION AS POSSIBLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT POLICY.
THE OTHER POLICY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS THAT WAS KICKED OFF IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR WAS LOOKING AT THE CURRENT CONTRACTUAL CONDITIONS THAT HAVE CAUSED SO MUCH, I GUESS, DEBATE IN THE LAST YEAR, WHICH RESULTED FROM CHANGES TO THE .NET AND .COM AGREEMENTS. THE TOPICS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT DEBATE, AND THESE WERE ALL TOPICS THAT WERE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL IN MEETINGS IN VANCOUVER, BUT THEY ARE AROUND TOPICS SUCH AS THE REGISTRY AGREEMENT RENEWAL PROCESS. FOR EXAMPLE, HOW MANY YEARS SHOULD A REGISTRY AGREEMENT BE FOR, AND WHAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF THE TERM OF THAT AGREEMENT. SOME REGISTRY AGREEMENTS TODAY HAVE THE OPTION OF EFFECTIVELY A PRESUMPTION OF RENEWAL THAT PROVIDED THAT THEY HAVE DONE EVERYTHING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR CURRENT CONTRACT, IT WOULD JUST AUTOMATICALLY ROLL OVER INTO A NEW CONTRACT. OTHER REGISTRY OPERATORS DON'T HAVE THAT, SO THEY REALLY HAVE NO CERTAINTY BEYOND THE LENGTH OF THEIR CONTRACT.
THEN THERE IS THE ISSUE THAT REGISTRY AGREEMENTS HAVE PROVISION IN THEIR CONTRACT SUCH THAT THEY NEED TO COMPLY WITH FUTURE ICANN POLICIES THAT ARE DEVELOPED. BUT IN ORDER TO PROVIDE SOME BUSINESS CERTAINTY, RATHER THAN JUST SAYING "SIGN THIS CONTRACT FOR FIVE YEARS AND WE CAN CHANGE IT IN ANY WAY WE LIKE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS," THE CONTRACT IS CONSTRAINED SUCH THAT YOU CAN ONLY MAKE CHANGES IN SOME VERY SPECIFIC AREAS, AND THERE'S ALSO SOME SPECIFIC AREAS WHERE YOU CANNOT MAKE CHANGES. SO THE QUESTION IS, IS THAT THE RIGHT BALANCE GOING FORWARD.
ALL REGISTRY AGREEMENTS TODAY CURRENTLY HAVE SOME FORM OF PRICE CONTROL. TYPICALLY IT'S A MAXIMUM PRICE THAT'S CAPPED. THEY CAN CHARGE ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT PRICE PROVIDING THEY TREAT ALL REGISTRARS FAIRLY, BUT THEY CAN'T INCREASE THEIR PRICE WITHOUT PERMISSION.
THE .COM AGREEMENT CHANGED THAT SLIGHTLY SO THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY INCREASE BY 7% IN FOUR OUT OF THE NEXT SIX YEARS. THE QUESTION IS, IS PRICE CONTROL EVEN APPROPRIATE GOING FORWARD? AND IF SO, WHAT SORT OF CONTROL SHOULD BE THERE?
HOW SHOULD ICANN SET FEES FOR REGISTRY OPERATORS? IS THERE SOME MODEL THAT THEY SHOULD BE USING RATHER THAN JUST NEGOTIATING ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS?
THE DATA THAT A REGISTRY COLLECTS -- OR CLEARLY THEY COLLECT DATA FROM REGISTRARS BUT THEY ALSO OPERATE A DNS NAME SERVER, AND YOU CAN COLLECT INFORMATION ON THE IP ADDRESSES THAT ARE USED TO ACCESS THAT NAME SERVER. AND THAT INFORMATION MAY OR MAY NOT BE USEFUL.
SHOULD THERE BE ANY CONSTRAINTS ON THE USE OF SUCH DATA? AND SHOULD THERE BE ANY REQUIREMENTS FOR A REGISTRY OPERATOR TO RESEARCH AND INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE?
SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT ARE VARIABLE IN A REGISTRY CONTRACT, AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE REASONS REGISTRY CONTRACTS TAKE SO LONG TO COMPLETE, YOU WILL SEE A BOARD AT A PARTICULAR MEETING WILL AUTHORIZE THE STAFF TO NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT, AND IN SOME CASES IT'S A YEAR OR LONGER BEFORE THE CONTRACT IS SIGNED, BECAUSE ALL OF THESE THINGS GET NEGOTIATED.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THE GNSO IS LOOKING AT IS MAYBE THERE SHOULD BE SOME POLICY AROUND THAT TO PROVIDE CERTAINTY. AND SO THEN AT LEAST GOING FORWARD, YOU ARE NOT DOING SO MUCH NEGOTIATION.
ON INTERNATIONALIZED DOMAIN NAMES, THE GNSO COUNCIL REQUESTED AN ISSUES REPORT IN OUR MEETING IN VANCOUVER, BUT WE'VE RECOGNIZED THAT -- I THINK IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT. THERE'S SO MUCH HAPPENING WITHIN THE ICANN COMMUNITY IN TALKING ABOUT IDNS THAT THE POLICY ISSUES GET CONFUSED WITH THE TECHNICAL ISSUES AND VICE VERSA.
AND SO THE COUNCIL WAS REALLY RECOGNIZING THAT THAT INITIALLY IS NOT AN EASY TASK.
WE'VE HAD QUITE A FEW DISCUSSIONS WITH PARTS OF ICANN AT THIS MEETING. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE GNSO COUNCIL MET WITH THE ICANN BOARD ON SUNDAY NIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THAT IN SOME MORE DETAIL.
WE -- I ALSO PRESENTED TO THE CCNSO ON THIS TOPIC.
SO GENERALLY, WHAT WE SEE THE NEXT STEPS IS, LET'S CLEARLY IDENTIFY WHAT ARE ALL THE ISSUES WE KNOW ABOUT THAT ARE POLICY ISSUES AROUND THE INTRODUCTION OF IDNS. THEN IDENTIFY, OUT OF THOSE ISSUES, WHICH ARE THE ONES WE CAN WORK ON TO GET A RESULT FAIRLY QUICKLY, WHICH MIGHT MEAN THAT WE CONSTRAIN THE INTRODUCTION IN SOME WAY, SAME AS WE DID WHEN WE INTRODUCED NEW GTLDS BACK IN 2000. WE SORT OF MADE A CAUTIOUS FIRST STEP, THEN EVALUATED WHAT THE IMPACT OF THAT STEP WAS BEFORE GOING ANY FURTHER. AND I THINK WHAT WE WILL BE DOING IN IDNS IS VERY SIMILAR BY SAYING WE CAN'T WAIT FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS TO DEBATE ALL THE POLICY ISSUES. WE NEED TO IDENTIFY WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP THAT WE SHOULD MAKE THIS YEAR AND FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON DEVELOPING A POLICY AROUND THAT NEXT STEP THAT ALLOWS US TO INTRODUCE IDN STRINGS INTO THE ROOT THIS YEAR.
SO IN ORDER TO DO THIS WE NEED TO HAVE COORDINATION BETWEEN THE GNSO AND THE CCNSO. AND I HAVE USED THE TERM COORDINATE HERE BECAUSE WE NEED TO SORT OF WORK TOGETHER ON IDENTIFYING THE ISSUES. IDENTIFY WHICH ISSUES WE MIGHT WANT TO WORK ON INDEPENDENTLY AND WORK ON WHAT ISSUES WE MIGHT WANT TO WORK ON TOGETHER.
BUT MAINLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS IDENTIFY HOW BEST TO MAKE PROGRESS THIS YEAR. AND IN DOING SO, WOULD SEEK ADVICE FROM THE PRESIDENT'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT WAS ESTABLISHED LATE LAST YEAR.
WE USED THIS TO TALK IN TERMS OF OUTCOMES. WE ARE TRYING TO PROVIDE A TIMELY BENEFIT FOR INTERNET USERS. WE ARE TRYING TO ENSURE USER EXPECTATIONS ARE MET, SO ANYTHING THAT WE DO IN TERMS OF INTRODUCING IDNS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE USER EXPECTATIONS WITH RESPECT TO THAT INTRODUCTION ARE MET.
AND ENSURE THAT USERS THAT WANT TO USE THOSE IDNS HAVE THE BEST EXPERIENCE POSSIBLE.
SO THOSE ARE OBVIOUSLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING DO. AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE PERFECT WHEN WE MAKE THE FIRST DECISION HERE, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO BEAR IN MIND.
FINALLY, THERE'S BEEN, I GUESS, A LONGSTANDING DEBATE ABOUT WHAT THE GNSO SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT DO WITH RESPECT TO PLACE NAME OR NAMES OF INTERNATIONAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS.
THE GNSO'S VIEW ON THIS IS THAT WE WILL COMPLY WITH INTERNATIONAL TREATIES WITH RESPEC TO THESE TOPICS. WE HAVE YET TO SEE AN INTERNATIONAL TREATY OR LAW THAT DEALS WITH THESE PLACE NAMES AT AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL.
WE HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT THERE IS SOME PROVISIONS IN INTERNATIONAL TREATIES THAT MIGHT RELATE TO NAMES OF INTERNATIONAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS. WE'RE STILL VERY UNCLEAR ON THIS, THOUGH, SO THE NEXT STEP THE COUNCIL HAS ASKED FOR IS SOME ASSISTANCE FROM THE GENERAL COUNSEL'S OFFICE TO PERHAPS SPECIFICALLY POINT OUT THE RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL TREATIES AND LAWS AND THE RELEVANT SECTIONS OF THOSE. AND HOPEFULLY THE GENERAL COUNSEL'S OFFICE WORK WITH THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CONSTITUENCY THAT I BELIVE HAS ALREADY DONE SUBSTANTIAL ANALYSIS IN THIS AREA.
FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK GRANT FORSYTH WHO IS LEAVING THE COUNCIL AT THE END OF THIS MEETING. HE HAS BEEN A REPRESENTATIVE THE BUSINESS USER'S CONSTITUENCY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
IN FACT, BACK IN THE DAYS BEFORE THE GNSO, WHEN WE HAD THE NAMES COUNCIL. AND ALSO THANK JORDYN BUCHANAN WHO HAS BEEN CHAIR OF THE WHOIS TASK FORCE SINCE 2003. THEY HAVE BOTH BEEN MOVING FORWARD IN THEIR CAREERS TO NEW AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT AND THEY ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE THEIR TIME.
SO CERTAINLY THANK THEM FOR THEIR EFFORTS.
AND THAT'S THE END OF MY REPORT.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BRUCE.
I ACTUALLY SEVERAL QUESTIONS I SEE THE BOARD HAD. SUSAN HAD ONE, MICHAEL HAD ONE AND ROBERTO HAD ONE. SUSAN.

>>SUSAN CRAWFORD: THANK YOU. BRUCE, IT'S CLEAR YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN SPENDING AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF ENERGY ON THIS AND HAVE MADE A GREAT DEAL OF PROGRESS AND THAT THE MEETING IN WASHINGTON APPEARS TO HAVE PUSHED THINGS ALONG QUITE A BIT, AS THIS MEETING AS DONE AS WELL.
I'M WONDERING IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO GET YOUR REPORT DONE BY THE END OF THE MARRAKESH MEETING IF YOU MET IN THE INTERIM TOGETHER AGAIN AS A GROUP?

>>BRUCE TONKIN: YEAH, SO WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY PLANNING A POTENTIAL MEETING, AND THIS IS VERY EARLY DAYS, BUT A POTENTIAL MEETING IN BRUSSELS SOMETIME IN MAY TO TRY AND MOVE THAT -- KEEP MOVING THAT POLICY FORWARD.

>>SUSAN CRAWFORD: THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M SORRY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHEN THE BOARD WILL HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT.

>>BRUCE TONKIN: THE INTENT IS WE WILL BE PUBLISHING INITIAL -- ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING TO LOOK AT OR SOMETHING TO SIGN ON? THERE'S A DIFFERENCE.

>>SUSAN CRAWFORD: SOMETHING TO DECIDE ON. I'M TRYING TO DETERMINE WHEN THE END OF THE CONSULTATION PERIOD IS.

>>BRUCE TONKIN: OKAY. I'M EXPECTING THAT WILL BE SOMETIME BETWEEN THE MARRAKESH MEETING AND THE SAO PAULO MEETING. BUT AT THIS STAGE, I CAN'T BE MORE SPECIFIC THAN THAT.

>>SUSAN CRAWFORD: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ANSWER.

>>VINT CERF: OKAY. MICHAEL.

>>MICHAEL PALAGE: THANK YOU, BRUCE.
MY QUESTION NEEDS TO GO TO RESOURCES. OBVIOUSLY THESE ON-SITE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN VERY PRODUCTIVE. WHAT COST HAVE ICANN BORE AND WHAT COST HAVE THE COUNCILLORS HAD TO EXPEND? AGAIN, I AM LOOKING AT IF THIS IS PRODUCTIVE, TRYING TO BUDGET IT IN IN FUTURE BUDGETS.

>>BRUCE TONKIN: YEAH, I THINK THE MEETING IN WASHINGTON, WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAD A MEMBER OF THE BUSINESS CONSTITUENCY THAT WAS WILLING TO PROVIDE US A VENUE. AND SO THERE WASN'T ANY VENUE COSTS. THERE WERE TRAVELING COSTS FOR THE ICANN STAFF TO ATTEND THAT MEETING BECAUSE THE POLICY STAFF ARE BASED IN BRUSSELS, SO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THEIR TRAVEL EXPENSES TO THAT VENUE.
I THINK THERE WAS ALSO -- YEAH, THERE WAS ALSO, I THINK, KURT PRITZ ATTENDED FROM THE MARINA DEL REY OFFICE, SO THERE WERE TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR STAFF AND OBVIOUSLY THE COST OF THEIR TIME.
WITH RESPECT TO THE WELLINGTON MEETING, I BELIEVE THE ICANN ORGANIZATION HAS HAD TO PAY FOR COSTS RELATED TO THE VENUE ON THE WEEKEND.
WITH RESPECT TO THE WELLINGTON MEETING, I BELIEVE THE ICANN ORGANIZATION HAS HAD TO PAY FOR COSTS RELATING TO THE VENUE ON THE WEEKEND AND THE TRAVEL COSTS OF STAFF WOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN INCORPORATED IN THEIR TRAVEL COSTS FOR THIS MEETING.
THE REST OF THE COSTS HAVE BEEN BORNE BY MEMBERS OF THE GNSO IN TERMS OF THEIR TRAVEL EXPENSES.
I THINK WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IS THAT ON QUITE COMPLEX ISSUES, THAT THE VALUE OF FACE-TO-FACE TIME IN A ROOM WHERE YOU'RE FOCUSED, YOU'VE GOT NO OTHER DISTRACTIONS AND YOU DON'T GET DINNER UNTIL WE FINISH THE TOPIC WE'RE WORKING ON, IS VERY CONDUCIVE TO MAKING PROGRESS.

>>VINT CERF: OKAY.
ROBERTO?
NO.
I SEE TWO OTHER HANDS UP.
PLEASE REMEMBER, WE HAVE A QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD LATER, TOO.
BUT I SEE MOUHAMET AND PETER.

>>MOUHAMET DIOP: THANK YOU, BRUCE.
I JUST ASK FOR CLARIFICATION.
IT'S REGARDING THE IGOS.
I REALLY WANT TO KNOW IF THERE IS FURTHER DISCUSSION IF THE EXTENSION OF IGOS WILL GO BEYOND THE DEFINITION YOU ALREADY MAKE ON THAT, OR JUST BECAUSE THERE'S ANOTHER ORGANIZATION INSIDE ICANN THAT TAKES CARE OF EITHER SENSITIVE NAME OR SENSIBLE NAME LIKE THE GEOPOLITICAL AND (INAUDIBLE) STUFF.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN THE GNSO?
JUST BECAUSE --

>>BRUCE TONKIN: I THINK THE POSITION OF THE GNSO IS THAT WE DON'T CREATE RULES AND REGULATIONS AROUND NAMES.
THE GNSO DEVELOPED -- PREDATED THE GNSO, BUT DEVELOPED A DISPUTE PROCESS TO DEAL WITH TRADEMARKS.
BUT WE DIDN'T DEVELOP TRADEMARK LAW.
WE SIMPLY REFERENCE TRADEMARK LAW AND SAID WE NEED TO HAVE A DISPUTE PROCESS THAT WOULD BE MORE EFFICIENT FOR REGISTRANTS TO USE.
WE WOULD USE THE SAME APPROACH WITH IGOS.
IF THERE IS A LAW OUT THERE, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS YET -- WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS YET, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON.
IF THERE IS A LAW OUT THERE, WE MIGHT WELL LOOK AT INTRODUCING A DISPUTE PROCESS TO DEAL WITH THAT, WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT EXISTING LAW.
WITH RESPECT TO PLACE NAMES, WE ARE NOT YET AWARE OF WHAT THE INTERNATIONAL LAW IS WITH RESPECT TO THAT TOPIC.
WE WOULDN'T BE CREATING A RULE ABOUT PLACE NAMES.
WE WOULD JUST COMPLY WITH A RULE THAT'S MADE BY ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, APPROPRIATELY -- BODY APPROPRIATE FOR DOING THAT.

>>VINT CERF: OKAY.
PETER -- OH, I'M SORRY.
MOUHAMET, GO AHEAD.

>>MOUHAMET DIOP: I THINK THAT WE HAVE SOME RESOLUTION IN THE PAST WHERE ICANN IS TRYING TO PUT SOMETHING FORWARD ON THE TABLE REGARDING THIS QUESTION.
AND SINCE THE GNSO HAVE ALREADY -- I MEAN, GO REALLY FAR IN THE QUESTION, AND I THINK THAT TO BE CONSISTENT AS A WHOLE ORGANIZATION, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IF THERE IS ANY LINKAGE BETWEEN THESE IGO THINGS IN WHICH YOU HAVE A GOOD COVERAGE AND THE QUESTION ABOUT ALL THE ISSUES RELATED TO SOME NAMING ISSUE, LIKE THE ONE WE ALREADY PUT REGARDING THE QUESTION THAT THE GAC HAVE PUT ON THE TABLE. BECAUSE I DID NOT SEE ANY REFERENCE INTERNAL TO ICANN TO SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP APPLY, I MEAN, THE RULES CORRECTLY.
JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A COMPLETE REFERENCE ON THE QUESTION.
AND I THINK THAT THE QUESTION YOU ARE COVERING THROUGH YOUR -- THROUGH THE TASK FORCE YOU HAVE THERE WILL BE VERY COMPLEMENTARY TO THE WILLING THAT ICANN HAS TO COVER ALL THE ISSUES RELATED TO NAMES IN WHICH WE HAVE TO GET SOMETHING REALLY --

>>BRUCE TONKIN: IT'S VERY EARLY DAYS.
I DON'T WANT TO RAISE EXPECTATIONS TOO HIGH.
WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY CREATED A -- IF YOU'RE TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE CHOICE OF NAME ISSUE, WE HAVEN'T CREATED A TASK FORCE ON THAT SPECIFIC TOPIC AS YET.
WE'RE TRYING TO CLARIFY WHAT THE LAW IS FIRST BEFORE WE'D EVEN START ANY WORK.

>>VINT CERF: SO -- JUST SO WE CAN -- I WANT TO ALERT THE BOARD THAT WE HAVE TO MOVE AHEAD PRETTY QUICKLY HERE.
JUST ONE IMPORTANT COMMENT.
TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU CAN SIMPLY IDENTIFY AREAS OF UNCERTAINTY, THAT WILL BE VERY HELPFUL.
SO YOU'VE JUST DONE THAT IN SOME IMPLICIT WAY.
PETER, LAST QUESTION, SHORT, AND THEN WE GO ON.

>>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANKS, VINT.
THANK YOU FOR AN EXCELLENT REPORT.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE COUNCIL FOR THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE, PARTICULARLY ON GTLDS.
SOMETHING TO SUSAN, IN TERMS OF TIMING AND MIKE IN TERMS OF RESOURCING.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE WOULD HAVE AN ANOMALY IF ANY MEMBERS OF THE -- ANY NOMINATING COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS TO YOUR WORKING GROUPS WOULD HAVE TRAVELED TO WASHINGTON, BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE ALSO BEEN FUNDED BY ICANN.
AND WE SEEM TO HAVE A PROBLEM THAT WE ARE FUNDING SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THIS WORK BUT NOT ALL OF THEM.
I WONDER IF YOU COULD START THINKING ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT FUND ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS WORK.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE MUST BE GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE TRAVEL COSTS TO SPECIAL MEETINGS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE TO WASHINGTON TO WORK ON THESE THINGS SHOULD ALSO BE MET BY ICANN.

>>BRUCE TONKIN: IS THAT A STATEMENT OR A QUESTION?

>>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THAT'S A QUESTION.

>>BRUCE TONKIN: IT'S NOT MY ROLE TO SPEND ICANN'S MONEY.
BUT IF IT'S A STATEMENT OR A SUGGESTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE OPERATING PLAN, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD ONE.

>>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: COULD YOU THINK HOW IT WOULD BE ORGANIZED AND WHAT OTHER CONSTRAINTS AND LIMITS THERE MIGHT BE ON FUNDING OF PEOPLE WORKING IN THIS WAY?

>>VINT CERF: OF COURSE, THE OBVIOUS LIMIT, PETER, WILL BE RUN OUT OF MONEY.
MAY I SUGGEST THAT YOU TAKE THIS OFFLINE AND DISCUSS WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND PERHAPS THE TWO OF YOU CAN COME BACK WITH SOME IDEAS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BRUCE.
A VERY GOOD REPORT.
AND CERTAINLY A GOOD DEAL OF PROGRESS FOR THE GNSO.
I HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO COORDINATE YOUR WORK WITH OTHERS OF THE SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE AREAS THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY ADDRESSING.
LET ME MOVE ON NOW TO THE ALAC REPORT, ASSUMING THAT ANNETTE MUEHLBERG IS AVAILABLE.
IS ANNETTE HERE?
I AM NOT -- OH, THERE SHE IS.
OKAY.
WHILE ANNETTE IS COMING UP, I SHOULD TELL THAT YOU SHE IS THE NEWLY ELECTED CHAIR OF THE ALAC.
AND WE WELCOME HER TO THIS NEW POSITION.
[ APPLAUSE ]

>>ANNETTE MUEHLBERG: ALL RIGHT.
JUST GO ON.
SO THIS IS JUST TO TELL WHO WE ARE, THE ALAC.
AND THIS IS ME.
MY NAME IS ANNETTE MUEHLBERG.
AND AS YOU WERE JUST TOLD, I'M THE NEW ELECTED CHAIR OF THE AT-LARGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK VITTORIO BERTOLA, WHO WAS THE PREVIOUS CHAIR FOR THREE YEARS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, VITTORIO.
[ APPLAUSE ]

>>ANNETTE MUEHLBERG: AND I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A SHORT UPDATE ON THE STATUS, WHAT'S JUST GOING ON NOW.
WE HAVE 50 AT-LARGE STRUCTURES NOW AT PLACE, COVERING ALL ICANN REGIONS.
WE ARE JUST WORKING ON GETTING TWO RALOS STARTED.
AND RIGHT HERE IN WELLINGTON, WE LAUNCHED OUR NEW WEB SITE.
SO PLEASE CHECK IT OUT.
IT'S WWW.ICANNALAC.ORG.
SO IF I CALL YOU AT NIGHT, YOU SHOULD REMEMBER WWW.ICANNALAC.ORG.
IN WELLINGTON, WE HELD TWO REALLY WELL-ATTENDED INTERNET USERS' FORUMS, ONE ON GTLDS, ONE ON IDNS.
AND I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT IT WAS REALLY NICE THAT IT WAS A CROSS-CONSTITUENCY MEETING.
AND I WANT TO THANK ESPECIALLY THE ICANNWIKI FOLKS, WHO HELPED A LOT.
AND YOU CAN HAVE A LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE GTLD FORUM ON THE ICANNWIKI.
WE PLAN TO REALLY PARTICIPATE IN THE PDPS.
AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
WE HAD A MEETING WITH THE ICANN BOARD.
NO BLOOD WAS SHED.
WE WERE ENCOURAGED BY THE ICANN BOARD'S STATED COMMITMENT TO INTERNET USERS' ISSUES.
AND WE WERE ESPECIALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE WERE NOT VERY HAPPY WITH THE RESPONSE WE GOT TO ALAC'S INPUT, WHICH WERE ACTUALLY ZERO.
AND BASED ON THIS MEETING NOW, WE HOPE THAT PREDICTABLE PROCESSES AND SCHEDULES WILL IMPROVE OUR COMMUNICATIONS.
IT WAS REALLY A VERY, VERY GOOD MEETING.
SO THE BOARD EXPRESSED STRONG DESIRE TO HEAR FROM INDIVIDUAL INTERNET USERS AND SUPPORTED NEW INFORMATION-GATHERING INITIATIVES, LIKE POLLS, LIKE SURVEYS.
SO THAT WAS A VERY NICE AND INTERESTING INPUT BY THE BOARD.
THANK YOU.
AND I THINK THIS INTEREST TO HEAR THE INTERNET USERS' OPINION IS VERY MUCH NEEDED, BECAUSE WE ARE A LITTLE BIT AFRAID THAT THE ICANN BOARD IS LOSING TOUCH WITH THE INTERNET USERS.
WE ARE STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THE DOT COM AGREEMENT AND THE SETTLEMENT WITH VERISIGN.
ALAC ALREADY PUBLISHED A STATEMENT ON THAT ISSUE.
SO YOU CAN HAVE A LOOK AT THAT ON OUR WEB SITE.
AND WE JUST WANT THE ICANN BOARD TO RETURN ON ITS CORE VALUES, THAT IS, PROMOTING COMPETITION IN THE REGISTRATION OF DOMAIN NAMES.
AND THIS IS ALL.
I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHORT OVERVIEW, AND I JUST WANT TO REMEMBER YOU, CHECK OUT OUR WEB SITE.
IT'S WWW.ICANNALAC.ORG.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ANNETTE.
JUST SPEAKING PERSONALLY, I REALLY ENJOYED THE INTERACTION WITH THE ALAC GROUP AS THE BOARD MET WITH THEM.
I THOUGHT WE HAD A LOT OF INTERESTING IDEAS THAT WERE PUT ON THE TABLE.
THE NEXT REPORT COMES FROM CHRIS DISSPAIN, WHO IS THE CCNSO CHAIR.
AND IF CHRIS IS AVAILABLE -- I SEE HIM COMING DOWN NOW -- WE'LL GET AN INSIGHT INTO WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING THERE.

>>CHRIS DISSPAIN: THANK YOU, VINT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.
MY NAME'S CHRIS DISSPAIN, AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE CCNSO.
WE HAVE OUR USUAL WRITTEN REPORT, WHICH WILL BE SENT SHORTLY, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO READ ON THE WEB SITE AT YOUR LEISURE.
BUT FOR NOW, I THOUGHT I'D JUST GIVE YOU A FEW HIGHLIGHTS.
ON THE CC POLICY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, WE APPRECIATE AND THANK THE BOARD FOR THEIR DEALING WITH THE -- MOST OF THE ISSUES THAT WE PUT FORWARDS, AND THE BYLAW CHANGES HAVE NOW, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, BEEN MADE.
THERE IS ONE OUTSTANDING MATTER ON WHICH YOU HAVE NOT YET DECIDED.
AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT WITH STAFF OVER THE NEXT DAY OR SO, SO THAT, HOPEFULLY, YOU CAN TALK ABOUT IT AT YOUR BOARD MEETING ON FRIDAY.
WITH RESPECT TO IDNS, I ECHO WHAT BRUCE HAS SAID AND CONFIRM THAT THE CCNSO COUNCIL RESOLVED YESTERDAY TO SET UP A JOINT WORKING GROUP WITH THE GNSO.
AND WE HAVE APPOINTED THREE MEMBERS TO THAT WORKING GROUP.
I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK DONE SO FAR ON THE -- ON IANA, TWO WAYS, ONE, ACKNOWLEDGE THE IANA JOINT WORKING GROUP BETWEEN THE CCNSO AND IANA, WHICH I THINK IS DOING A FANTASTIC JOB, BUT ALSO IANA STAFF GENERALLY, WHO HAVE DONE EXCELLENT WORK OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
WE SPENT SOME TIME AT THIS MEETING DISCUSSING THE BUDGET, OR, MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE CCTLD CONTRIBUTION TO ICANN.
THIS IS A VERY COMPLICATED ISSUE FOR THE CCTLD COMMUNITY.
THE PROBLEM WITH US IS THAT ONE SIZE FITS NO ONE.
AND SO WE NEED TO COME UP WITH SOME METHODS THAT ENABLE US TO PRODUCE A SET OF GUIDELINES ON MAKING THE CCTLD CONTRIBUTION.
AND WE ALSO NEED TO COME UP WITH A SUGGESTED AMOUNT IN CONTRIBUTION TO THE TOTAL BUDGET.
WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS.
IT IS SLOW.
WE WILL DO THE BEST WE CAN TO DEAL WITH IT AS QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
WE HAD A PRESENTATION DURING OUR MEETING FROM MARKUS KUMMER IN RESPECT TO THE INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM.
AND THE CCNSO COUNCIL DECIDED YESTERDAY THAT WE WILL NOMINATE AT LEAST ONE AND MAYBE MORE PEOPLE TO WHAT IS CALLED THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE BUT IS IN EFFECT A PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE FOR THE INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM WHICH TAKES PLACE IN ATHENS AT THE END OF OCTOBER.
FINALLY, THIS MORNING, THERE WAS, AS PART OF THE INTERNET GOVERNANCE WORKSHOP, A HYPOTHETICAL ON A CHANGE OF CCTLD MANAGER.
AT THE OPENING OF THE MAJOR SESSION IN THE MORNING, VINT MADE THE POINT THAT TALKING TO EACH OTHER IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND I AGREE.
AND I THINK THAT THE HYPOTHETICAL WAS ABOUT FACILITATING A PROCESS TO ENABLE US TO DO THAT IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT ON WHAT IS BASICALLY A VERY COMPLEX ISSUE.
I THINK WHAT WE ACHIEVED -- I THINK WE ACHIEVED THAT TODAY.
AND AS I SAID AT THE END OF THE SESSION, IT'S NOT THE END OF THE DISCUSSION.
IT'S NOT EVEN THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF THE DISCUSSION.
BUT IT IS THE END OF THE BEGINNING OF THE DISCUSSION.
AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN USE -- SPRINGBOARD OFF WHAT WE DID TODAY AND START DOING SOME SERIOUS WORK ON DEALING WITH THESE COMPLEX ISSUES.
THANK YOU.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHRIS.
I HAVE TO SAY, IT'S BEEN A REAL PLEASURE TO SEE SO MUCH RAPID PROGRESS IN THE CCNSO CONTEXT.
I KNOW THAT YOU FEEL IT'S SLOW WITH REGARD TO BUDGETS, THAT'S ALWAYS TRICKY.
MONEY IS A PROBLEM.
BUT ON THE WHOLE, SEEING PARTICIPATION AT THE LEVEL THAT IT'S IN NOW IS VERY, VERY ENCOURAGING.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING US NEARLY BACK ON SCHEDULE.
NOMINALLY, I WOULD OPEN THE FLOOR AT THIS POINT FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING ANY OF THE PREVIOUS REPORTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
LET ME ASK, ARE THERE PARTIES IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REPORTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE SO FAR?
I SEE RICHARD HILL IS APPROACHING THE MICROPHONE.
RICHARD.

>>RICHARD HILL: YEAH, THANK YOU.
IS THE MIKE ON NOW?
IS THE MICROPHONE ON NOW?
YES, IT IS.
THANK YOU, VINT.
I JUST HAD A COMMENT ON THE REPORT FROM BRUCE ABOUT THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION NAMES AND ACRONYMS.
AND I JUST HAD A CHAT WITH BRUCE, SO I THINK WE'VE SORTED SOME THINGS OUT.
I WAS SURPRISED BY THE REQUEST FOR WHAT IS THE LEGAL BASIS FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE IGO NAMES AND ACRONYMS, BECAUSE, IN FACT, THAT'S AN ARTICLE IN A CONVENTION CALLED THE PARIS CONVENTION, WHICH WAS REFERENCED EXPLICITLY IN THE ORIGINAL WIPO REPORT THAT WAS TRANSMITTED TO ICANN IN MARCH OF 2003, SO ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO.
AND THEN THAT SAME PROVISION WAS CITED EXTENSIVELY IN THE REPORT OF THE AD HOC GROUP BETWEEN THE GAC AND OTHER MEMBERS, OTHER CONSTITUENCIES, WHICH FAILED TO REACH AGREEMENT, BUT DID CITE THAT AS A BASIS.
AND, IN FACT, IT'S ALSO CITED IN THE LETTER FROM PAUL TWOMEY TO BOTH WIPO AND THE GAC, WHERE HE CITES, IN FACT, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CONSTITUENCY ITSELF, WHICH CITES THAT SAME PROVISION.
SO I THINK THAT'S FAIRLY SETTLED TO WHAT THE PROVISION IS THAT PROVIDES THE BASIS FOR THE PROTECTION OF IGO NAMES AND ACRONYMS.
THANK YOU.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU, RICHARD.
I THINK PROBABLY ONE WAY TO SEE THIS, IF THERE IS ANY CONFUSION AT ALL, IS -- AND I SEE BRUCE IS READY TO RESPOND -- IS THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE FULL SCOPE OF ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH NAMES THAT MIGHT HAVE TO BE RESTRICTED, THERE ISN'T CASE LAW OR INTERNATIONAL LAW FOR THE FULL RANGE OF POSSIBLE NAMES OF CONCERN, BUT FOR SOME OF THEM -- AND THE IGO CASE THAT RICHARD RAISES, THAT MAY BE ONE EXAMPLE THERE IS A LEGAL BASIS.
BRUCE, WHY DON'T YOU RESPOND, IF YOU LIKE.

>>BRUCE TONKIN: YEAH, I JUST WANT TO RESPOND, I GUESS, JUST THE NATURE OF OUR REQUESTS.
I THINK WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE GNSO AND THE GNSO COUNCIL SPECIFICALLY ISN'T COMPRISED ENTIRELY OF LAWYERS.
AND SO WHILE RICHARD MIGHT BE ABLE TO REFER TO THINGS LIKE ARTICLE -- SUCH AND SUCH ARTICLE, I THINK WHAT WE WERE REALLY ASKING FOR, IF YOU LIKE, IS A TUTORIAL OR BRIEFING THAT EXPLAINS IT IN WORDS THAT I CAN UNDERSTAND OR OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL CAN UNDERSTAND.
I DON'T THINK WE ARE DISPUTING THE ADVICE OR WHATEVER FROM WIPO WITH THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CONSTITUENCY THAT REFERENCES A PARTICULAR LAW.
BUT WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT SOMETHING THAT'S IN LAYMAN'S LANGUAGE THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU, BRUCE.
THAT'S A VERY CLEAR REQUEST.
MIKE PALAGE.

>>MICHAEL PALAGE: 6TER.

>>VINT CERF: I BEG YOUR PARDON?

>>MICHAEL PALAGE: 6TER IS THE PROVISION DEALING --

>>VINT CERF: THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF LEGAL SPEAK.
"6TER" DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING TO ME UNTIL YOU GIVE FURTHER DEFINITION.
BUT PLEASE DON'T DO IT NOW.
LET'S TAKE ANOTHER QUESTION FROM THE FLOOR.

>> BRANDON SANDERS.
THIS IS ADDRESSED TO PAUL TWOMEY.
I APPRECIATED HIS RECOGNITION THAT ONE OF ICANN'S PRIMARY JOBS IS TO COMMUNICATE AND PROVIDE FACILITATION FOR COMMUNICATION AMONG THE DIFFERENT CONSTITUENCIES.
AND I ALSO APPRECIATED VERY MUCH HIS REQUEST FOR ANY INFORMATION ABOUT BETTER WAYS OF COMMUNICATING AND THAT SORT OF THING.
AND SO MY QUESTION IS: THERE ARE THINGS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF COMMUNICATION RIGHT NOW.
WHO'S THE RIGHT PERSON OR PEOPLE TO TALK TO AT ICANN TO BRING THOSE OFFERINGS ONTO YOUR RADAR SCREEN?

>>PAUL TWOMEY: IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, THE ANSWER IS E-MAIL RESTRICTED TO MYSELF.
WE WILL HAVE SOME -- HOPEFULLY, SOME FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS SHORTLY WHICH WILL NOT HAVE ME BEING PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE, BUT MY OFFICE WILL DO THE COORDINATION TO START WITH.
SO....

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, PAUL.
DO WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER.
DON'T FORGET TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF.

>> LIN NAH: MY NAME IS LIN NAH.
I'M NOT SURE WHETHER IT'S A VALID QUESTION, BUT IN PAUL TWOMEY'S REPORT, HE MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE REGIONAL LIAISONS.
WHAT I'M A BIT WORRIED ABOUT IS THAT THERE IS NO ASIA-PACIFIC LIAISON IN THE LIST.
AND THERE IS ONE FOR EVERY OTHER PART IN THE WORLD.
AND HAVING THE MEETING HERE, SEEMS APPROPRIATE TO BRING UP THE TOPIC, PERHAPS.

>>VINT CERF: PAUL, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION FOR TO YOU RESPOND TO.

>>PAUL TWOMEY: COMING FROM THE REGION, I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.
THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
THE LIAISONS APPOINTED TO DATE ARE APPOINTED UNDER THE PRESENT 2005/2006 BUDGET.
THERE IS PROVISION BEING MADE PROPOSED FOR COMING UP THE UPCOMING BUDGET FOR THERE TO BE THREE MORE LIAISONS TO BE APPOINTED IN THIS REGION.
AND I WANT TO PUT ON NOTE THAT -- CERTAINLY PUT ON NOTE ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRMAN THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED A COMMUNICATION FROM THE APTLD PUTTING ON ITS RECORD, ITS WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE IN A DISCUSSION AND DIALOGUE ABOUT ASSISTING IN THAT WAY.
AND WE ARE -- AND THAT'S ONE OF -- I THINK OTHER -- OTHER NOTICE OF ASSISTANCE WE RECEIVED.
WE ARE LOOKING AT THE MOMENT ON POTENTIALLY A REGIONAL LIAISON FOR THE PACIFIC -- IT'S EITHER SOUTH PACIFIC OR IT'S SOUTH PACIFIC/INDIAN OCEAN, WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF COMMANLITIES IN ISLAND CCTLDS.
A REGIONAL LIAISON FOR ASIA AND FOR SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA.
MANY PEOPLE KNOW THAT EVEN AT THE BEGINNING OF ICANN, I HAVE BEEN SOMEONE WHO HAS QUESTIONED THAT ASIA-PACIFIC IS ONE REGION, WE TREAT IT THAT WAY, BUT IT'S SIMPLY HUGE.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT THE REGIONAL -- THE PROPOSED REGIONAL LIAISON STRUCTURE IS TRYING TO REFLECT MORE SOME SENSE OF COMMONALITY.
BUT THIS IS UP FOR THE UPCOMING BUDGET, AND WE'RE UP FOR FURTHER ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
BUT THAT'S WHAT'S PRESENTLY SORT OF ON THE AGENDA.

>>VINT CERF: JUST POINT OF CLARIFICATION BEFORE I RECOGNIZE CHRIS FROM THE FLOOR.
THE BUDGET CYCLE IS JULY TO JUNE.
AND SO JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS, THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR STARTS JULY 1ST.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL JANUARY 2007 TO TAKE ACTION ON THESE ADDITIONAL REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES OR LIAISONS.
CHRIS DISSPAIN.

>>CHRIS DISSPAIN: THANK YOU.
A COUPLE OF POINTS ON THAT ISSUE, SINCE IT'S COME UP.
FIRST OF ALL, IT'S SLIGHTLY COMPLICATED USE OF THE WORD "REGION," BECAUSE WE USE IT IN SO MANY DIFFERENT CONTEXTS, REGIONS FOR THE FIVE REGIONS, REGIONAL LIAISON, ET CETERA.
AND, IN FACT, NONE OF THEM, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, WITH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF EUROPE, ARE ACTUALLY REGIONAL IN THE SENSE OF THE FIVE REGIONS THAT WE TALK ABOUT, I THINK.
NO, IT'S NOT, BECAUSE THE CARIBBEAN IS EXCISED OUT TO CANADA AND THE CARIBBEAN.
BUT ON THAT POINT, AS I SAY, BECAUSE IT'S COME UP, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT WE, THE CCNSO COUNCIL WILL SOON CONSIDER WHETHER WE SHOULD ACTUALLY BE STARTING TO DO SOME WORK ON HAVING A LOOK AT THESE REGIONS.
THE ASIA-PACIFIC ONE, AS YOU'VE POINTED OUT, PAUL, IS PROBLEMATIC IN THE SENSE THAT IT IS HUGE. AND SO CULTURALLY DIVERSE AS TO BE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO MANAGE ON A -- FROM A SINGLE POINT.
SO YOU CAN EXPECT THAT THERE WILL POSSIBLY BE SOME INPUT FROM US IN THE RELATIVELY NEAR FUTURE.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU, CHRIS.

>>ALICK WILSON: ALICK WILSON, MEMBER OF THE ICANN COMMUNITY AND PAST GNSO COUNCILLOR APPOINTED BY THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE.
THIS QUESTION AND COMMENT IS ADDRESSED TO THE PRESIDENT AND CEO AND TO THE STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE.
IT'S ABOUT THE MATTER OF COMMUNICATIONS TO THE VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS IN THE ICANN COMMUNITY.
YESTERDAY, WE HAD A SESSION WHERE WE DISCUSSED THE OPERATIONAL PLAN.
AND I SPOKE ABOUT THE APPARENT FRAGMENTATION OF COMMUNICATION TO A VARIETY OF DIVERSE TECHNOLOGY COMPONENTS.
I WANT TO REINFORCE TO THE PRESIDENT, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, AND TO THE BOARD AND THE STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE THAT THIS IS NOT ACTUALLY ABOUT TECHNOLOGY.
COMMUNICATION IS BIGGER THAN THAT.
IT'S A STRATEGIC COMPONENT OF ICANN'S MISSION TO COMMUNICATE WITH ITS STAKEHOLDERS.
AND IT SHOULD BE SEEN IN THAT WAY.
TECHNOLOGY IS A SOLUTION TO THAT PROBLEM.
AND THE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTION SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS A FRAGMENTED ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS OF COMMUNICATION.
IT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT AS A WHOLE.

>>VINT CERF: I THINK THE CEO IS SEEKING TO RESPOND TO THAT BY HAVING STAFF FOCUSED ON EXACTLY THE BROAD RANGE OF COMMUNICATION REQUIREMENTS THAT THIS ORGANIZATION HAS.
RAUL.

>>RAUL ECHEBERRIA: HI.
THIS IS RAUL ECHEBERRIA FROM LACNIC.
I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY SATISFACTION REGARDING THE RECENT APPOINTMENT OF REGIONAL LIAISONS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE CLAIMED MANY TIMES IN THE PAST TO BE DONE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THIS TIME I CAN SAY CONGRATULATIONS.
MAYBE THE FIRST TIME THAT I SAY THAT.
BUT NOT EVERYTHING IS PERFECT.
THERE'S -- I THINK THAT IT SHOULD BE SEEN AS THE FIRST STEP IN THIS -- REGIONALIZATION OF ACTIVITIES.
BECAUSE WHAT WE NEED IS NOT ONLY THE REGIONAL LIAISONS, BUT REGIONAL ACTIVITIES AND REGIONAL TEAMS WORKING.
I THINK IF THIS IS THE LONG-TERM PLAN TO HAVE ONE PERSON PER REGION ACTING AS A POINT OF CONTACT, THIS IS -- SURELY IT WILL NOT BE SUCCESSFUL.
I CONGRATULATE YOU BECAUSE THIS STEP, IT IS TAKEN IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, FROM MY POINT OF VIEW.
BUT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DON'T STOP IN THIS POINT, AND CONTINUE REGIONALIZATION -- REGIONALIZING THE FUNCTION OF ICANN AND ITS ACTIVITIES.
BESIDES THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I DON'T SHARE THE IDEA TO HAVE A LIAISON FOR THE NORTH AMERICAN AND THE CARIBBEAN REGION TOGETHER.
I THINK THAT THE CARIBBEAN REGION IS -- CAN BE SEEN AS A SEPARATE REGION IN ITSELF.
BUT, MOSTLY, IT IS SEEN AS TOGETHER WITH LATIN AMERICA IN MOST OF THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE REVISED IN THE FUTURE, PROBABLY IF INSTEAD OF HAVING ONE PERSON FOR THE LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN REGIONS, WE COULD HAVE MORE THAN ONE, THEN THOSE ACTIVITIES COULD BE WELL ADDRESSED IN THE RIGHT WAY.
BUT I THINK THAT THE CURRENT REGIONALIZATION TAKEN FOR THIS ACTIVITY OF LIAISON IS NOT THE BEST ONE.
THANK YOU.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU ALL.
I SEE ALEX HAS HIS HAND UP.
GO AHEAD.

>>ALEJANDRO PISANTY: THANK YOU, VINT.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR THIS FROM RAUL, THE WHOLE STATEMENT, I MEAN, BOTH THE CONGRATULATORY PART, WHICH I THINK IS VERY WELCOME, AND ALSO THE CALL FOR MORE COHERENT WORK WITH REGIONAL AND EXISTING BODIES.
THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED FOR A LONG TIME.
RAIMUNDO BECA HAS BEEN A VERY ELOQUENT DEFENDER AND PROMOTER OF THE IDEA OF REGIONAL LIAISONS.
HE HAS BEEN VERY INSISTENT ON PARAGRAPH 38 OF WSIS, THE WSIS PAPERS, DECLARATIONS, WHICH CALLS FOR THE STRENGTHENING OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS.
HE HAS ALSO MADE US AWARE THAT SOME REGIONS HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN CREATING REGIONAL OFFICES.
AND THESE SHOULD BE DONE ALSO VERY CAREFULLY.
THAT IS WHY WE ARE ADOPTING THIS VERY PRUDENT, STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH.
THERE WAS A VERY INSISTENT CALL FROM MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY DURING THE PROCESS OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN NOT TO DO THIS TYPE OF INVESTMENT AND OUTREACH, OR TO DO IT IN A VERY STEP-BY-STEP WAY.
SO I THINK THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU ARE SAYING.
FOR THE OUTREACH PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE BEGINNING TO DELINEATE WITH THE REGIONAL LIAISONS, THERE WILL BE MORE COMPARATIVE AND COHERENT WORK WITH THE REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
THERE ARE TWO POINTS HERE THAT HAVE TO BE PAID ATTENTION TO.
ONE OF THEM IS THAT ICANN ITSELF HAS TO BALANCE THE WAY IT OPERATES CENTRALLY OR GLOBALLY WITH THE WAY IT OPERATES REGIONALLY OR LOCALLY SO THAT THERE IS ALWAYS SOME ORGANIZATIONAL COHERENCE TOGETHER WITH THE CREATIVITY THAT IS IN THE REGIONS.
AND A THOUGHT THAT WE HAVE ALREADY EXPRESSED TODAY EARLIER IN THE IGF FORUM, IN THE INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM, IS THAT ONE ALSO HAS TO BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THINGS COMING UP LIKE IDNS AND THE IGF LOOKING AT ALL TYPES OF POLICIES.
SOME OF THE REGIONALIZATION EFFORTS HAVE THE DANGER OF -- LONG-TERM STRATEGIC DANGER OF FRAGMENTING THE INTERNET IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.
ONE OF THEM I SEE IN IDNS, IN WHICH YOU COULD CREATE A COMFORT ZONE WITHIN A REGION THAT USES, FOR EXAMPLE, CHINESE SCRIPTS, OR ONE OF THE CHINESE SCRIPTS, AND PEOPLE WITHIN THAT REGION COULD FEEL VERY WELL, BUT WOULD HAVE A LOT OF TROUBLE MAYBE JUST NOT ABLE TO ACCESS THEIR E-MAIL WHEN TRAVELING AWAY OR IT WOULD NOT BE ACCESSIBLE FOR PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE.
AND AS YOU KNOW VERY WELL, RAUL, I MEAN, THE IP ADDRESSES ARE A RESOURCE THAT HAS A CAREFUL BALANCE BETWEEN THE REGIONAL AND GLOBAL MANAGEMENT.
AND WE SHOULD INVEST A HUGE EFFORT IN DOING THIS REGIONALIZATION WELL IN ORDER TO AVOID THIS RISK OF FRAGMENTATION.
AND, FINALLY, MENTION THAT THE OUTREACH EFFORTS WERE ALSO DISCUSSED MUCH YESTERDAY IN THE STRATEGIC OPERATIONAL PLAN MEETING.
AND WE WERE VERY RECEPTIVE TO THE -- PERSONALLY, I AM VERY RECEPTIVE TO SOME OF THE PROPOSALS THAT WERE MADE.
IT WAS VERY SIGNIFICANT FOR ME THAT PEOPLE THAT HAVE PREVIOUSLY OPPOSED THE EXPANSION OF EFFORTS IN OUTREACH OR REGIONALIZATION, ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICES, AND SO FORTH, ARE NOW SUPPORTIVE OF THE EXPENSE.
AND, IN FACT, IT'S QUITE STRIKING THAT THEY ARE OFFERING THEMSELVES AS RECIPIENTS OF THIS EXPENSE IN ORDER TO ASSIST THE OUTREACH EFFORT.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU VERY MUCH ALEX.
RAUL.

>>RAUL ECHEBERRIA: A SHORT COMMENT. I THINK THE PEOPLE WHO ARE USUALLY AGAINST THE REGIONALIZATION OF ICANN BECAUSE THE IMPLICATION THAT IT HAS IN THE BUDGET, IS THE PEOPLE WHO FEEL COMFORTABLE THEMSELVES WITH THE CURRENT MODEL AND WITH THE CENTRALIZING MODEL.
THE REGIONALIZATION WILL BRING MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH ICANN MATTERS, MORE PEOPLE INFORMED, AND THESE PEOPLE CANNOT EXPRESS TODAY THEIR OPINION BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT PARTICIPATING.
I THINK INDEPENDENTLY OF THE FACT THAT IF SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT IT'S NOT WORTH TO INVEST IN THESE KIND OF THINGS, WE HAVE TO DO THAT BECAUSE IT IS AN OBLIGATION THAT WE HAVE WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT CANNOT PARTICIPATE TODAY.
AND MY FINAL COMMENTS, I FORGET TO SAY SOMETHING BEFORE, WE HAVE ANOTHER REASON TO CONGRATULATE YOU BECAUSE I THINK THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HIRED FOR AFRICA AND LATIN AMERICA IS VERY ABLE TO DO THIS JOB. AND I AM VERY OPTIMISTIC WITH THOSE APPOINTMENTS.
THANK YOU.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, RAUL.
LET'S SEE. LET ME GET RAIMUNDO. LET'S SEE, I AM TRYING TO BALANCE THE FLOOR AND THE BOARD HERE. SO LET'S DO RAIMUNDO, MARILYN, AND THEN MOUHAMET.
RAIMUNDO.

>>RAIMUNDO BECA: THANK YOU, VINT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SECOND WHAT RAUL ECHEBERRIA IS SAYING. IT IS NOT ONLY THE FACT OF NAMING THE PEOPLE; ALSO THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE TWO VERY GOOD (INAUDIBLE). AND PARTICULARY IN OUR REGION, PABLO HINOJOSA, IS VERY WELL-KNOWN. AND HE WAS LAST WEEK IN SANTIAGO DOING FOR HIS FIRST TRIP A VERY GOOD JOB.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO RECALL THAT I WAS SAYING IN PREVIOUS FORUMS THAT I DON'T LIKE THE TERM OUTREACH. THE TERM OUTREACH HAS NOT GOOD TRANSLATION NOT TO SPANISH, NOT TO FRENCH. IT IS ALWAYS THE LONG ARM FROM THE CENTRALIST GOING TO ENTRAP.
FORTUNATELY, IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THE NAME OUTREACH HAS BEEN DELETED, ALMOST.
BUT WE CONTINUE TO SPEAK OF OUTREACH IN MANY OF THE MEETINGS AND I THINK THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A CALL, A PLEA TO INSIST LET'S SPEAK MORE OF REGIONALIZATION AND LESS OF OUTREACH.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU, RAIMUNDO.
MARILYN AND THEN I'LL CALL ON MOUHAMET.

>>MARILYN CADE: THANK YOU, MY NAME IS MARILYN CADE AND I AM SPEAKING AS AN INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS CONSTITUENCY MEMBERMENT BUT I'M SPEAKING IN PARTICULAR ABOUT A COUPLE OF ELEMENTS IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE OPERATIONAL PLAN.
AND I WANTED TO MAYBE PREFACE THOSE IN RESPONSE TO SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN SAID.
I ACTUALLY DON'T THINK THAT, EVER, THERE WAS OPPOSITION TO BROADENING AND DEEPENING PARTICIPATION ACROSS THE WORLD IN ICANN. I THINK THERE WAS EXPRESSED DIFFERENCES OF OPINIONS ABOUT HOW BEST TO DO THAT.
AND I THINK THAT WAS CERTAINLY HOW I SAW THE DIFFERENCE EXPRESSED BY THOSE WHO DIDN'T THINK STARTING WITH REGIONAL OFFICES WAS THE RIGHT APPROACH VERSUS PROVIDING SUPPORT TO SOME OTHER MECHANISMS TO BROADEN AND DEEPEN.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO -- THAT HAS CERTAINLY BEEN MY THOUGHT FROM THE BEGINNING.
I AM VERY PLEASED TO SEE IN THE BUDGET SOME SPECIFIC ITEMS. AND I WANT TO MENTION THEM. I'M SORRY, I SHOULD SAY THE DRAFT OPERATIONAL PLAN. I WANT TO MENTION TWO OF THEM.
ONE OF THEM IS THE CONTINUED SUPPORT AND COMMITMENT TO THE AT-LARGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND TO BUILDING THE RALOS.
I THINK THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND CONTINUED RESPONSIBILITY. AND YOU HEARD ME AT THE MIKE ON THIS ISSUE AT ANY NUMBER OF MEETINGS.
IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK TO BUILD LOCALLY AND REASONABLELY, AND I AM PLEASED TO SEE THE BOARD CONTINUING THEIR COMMITMENT IN THAT DIRECTION.
SO THAT IS ONE POINT.
THE SECOND POINT IS THAT I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THERE BE STRONG SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION FROM THOSE REGIONAL LIAISONS YOU HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT DIRECTLY IN THEIR WORK, HELPING TO ALSO FEED WHATEVER IS GOING ON LOCALLY.
THE FINAL POINT THAT I'LL MAKE AT THIS TIME AT THE MIKE, BUT I KNOW YOU WILL WELCOME ME BACK AGAIN, IS A REFERENCE TO ANOTHER ITEM THAT IS IN THE OPERATIONAL PLAN THAT I LEND MY PERSONAL SUPPORT TO, FOR WHAT THAT'S WORTH, AND THAT IS THE CONTINUATION OF ICANN'S PROVISION OF A LIMITED BUT I THINK IMPORTANT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO SUPPORT THE INTERNET GOVERNANCE SECRETARIAT. I THINK THE DEMONSTRATION THAT ICANN IS PROVIDING ALONG WITH OTHERS TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE THAT IT WELCOMED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INTERNET GOVERNANCE FORUM AND ALONG WITH OTHERS INTENDS TO BE A PART THROUGH ITS COMMUNITY AND THROUGH CONTRIBUTING TO THE SECRETARIAT IS A VERY POSITIVE MESSAGE. THANK YOU.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU.
MOUHAMET, I THINK I HAD YOU NEXT IN THE QUEUE.

>>MOUHAMET DIOP: THANK YOU, VINT.
I JUST WANT TO ECHO ALSO THE COMMENT MADE BY RAIMUNDO AND RAUL REGARDING THE REGIONAL PRESENCE. BUT I THINK THAT I NEED, PAUL, THAT YOU COME BACK AND TRY TO EXPLAIN US BETWEEN THE TIME WHERE WE DISCUSS AND DECIDE THAT THERE WILL BE SOME -- IT HAVE BEEN A HUGE -- I MEAN WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT OF ENERGY DISCUSSING IF THERE IS ANY NEED TO GET REGIONAL PRESENCE OR JUST LIAISON, OR ANY OTHER MECHANISM.
AND DOWN THE ROAD WHAT HAPPENED IS JUST LIKE, I DID NOT SEE -- I MEAN, A STRONG COMMUNICATION OR CONSULTATION HAVE BEEN MADE IN ORDER TO KNOW, REALLY, ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS. BECAUSE THE REGION DID NOT HAVE THE SAME REALITY.
IF FOR EACH REGION THE LIAISON IS ENOUGH OR SUFFICIENT FOR WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
AND I THINK IT'S -- SPECIFICALLY I'M GOING TO TAKE JUST AN EXAMPLE THAT IS CLOSER TO ME, THAT IS THE AFRICAN REGION.
I WANT TO RECALL THAT WE, AS ICANN, HAVE STATED THAT WE ARE GOING TO SET UP AN AFRICAN PRESENCE, AND EVEN A CONSULTATION HAVE BEEN ASKED TO SEE WHERE IS GOING TO BE THE BEST PLACE TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN.
AND I JUST WANT TO RECALL THAT IN CAPE TOWN, THERE HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATION ON THAT AND SO ON AND SO ON.
SO I THINK THAT IT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT, AS AN ORGANIZATION, TO HAVE CONSISTENCY IN THE DECISION AND THE PROCESS WE ARE MAKING. IF SOMETHING HAVE TO CHANGE, I THINK THAT IT WILL BE MORE CREDIBLE FOR ICANN TO GO THROUGH A CONSULTATION PROCESS REGARDING PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT SOMETHING, AND TRY TO SEE -- AND TO BE MORE CONSISTENT. AND JUST BECAUSE IF A CHANGE HAS TO BE MADE, WE HAVE TO FIND THE REASON WHY SUCH CHANGE HAS TO BE MADE.
SO THAT'S WHY I ECHO THE FACT THAT HAVING REGIONAL LIAISON IS A GOOD THING, BUT I CAN IMAGINE AND I CAN CERTIFY THAT IN A REGION LIKE THE ONE I AM COMING FROM, IT'S NOT SUFFICIENT AT ALL. THERE IS A NEED THAT PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR.
AND ESPECIALLY ALSO BASED ON THE FACT THAT LANGUAGES BECOME A VERY STRONG BARRIER TO PARTICIPATION AND TO LOCAL COMMUNICATION.
AND, FOR EXAMPLE, EVEN IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PROMOTING COMMUNICATION AND PARTICIPATION FOR PEOPLE JUST FOR THIS PUBLIC MEETING, IF SOMEBODY FROM SENEGAL TRIED TO PARTICIPATE, EVEN IF HE WAS ALLOWED TO CALL ON A TELEPHONE LINE AND PARTICIPATE, HE WOULD SPEAK FRENCH. I MEAN, HOW CAN THIS PERSON PARTICIPATE AND BE REALLY ACTIVE AND HAVE OTHER PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT HE IS SAYING?
SO I THINK WE HAVE PUT ON THE TABLE MANY ARGUMENT ABOUT WHY THE REGIONAL PRESENCE IS IMPORTANT, BECAUSE WE HAVE MANY MECHANISMS WE CAN PUT IN PLACE, CREATE LOCAL ACTIVITIES, MAKE PEOPLE -- I MEAN, GET SOME REGIONAL INSIGHT INTO ICANN AND GIVE THEM FLOW BASED ON THE LANGUAGE AND GIVEN THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TOOLS TO COVER ALL THESE AREAS, THAT IS GOING TO BE MUCH MORE CONSISTENT WITH THE OBJECTIVE WE HAVE TO HAVE A BROADER PARTICIPATION.
AND TO COME BACK ON THE ONE-WAY COMMUNICATION, I THINK THAT WE NEED REALLY TO IMPROVE THE WAY THAT WE WILL ALLOW PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE, EVEN FAR AWAY, EVEN IF THEY ARE SPEAKING OTHER LANGUAGES, HOW THEY CAN GET INTO THE WEBCAST OR HOW THEY CAN GET INTO THE PUBLIC MEETING BECAUSE IT'S NOT EASY TO JOIN, PHYSICALLY, OUR MEETINGS AND EXPRESS WHAT THEY WANT IN ENGLISH, FRENCH AND SPANISH AND OTHER LANGUAGES. BUT UP TO NOW WE DID NOT ALLOW OTHER PEOPLE TO GET IN TO PARTICIPATE.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU, MOUHAMET. PAUL, DO YOU WANT TO RESPOND?

>>PAUL TWOMEY: THANKS, MOUHAMET.
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD SET OF QUESTIONS. I'M VERY GLAD YOU ASKED THOSE QUESTIONS IN SUCH A PUBLIC PLACE, WHERE WE HAVE VIDEO STREAMING AND WHERE THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE IN THIS PUBLIC MEETING.
I THINK THE OPERATIONAL -- WE HAVE GONE THROUGH A LEARNING PROCESS ABOUT DEVELOPMENT OF A STRATEGIC PLAN. AND WE ARE NOW GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF LEARNING ABOUT AN OPERATIONAL PLAN. AND WHAT YOU ARE POINTING OUT AS WE LOOK AT THE OPERATIONAL PLANNING ASPECTS OF IT IS THAT WE PUT FORWARD PROJECTS, EVALUATE PROJECTS, BUT WE THAT NEED TO BE CONSCIOUS OF THINGS THAT ARE HELPING US MEET OUR MISSION WHERE, POTENTIALLY AT THE MOMENT, THE VOICES FOR A PARTICULAR PRIORITY MIGHT BE FEWER BECAUSE OF THE REASONS THAT YOU ALREADY POINTED OUT THAN OTHER VOICES.
AND I THINK MY FIRST EXHORTATION IS TO PLEASE PUSH AND ENSURE THE THINGS YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT AND THE POINTS YOU ARE RAISING ARE PART OF THAT DIALOGUE AROUND THE OPERATIONAL PLANNING PROCESS. IT IS AT THE MOMENT JUST A DRAFT SET OF OBJECTIVES AND I THINK BEING ABLE TO PUT OTHER OBJECTIVES IN AND IF NEEDS BE HAVE PEOPLE LOOK AT OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIZE THEM IS PART OF THIS PROCESS.
AND I THINK THIS IS A SOMEWHAT INEVITABLE EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS AROUND THIS ISSUE OF REGIONAL ENGAGEMENT.
I WANT TO REINFORCE SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT ALEJANDRO WAS SAYING IS THAT WE SHOULD ALSO NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT A LOT OF THE CORE FUNCTIONS WE DO ARE GLOBAL FUNCTIONS.
THEY ARE GLOBAL FUNCTIONS AT A COORDINATION POINT FOR A NETWORK THAT DOESN'T UNDERSTAND BOUNDARIES. SO IF I TAKE, FOR INSTANCE, THE IANA FUNCTIONS AND SUCH, THEY ARE SORT OF GLOBAL FUNCTIONS.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THAT AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REGIONALIZATION, THAT SOME OF THESE CORE FUNCTIONS ARE ACTUALLY CORE AND GLOBAL AT THE SAME TIME.
BUT I THINK THE SORT OF THING THAT YOU ARE RAISING IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD NEED TO ENGAGE NOW INTO THE OPERATIONAL PLAN PROCESS. AND THE OPPORTUNITY IS THERE NOW TO SAY, LOOK, THERE IS A NEED FOR THAT. AND THE OPERATIONAL PLANNING PROCESS I THINK IS SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLE THAT, FOR INSTANCE, PEOPLE MIGHT SAY WE REALLY WANT TO PUSH A PARTICULAR THING FOR AFRICA NOW BUT THERE MAY NOT BE THE SAME SORT OF DEMAND FOR SOMETHING IN -- OF THAT SORT OF PRESENCE SOMEWHERE ELSE THIS YEAR; PERHAPS IT'S SOMETHING NEXT YEAR.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THE MECHANISM IS THERE. WE NEED TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THAT VOICE IS HEARD.

>>VINT CERF: OKAY. THANK YOU, PAUL.
WE HAVE PEOPLE NOW QUEUED UP, SO LET ME ASK THE FLOOR TO BEGIN.
GO AHEAD.

>>JOTHAN FRAKES: HELLO, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS JOTHAN FRAKES. I WORK FOR A REGISTRAR NAMED NAME INTELLIGENCE. I'M AN INDIVIDUAL CONSUMER OF DOMAIN NAMES, AND A PRODUCT OF THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
AND ALSO, I WANTED TO STEP UP AND SAY I AM VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE MACRO ISSUES THAT ARE CONQUERED AS PART OF THIS HUGE PROCESS THAT ICANN IS. BUT I WANTED TO COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE REALLY TACTICALLY AND EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE AS THE PRODUCER OF THE DOMAIN ROUNDTABLE CONFERENCE, A PLACE WHERE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CONSUMERS OF THIS PRODUCT OR THE PROCESS ALSO GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR BOTH FROM VINT CERF AND FROM PAUL TWOMEY. WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL THAT YOU ARE COMING OUT AND TALKING TO THE INDIVIDUAL -- I GUESS THE CONSUMERS OF THE NET PROCESS OF THIS.
AS YOU ARE WORKING WITH THE MACRO TYPE OF EVENTS AND WORKING WITH SUCH A DIVERSE REGIONAL AUDIENCE THAT LET'S NOT LOSE SIGHT THAT THE INDIVIDUAL CONSUMERS IN SMALL REGIONS, IN SMALL AREAS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR REALLY A LOT OF THE MILESTONES THAT YOU HAVE MET.
SO I WANTED TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO BOTH OF YOU. THANK YOU.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU, JONATHAN. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT MEETING. I'M SURE PAUL IS AS WELL.
BRET FAUSETT.

>>BRET FAUSETT: I WANTED TO ADDRESS MY QUESTION TO THE OPERATIONAL STRATEGIC PLAN. SPECIFICALLY, SOMETHING THAT THE ALAC HAS RAISED. I KNOW THAT I RAISED IT IN THE OCTOBER CONSULTATION THAT WE HAD IN MARINA DEL REY ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN WHERE I WAS THE ALAC REPRESENTATIVE.
AND THAT IS THE ISSUE OF THE MANAGER OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE BOARD MEMBERS WHO WENT THROUGH THE REFORM EFFORT THAT WE SPENT ABOUT AN ENTIRE YEAR ON, YOU RECALL THAT ONE OF THE YEARS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BRINGING THE PUBLIC INTEREST INTO ICANN WAS THE CREATION OF A MANAGER OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
IN FACT, THAT POSITION WAS DEEMED TO BE SO IMPORTANT WE WROTE IT INTO THE BYLAWS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE BYLAWS, IT SAYS "THERE SHALL BE A MANAGER OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION."
WE STILL DON'T HAVE ONE.
IN FACT, IT'S NOT IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN, IT'S NOT ADVERTISED ON THE BYLAWS. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT, AT THIS MEETING, AT VARIOUS TIMES, ABOUT HOW INEFFECTIVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT FORUMS ARE ON THE WEB SITE, AND I GUESS I HAVE LITTLE SYMPATHY FOR THAT VIEW WHEN WE HAVEN'T HIRED THE PERSON WHO IS NECESSARY TO TAKE THAT INPUT AND BRING IT TO ALL OF YOU.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO GO BACK TO THE BYLAWS. IT SAYS THERE SHALL BE A MANAGER OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. LET'S EITHER WRITE THAT OUT OF THE BYLAWS OR HIRE THAT PERSON. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THE LATTER.

>>VINT CERF: SO BEFORE -- I'M SURE PAUL HAS A RESPONSE, BUT LET ME SUGGEST THAT WE NOT CONFUSE A PARTICULAR TITLE, WHICH I GRANT YOU IS IN THE BYLAWS, AND THE FUNCTION. IT MAY VERY WELL BE THAT THE STRUCTURE THAT PAUL DESCRIBED EARLIER ENCOMPASSES THAT FUNCTION, BUT I'LL LET PAUL RESPOND TO THAT SPECIFICALLY.

>>PAUL TWOMEY: I AM IN COMPLETE AGREEMENT WITH BRET. AND YOU MAY NOT HAVE SEEN THE PRESENTATION AT THE BEGINNING OF MY PRESENTATION THIS AFTERNOON, BUT THAT POSITION IS A KEY ONE WE HAVE TO RECRUIT FOR THE PURPOSE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. WE HAVE HAD PEOPLE IN THAT POSITION TITLE, BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD TO MANAGE AGAINST CASH, SO THEY END UP DOING MEDIA AND THAT, AND THE MEDIA PULLS THEM OUT SO THEY END UP NOT DOING THE VERY THING WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. AND YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS I THINK SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
THOSE PEOPLE END UP BEING -- WHERE WE'VE HAD THEM DOING THAT AND COMMUNICATIONS, THEY HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY ABSORBED BY THE MEDIA PAR. SO WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT BEFORE IS TO SEPARATE MEDIA OUT OF THAT FUNCTION, AND THE RECRUITMENT WE ARE STARTING NOW LOOKING FOR THAT POSITION IS VERY MUCH THE SORT OF THING YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.
SO BACK TO THE INTENT, I THINK.
I THINK THERE IS ALWAYS THE INTENT. SO FOR INSTANCE, KIERNAN HAD THAT TITLE AND THAT WAS THE INTENT WHEN HE CAME IN BUT GOT COMPLETELY ABSORBED INTO THE MEDIA SIDE AND DIDN'T DO THAT FUNCTION. THAT'S NOT A CRITICISM OF KIERNAN. BUT DEFINITELY NOW WE HAVE MORE RESOURCES AND HAVE MORE RESOURCES GOING FORWARD THAT WE ACTUALLY SEPARATE THAT OUT AND VERY CLEARLY GET SOMEONE WHO DOES EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE DESCRIBING. I THINK THAT'S RIGHT.

>>BRET FAUSETT: WAS THAT MENTIONED BY NAME?

>>PAUL TWOMEY: YES, I DID TALK ABOUT IT.

>>BRET FAUSETT: DID IT HAVE THAT TITLE?

>>PAUL TWOMEY: I THINK I MIGHT HAVE USED THE WORD GENERAL MANAGER OF PUBLIC --

>>BRET FAUSETT: I MISSED IT. SO THAT WILL BE THIS YEAR.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU, PAUL. I AM GOING TO PUT ONE MORE THING INTO OUR -- WE ARE RUNNING LATE FOR THE BREAK BUT THAT'S PARTLY BECAUSE WE STARTED LATE. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GET THE NOMINATING REPORT FROM EUGENIO TRIANA UP ON THE STAGE HERE AND THEN WE WILL TAKE A HALF-HOUR BREAK AFTER THAT.
SO I APOLOGIZE FOR DELAYING YOUR BREAK A BIT.
SO IF FRANK FOWLIE IS IN THE AUDIENCE, I WILL SCHEDULE YOU AFTER THE BREAK, FRANK.
EUGENIO IS A FORMER BOARD MEMBER OF ICANN, ONE OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. AND HAS GRACIOUSLY ACCEPTED THE VERY DIFFICULT TASK OF SERVING AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE THIS YEAR.
SO EUGENIO, I TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO YOU.

>>EUGENIO TRIANA: THANK YOU, VINT.
RESUPERVISING MY LINKS WITH ICANN AFTER YEARS, I CANNOT AVOID REMEMBERING THE FIRST ICANN PUBLIC FORUM WE HELD IN BOSTON. YOU REMEMBER. IN NOVEMBER 1999, NO?
WHEN THE PERSONS PRESIDING OVER THE SESSION MEANT THE ENTIRE ICANN MEMBERSHIP AT THIS MOMENT.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR ME COMING HERE AS CHAIRMAN OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE. AND MANY THANKS TO THE BOARD FOR THIS HONOR.
AS YOU KNOW, THE ICANN NOMINATING COMMITTEE MISSION IS DEFINED IN THE BYLAWS, ARTICLE 7. AND THIS YEAR, 2006, WE MUST SELECT THREE SEATS FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, TWO FOR THE ALAC, ONE FOR THE GNSO, AND ONE FOR THE COUNTRY CODE NSO.
WE MUST FILL THE CRITERIA IN THE BYLAWS IN THE ARTICLE 6 OF THE BYLAW FOR SELECTION OF THE DIRECTORS AND OTHER POSITIONS. YOU KNOW THE CRITERIAS ARE RELATED TO THE INTEGRITY, TO THE FAMILIARITY WITH THE TECHNICAL FUNCTIONS COORDINATED BY ICANN, ET CETERA.
AND WE ABIDE BY THE RULES OF CONFIDENTIALITY. THIS YEAR WE ARE REINFORCING. THE RULES ARE DEFINED WHAT IS CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL. AND OF COURSE THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE MUST PRESERVE THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE COMMITTEE IN RESPECT TO THE BOARD, TO THE SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION.
ALSO, THIS EXPRESSION OF INDEPENDENCE IS NOT PUT EXPLICITLY IN THE BYLAWS. IT'S A COMMENT I MAKE BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT. IT IS PUT IN THE INTERNAL RULES OF THE COMMITTEE.
THE ACTIVITIES ON THE COMMITTEE IN THIS EARLIEST STAGE, NOW THE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN COMPLETED. WE HAVE THE 23 MEMBERS, 17 VOTING MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, AND MANY THANKS TO THE SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION AND CONSTITUENCY FOR GIVING US THE NAMES OF THE PERSONS IN DUE TIME TO HAVE THIS FACE-TO-FACE MEETING IN WELLINGTON.
WE HAVE THREE TELECONFERENCES UP TO NOW. JANUARY 16, FEBRUARY 13TH AND MARCH 10TH.
WE HAVE THE FOUR SUBCOMMITTEES OPERATIONAL. ONE ON TECHNICAL AND SECURITY, OTHER ON FAQ, THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON CONFLICT OF INTEREST, AND ON OUTREACH.
BECAUSE WE CONSIDER THIS YEAR WAS PARTICULARLY INTENSIVE ON THE ACTIONS FOR THE OUTREACH.
AT THE SAME TIME, SOME KEY DOCUMENTS AND POLICY POSITIONS HAS BEEN ELABORATED AND OTHERS ARE ON THE WAY TO BE ADOPTED HERE IN WELLINGTON TO GET POSTED IN APRIL FOR THE LAUNCHING OF THE CALL FOR CANDIDATES.
THE TENTATIVE PLAN FOR THIS YEAR 2006 IS TO HAVE THIS FRIDAY THE FIRST FACE TO FACE MEETING TO POST THE CALL FOR CANDIDATES PROBABLY APRIL 12TH. SO THAT MEANS THAT IN LINE IN JULY. AND YOU KNOW THE PERIOD FROM JULY TO SEPTEMBER IS A VERY INTENSIVE EVALUATION WORK PERIOD. AT THIS MOMENT WE MUST MAKE THE SUBSTANTIVE WORK OF THE COMMITTEE, THE COMPARISONS, SELECTIONS, ET CETERA, TO ARRIVE AT A SET OF NOMINEES AT THE END.
WE PLAN TO HAVE THE SECOND FACE-TO-FACE MEETING IN SEPTEMBER, THE FIRST HALF OF SEPTEMBER. PROBABLY IN EUROPE.
SO THE ANNOUNCEMENT, AS WAS MADE LAST YEAR, IS GOING TO BE HELD IN THE END OF OCTOBER, IN DUE TIME FOR THE -- FOR JOINING THE CONFERENCE OF ICANN IN SAO PAULO AND THE BOARD MEETING IN SAO PAULO.
THE OUTREACH EFFORT IN THE YEAR 2006 IS PARTICULARLY RELEVANT. WE TRIED TO DISSEMINATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THE CALL FOR CANDIDATES. TO RELY FIRST ON THE ICANN CONSTITUENCIES AND THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE MEMBERS. THAT IS THE MAIN ASSET FOR THIS OUTREACH EFFORT.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, TO REACH THE ENTIRE INTERNET COMMUNITY. THAT THIS IS MORE THE INTERNET GOVERNANCE COMMUNITY, AS IS PUT IN THE BYLAWS WHEN ASKING THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO HAVE A BROADER SENSE OF THE INTERNET COMMUNITY.
AND WE ARE IN THE PERIOD IN THE IP PROTOCOL AND THE INTERNET IS BECOMING THE FUNDAMENTALS OF MOST OF THE ACTIVITIES OR THE TOTALITY OF THE ACTIVITY RELATED TO THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AUDIOVISUAL, ET CETERA.
AND FINALLY, TO PUSH THE MAXIMUM QUALIFY RECOMMENDATION AND STATEMENT OF INTEREST TO PERMIT TO US TO COLLECT THE BEST CANDIDATES.
AT THIS POINT, I MUST RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE EVEN TO ME IN THE VERY EARLY STAGE, MY PREDECESSOR, GEORGE SADOWSKY, THE CHAIR OF 2005. MY FRIEND, JEAN-JACQUES DAMLAMIAN.
AND AS A CONCLUSION, THIS VERY WELL KNOWN WORDS OF ROBERT FROST TO THINK ABOUT THE ROAD NOT TAKEN IS TWO WAYS DIVERGED IN THE WOODS AND I TOOK THE ONE LESS TRAVELED AND THAT HAS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
AND MY REFLECTION IS PROBABLY THIS YEAR, AS VINT KNOWS VERY WELL, WE MUST TAKE THE LESS TRAVELED BY-WAY TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE AND TO SERVE THE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EUGENIO. I MUST SAY I HAVE TO AGREE WITH YOUR BEAUTIFUL CHOICE OF WORDS HERE. WE MUST EXPLORE PLACES AND PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE NOT COME TO IN LOOKING FOR QUALIFIED CANDIDATES IN VARIOUS POSITIONS THAT THE NOMCOM FILLS. WE NEED TO LOOK WELL BEYOND THE USUAL BORDERS OF OUR SEARCH.
SO I ASK EVERYONE IN THE ROOM, THE BOARD AND ELSEWHERE, TO STIMULATE INTEREST IN SERVICE TO THE ICANN COMMUNITY.
THIS WILL HELP EUGENIO, I THINK, BECAUSE HE NEEDS GOOD QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR HIS COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER.
THANK YOU, AND THANK YOUR COMMITTEE AS WELL, EUGENIO, FOR THIS DIFFICULT BUT VERY IMPORTANT WORK.
I DON'T SEE QUESTIONS SO I AM GOING TO TAKE A BREAK NOW.
WE WILL RECONVENE IN APPROXIMATELY -- LET'S SEE, I AM LOSING TRACK OF TIME. 3:45.
SO PLEASE BE BACK AT 3:45 LOCAL TIME.

>>VINT CERF: BOARD MEMBERS, WOULD YOU KINDLY TAKE YOUR SEATS.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'RE ABOUT TO RESTART.
LET ME ASK OUR OMBUDSMAN TO TAKE HIS PLACE.
IT'S FRANK FOWLIE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE LONG-SUFFERING OMBUDSMAN OF ICANN, HERE TO GIVE YOU HIS REPORT.
FRANK.

>>FRANK FOWLIE: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
MR. CHAIRMAN, VINT CERF, PRESIDENT PAUL TWOMEY, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND LIAISONS, ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE ICANN COMMUNITY, ICANN STAFF, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WELCOME HERE THIS AFTERNOON.
I HAVE A FEW ISSUES THAT I'D LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION TODAY.
FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO TAKE YOU THROUGH A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE ACTIVITIES OF MY OFFICE BY RUNNING THROUGH A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF SLIDES.
AND THESE SLIDES WILL REPRESENT THE WORK WHICH HAS BEEN CONDUCTED IN 2006.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE DISTRIBUTION OF COMPLAINTS AND INQUIRIES BY COUNTRY LOCATION.
THE LIST ON THE RIGHT SHOWS THE FREQUENCY OF CONTACT IN RELATIVE ORDER OF PREPONDERANCE.
AS WITH PREVIOUS REPORT, ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES WITH COMMON LAW-BASED DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL SYSTEMS PROVIDE ME WITH THE MOST FREQUENT CONTACTS.
AND TO THE MIDDLE OF MARCH, I'VE RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY 150 CONTACTS AND INQUIRIES.
I'M REALLY HOPEFUL THAT YOUR RECENT RECRUITMENT OF GEOGRAPHICALLY DISPERSED REGIONAL LIAISONS WILL BE HELPFUL IN PROVIDING LOCAL AREA INFORMATION ABOUT THE EXISTENCE AND FUNCTION OF MY OFFICE.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE DISTRIBUTION OF CONTACTS BY ISSUE TYPE.
IT'S WORTHWHILE, PERHAPS, TO REMIND YOU THAT AS DEFINED IN BYLAW V, MY JURISDICTION IS RELATED TO AN ACTION, AN INACTION, OR DECISION MADE BY THE BOARD, STAFF, OR SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION.
YOU WILL NOTE THAT AS A POST TO THE INFORMATION I PROVIDED TO YOU IN VANCOUVER, ISSUES WHICH HAVE COME TO MY OFFICE IN RECENT TIMES HAVE BEEN MORE FOCUSED ON JURISDICTIONAL ISSUES THAN IN THE PAST.
I BELIEVE THIS IS IN PART DUE TO THE MORE LEADING PROCESS WHICH WAS IMPLEMENTED ON THE ICANN OMBUDSMAN WEB SITE AND WHICH PROVIDES A GREATER AMOUNT OF CLARITY FOR SELF-HELP INFORMATION FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THIS MEANS THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN FIND APPROPRIATE RESOURCES FOR THE RESOLUTION OF NONJURISDICTIONAL ISSUES WITHOUT HAVING TO MAKE COMPLAINTS TO MY OFFICE.
THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS THE CLOSINGS OF FILES IN 2006.
MANY OF THE RECENT CONTACTS WHICH I HAVE HAD, ALTHOUGH JURISDICTIONAL BY DEFINITION, HAVE NOT DEALT WITH TRUE COMPLAINTS ABOUT ISSUES OF FAIRNESS, CONCERNING ACTIONS, DECISIONS, OR INACTIONS BY ICANN, BUT, RATHER, THEY HAVE SIMPLY BEEN CRITICAL COMMENTARY ON ICANN ITSELF.
AND I'VE CORRESPONDED WITH THIS SET OF -- THESE WRITERS AND PROVIDED THEM ALL WITH INFORMATION ON HOW TO MORE FULLY PARTICIPATE IN THE ICANN COMMUNITY PROCESS TO RAISE THEIR CONCERNS.
THIS SLIDE QUICKLY SHOWS THE OUTREACH ACTIVITIES OF MY OFFICE IN 2006.
LAST WEEK, I HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE OF ATTENDING A UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON ONLINE DISPUTE RESOLUTION SPONSORED BY THE CAIRO INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION CENTER AND THE ARAB LEAGUE, WHICH HOSTED ODR PRACTITIONERS AND ACADEMICS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE.
I WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE TWO PRESENTATIONS, ONE ENTITLED "CULTURE, IDENTITY AND THE SKILLED PRACTITIONER," AND THE OTHER, WHICH WAS AN ORIENTATION TO MY OFFICE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I THINK IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE TO UNDERLINE THE UNIQUENESS OF THE OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN AT ICANN.
IN THE OMBUDSMAN COMMUNITY, MY OFFICE IS A RARE SORT FOR TWO REASONS.
FIRST, I'M AN EXECUTIVE OMBUDSMAN, WHICH MEANS THAT I'M AN ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION OFFICER WITHIN AN ORGANIZATION WHO RECEIVES COMPLAINTS FROM THE OUTSIDE, AS OPPOSED TO THE GOVERNMENTAL OR ORGANIZATIONAL OMBUDSMAN SCHEMES.
SECONDLY, UNLIKE THE VAST MAJORITY OF MY COLLEAGUES, WHO DEAL WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES USUALLY ON A FACE-TO-FACE BASIS OR BY TELEPHONE, 99% OF MY WORK IS DONE ONLINE.
IT WAS INTERESTING, THEN, TO DO AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN OF MY ONLINE DISPUTE RESOLUTION COLLEAGUES AND TO SEE THE UNIQUENESS OF MY OFFICE AMONGST THEM, AS I WAS THE ONLY OMBUDSMAN IN A GROUP OF MEDIATORS, ARBITRATORS, AND SELF-PARTICIPATORY PLATFORM DIRECTORS.
I WAS ALSO VERY PLEASED AND SURPRISED THAT MY OFFICE WAS MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION OF OTHERS.
AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THE REPUTATION OF MY OFFICE WITH MY ODR COLLEAGUES IS VERY POSITIVE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, IN KEEPING WITH MY PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS AT THE PUBLIC FORUM, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO DO SOME ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION OR OMBUDSMANSHIP EDUCATION.
IN PAST FORUMS, I'VE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE OMBUDSMAN, FRAMEWORKS FOR THE DELIVERY OF OMBUDSMAN SERVICES, BARRIERS IN ONLINE COMMUNICATION FOR COMPLAINT RESOLUTION, AND THE ROLE OF THE OMBUDSMAN IN AN ORGANIZATION.
TODAY, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK WITH YOU VERY BRIEFLY ABOUT SOME UNDERCURRENTS THAT I HAVE FOUND TO BE IMPORTANT IN BOTH THE CREATION OF DISPUTES AND IN THEIR RESOLUTION.
THESE UNDERCURRENTS ARE CIVILITY AND A BARRIER TO MEANINGFUL AND SUCCESSFUL CONFLICT RESOLUTION, WHICH, FOR WANT OF A BETTER NAME, I WILL DESCRIBE AS A CULTURE OF CRITICISM, WITH DUE DEFERENCE TO THE GENERAL COUNSEL.
I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THOSE ISSUES AND THEN PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT FROM MY WORK AS THE OMBUDSMAN TO SHOW HOW THESE TWO FACTORS CAN BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE RESOLUTION OF DISPUTES.
CIVILITY, OR, RATHER, THE ABSENCE OF CIVILITY, IS A COMPOUNDING FACTOR IN THE ESCALATION OF CONFLICT.
INCIVILITY IS A BARRIER TO THE ABILITY OF THE OTHER PARTY IN A DISPUTE TO DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR POSITION.
IT IS CONTRARY TO THE MUTUAL GAINS THEORY OF DISPUTE RESOLUTION ON AN ACADEMIC LEVEL, AND IT'S SIMPLY COUNTER PRODUCTIVE OF THE IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO RESOLVE DISPUTES BY ATHENIAN DEBATE.
A LEADING ACADEMIC AT JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY HAS WRITTEN ON THE SUBJECT, AND I'LL QUOTE FOR A MINUTE OR SO.
"LIFE IS A RELATIONAL EXPERIENCE.
WE DO NOT LIVE IN A VACUUM.
WE LIVE AMONG OTHERS.
WE DEPEND ON OTHERS.
AND WE SEEK COMFORT AND LIFE MEANING IN OTHERS.
OUR VERY INDIVIDUAL IDENTITIES, SANITY, AND HEALTH ARE SHAPED BY OTHERS' PRESENCE IN OUR LIVES.
THE QUALITY OF OUR LIVES DEPENDS TO A LARGE EXTENT ON THE NATURE OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS."
IF WE CAN AGREE THAT LIFE IS RELATIONAL, IF WE CAN AGREE THAT BY BETTERING OUR RELATIONSHIP, WE BETTER THE QUALITY OF OUR LIVES, THEN IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO REQUIRE RELATIONAL COMPETENCE.
THE RULES OF CIVILITY AND GOOD MANNERS GIVE US A BASIC, TIME-PROVEN, AND EFFECTIVE CODE OF RELATIONAL COMPETENCE.
MANNERS AND CIVILITY ARE NOT TRIVIAL MATTERS.
HAVING GOOD MANNERS MEANS HANDLING OTHERS WITH CARE.
CIVILITY IS LINKED TO THE LATIN WORD "CIVITAS," WHICH MEANS CITY OR COMMUNITY.
THUS, CIVILITY IMPLIES A LARGER SOCIAL CONCERN.
WHEN WE ARE CIVIL, WE ARE MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDING OF A COMMUNITY.
WE ARE GOOD NEIGHBORS AND WE ARE GOOD CITIZENS.
WHETHER WE LOOK AT THE CORE OF MANNERS OR AT THAT OF CIVILITY, WE DISCERN NOT ONLY A PLEASANT FORM OF BEING, BUT OF ETHICAL SUBSTANCE AS WELL.
THE QUALITY OF OUR OWN LIVES IMPROVES TOGETHER THROUGH THE LIVES OF THOSE WE IMPROVE.
SELF-INTEREST AND ALTRUISM FIND A WAY TO CONVERGE IN THE PRACTICE OF CIVILITY.
WE ARE NOT BORN CIVIL.
CIVILITY IS A CODE OF BEHAVIOR ACQUIRED BY LEARNING IT FROM OTHERS AND BY CONSTANT PRACTICING.
FOR OUR SAKE AND THE SAKE OF OUR COMMUNITIES, LET US TEACH, LET US LEARN, LET US PRACTICE.
IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, MR. CHAIRMAN, ST. MARY'S UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCED THAT IT WAS UNDERTAKING A MAJOR RESEARCH PROJECT TO LOOK AT THE EFFECTS OF RUDENESS AND INCIVILITY IN THE WORKPLACE.
THE STUDY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE ACADEMIC WORLD -- SO THE RESEARCHERS SAY -- WILL EXAMINE HOW PEOPLE REACT TO INCIVILITY FROM FELLOW WORKERS AND WHETHER PEOPLE RETURN BAD MANNERS WITH MORE RUDENESS OF THEIR OWN.
THE RESEARCHERS BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE ON THE RECEIVING END OF RUDE BEHAVIOR MAY UP THE ANTE BY ESCALATING THEIR OWN INCIVILITY IN THE BELIEF THAT THE RUDENESS THAT THEY FEEL WAS DELIBERATE AND PERSONAL.
I FIND IT VERY INTERESTING THAT THE TOPIC OF CIVILITY HAS BECOME THE FOCUS OF RESEARCHERS AT TWO DISPARATE AND VERY WELL-KNOWN UNIVERSITIES.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S A UNIVERSAL DEFINITION OF THE CULTURE OF CRITICISM, BUT FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCES, I WOULD SAY THAT IT COULD BE DEFINED AS A PREPONDERANCE OF ISSUES RAISED IN A NEGATIVE, HARMFUL, OR CRITICAL MANNER, BUT IN THE DECLARATION OF THAT NEGATIVE SENTIMENT, THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE OR OPTION PROPOSED FOR MUTUALLY SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION OF THE ISSUE.
THE CULTURE OF CRITICISM IS ONE THAT CONTINUALLY SAYS, "LOOK, YOU DID SOMETHING WRONG," AND THEN OFFERS NO WAY OF MAKING THAT WRONG A RIGHT.
THE CULTURE OF CRITICISM USUALLY DEMONSTRATES THE SENSE OF ANGERED BIAS TOWARDS ANOTHER PERSON OR POSITION.
IN MY WORK AS YOUR OMBUDSMAN, I HAVE SEEN CASES WHERE THE LACK OF CIVILITY OR THE CULTURE OF CRITICISM HAS BEEN THE NASCENT PROBLEM OF THE COMPLAINT.
I'VE HAD COMPLAINTS MADE TO ME WHERE THE CORE ISSUE WAS SIMPLY THAT E-MAILS SENT HAVE NEVER BEEN RESPONDED TO.
THE SIMPLE CIVIL ACT OF RESPONDING TO ANOTHER'S COMMUNICATION WOULD HAVE ALLEVIATED THE NEED FOR THE INVOLVEMENT IN MY OFFICE IN A COMPLAINT.
I HAVE HAD OTHER ISSUES WHERE THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM WAS SIMPLY THAT ONE PARTY FELT THAT THEY HAD BEEN TREATED IN A DISRESPECTFUL OR DISPARAGING MANNER BY ANOTHER AND THAT THIS WAS AN UNFAIRNESS TO THEM.
I HAVE SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS WHERE THE BASIS WAS SIMPLY THAT THAT PERSON WANTS TO BE CRITICAL AND STATE A POSITION AND TO OVERWHELM MY OFFICE WITH BIASED OPINION.
LAST YEAR MY OFFICE WENT THROUGH AN INTERESTING TIME WHEN A GROUP MADE A DECISION TO POST MY DIRECT E-MAIL ON ITS WEB SITE, ALONG WITH A PRO FORMA LETTER THAT THE GROUP'S MEMBERS COULD SEND TO ME.
THERE ARE SEVERAL INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT THIS.
FIRST, RATHER THAN COMMUNICATING WITH ME AS A GROUP AND MAKING A COGENT COMPLAINT -- A COMPLAINT IS ALWAYS DIFFERENT THAN CRITICISM IN THAT A COMPLAINT CONTAINS A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM, A DESCRIPTION OF THE UNFAIRNESS FELT, AND A DESIRED OUTCOME -- THIS GROUP SIMPLY CHOSE TO INSTEAD USE A MASS MAILING OF CRITICISM.
IN THE END, THE GROUP FELL SHORT OF BEING ABLE TO GAIN ANY RESOLVE, AS ITS COMPLETELY FRAGMENTED AND CRITICISM-BASED TACTICS ONLY RESULTED IN ME BEING FORCED TO DECLINE JURISDICTION AS THERE WERE NO ISSUES OF FAIRNESS ARTICULATED.
I FOUND THIS GROUP TO BE VERY INTERESTING IN ITS CIVILITY PRACTICES AND IN ITS TRANSPARENCY.
WHILE ITS LEADERS FOUND IT APPROPRIATE TO PUT MY DIRECT E-MAIL ADDRESS ON ITS WEB SITE, THE SAME SITE OFFERED NO ABILITY FOR ANYONE TO SEND E-MAILS TO THEIR LEADERSHIP.
PERHAPS THEY'VE BEEN SCARED OFF BY THEIR OWN UNCIVIL AND CRITICAL TACTICS.
THE ABILITY OF THE COMMUNITY TO CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AND CONFIDENTIALLY AND THEN BE RESPONDED TO QUICKLY REMAINS A HALLMARK OF MY OFFICE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, IN CONCLUSION, I WOULD SIMPLY ENCOURAGE ALL PARTIES TO LOOK AT THE RESOLUTION OF DISPUTES BY CONSTRUCTIVE COMPLAINING RATHER THAN BY CRITICISM AND TO CONSIDER CIVILITY AS A KEY FACTOR BEFORE THEY HIT THE "SEND" BUTTON.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE FORUM THIS AFTERNOON.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FRANK.
I CAN EXPRESS THE APPRECIATION OF THIS BOARD FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
[ APPLAUSE ]

>>FRANK FOWLIE: THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]

>>VINT CERF: I PARTICULARLY APPRECIATE THE COMMENT THAT CIVIL DISCOURSE AT LEAST LEADS TO BETTER POTENTIAL FOR UNDERSTANDING THAN INTEMPERATE EXCHANGES AND CONCRETE AND CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM, IF DELIVERED IN A REASONABLE FASHION, MAY WELL PRODUCE BETTER RESULTS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
WE'VE REACHED A POINT NOW WHERE WE CAN TAKE QUESTIONS, IF THERE ARE ANY, EITHER OF FRANK WITH REGARD TO THE OMBUDSMAN REPORT, OR -- WELL, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EUGENIO.
BUT I THINK WE ALREADY ASKED TO SEE WHETHER THERE WERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM AS HE FINISHED HIS REPORT.
SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR OR THE BOARD FOR FRANK?
NO.
OKAY.
SO WE WERE SPECULATING ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE A GOOD METRIC FOR A SUCCESSFUL OMBUDSMAN, AND MY THOUGHT IMMEDIATELY WAS, IF YOU HAD NOTHING TO DO, THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE A MEASURE OF SUCCESS.

>>FRANK FOWLIE: I'M SORRY TO DISAPPOINT.
I MUSTN'T BE VERY SUCCESSFUL.

>>VINT CERF: WELL, NO, WE JUST NEED TO GIVE PEOPLE FEWER REASONS TO COME TO YOU FOR HELP.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FRANK.

>>FRANK FOWLIE: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

>>VINT CERF: WE NOW HAVE -- JOHN CRAIN, IF YOU'RE HERE, YOU MAY WANT TO BRING EVERYONE UP-TO-DATE ON THE STATUS OF THE WI-FI SERVICE IN THIS ROOM AND IN OTHER ROOMS AROUND THE FACILITY.
SO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE TRYING TO GET ACCESS TO THE INTERNET THROUGH WI-FI WILL BE INTERESTED IN WHAT JOHN HAS TO SAY.

>>JOHN CRAIN: OKAY, ON THE ISSUE OF BEING CIVIL, THERE ARE A FEW MACHINES IN THIS ROOM SPECIFICALLY RUNNING PEER-TO-PEER NETWORKS.
WHAT THAT IS DOING IS IT'S CAUSING A LOT OF NOISE IN THE WIRELESS SPECTRUM.
OUR HOSTS HAVE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ACTUALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS THAT WE CAN MITIGATE THIS AND STILL LET PEOPLE USE THE NETWORK.
SO WE'VE DONE SOME CHANGES.
IF YOU'RE USING A WIRELESS CARD THAT USES, "A" RATHER THAN "B" OR "G," YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET ON WITH THAT.
WE'VE CHANGED SOME OF THE UNITS TO THAT.
SO IF YOU HAVE THAT OPTION, YOU CAN DO THAT.
ALTERNATIVELY, THE CENTER FORWARD SECTION OF THE ROOM DOES HAVE WIRES, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO GO WIRED.
IF YOU THINK YOU MIGHT BE RUNNING A PEER-TO-PEER NETWORK BY MISTAKE AND YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO TURN THAT OFF, PLEASE COME SEE MYSELF OR COME AND SEE ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN DOWN HERE FROM THE TECHNICAL CREW.
WE'RE SEEING ONE THAT ACTUALLY SAYS "ICANN," SO THEY'RE USING THE SAME NAME.
I SUSPECT THAT SOMEBODY MISCONFIGURED AS THEY WERE TYPING IN THE SSID, WHICH YOU SOMETIMES TYPE IN TO GET ONTO A NETWORK.
SO COME AND SEE US.
WE'LL HELP YOU FIX THAT.
IF YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT SAYS "FREE PUBLIC WI-FI," IT'S NOT.
WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT IT IS OR WHY SOMEBODY HAS THAT ON THEIR -- PRETENDING TO BE A BASE STATION.
BUT, PEOPLE, PLEASE DON'T CONNECT THAT.
AND IF YOU'RE RUNNING THAT BY MISTAKE, PLEASE TURN IT OFF.
BASICALLY, COME TALK TO US IF YOU THINK THAT YOU MIGHT BE ONE OF THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE ACCIDENTALLY DOING THIS.
THANK YOU.

>>VINT CERF: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JOHN.
I HOPE THAT SOMEDAY, GIVEN THAT WI-FI IS BECOMING VERY WIDESPREAD, WE NEED ADDITIONAL TOOLS TO LOCALIZE THE SOURCES OF INTERFERENCE.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE REINSTITUTE PUBLIC FLOGGING AS A MEANS OF DRAWING ATTENTION TO UNCIVIL BEHAVIOR.
ALL RIGHT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON NOW.
OH, GOOD, WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA A PRESENTATION FROM OUR HOSTS AT THE MOROCCO 2006 MEETING.
I HOPE THEY'RE STILL HERE.
RACHID SEFRIOUI IS OUR -- ONE OF OUR HOSTS, AND HE'S PREPARED TO GIVE US A GLIMPSE AHEAD OF WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT IN MOROCCO.
AND I CAN TELL YOU, I'VE BEEN THERE BEFORE, AND MARRAKESH IS ONE OF THE MOST INTRIGUING CITIES IN THE WORLD.
YOU WILL -- IF YOU FIND TIME AT ALL TO GET OUT OF THE ICANN MEETINGS, TAKE SOME EXTRA TIME AND VISIT NOT ONLY MARRAKESH, BUT ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.
IT IS TRULY A WONDERFUL AND INTERESTING PLACE.
DON'T YOU JUST LOVE THIS TECHNOLOGY?
THERE'S ALWAYS -- IF THIS WERE TELEVISION, WE'D HAVE DEAD AIR AND WE'D BE IN A LOT OF TROUBLE, WOULDN'T WE?
GOOD.

>>RACHID SEFRIOUI: OKAY.
THANK YOU.
THANKS TO THE ICANN BOARD MEETING TO GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU A SHORT PRESENTATION ON THE NEXT ICANN MEETING.
ACTUALLY, I HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION.
THEN I HAVE A FILM FOR YOU THAT WILL BE, I GUESS, MORE EXPLICIT THAN I WILL BE.
ABOUT THE MEETING NOW, THE MEETING WILL BE ORGANIZED IN MARRAKESH, AS YOU MAY KNOW, FROM THE 26TH TO THE 30TH OF JUNE, AND THIS MEETING WILL BE HELD AT THE BIGGEST CONVENTION CENTER IN MOROCCO.
THIS CONVERSATION CENTER IS L