TEST TEST TEST TEST. ICANN - SINGAPORE. BOARD SESSION - NEW gTLD PROGRAM. 20 JUNE 2011. ***LIVE SCRIBING BY BREWER & DARRENOUGUE - WWW.QUICKTEXT.COM***. >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE WILL BE BEGINNING THIS SESSION IN APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE TURN OFF ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES, PUT THEM ON SILENCE, WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT TREMENDOUSLY. TWO MINUTES, AND OUR PROGRAM WILL BEGIN. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: GOOD MORNING, AGAIN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK FOR THIS SPECIAL SESSION OF THE BOARD SCHEDULED AS YOU WILL RECALL IN SAN FRANCISCO FOR WORK IN RELATION TO THE NEW gTLD PROGRAM. MANY OF YOU WILL HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE MILESTONE STEPS WE SET OUT IN THAT RESOLUTION, AND I'M DILATED TO REPORT WE HAVE MET EVERY ONE OF THEM. AND I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY EFFORT IN MAKING SURE THE BOARD WAS PREPARED FOR THIS MEETING AND THERE WAS ASSISTANCE PROVIDED ALONG THE WAY FOR THE GAC AND THANK THE BOARD FOR THE INCREDIBLE EFFORT THAT WENT INTO HELPING PREPARE, RECEIVE, DIGEST THOSE MATERIALS AND FOR THE GAC IN PRAPTING AS ACTIVELY AND AS THOROUGHLY, DILIGENTLY AS THEY HAVE DONE IN RELATION TO ALL OF THOSE MEETINGS. IN ADDITION TO THE PUBLIC MEETINGS IN BRUSSELS AND SAN FRANCISCO, WE HAVE HAD WEEKLY CALLS, AND THE GAC CHAIR HAS PARTICIPATED IN MOST OF THOSE. WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE GAC TOPIC LEADS, AND IN GENERAL THE ENTIRE EFFORT HAS BEEN EXEMPLARY. SO THANK YOU EVERYBODY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS EFFORT. WHAT WE HAVE COME TO, THENs A SERIES OF RESOLUTIONS IN RELATION TO THE NEW gTLD PROGRAM. AND I'D LIKE TO BEGIN FIRST OF ALL JUST BY CONFIRMING TO THE COMMUNITY THAT, AS WITH ALL OF THESE PROCESSES, THERE HAS BEEN A STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST AS SET OUT IN OUR CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST POLICY. AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THAT POLICY, I'M NOW GOING TO ASK THE VOTING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD TO DECLARE WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE A CONFLICT, AND IF SO, WHETHER THEY INTEND TO VOTE. AND I'LL BEGIN, AND I WILL DECLARE THAT I HAVE NO CONFLICT, AND THAT I INTEND TO VOTE. ROD. >>ROD BECKSTROM: I HAVE NO CONFLICT, AND I INTEND TO VOTE. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: CHERINE. >>CHERINE CHALABY: I HAVE NO CONFLICT AND I INTEND TO VOTE. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: INTERTD BERTRAND. >>BERTRAND DE LA CHAPELLE: I HAVE NO CONFLICT AND I INTEND TO VOTE. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: KATIM. >>KATIM TOURAY: I HAVE NO CONFLICT AND I INTEND TO VOTE. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: GEORGE. >>GEORGE SADOWSKY: JOF ANY CONFLICT AND I INTEND TO VOTE. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: SÉBASTIEN. >>SÉBASTIEN BACHOLLET: THE SAME. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: RITA. >>RITA RODIN JOHNSTON: I DO NOT HAVE A CONFLICT AND I AM VERY EXCITED TO VOTE. [ LAUGHTER ] [ APPLAUSE ] >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: RITA, WE ARE GOING TO MISS YOUR PASSION ABOUT SUCH THINGS. SKIPPING, FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T AWARE, THERE ARE ALSO MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WHO ARE LIAISONS FROM THE VARIOUS TECHNICAL COMMUNITY WHO DON'T VOTE. DURING THE COURSE OF THE PROCEEDINGS, THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN BOUND BY AND FOLLOWED THE CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST PROCESS. BUT AT THIS STAGE, AS IT'S A MATTER OF VOTING WE WILL ONLY POLLING THE VOTING MEMBERS. SO WE ARE GO PAST THE THREE LIAISON MEMBERS AND GO TO RAMARAJ. >>RAMARAJ: NO CONFLICT. I WILL VOTE. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: STEVE CROCKER. >>STEVE CROCKER: NO CONFLICT. I WILL VOTE. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: MIKE SILBER. >>MIKE SILBER: NO CONFLICT AND I AM VOTE. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: ERIKA. >>ERIKA MANN: NO CONFLICT AND I WILL VOTE. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANK YOU. RAY. >>RAY PLZAK: I HAVE NO CONFLICTS. I WILL VOTE. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: KUO-WEI. >>KUO-WEI WU: NO CONFLICT. I CAN VOTE. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: BRUCE. >>BRUCE TONKIN: I WILL ABSTAIN FROM VOTING. THIS MAY SURPRISE PEOPLE BECAUSE I HAVE WORKED VERY HARD AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO VARIOUS PROBLEMS THAT HAVE CONSENSUS SUPPORT IN THE ICANN COMMUNITY. I HAVE NOT INVOLVED MYSELF IN DISCUSSIONS ON THE BOARD ON TOPICS SUCH AS VERTICAL INTEGRATION PRAFT ACTUAL DECISION TO LAUNCH THE PROGRAM AND THE DATE OF LAUNCHING THE PROGRAM WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON MY EMPLOYER, MELBOURNE I.T., WHICH BOTH A gTLD AND ccTLD ACCREDITED REGISTRAR, AND PROVIDES A RANGE OF SERVICES TO CORPORATIONS CONSIDERING APPLYING FOR NEW gTLDs. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANK YOU, BRUCE. THAT POSITION IS UNDERSTOOD. NOW, THERE'S A SERIES OF RESOLUTIONS IN RELATION TO THIS. THE FIRST ONE IS ENTITLED APPROVAL OF THE NEW gTLD PROGRAM. AND I'LL ASK RITA RODIN JOHNSTON AS THE GNSO APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVE, RECALLING IT WAS THE GNSO IN 2007 THAT SENT THIS TO THE BOARD, IT SEEMS APPROPRIATE TO ASK THE GNSO APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVE. RITA. >>RITA RODIN JOHNSTON: THANK YOU, PETER. WHEREAS ON THE 20th OF NOVEMBER 2005, THE GNSO COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO INITIATE A POLICY -- >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: SORRY, RITA, JUST TO INTERRUPT, WE SEEM TO HAVE STOPPED SCRIBING. LEALTS JUST WAIT AND MAKE SURE WE'RE DESCRIBING. >>ROD BECKSTROM: THEY ARE SCRIBING. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: SO JUST TO CLARIFY, THE SCRIBES ARE SCRIBING, WE ARE JUST NOT HAVING IT DISPLAYED. >> THAT'S CORRECT. IT'S A NETWORK -- WE ARE WORKING ON IT. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: ON TS BASIS WE ARE BEING SCRIBED, PLEASE CARRY ON. >>RITA RODIN JOHNSTON: MORE DELAYS. [ LAUGHTER ] >>RITA RODIN JOHNSTON: WHEREAS ON THE 20th OF NOVEMBER, 2005, THE GNSO COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO INITIATE A POLICY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS ON THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW gTLDs. WHEREAS THE GNSO COMMITTEE ON THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW gTLDs ADDRESSED A RANGE OF DIFFICULT TECHNICAL, OPERATIONAL, LEGAL, ECONOMIC, AND POINT OF IMPACT QUESTIONS, AND SPHIM TATD WIDESPREAD PARTICIPATION AND PUBLIC COMMENT THROUGHOUT THE POLICY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. WHEREAS, ON THE 6th OF DECEMBER -- OF SEPTEMBER, 2007, THE GNSO COUNCIL APPROVED BY A SUPERMAJORITY VOTE A MOTION SUPPORTING THE 19 RECOMMENDATIONS AS A WHOLE AS SET OUT IN THE FINAL REPORT OF THE ICANN GENERIC NAMES SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION ON THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW GENERIC TOP-LEVEL DOMAINS GOING FORWARD TO THE ICANN BOARD. WHEREAS, THE BOARD INSTRUCTED STAFF TO REVIEW THE GNSO RECOMMENDATIONS AND DETERMINE WHETHER THEY WERE CAPABLE OF IMPLEMENTATION, AND STAFF ENGAGED INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL, OPERATIONAL, AND LEGAL EXPERTISE TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS AND DEVELOPED IMPLEMENTATION PLANS FOR THE GNSO'S POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS. WHEREAS, ON THE 26th OF JUNE 2008, THE BOARD ADOPTED THE GNSO POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW gTLDs AND DIRECTED STAFF TO FURTHER DEVELOP AND COMPLETE ITS DETAILED IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, CONTINUE COMMUNICATION WITH THE COMMUNITY ON SUCH WORK, AND PROVIDE THE BOARD WITH A FINAL VERSION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PROPOSALS FOR THE BOARD AND COMMUNITY TO APPROVE BEFORE THE LAUNCHING OF THE NEW gTLD APPLICATION PROCESS. WITH WHEREAS STAFF HAS MADE IMPLEMENTATION DETAILS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE IN THE FORM OF DRAFTS OF THE gTLD AG AND SUPPORTING MATERIALS FOR PUBLIC DISCUSSION AND COMMENT. WHEREAS THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE AG WAS PUBLISHED ON THE 23rd OF OCTOBER, 2008, AND THE GUIDEBOOK HAS UNDERGONE CONTINUED SUBSTANTIAL REVISIONS BASED ON STAKEHOLDER INPUT ON MULTIPLE DRAFTS. AG WAS ADVISORY GROUP WHAT ARE WHEREAS THE BOARD HAS CONDUCTED GOVERNMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE INCLUDING IN BRUSSELS IN LEVIN, IN SAN FRANCISCO IN MARCH 2011, BY TELEPHONE IN MAY 2011, AND IN DISPOR SINGAPORE ON THE 19th OF JUNE 2011, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL AGREEMENT ON A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES NOTED BY THE GAC. AND THE BOARD HAS DIRECTED REVISIONS TO THE APPLICANT GUIDEBOOK TO REFLECT SUCH AGREEMENT. WHEREAS ICANN RECEIVED LETTERS FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF REGISTRY/REGISTRAR CROSS OWNERSHIP, AND THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE CONCERNS EXPRESSED THEREIN. THE BOARD AGREES THAT THE POTENTIAL ABUSE OF SIGNIFICANT MARKET POWER IS A SERIOUS CONCERN, AND DISCUSSIONS WITH COMPETITION AUTHORITIES WILL CONTINUE. WHEREAS ICANN HAS CONSULTED WITH THE GAC TO FUND MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE SOLUTIONS ON AREAS WHERE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICY IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH GAC ADVICE, AND, WHERE NECESSARY, HAS IDENTIFIED ITS REASONS FOR NOT INCORPORATING THE ADVICE IN PARTICULAR AREAS AS REQUIRED BY THE BYLAWS. WHEREAS THE ICANN COMMUNITY HAS DEDICATED COUNTLESS HOURS TO THE REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION OF NUMEROUS IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES, BIP THE SUBMISSION OF PUBLIC COMMENTS, PARTICIPATION IN WORKING GROUPS, AND OTHER CONSULTATIONS. WHEREAS THE BOARD HAS LISTENED TO THE INPUT THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY THE COMMUNITY, CLUCK THE SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS AND ADVISORY COMMITTEES, THROUGHOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS. WHEREAS CAREFUL ANALYSIS OF THE OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE AFFIRMATION OF COMMITMENTS AND THE STEPS TAKEN THROUGHOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS INDICATES THAT ICANN HAS FULFILLED THE COMMITMENTS DETAILED IN THE AFFIRMATION. WHEREAS THE APPLICANT GUIDEBOOK POSTED ON THE 30th OF MAY 2011 INCLUDES UPDATES RESULTING FROM PUBLIC COMMENT AND FROM RECENT GAC ADVICE. WHEREAS THE DRAFT NEW gTLDs COMMUNICATIONS PLAN FORMS THE BASIS OF THE GLOBAL OUTREACH AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES THAT WILL BE CONDUCTED LEADING UP TO AND DURING THE EXECUTION OF THE PROGRAM IN EACH OF ICANN'S GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS. WHEREAS THE DRAFT FY OPERATING PLAN AND BUDGET INCLUDES A NEW gTLD LAUNCH SCENARIO AND THE BOARD IS PREPARED TO APPROVE THE EXPENDITURES IN THE DRAFT FY BUDGET. WHEREAS IMPORTANT TO ENSURING AN INCLUSIVE AND DIVERSE PROGRAM AND WILL WORK TO IMPLEMENT A MODEL FOR PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR POTENTIAL APPLICANTS FROM COUNTRIES. WHEREAS THE BOARD'S RISK COMMITTEE HAS REVIEWED A COMPREHENSIVE RISK ASSESSMENT ASSOCIATED WITH IMPLEMENTING THE NEW gTLD PROGRAM, HAS REFINED THE STRATEGIES FOR IDENTIFYING THE MITIGATED RISK AND WILL REVIEW CONTINGENCIES AS THE PROGRAM MOVES TOWARDS LAUNCH. WHEREAS THE BOARD HAS REVIEWED THE CURRENT STATUS AND PLANS FOR OPERATIONAL READINESS AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT WITHIN ICANN. IT IS RESOLVED, THE BOARD AUTHORIZES THE PRESIDENT AND CEO TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW gTLD PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS. 1, THE 30th OF MAY 2011 VERSION OF THE APPLICANT GUIDEBOOK, SUBJECT TO THE REVISIONS AGREED TO WITH THE GAC ON THE 19th-OF-JUNE 2011, INCLUDING, REMOVE REFERENCES INDICATING THAT FUTURE EARLY WARNINGS OR ADVICE MUST CONTAIN PARTICULAR INFORMATION OR TAKE SPECIFIED FORMS. B, INCORPORATION OF TEXT CONCERNING PROTECTION FOR SPECIFIED REQUESTED RED CROSS AND IOCC NAMES FOR THE TOP LEVEL ONLY UNTIL DEVELOP POLICY ADVICE BASED ON THE GLOBAL PUBLIC INTEREST. AND C, MODIFICATION OF THE LOSER PAYS PROVISION IN THE URS TO APPLY TO COMPLAINTS INVOLVING 15, INSTEAD OF 26, OR MORE DOMAIN NAMES WITH THE SAME REGISTRANT. THE BOARD AUTHORIZES STAFF TO MAKE FURPT UPDATES AND CHANGES TO THE APPLICANT GUIDEBOOK AS NECESSARY AND APPROPRIATE, INCLUDING AS THE POSSIBLE RESULT OF NEW TECHNICAL STANDARDS, REFERENCE DOCUMENTS, OR POLICIES THAT MIGHT BE ADOPTED DURING THE COURSE OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS, AND TO PROMINENTLY PUBLISH NOTICE OF SUCH CHANGES. 2, THE DRAFT NEW gTLD COMMUNICATIONS PLAN AS POSTED AT, AND THERE'S A LINK, AS MAY BE REVISED AND ELABORATED AS NECESSARY AND APPROPRIATE. 3, OPERATIONAL READINESS ACTIVITIES TO ENABLE THE OPENING OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS. 4, A PROGRAM TO ENSURE SUPPORT FOR APPLICANTS FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, WITH A FORM, STRUCTURE, AND PROCESSES TO BE DETERMINED BY THE BOARD IN CONSULTATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING,(a) CONSIDERATION OF THE GAC RECOMMENDATION FOR A FEE WAIVER CORRESPONDING TO 76% OF THE $185US DOLLAR EVALUATION FEE. (b), CONSIDERATION OF THE ALAC AND GNSO AS CHARTERING ORGANIZATIONS OF THE JOINT APPLICANT SUPPORT WORKING GROUP.(c) DESIGNATION OF A BUDGET OF UP TO $$2.FOR SEED FUNDING AND CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER PARTIES TO PROVIDE MATCHING FUNDS. AND(d) THE REVIEW OF THE ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, ADVICE FROM THE ALAC, AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE GNSO FOLLOWING THE RECEIPT OF THE FINAL REPORT FROM THE JAS WORKING GROUP, WHICH WAS REQUESTED IN TIME TO ALLOW STAFF TO DEVELOP AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION AT ITS OCTOBER 2011 MEETING IN DAKAR, SENEGAL, WITH THE GOAL OF HAVING A SUSTAINABLE APPLICANT SUPPORT SYSTEM IN PLACE BEFORE THE OPENING OF THE APPLICATION WOINTD. 5, A PROCESS FOR HANDLING REQUESTS FOR REMOVAL OF CROSS-OWNERSHIP RESTRICTIONS ON OPERATORS OF EXISTING gTLDs WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NEW gTLD PROGRAM, BASED ON THE "PROCESS FOR HANDLING REQUESTS FOR REMOVAL OF CROSS-OWNERSHIP RESTRICTIONS FOR EXISTING gTLDs," AS MODIFIED IN RESPONSE TO COMMENT, CONSIDERATION OF MODIFICATION OF EXISTING AGREEMENTS TO ALLOW CROSS-OWNERSHIP WITH RESPECT TO THE OPERATION OF EXISTING gTLDs IS DEFERRED PENDING FURTHER DISCUSSIONS, INCLUDING WITH COMPETITION AUTHORITIES. 6, THE EXPENDITURES RELATED TO THE NEW gTLD PROGRAM AS DETAILED IN SECTION 7 OF THE DRAFT FY12 OPERATING PLAN AND BUDGET. AND FINALLY, 7, THE TIMETABLE AS SET FORTH IN THE ATTACHED GRAPHIC, WHICH THERE SHOULD BE A LINK, ELEMENTS OF WHICH INCLUDE THE NEW gTLD APPLICATION WINDOW OPENING ON THE 12th OF JANUARY 2012, AND CLOSING ON THE 12th OF APRIL 2012, WITH THE NEW gTLD COMMUNICATIONS PLAN BEGINNING IMMEDIATELY. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANK YOU, RITA. IS THERE A SECONDER FOR THAT RESOLUTION? I SEE RAY PLZAK. BEFORE I PUT THAT RESOLUTION, THEN, IS THERE ANY COMMENT FROM ANY BOARD MEMBERS. CHERINE. >>CHERINE CHALABY: THANK YOU, RITA. TODAY, MANY PEOPLE MAY THINK WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF THE JOURNEY FOR THE NEW gTLD PROGRAM. THE BOARD WOULD SAY NO. IT IS ONLY THE END OF THE BEGINNING. THE HARD AND DIFFICULT WORK IS YET TO COME. ICANN MUST EXECUTE WITH EXCELLENCE A PROGRAM OF SUCH SCALE AND IMPORTANCE. THE ICANN BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE WILL BE CONTINUING CHALLENGES AHEAD, AND LOOKS FORWARD TO A LONG-TERM INTERACTION WITH THE GAC AND THE COMMUNITY FOR THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF ALL. YES, THE MULTISTAKEHOLDER MODEL IS ALIVE AND WORKING. BUT THE BOARD HOWEVER UNDERSTAND AND THE MODEL IS NOT SET IN STONE AND IS NOT COMPLETE. THE MODEL MUST CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AND WE MUST CONTINUE TO IMPROVE. IN PARTICULAR, THE BOARD RECOGNIZES THAT IT CAN DO MORE IN FOSTERING BETTER CONSENSUS IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN REACHING CLOSURE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK HARD AT BUILDING TRUST, AT BETTER EXPLAINING OUR RATIONALE, AND IN DEVELOPING MORE MATURE AND RESPONSIBLE RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. ON THAT BASIS, I SUPPORT THE LAUNCH OF THIS EXCITING AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAM WHICH WILL HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON THE GLOBAL INTERNET COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANKS, CHERINE. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK TO THIS RESOLUTION? GEORGE. >>GEORGE SADOWSKY: THANK YOU, PETER. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT VOTES IN WHICH I WILL PARTICIPATE WITHIN ICANN. I HAVE AGONIZED OVER IT, AND I FINALLY DECIDED TO VOTE AGAINST THE RESOLUTION. THE REASONS ARE COMPLEX AND NER NOT OBVIOUS AND I WANT TO PROVIDE A MORE THEY ARE ROW EXPLANATION. THIS IS A VOTE REGARDING EXPANSION OF THE gTLD SPACE BUT IT'S ALSO A VOTE THAT WILL FUNDAMENTALLY AFFECT TWO OF ICANN'S MOST IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS. THE FIRST RELATIONSHIP IS IRN TERNL, THAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BOARD AND PARTS OF THE ICANN COMMUNITY WITH THE GAC, WHICH, LEST WE FORGET, IS ALSO A PART OF THE ICANN COMMUNITY. THE SECOND RELATIONSHIP IS EXTERNAL, AND IT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ICANN AND THE LARGE MASS OF PEOPLE IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD, PLUS MANY WHO ARE DISADVANTAGED IN SPECIAL WAYS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, WITH RESPECT TO INTERNET ACCESS AND USE. I DON'T TAKE COMFORT IN OPPOSING THIS RESOLUTION. LEGITIMATE DEMAND FOR NEW GENERIC TOP-LEVEL DOMAINS CLEARLY EXISTS. SATISFYING THIS DEMAND IS CRITICAL FOR IDN gTLDs. AND THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL FOR MANY SCRIPT AND LANGUAGE COMMUNITIES. THESE IDN gTLDs HAVE LONG BEEN HELD HOSTAGE TO THE OVERALL gTLD POLICY PROCESS, WITH THE ONLY POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES BEING THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED IDN ccTLDs, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE TO INDIVIDUALS IN BUSINESSES AND WHICH MAY HAVE UNDESIRABLE PROPERTIES REGARDING PRIVACY OF INFORMATION. HOWEVER, IT'S CLEAR THAT THERE ARE STILL SOME SIGNIFICANT AND STRONGLY FELT DIFFERENCES OF OPINION BETWEEN THE CONTENT OF THE RESOLUTION AND THE VIEWS OF THE GAC AND SOME OF ITS MEMBERS. IN THE LAST MONTHS, THE BOARD/GAC RELATIONSHIP HAS BEEN TESTED BY MANY DIFFERENCES, AND THERE HAS BEEN PROGRESS IN RESOLVING MANY OF THESE, SOME BY COMPROMISE AND OTHERS BY THE DEVELOPMENT OF BETTER COMMUNICATION AND BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF COMMON GOALS AND WHAT CONSISTS OF MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE SOLUTIONS. HOWEVER, THIS PROCESS IS NOT SUFFICIENTLY COMPLETE, AND THERE IS MORE WORK TO BE DONE, INCLUDING MAKING SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF EACH OTHER'S CULTURE, AND MAKING OUR COMMUNICATION PATTERNS MORE EFFECTIVE. ADVANCING THIS AGENDA SHOULD NOT BE BASED ON THE RESULTS OF A RESIDUAL ZERO- SUM GAME. I STRONGLY FAVOR THE CREATION OF NEW gTLDs, BUT I WANT TO SEE THIS PROCESS CONCLUDED SATISFACTORILY. WE NEED TO LAUNCH THIS PROGRAM IN THE RIGHT WAY ON THE BASIS OF STRONG AND SHARED AGREEMENT AMONG THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE ARE NOT YET THERE IN MY OPINION. WHILE I REJECT THIS MOTION, I WOULD WELCOME A VOTE IN FAVOR OF LAUNCHING A NEW gTLD PROGRAM SEVERAL MONTHS FROM NOW, BUT ONLY WHEN OUR DIFFERENCES ARE LARGELY RESOLVED. THE SECOND RELATIONSHIP INVOLVED IN THIS VOTE, THE RELATIONSHIP MOSTLY WITH THE DEVELOPING WORLD, IS, I BELIEVE, AS IMPORTANT AS THE NEW gTLD DECISION. EVEN THOUGH IT RATES ONLY A PASSING MENTION IN THE RESOLUTION, AND I THINK A LINE OR MAYBE A PARAGRAPH IN THE GUIDEBOOK. TAKE OUT LAST PERIOD. LONG AFTER OUR CURRENT FASCINATION WITH OUR CURRENT CREATION NEW gTLDs HAS DIMINISHED, WE WILL BE INCREASINGLY INVOLVED FOR A LONG TIME WITH WHAT MIGHT BEST BE CALLED IN THIS CONTEXT THE REST OF THE WORLD. THAT IS THE CLASS OF PEOPLE MOSTLY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WHO DO NOT HAVE ADEQUATE OR USABLE INTERNET CAPABILITIES BY VIRTUE OF SHORTCOMINGS IN DNS CAPABILITIES. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO GET THIS RELATIONSHIP STARTED ON THE RIGHT TRACK. I DON'T DOUBT THE SINCERITY OR THE MOTIVATIONS OF THOSE BOTH IN THE JAS AND IN THE GAC WHO ARGUED FOR SUBSIDIZIZATION AND ASSISTANCE TO SO-CALLED NEEDY APPLICANTS. HOWEVER I BELIEVE WE CAN AND SHOULD DO SIGNIFICANTLY BERPT AND THE CURRENT PROPOSAL IS NOT, IN MY OPINION, AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO ASSIST THESE POPULATIONS IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH THE MANDATE OF ICANN. IT'S MY SENSE THAT THE FOCUS OF THIS RESOLUTION WHICH WAS LIMITED TO ASSISTANCE OF VARIOUS KINDS WITH REGARD TO APPLYING FOR NEW gTLDs IS AN INADEQUATE SCOPE AND ADVANCES OUR RELATIONSHIP ON THE WRONG BASIS. LET ME EXPLAIN AND I WILL DO SO BY MAKING TWO OBSERVATIONS FOLLOWED BY SOME REASONS WHY I BELIEVE THIS IS SO. THE FIRST OBSERVATION IS THAT I STRONGLY FAVOR PLANNING FOR AND PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO THE DEVELOPING WORLD. I HAVE PERSONALLY ASSISTED IN MORE THAN 50 DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, ABOUT 20 IN AFRICA AND I HAVE SPENT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN A THIRD AND A HALF OF A LONG PROFESSIONAL LIFE WORKING WITH THEM, IN THEM AND ON THEIR BEHALF. I HAVE SEEN MORE THAN MY SHARE OF THE EFFECTS OF HUNGER, DISEASE, LACK OF EDUCATION, I WILL LITERACY AND POVERTY. PEOPLE IN THESE COUNTRIES NEED ALL KINDS OF HELP AND WE SHOULD PROVIDE ASSISTANCE THAT HELPS THEM MOST, CONSISTENT WITH OUR STRENGTH, OUR RESOURCES, AND MOST IMPORTANT, WITHIN THE SCOPE OF OUR MANDATE. SECONDLY, I'M PAINFULLY AWARE OF THE OPTICS OF THIS VENGS INTERVENTION. I'M FROM THE NORTH AND I AM SITTING NEXT TO MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE KATIM TOURAY WHO IS FROM THE SOUTH, AND I AM IN EFFECT SAYING THAT WHAT HE IS PASSIONATELY ARGUING FOR IS NOT BEST FOR HIM. THIS GOES COUNTER TO THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM THAT SOUTHERNERS UNDERSTAND THEIR PROBLEMS AND ISSUES BETTER THAN NORTHERNERS AND THAT ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO THEM SHOULD PRIMARILY ENABLE THEM TO ADDRESS THOSE PROBLEMS THEMSELVES. TO THIS I WOULD SAY I HOPE WE CAN IN THIS DISCUSSION RISE ABOVE POLITICAL CORRECTNESS AND OPINIONS OF NORTHERNERS REGARDING POLITICAL CORRECTNESS ARE SOMETIMES CORRECT AND OPINIONS OF SOUTHERNERS ARE NOT ALWAYS THE MOST EFFECTIVE. NOW I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE REASONS WHY THIS INITIATIVE, HOWEVER WELL MEANING, DOES NOT SERVE ITS BENEFICIARIES OR ICANN EFFECTIVELY OR WELL. THE PROPOSAL IS BASED LARGELY, BUT NOT TOTALLY, ON MAKING FUNDS AVAILABLE. CASTING ICANN IN THE PRINCIPAL ROLE OF FUNDER OR BANKER -- THAT'S NOT THE ONLY ROLE, BUT THAT'S THE PRINCIPAL ROLE. GIVEN WHAT ICANN COULD PROVIDE IN TERMS OF ASSISTANCE, DO WE WANT THE DEVELOPING WORLD TO SEE US LARGELY AS A SOURCE OF FUNDS? IF THEY DO THEN DEMAND FOR ASSISTANCE IS LIKELY TO BE HIGH AND WILL INEXORABLY GROW. ONCE A FUNDER WE WILL ALWAYS BE SEEN AS A FUNDER. GROWTH WILL BE BASED MORE UPON THIS PERCEPTION THAN ANYPLACE OTHER. THE PROPOSAL IGNORES THE OPPORTUNITY COST OF DIRECTING THE RESOURCES ELSEWHERE. ASSUMING THE AMOUNT OF $2 FOR SUCH A PROGRAM, THAT'S THE NET FIGURE THAT'S BEEN MENTIONED FROM TIME TO TIME, WO ONE COULD PROBABLY ASSIST FROM 20 TO 40 SO-CALLED NEEDY APPLICANTS. ONE COULD EQUALLY WELL PROVIDE 1,000 ADDITIONAL FELLOWSHIPS TO ICANN MEETINGS. OR PROVIDE 100 TO HUNDRED IN THE FIELD IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ON ACCESS AND STABILITY. OR LOAM REGISTRARS IN DEVELOPING WORLDS TOR CONDUCT NULT MULTIPLE OTHER COMBINATIONS OF GOODS AND SERVICES. $2 MILLION CAN BE A LOT OF MONEY IF IT'S USED WELL. SO WHICH OF THESE ALTERNATIVES OR WHICH MIX OF THOSE ALTERNATIVES IS MOST EFFECTIVE FOR ACHIEVING OUR GOALS IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD? I DON'T KNOW. AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT COLLECTIVELY WE DON'T KNOW. AND THE REASON WE DON'T KNOW IS THAT WE NEVER ASKED THE QUESTION. INSTEAD, WE ASKED THE WRONG QUESTION, WHICH WAS IN EFFECT, HOW CAN WE GET MONEY TO PROPAGATE NEW gTLDs ABOUT WHICH WE'RE REALLY ENTHUSIASTIC INTO THE DEVELOPING WORLD. THIS IS A TOOL-BASED APPROACH, NOT A GOAL-BASED APPROACH. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS POSED BY THE INSISTENCE THAT SUCH AN INITIATIVE BE INCLUDED IN THE FIRST ROUND OF APPLICATIONS SO THAT, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, I'M NOT SURE OF THIS BUT I THINK I UNDERSTAND IT, NEEDY APPLICANTS SOMEHOW HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO GOOD NAMES. IN DOING SO, IT'S MY FEELING THAT THE PROPOSAL IMPLICITLY LACK OF FAITH IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR LED ORIENTATION OF THE PROGRAM. IN MY OPINION WHAT MATTERS IS THAT GOOD NAMES BECOME AVAILABLE FOR CONSUMERS AND WHETHER A NEEDY APPLICANT OR A NONNEEDY APPLICANT OFFERS THE NAME SHOULD NOT REALLY BE AN ISSUE. WHY SHOULD SUBSIDIES BE GRANTED WHEN THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE WHETHER OR WHERE THEY ARE NEEDED TO PROVIDE CONSUMER CHOICE. IF THE MARKET DOESN'T PROVIDE THEM IN THE FIRST ROUND THEN WE DO HAVE THE OPTION TO ADOPT IN THE FUTURE A MORE SHARPLY -- SET OF MORE SHARPLY SET OF REMEDIAL MEASURES BASED UPON ACTUAL EXPERIENCE. I BELIEVE IT IS NOT ICANN'S JOB TO INFLUENCE THE CHOICE OF WINNERS AND LOSERS IN SUCH COMPETITIONS, BUT THAT IS IMPLICITLY WHAT WE WILL BE DOING. THE SELECTION OF WHO IS TRULY NEEDY, WHETHER DECIDED INTERNALLY OR BY AN EXTERNAL BODY, NEVERTHELESS GUIDED BY ICANN'S TERMS OF REFERENCE, IS FRAUGHT WITH DANGER, IS POLITICAL SENSITIVE AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ICANN'S TECHNICAL MANDATE. IT IS OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF ICANN'S MISSION, WHETHER DELEGATED OR DONE INTERNALLY. I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST AN ALTERNATIVE. RECOGNIZING THAT WE DO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY FOR HELPING THE DEVELOPING WORLD, LET'S MAKE A SERIOUS EFFORT TO DETERMINE WHAT REASONABLE GOALS FOR ICANN MIGHT BE IN THIS SPACE, GIVEN ICANN'S SUBSTANTIAL WEALTH OF TALENT AND EXPERIENCE AND POTENTIAL FINANCIAL RESOURCES. THE GOALS ARE LIKELY TO BE MET BY A COMBINATION OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, AND ONE THAT MAY WELL VARY BY GEOGRAPHY AND BY TIME. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE ICANN COMMUNITY ALONE CAN DEFINE SUCH A PROGRAM EFFECTIVELY. WE DON'T HAVE THE COMBINED SKILL SET OR DEPTH OF EXPERIENCE. SO LET'S FIGURE OUT WHO OUR MOST EFFECTIVE PARTNERS WOULD BE. LET'S THEN MOVE PROMPTLY TO EXECUTE SO WE CAN ACHIEVE THESE GOALS AND MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS TO THE GLOBAL PUBLIC INTEREST IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH AND WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATIONAL MANDATE. I WOULD BE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT AFFILIATING WITH SUCH AN ALTERNATIVE AND ABOUT VOTING FOR A RESOLUTION THAT RESOLVES TO CREATE IT, IN CONTRAST THE APPROACH CONTAINED IN THE CURRENT RESOLUTION OFFERS A POOR AND MISDIRECTED SUBSTITUTE AND SHOULD BE REJECTED. THANK YOU. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANK YOU, GEORGE. I HAVE ERIKA NEXT. ERIKA. >>ERIKA MANN: THANK YOU SO MUCH, PETER. MY EXPERIENCE FROM THE -- MY 15 YEARS EXPERIENCE FROM THE POLITICAL WORLD AND ALL THIS BEING INTERNATIONAL -- ENGAGED IN INTERNATIONAL FORA AND INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS, I THINK IT IS ACTUALLY TIME TO TAKE A DECISION. AND MY PERSONAL OPINION BEING A RELATIVELY NEW MEMBER ON THE BOARDs THAT ACTUALLY THE MULTISTAKEHOLDER MODEL IS WORKING PRETTY WELL. THERE IS, OF COURSE, NEVER A GUARANTEE THAT ONE CAN FIND A COMPROMISE IN SUCH A WAY THAT EVERYONE, HUNDRED PERCENT, WILL AGREE ON EVERY DECISION THAT WILL BE TAKEN. BUT THAT'S PART OF THE MULTISTAKEHOLDER MOM THAT IS EMBEDDED INTO THE PHILOSOPHY OF IT. BUT THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF IT, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT IT, HOW OTHERWISE ONE COULD NEGOTIATE SOMETHING, IT IS MUCH MORE COMPLEX. IF YOU LOOK INTO ALL OF THE INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS, THE WAY THEY ARE NEGOTIATED, IT TAKES AS LONG, IF NOT EVEN LONGER, THAN THE TIME IT TOOK FOR US TO FIND A DECISION, AND IT IS NOT UNIFORM AS WELL. SO THERE IS NO GUARANTEE IF ONE WOULD LOOK INTO ANOTHER SOLUTION OF FINDING SOLUTION THAT THE OUTCOME WOULD BE MORE HARMONIOUS. SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE HAVE FIND THE BEST SOLUTION, THE OPTIMUM SOLUTION POSSIBLE. THERE IS ALWAYS THE NEED TO IMPROVE. NOT IN END BECAUSE OF THE DECISION TAKEN TODAY . IMPROVEMENT IS ALWAYS NEEDED BUT THIS IS TRUE BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE MULTISTAKEHOLDER MODEL AND ICANN IS DESIGNED, BUT THAT'S TRUE FOR ALL OTHER WAY INTERNATIONAL OPERATE -- INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS NEGOTIATE THEIR AGREEMENT. SO I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE WAY WE HAVE DRAFTED THE RESOLUTION IS THE OPTIMUM WHAT WE CAN REACH, AND I WILL SUPPORT IT. I AM DEEPLY CONVINCED THAT IT WILL ENHANCE COMPETITION, THAT IT WILL BRING MORE INNOVATION INTO THE ECOSYSTEM, AND THAT IT WILL HELP MANY NEW BUSINESS TO INVOLVE. AND I AM DEEPLY CONVINCED AS WELL THAT FOR THE DEVELOPING WORLD, THE SEED FUND WHICH WE GIVE, AND IT'S A SEED FUND WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL BE MATCHED BY OTHER DONORS, AND WILL ACTUALLY HELP DEVELOPING COUNTRIES -- OR NOT DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, BUT ORGANIZATION AND COMPANIES FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES TO FIND THEIR WAY AND THEIR ACCESS INTO THIS ECOSYSTEM. I THINK IT'S TIME FOR REALITY CHECK. ONE CAN CONTINUE FOREVER TO NEGOTIATE, AND I HAVE DEEP RESPECT FOR ALL THE GOVERNMENTS AND FOR ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED. BUT PARTICULAR, THE GAC. I KNOW HOW HARD THEY HAVE WORKED, AND I KNOW HOW DEEPLY GOVERNMENTS MUST STAY COMMITTED TO THEIR NATIONAL REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT. BUT I'M DEEPLY CONVINCED AS WELL THAT THE INTERNET, IT'S A GLOBAL, AS WE ALWAYS SAY, ENVIRONMENT, IT'S AN INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT, WHICH AUTOMATICALLY MEANS THAT COMPROMISE IS NEEDED ON THIS LEVEL. SO MY SUPPORT FOR THIS RESOLUTION IS THERE. THANK YOU. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANK YOU, ERIKA. I HAVE MIKE SILBER NEXT. MIKE. >>MIKE SILBER: THANK YOU, PETER. I'VE MADE A DECISION TO ABSTAIN ON THIS VOTE, AND I WANTED TO MAKE A STATEMENT. MY DECISION TO ABSTAIN ON THIS RESOLUTION HAS TAKEN A GREAT DEAL OF THOUGHT AND INTERNAL DEBATE. I AM AWARE, AS ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES WILL NO DOULT SHORTLY POINT OUT -- THANK YOU, RAY -- THAT IN TERMS OF THE VOTING PROCEDURES IN THE ICANN BYLAWS THAT MY ABSTENTION AMOUNTS TO A VOTE IN THE NEGATIVE. AT THE SAME TIME I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THAT I AM NO, NO WAY OPPOSED TO THE IDEA OF NEW gTLDs OR THEIR INTRODUCTION. INSTEAD IT IS THE PROCESS THAT HAS LED TO TODAY'S VOTE. IN FACT, I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW gTLDs WILL ENHANCE COMPETITION, INNOVATION AND CONSUMER CHOICE. HOWEVER, A BELIEF IS IN MY VIEW SCANT GROUNDS FOR EXECUTING MY FIDUCIARY DUTY ESPECIALLY WHEN THE AFFIRMATION OF COMMITMENTS CALLS FOR A BOTTOM-UP POLICY MODEL FOR DNS TEAM COORDINATION THAT ACTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF GLOBAL INTERNET USERS AND FURTHER CALLS FOR FACT-BASED POINT OF IMPACT DEVELOPMENT, CROSS-COMMUNITY DELIBERATIONS AND RESPONSIVE CONSULTATION PROCEDURES THAT PROVIDE DETAILED EXPLANATIONS OF THE BASIS FOR DECISIONS, INCLUDING HOW COMMENTS HAVE INFLUENCED THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICY CONSIDERATIONS, AND PARTICULARLY REQUIRES THAT ICANN WILL ENSURE THAT AS IT CONTEMPLATES EXPANDING THE TOP-LEVEL DOMAIN SPACE, THE VARIOUS ISSUES THAT ARE INVOLVED, INCLUDING COMPETITION, CONSUMER PROTECTIONS, SECURITY, STABILITY, AND RESIST YENS IS I, MALICIOUS ABUSE ISSUES, SOVEREIGNTY CONCERNS AND RIGHTS PROTECTIONS WILL BE ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED PRIOR TO THE BOARD AND GOVERNMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON SUNDAY 19 JUNE, 2011, I'M OF THE VIEW THAT THE THE PROCESS IS CLOSE TO FINALITY BUT NOT YET THERE. THERE ARE STILL ISSUES OPEN THAT PREVENT ME FROM CON CLUING THAT ISSUES HAVE BEEN ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED FROM THIS VOTE. HEADING TOWARDS MIDNIGHT AND STILL WORKING ON SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES, I COULD NOT CONCLUDE THAT POLICY WAS BEING DEVELOPED BASED ON FACTS AND ON A BOTTOM-UP BASIS. IN PARTICULAR IT IS MY VIEW THAT ALL ASPECTS OF THE COMPETITION IMPLICATIONS OF THE MANNER OF THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW gTLD AND IN PARTICULAR THE ISSUE OF SEPARATION BETWEEN REGISTRIES AND REGISTRARS AND ON THE IMPACT OF BOTH EXISTING AND NEW REGISTRIES AND REGISTRARS HAS NOT BEEN COMPREHENSIVELY RESOLVED. IN ADDITION I HAVE GRAPH CONCERNS REGARDING HOW THE NEW gTLD PROGRAM AFFECTS THE LEAST DEVELOPING COUNTRY, I GREATLY APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK AND EFFORT THAT HAVE BEEN DONE SINCE THE ISSUE STARTED RECEIVING THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES. HOWEVER, I CANNOT AGREE THAT PROVIDING ASSISTANCE ACTUALLY DRESSES THE NEEDS OF COMMUNITIES IN THE LEAST DEVELOPED ECONOMIES. I REFER IN PARTICULAR TO THE WORK DONE BY SEVERAL COLLEAGUES IN THE ccTLD COMMUNITY. USING SURPLUS FUNDS GENERATE BID PROVIDING DOMAIN NAMES TO THEN SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGY, POLICY AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT RATHER THAN HANDING OUT A FEW FREE OR PRICE REDUCED DOMAIN NAMES. WHILE NEW gTLDs COULD BE USEFUL TO MANY COMMUNITIES INCLUDING IN THE LEAST DEVELOPED ECONOMIES, BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE FULFILLED OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO ASSIST SUCH COMMUNITIES BY SUBSIDIZING A NEW NEW gTLDS IS IN MY VIEW NAIVE. I MUST INDICATE A GREAT DEAL OF SYMPATHY WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON THE GAC AND THEIR FRUSTRATION REGARDING THIS AND A PERCEIVED LACK OF WILLINGNESS ON THE PART rd BOARD TO RECEIVE CONSULTATION, I DO HOWEVER, BELIEVE THAT MANY ISSUES RAISED IN THAT ENGAGEMENT WERE THE RESULT OF COMMUNITIES FORUM SHOPPING AND HAVING NOT ACHIEVED THE DESIRED RESULT IN ONE PLACE LOBBYING THEIR GOVERNMENTS TO RAISE IT IN ANOTHER. HOWEVER, THAT IS THE RESULT OF THE MULTI-STAKEHOLDER MODEL AND WHETHER DESIRABLE OR NOT, IT IS A CONSEQUENCE WITH WHICH WE MUST DEAL TO OBTAIN ALL THE OTHER BENEFITS THAT MULTI-STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT BRINGS. I WOULD, HOWEVER, ENCOURAGE THE GAC TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE AS A RESULT OF THESE INTERACTIONS AND NOT TO RETREAT, TO RAISE ISSUES EARLIER IF POSSIBLE AND TO CONSIDER HOW BEST TO RESPOND TO THE FAST PACED AND FLUID NATURE OF POLICY WORK IN A MULTI-STAKEHOLDER ENVIRONMENT. THEY HAVE DONE MUCH WORK AND MANAGED TO CHANGE THINKING AND INFLUENCE POLICY IN MANY AREAS AND IN ALL THAT, THEY HAVE ACHIEVED MUCH. I CONGRATULATE MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD IN THE SOs AND ACs WHO HAVE WORKED SO HARD ON THIS ISSUE OVER MANY YEARS AND IN PARTICULAR THE STAFF FOR THEIR DEDICATION AND EXPERTISE. HOWEVER, WHEN THE END IS IN SIGHT, I CANNOT BRING MYSELF TO VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE FOR A RESOLUTION THAT IS BROUGHT TO THE BOARD NOW BASED ON EART OFFICIAL AND EGO- DRIVEN DEADLINES PARTICULARLY WHEN, IN MY VIEW, THE PROGRAM IS SO CLOSE TO COMPLETION BUT STILL WEEKS OR ONLY DAYS WAY FROM ADEQUATELY ADDRESSING THOSE CONSIDERATIONS CONTAINED IN THE AFFIRMATION OF COMMITMENTS. I WILL ACCORDINGLY ABSTAIN. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANK YOU, MIKE. WE MOVE THEN TO RAY PLZAK. RAY? >>RAY PLZAK: THANK YOU, PETER. AND THANK YOU FOR THAT NICE INTRODUCTION, MIKE. FOR THE COMMUNITY, YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT IN THE BYLAWS, THE RULES OF QUORUM FOR THE BOARD BASICALLY SAYS THAT WHE READ THE FINE PRINT THAT IF YOU ABSTAIN, YOUR VOTE IN EFFECT IS A "NO" VOTE. IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT PERSONS WHO WISH TO RECUSE THEMSELVES FOR LEGITIMATE REASONS SUCH AS BRUCE HAS DONE, IN EFFECT ARE CASTING A "NO" VOTE. PARTICULARLY IN THE CASE OF BRUCE WHO HAS WORKED SO HARD FOR THIS PROGRAM. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THAT PECULIARITY, I HAVE GRAVE MISGIVINGS OF ANYONE WHO ABSTAINS FOR OTHER THAN REASONS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. AND THEREFORE, I CONSIDER ANY OTHER REASON FOR OBSTAINING TO ACTUALLY BE A "NO" VOTE. AND THE PREFACE OF BOTH GEORGE, WHO IS VOTING NO AND MIKE WHO IS ABSTAINING IS BASICALLY THE SAME. THE PECULIARITIES AND DETAILS OF WHY THEY'RE CASTING THEIR VOTE ARE SIMILAR. HOWEVER, THEY DO HAVE SOME DIFFERENCES. THEREFORE, I JUST WISH TO GO ON THE RECORD STATING THAT I CONSIDER ANY ABSTENTION OTHER THAN THE ONE THAT'S GIVEN BY BRUCE AS BEING A NO VOTE ON THIS MATTER. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANK YOU, RAY. WE MOVE THEN TO STEVE CROCKER. >>STEVE CROCKER: THANK YOU, PETER. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY, VERY LONG PROCESS. ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF WORK HAS BEEN PUT INTO IT. YOU'VE HEARD FROM MY COLLEAGUES CHERINE CHALABY AND ERIKA MANN TALKING ABOUT THE WORK THAT'S BEEN PUT INTO IT AND THE QUALITY OF DISCUSSIONS AND THE NEED TO MOVE ON AND I FULLY SUPPORT THAT. THIS IS ONE OF THE OBLIGATIONS AND EXPECTATIONS THAT ICANN -- THAT WAS PART OF THE FOUNDING OF ICANN. AND THIS IS A QUITE HISTORIC POINT IN TIME IN THAT THIS WILL DISCHARGE, BUT AS CHERINE SAID, IT WILL BE THE END OF THE BEGINNING, NOT THE END OF THE PROCESS. BUT IT WILL DISCHARGE THE LONG LONG STANDING OBLIGATION TO OPEN UP THE TLD SPACE. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN AND LISTENING CAREFULLY TO THE ARGUMENTS BACK AND FORTH ABOUT WHETHER THIS IS A GOOD THING, WHETHER IT WILL ACTUALLY GENERATE ANY INTERESTING IDEAS, OR WHETHER IT WILL BE TO THE ADVANTAGE OF EVERYBODY. THE CASE FOR THE IDNS WAS VERY STRONG. THE CASE FOR NEW TLDs IS A LITTLE HARDER TO PIN DOWN. BUT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES IN THE CREATION OF THE INTERNET FROM A VERY LONG TIME AGO WAS NOT TO STIFLE OR PREJUDGE WHAT THE PATHS TO INNOVATION ARE. SO THE DEFAULT HAS TO BE THAT ABSENT A STRONG CASE THAT SUCH THINGS WILL CAUSE HARM, WE MUST MOVE FORWARD. AND I STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS. IS THIS PROGRAM PERFECT? OF COURSE, NOT? IS IT SOLID? IT IS. EVERY IMAGINABLE ASPECT HAS BEEN EXAMINED SIX WAYS FROM SUNDAYMENT EVERYBODY HAS HAD A VOICE. NOT EVERYBODY WHO HAS SPOKEN AND HAS A POSITION HAS HAD THEIR POSITION SATISFIED. BUT THAT IS THE NATURE OF THE VERY BIG ENVIRONMENT AND ALL-INCLUSIVE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN. I WANT TO SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SUPPORT FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND FOR NEEDY APPLICANTS. KATIM HAS BEEN VERY FORCEFUL AND CONSISTENT AND PERSISTENT ABOUT PUSHING IN THAT AREA AND THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF EMPATHY AND DESIRE TO BE SUPPORTIVE. I ALSO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE GEORGE'S AND MIKE'S COMMENTS. JUST BECAUSE WE ARE EMPATHETIC AND SENSITIVE, DOESN'T INSTANTLY CREATE A CLEAR PATH FORWARD. SO AS YOU'VE SEEN, WE ARE COMMITTED TO FIGURING OUT WHAT MAKES SENSE IN THAT AREA. BUT IT IS ALSO EQUALLY CLEAR THERE ARE MANY THINGS WE COULD TRY TO DO THAT WOULD HAVE THE APPEARANCE OF BEING HELPFUL THAT IN THE END WOULD NOT NECESSARILY MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE. SO WE CONTINUE TO WRESTLE WITH THAT AND TO FIND A WAY FORWARD AND I THINK WE'RE ALL COMMITTED TO DOING THAT. AND THAT REMAINS A PART OF THE REFINEMENT OF THE PROCESS AS WE MOVE FORWARD. IF YOU TAKE TIME TO WORK THROUGH THE APPLICANT GUIDEBOOK AND IMAGINE HOW MUCH WORK HAS GONE INTO THAT, THE NUMBER OF ITERATIONS THAT YOU'VE ALL SEEN, THE DEDICATION OF THE STAFF TO PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER, WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS A VERY SOLID PROGRAM. MANY PEOPLE WILL WRITE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE THINGS, I'M SURE. I HOPE THAT THIS IS STUDIED IN BUSINESS SCHOOLS GOING FORWARD AND ANALYZED IN MANY WAYS. AND WE'LL LOOK BACK AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE RESULTS WERE COMPARED TO WHAT WE EXPECTED. AND I THINK THAT'S A VERY HEALTHY PROCESS. BUT HAVING BEEN INVOLVED IN A SERIES OF KEY DECISIONS ALONG WAY FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, I FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT TRYING TO DO IT EXACTLY RIGHT AND PARTICULARLY TRYING TO HOLD THINGS UP TO GET THINGS EXACTLY RIGHT, IS EXACTLY THE WRONG THING TO DO. SO WITH NO HESITATION REALLY, I PLAN TO VOTE AND NOT ONLY VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, BUT TO BE FULL -- WHOLEHEARTEDLY BEHIND THE EXECUTION. HARD WORK REMAINS VERY MUCH IN FRONT OF US. AND THE HARD WORK WILL BE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. AS HARD AS IT IS FOR THE ICANN STAFF TO BE ORGANIZED AND STAFF THIS UP, I KNOW FULL WELL HOW MUCH WORK EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY WILL DO AS APPLICATIONS ARE PREPARED AS PLANS ARE PUT IN PLACE TO BRING FORTH NEW gTLDs AND THEN THE ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF ENERGY NEEDED TO PROMOTE AND BRING THEM IN TO LIVE OPERATION AND MAKE THEM SUCCEED. AND STRAP YOURSELF IN. THERE WILL BE A LITTLE BIT OF TURBULENCE ALONG THE WAY, BUT IT WILL BE A QUITE EXCITING RIDE. THANK YOU. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANKS VERY MUCH, STEVE. NEXT ON MY SPEAKING LIST, KATIM. >>KATIM TOURAY: THANKS A LOT, PETER. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. I JUST WANT TO VERY BRIEFLY TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY SAY A FEW WORDS DEALING WITH A PROFOUND FEELING OF GRATITUDE I FEEL TOWARD THE COMMUNITIMENT I THINK WE SHOULD ALL BE PROUD OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO OVER THE PAST 6 OR SO YEARS IN PUTTING THIS THING TOGETHER, THE NEW gTLD PROGRAM THROUGH A VERY HIGHLY CONSULTATIVE MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PROCESS. I DARE SAY FOR ME, I'VE ALWAYS TOLD MEM THAT THE MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PROCESS IS NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT I LIKE TO SEE WORK FOR ICANN. BUT TO HAVE IT REALLY SERVE AS A NEW PARADIGM FOR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION. AND I'M GLAD TO SAY IT'S ACTUALLY HAVING ITS EFFECT BEYOND ICANN BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS JUST SOMETIME LAST YEAR WHEN THERE WAS A LOT OF HEW AND CRYING IN THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY. WHEN AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO REALLY STEER THE GIF PROCESS, IT WAS, I BELIEVE, IN A DIRECTION THAT WAS NOT MULTI- STAKEHOLDER AND, OF COURSE, THE RESULTING PUSHBACK MEANT THAT THERE HAD TO BE AN EFFECTIVE CLIMB DOWN AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ENDED UP WITH A MULTI- STAKEHOLDER PROCESS. SO CONGRATULATIONS IN NOT ONLY ACHIEVING THIS BUT IN THE PROCESS. IT'S ONE OF EVOLUTION AND I'M SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL TAKE THE CUE FROM YOU. THE PROCESS HAS ALSO RESULTED IN AN ADDITION THAT'S BEEN TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT WE PROVIDE SUPPORT TO APPLICANTS FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRY AND NEEDY APPLICANTS GENERICALLY. I SAY THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE FROM THE GET-GO, THE DESIRE HAS BEEN AS PUT OUT IN THE RESOLUTION BY THE ICANN BOARD IN NAIROBI LAST YEAR, RESOLUTION 20, THE -- EXCUSE ME, THE DESIRE WAS THAT WE HAVE AN INCLUSIVE PROCESS, THAT IS, THOSE THAT CAN HAVE GENUINE GROUNDS FOR APPLYING FOR A NEW gTLD TO SERVE A COMMUNITY, SERVE A CULTURAL NEED, GEOGRAPHIC NEED OR WHATEVER YOU ABOUT DO NOT HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL BECAUSE OF VIRTUE OF THEIR ECONOMIC DISPOSITION, THEIR VIRTUE OF WHICH BEING LOCATED IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY THAT DO NOT HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL TO COME UP WITH RESOURCES TO MEET THE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS WILL AND SHOULD BE PROVIDED SUPPORT. AND I THINK THE ISSUE HERE IS THAT WE HAVE NOT QUARRELING ABOUT WHETHER WE SHOULD DO IT OR NOT. I THINK THAT THAT MUCH IS VERY MUCH BEEN RESOLVED NOW, GENERALLY PEOPLE NOW UNDERSTAND OR AGREE THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT PROVIDING SUPPORT TO NEEDY APPLICANTS. THE WAY I SEE IT IS THAT WE HAVE DECIDED THAT WE'RE GOING TO COOK DINNER AND THE ISSUE NOW IS WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CHIPOTLE OR PIZZA. I THINK THAT'S A HUGE PROCESS AND I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU FOR THAT. I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT THIS COMMIT MANY OR DESIRE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO NEEDY A.M. PLANTS FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IS VERY MUCH ALONG THE LINES OF PREVAILING PRACTICE, PREVAILING BEST PRACTICE AND SENTIMENT IN THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY OF WHICH ICANN I CONSIDER IS BECOMING AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT PLAYER. IT WAS JUST LAST MONTH ACTUALLY IN MAY IN ISTANBUL, TURKEY, THAT U.N. ORGANIZED ITS FOURTH SUMMIT ON LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES THAT WAS ATTENDED BY 10,000 PEOPLE INCLUDING HEADS OF STATES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WHERE BASICALLY THE MEETING WAS THEY BROUGHT IN ALL HANDS ON DECK TO DISCUSS THE AGENDA FOR AGENTS IN A DEVELOPING COMMUNITY AND PROVIDING SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE AND PARTNERSHIP WITH AND FOR THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. AND I THINK ICANN NEEDS TO PICK A CUE FROM THAT. AND I'M GLAD TO SAY THAT WE'RE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO SEE WHETHER IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO ORGANIZE A SUMMIT ALONG THOSE LINES IN THE SENEGAL WHEN ICANN HAS ITS LAST INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC MEETING THIS COMING OCTOBER. IN THE SAME VEIN, MY GOOD FRIEND DR. SADOWSKY AND A COUPLE OTHER PEOPLE INCLUDING MYSELF ARE ORGANIZING A WORKSHOP IN NAIROBI IN THE UP COMING IGF TO BE HELD THERE TO PRECISELY DISCUSS THE ROLE OF THE ICANN AND IETF AND SIMILARLY NAMED I ORGANIZATIONS AND INTERNET GOVERNANCE AND THEIR ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE AND DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP. SO LET'S SEE THIS AS REALLY ONE PLAN IN THE VERY IMPORTANT SERIES OF STEPS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE TO BUILD AND STRENGTHEN THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE. I THINK GIVEN WHERE WE ARE, WHAT REMAINS NOW IS TO REALLY FIGURE OUT HOW WE IMPLEMENT AND AGAIN HERE, LET ME TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY A BIG THANK YOU TO THE JAS WORKING GROUP, THE GNSO COUNCIL AND THE ALAC AND THE GAC FOR WONDERFUL SUPPORT AND INCREDIBLE EFFORTS THAT THEY PUT IN AND CONTINUE TO PUT IN DEVELOPING A STRATEGY AND DEVISING WAYS AND MEANS THAT WE CAN USE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY. WE REALLY COULDN'T SAY THANK YOU ENOUGH TO THEM. AND FINALLY I ALWAYS KEEP SAYING LET'S KEEP IN MIND THIS ONE SIMPLE THING THAT TO ME I THINK SHOULD BE KEY TO EVERYTHING WE DO IN REGARDS TO OUR SUPPORT THAT WE PROVIDE TO DEVELOPING WORLD. THAT WE SHOULD NOT DO THIS FROM A VERY PATRONIZING PERSPECTIVE. WE SHOULD DO THIS BECAUSE I THINK -- BECAUSE IT'S WHAT'S BEST FOR THE DEVELOPING WORLD. BUT ALSO IT IS WAS BEST FOR ICANN. AND INDEED, ON A VERY MUCH LARGER SCALE, I'D LIKE US TO REALLY REMEMBER THIS AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN OUR ENGAGEMENT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM. THAT THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE IF IT IS BETTER FOR ALL OF US. IT IS NOT GOING TO BE A BETTER WORLD IF IT'S ONLY BETTER FOR A FEW, FOR THE RICH, FOR THE WEALTHY, FOR THOSE THAT HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL. THANK YOU. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANK YOU, KATIM. [APPLAUSE] SEBASTIEN. >>SÉBASTIEN BACHOLLET: THANK YOU, PETER. THIS NEW gTLD PROGRAM BRINGS A LOT OF CHALLENGES. I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERLINE SOME OF THEM. FIRST, A POINT ABOUT THE WAY WE ORGANIZE THE HERE IN SINGAPORE. STAKEHOLDERS MAW HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INTERACT ON A EQUAL FOOTING, EQUAL FOOTING MEANS TO LISTEN ALSO TO THE NON-GAC PART OF THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE NEW gTLD PROGRAM BEFORE IT'S FINAL ADOPTION. IN LINE WITH ICANN'S VALUE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF ALL THE PARTIES HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS, LIMITING THE WAY TO GAC BOARD INCREASE POTENTIAL FOR MISUNDERSTANDING. ANOTHER POINT I WISH TO MAKE IS ABOUT PRINCIPLE OF COST RECOVERY. DESPITE THE PLACE AND SOUNDS OF THE WORLD, IT'S NOT ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA. IT IS LIKE JUST IF WE ASK A COWORKER IN MONOPOLY MARK TOTE INTRODUCE THE COST IN INSTITUTION. THAT PUTS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST NEWCOMER AND FELLOW INCUMBENT. THE PROPOSED TIMELINE IS TOO LONG. BUT I HOPE THAT IT WILL HELP NEW PROJECT TO EMERGE. I BELIEVE IT ALLOWS ICANN COMMUNITY TO PREPARE A SATISFACTORY SOLUTION TO HELP NEEDY APPLICANTS. SOME PEOPLE FEAR THAT NEW gTLD WILL CAUSE CONFUSION. TO DECREASE THE RISK WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO ADAPT THE PROGRAM WITHOUT LETTING THE TIMELINE SLIP. MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE NEED TO ANNOUNCE WHEN THE SECOND ROUND WILL BE OPEN. IT WILL DEGREES THE PRESSURE ON THE UP COMING ROUND. MANY POTENTIAL APPLICANTS WILL PREFER LATER ROUND. BUT THEY CAN ONLY DO SO IN THEY HAVE A RELIABLE TIMELINE. CONCERNING THE FEAR OF CONFUSION FOR ANY REFORMS, THERE WILL BE A PHASE OF STRESS UNTIL PEOPLE GET USED TO THE CHANGE. THE LONGER WE DEFER REFORM, THE MORE THERE WILL BE STRESS WHEN WE FINALLY ACT. IN THE CASE OF NEW gTLD, I TRUST THAT WE HAVE THE TOOLS TO ENSURE THAT THE PHASE OF STRESS WILL BE BRIEF. IT MEANS, OF COURSE, THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO APPLY REMEDIES ONCE PROBLEMS APPEAR, TAKING IT -- GAC ADVICE AND OTHER STAKEHOLDER INPUT ARE KEY MECHANISM FOR THIS. THE ONLY WAY TO COMPLETE THE PREPARATION OF THE NEW gTLD PROGRAM IS TO PLACE IS INTO REAL LIFE. IT IS WHY I WILL VOTE FOR THE NEW gTLD PROGRAM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANKS SEBASTIEN. KUO WEI AND HE'S INDICATED HE WANTS TO SPEAK IN CHINESE. SO PLEASE USE YOUR HEAD. >> PLEASE ALLOW KNOW SPEAK IN CHINESE. THE REASON IS WE'RE HERE IN SINGAPORE. AND ALSO THE CHINESE IS AROUND WORLD , YOU KNOW? IN EVERY COUNTRY, EVERY REGION YOU CAN SEE ALL THE CHINESE. SO PLEASE ALLOW ME TO DO THAT. TODAY WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS OUR VIEWS IN A NON-LATIN LANGUAGE SYSTEM. FIRST OF ALL, WE'D LIKE TO THANK THE FEW PERSONS WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS, DR. JOHN KINSING HAS HELPED THIS TEAM WITH THIS WORKING GROUP WOULD BE ABLE TO PROGRESS. AND SECONDLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK PROFESSOR CHIN FROM CHINA AND DR. J FROM TAIWAN AND FROM JAPAN. AND TODAY WE HAVE THIS DEVELOPMENT. THIS WOULD WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE IF THIS WERE NOT FOR THE EFFORTS OF THESE FOUR PERSONS, WITHOUT THEM THERE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THIS IDN SO FOR THOSE WHO USE THIS IDN TO SERVICE AN ORGANIZATION AND MAKE USE OF THE SERVICES THEY'RE VERY GLAD THAT WE HAVE THIS DEVELOPMENT. THE IDEA HAS A LOT OF FUNCTION THAT HAS NOT BEEN PERFECTED FOR EXAMPLE E-MAIL, FTP LOCK IN AND THERE ARE A LOT OF FUNCTIONS YET TO BE PERFECTED. SO WE MUST KNOW THAT THERE ARE STILL -- WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF PASSIONATE AND PARTICIPATORY NATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE IDN CAN HAVE THE SAME EFFECT AS THE OTHER LATIN-BASED LANGUAGE SYSTEMS. SO THIS IS A LONG WAY TO GO I THINK FOR EVERYONE WHO PROVIDES THE IDN TO SERVICE HAS THE DUTY TO LET PEOPLE KNOW OUR LIMITATIONS. TODAY I SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION BECAUSE I FEEL THAT FOR MOST OF THE REGISTRY ORGANIZATIONS, THAT YOU HAVE CONCENTRATED IN A FEW PLACES ONLY. I AM HOPING THAT THIS IDN WOULD ENABLE THIS ORGANIZATION TO BE DEVELOPED IN MORE COUNTRIES AND MORE TERRITORIES, NOT ONLY IN CHINA, TAIWAN, HONG KONG OR IN FACT ANY PLACE IN THE WORLD SO THAT THE REGISTRY OR gTLD REGISTRY WOULD NOT BE CONFINED TO JUST A FEW PLACES. AND ANOTHER POINT THAT I'D LIKE TO RAISE AND TO REMIND ALL OUR PARTICIPANTS TODAY, DOMAIN NAME IS NOT THE ONLY CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE TO FACE IN THE FUTURE. IN FACT WE STILL HAVE THE IPv6 THAT WE NEED TO PROMOTE. SO ON THE 6th OF AUGUST, I SHALL ATTEMPT TO MAKE A PROPOSAL THIS IS A GREAT DEVELOPMENT. BUT IT IS NOT THE END. SO I HOPE THAT THE IPv6 WILL BE AS SECURED AND AS CONVENIENT AS THE IP v4. IN MANY OF US IN THE DOMAIN NAME MARKET PLEASE DO NOT FEEL THAT WE CAN NOMINATE THIS MARKET IF WE DO NOT HAVE FULL SUPPORT FOR THE IPv6, OUR DEVELOPMENT WILL BE LIMITED AND, OF COURSE, WE WANT TO SU PORT RELATED DEVELOPMENT IN THIS FIELD. SO NO MATTER HOW THE VOTING GOES, HOW THE RESULT WILL BE, AND THIS WILL BE A VERY IMPORTANT BEGINNING FOR OUR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT. THANK YOU. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANK YOU, KUO. NEXT I HAVE GONZALO. >>GONZALO NAVARRO: THANK YOU, PETER. SINCE KUO WAS SPEAKING IN CHINESE, I'M GOING TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT IN SPANISH. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. YOU CAN READ IN SCREEN IF YOU CANNOT GET THE HEADPHONES. I'M GOING TO BE BRIEF, BECAUSE I THINK THAT MOST OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS HAVE BEEN ALREADY EXPRESSED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN THE BOARD. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO BE GRATEFUL TO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE BECAUSE OF THE GREAT AMOUNT OF HOURS DEVOTED TO THIS PROJECT. I AM REALLY IMPRESSED. I'VE NEVER SEEN SUCH WORK. AND I WANT TO CONGRATULATE MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD. IT IS ALSO VERY GOOD TO SEE THAT THE SYSTEM OF THE MULTI-STAKEHOLDER MODEL IS WORKING AND IS WORKING IN A GOOD WAY. PERHAPS IN SOME -- AT SOME TIME WE'LL SEE THAT WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW REPRESENTS THE FIRST STEP IN A CHANGE OF AN INTERNATIONALIZED SYSTEM ALLOWING A BETTER DIALOGUE AND MORE PRODUCTIVE DIALOGUE IN DIFFERENT AREAS THAT IN THE PAST DIDN'T HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF COMMUNICATING, NOT ONLY IN TOPICS RELATED TO INTERNET BUT ALSO IN OTHER TOPICS OF THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY. WHEN IT COMES TO THE PROGRAM WE'RE APPROVING NOW, WHEN YOU THINK OF PUBLIC POLICY, YOU HAVE TO BE OPEN ENOUGH TO ACCEPT THAT IN PUBLIC POLICY, NOTHING IS PERFECT. BECAUSE IT CAN BE IDEALLY PERFECT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING BUT WHAT WE DO HAVE AS PUBLIC POLICY THAT MIGHT BE BETTER THAN OTHER POLICIES BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE EFFORT OR BECAUSE THEY IMPLY MORE OPPORTUNITIES. THEN AFTER MORE THAN ONE YEAR OF HARD WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD AND AS I SAID, WITH THE INPUT OF THE COMMUNITY, I THINK THAT WE HAVE REACHED A LEVEL OF SERIOUSNESS AND MATURITY AND WE ARE ABOUT TO APPROVE THIS PROGRAM. AND THIS ALLOWED US OR THE AT LEAST IT ALLOWS ME TO SEE THE MOST DIFFICULT PART, WHICH IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS POLICY. WHEN WE IMPLEMENT THIS POLICY OR THIS PLAN, WE WILL REALIZE IF IT IS A QUALITY POLICY AND A GOOD ONE, I THINK THAT WE ARE ON THE WAY. BUT IN ORDER TO REACH THE GOAL AND TO BUILD SOMETHING USEFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY, WE ARE REPRESENTING, WE WILL NEED THE NOT ONLY YOUR HELP BUT WE WILL NEED TO CONTINUE WORKING IN THE CONVERSATION OR COMMUNICATION FRAMEWORK IN THIS SITUATION OR THIS ROLE, THE GAC WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT. AND I AM VERY HAPPY AND SATISFIED TO SEE HOW ALL THIS DIALOGUE HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT. THE GREAT AMOUNT OF HOURS DEVOTED BY GAC. AND THE INPUT, VERY VALUABLE INPUT ARE VERY POSITIVES. AND, OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF GOING ON WITH THE CONVERSATIONS WITHIN THIS FRAMEWORK OR RESPECT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, NOT AS ENTHUSIASTICALLY AS RITA, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I AM IN FAVOR OF THIS PROGRAM. AND I HAVE MY COMMITMENT WITH YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANK YOU, GONZALO. I HAVE RITA NEXT AND LAST THAT I HAVE ON MY SPEAKING LIST FOR THIS ONE. THANK YOU, RITA. >>RITA RODIN JOHNSTON: THANK YOU, PETER. NEW gTLDs. WOO HOO! [APPLAUSE] CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE PINCH ME? I'M SURE MANY OF YOU ARE NOT SURPRISED THAT I'M THRILLED AT THE IDEA OF HAVING WHAT I HOPE IS GOING TO BE A VOTE IN FAVOR TODAY. AFTER SIX YEARS ON THE BOARD OF WORKING THROUGH THESE ISSUES AND THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH MORE TIME SPENT BY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND I'M THRILLED NOT BECAUSE I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING IN THE GUIDEBOOK. IT'S NOT BECAUSE I LIKE DISAGREEING WITH THE GNSO CONSTITUENCIES OR THE GAC OR OTHER COMMUNITY ADVICE. IT'S NOT BECAUSE I THINK THE ORGANIZATION OR THE COMMUNITY, FRANKLY, IS CLOSE TO UNDERSTANDING THE MASSIVE UNDERTAKING THAT WE ARE ALL EMBARKING ON. BUT IT'S BECAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE IN THIS MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PROCESS AND THIS COMMUNITY. ALL OF YOU OUT THERE. I BELIEVE IN COMPROMISE AND I BELIEVE IN INNOVATION. I ALSO AGREE WITH WHAT IRA MAGAZINER SAID AT OUR MEETING IN SAN FRANCISCO. I THINK BY THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS PROGRAM WE'RE CONTINUING THE TRADITION OF ALLOWING THE INTERNET TO OPERATE IN A CONSTANT STATE OF CHAOS WHICH GROUND RULES THAT WOULD ALLOW THOSE WITH HUGE INVESTMENT IN IT SOME GROUNDS OF CRE'TIVITY AND WE'RE ALSO FOSTERING GROUND RULES SO THAT THE INTERNET WOULD BE SECURE STABLE AND RESILIENT BUT IN SUCH A WAY AS TO ALLOW AS MUCH FREEDOM AS USABLE FOR THE USERS OF THE INTERNET TO CREATE STANDARDS, CONTENT, MODES OF ACCESS AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY WITHOUT GOVERNMENT INTERFIERCE AND THAT WAS A QUOTE FROM WHAT IRA SAID IN SAN FRANCISCO. THESE ARE VERY NOBLE GOALS. BUT AS WE CAN ALL SEE, THEY'RE SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT. THE AMOUNT OF CONTENT AND INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET IS EXPONENTIALLY GREATER THAN UNDER IRA'S WATCH. THE COMMUNITY HERE AND AROUND THE WORLD IS MUCH RATHERER AND MORE INTERNATIONAL AND DIVERSE THAN IT WAS. BOTH THE COMMERCIAL AND THE NON-COMMERCIAL INTERESTS INVOLVED ARE INFINITELY GREATER. YET WE ALSO HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON. THE LOVE FOR THE INTERNET. THE BOARD TODAY WILL HOPEFULLY BE EXECUTING ON A PLAN THE COMMUNITY FIRST APPROVED IN 2005. AND WE ARE PUTTING INTO MOTION ARGUABLY THE LARGEST SHIFT IN THE DNS HISTORY. WE'RE RATIFYING COMMUNITY COMPROMISES AND IDEAS, BUT WE ARE NOT NECESSARILY MAKING EVERYONE HAPPY. AND WHAT'S INTERESTING TO ME IS WE REALLY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WILL HAPPEN. BUT I, FOR ONE, AM EXTREMELY EXCITED TO FIND OUT. AS MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID, THE WORK HERE IS FAR FROM OVER. THINK OF THIS AS PHASE I. THERE IS A LOT MORE TO DO. I WANT TO JOIN GONZALO AND OTHERS IN THANKING THIS BOARDS AND BOARDS BEFORE US BOTH FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND FOR THEIR DIFFICULT AND SOMETIMES COURAGEOUS DECISIONS. AND MY TRUE HOPE FOR EVERYONE WHEN I LEAVE THE BOARD IS THAT EVERYONE WILL CONTINUE THIS HARD WORK IN THE COLLECTIVE SPIRIT OF COOPERATION, PROGRESS, AND ADVENTURE. THANK YOU, EVERYONE. AND GOOD LUCK. [APPLAUSE] >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANK YOU, RITA. I'D LIKE TO PUT THAT MOTION JUST TO REMIND YOU IT'S BEEN MOVED BY RITA RODIN JOHNSTON, SECONDED BY RAY PLZAK AND EFFECTIVE PORTION OF THE RESOLUTION IS FIRST PART. THE BOARD AUTHORIZES THE PRESIDENT AND CEO TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW gTLD PROGRAM. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF AUTHORIZIZING THE CEO TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW gTLD PROGRAM, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? CARRIED. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] HANG ON A MINUTE. NOW, FOR THE I THINK -- [APPLAUSE] >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: FOR THE RECORD I WOULD ALSO NOW LIKE TO POLL THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I THINK FOR THE RECORD ON A MOTION OF THIS IMPORTANCE T MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE TO POLL THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. SO I'LL JUST MOVE DOWN FROM THE OPPOSITE END BRUCE TONKIN, HOW DO YOU. >>BRUCE TONKIN: I ABSTAIN. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: >>> YES. >> IN FAVOR. >> >>RAY PLZAK: AYE. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: ERIKA ERM ERM AYE. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: I CAN'T SEE WHO IS NEXT. MIKE ABSTAIN VOC AFFIRMATIVE. >>RAMESH PHADKE: YES. >>RITA RODIN JOHNSTON: IN FAVOR. >>GONZALO NAVARRO: YES. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: SEBASTIEN. >>SÉBASTIEN BACHOLLET: YES. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: GEORGE. >>GEORGE SADOWSKY: NO. >>KATIM TOURAY: I ALMOST SAID NO. I SAY YES. [LAUGHTER] >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: BERTRAND. >>BERTRAND DE LA CHAPELLE: OUIE. [APPLAUSE] >> YES IN ARABIC IS AUYA, OUIE, YES. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: YOU STILL ONLY GET ONE VOTE THOUGH. >>ROD BECKSTROM: YES. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: I ALSO VOTE YES. I DECLARE THE RESOLUTION CARRIED. [APPLAUSE] >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: DISCUSSIONS WITH ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, OF COURSE, THERE'S BEEN A PARTICULAR FOCUS IN RELATION TO ASKING FOR, GETTING AND DISCUSSING ADVICE FROM THE GOVERNMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF ICANN IS GOVERNMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, ICANN CANNOT SURVIVE WITHOUT A FULL SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE WORLD. AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THOSE MEMBERS OF THE GAC WHO PARTICIPATE SHOWING BY PARTICIPATING THEIR SUPPORT FOR ICANN AND THEIR MULTI-STAKEHOLDER MODEL. IN THE COURSE OF THAT PROCESS THERE ARE ASPECTS OF GAC ADVICE THAT WE HAVE ELECTED NOT TO FOLLOW AND THAT POSITION IS PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE AND IS, OF COURSE, PREDICTED IN THE BYLAWS THAT CREATE A PROCESS FOR US TO RECEIVE GAC ADVICE, CONSIDER IT AND NOT ACCEPT IT OR PORTIONS OF IT. SO BECAUSE THAT'S THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN THIS CASE, WE HAVE A RESOLUTION DEALING WITH THAT. AND IT READS AS FOLLOWS: RESOLVED, THE BOARD AND THE GAC HAVE COMPLETED GOOD FAITH CONSULTATIONS IN A TIMELY AND EFFICIENT MANNER UNDER THE ICANN BYLAWS. ARTICLE 11 SECTION 2J. AS THE BOARD AND THE GAC WERE NOT ABLE TO REACH A MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION SOLUTION ON A FEW REMAINING ISSUES PURSUANT TO ICANN BLIZ ARTICLE SECTION 2K, THE BOARD INCORE FREIGHTS AND AS ADOPTS AS SET FORTH IN THE DOCUMENT DESCRIBING THE REMAINING AREAS OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ICANN'S BOARD AND THE GAC -- THERE WILL BE A URL, THE REASONS WHY THE GAC ADVICE WAS NOT FOLLOWED. THE BOARD'S STATEMENT IS WITHOUT PRENG DISTO THE RIGHTS OR OBLIGATIONS TO GAC MEMBERS WITH REGARD TO PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES FALLING WITHIN THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES. SO AS CHAIR I'LL MOVE THAT AS A MATTER OF FORM AMOUNTMENT I R BERTRAND DE LA CHAPELLE. THANK YOU, BERTRAND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS RESOLUTION? I SEE NONE, IN WHICH CASE I WILL PUT THAT RESOLUTION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THIS RESOLUTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS. (HANDS RAISED). >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANK YOU. ANY OPPOSED? ABSTENTIONS? BRUCE TONKIN ABSTAINS. OKAY. THE RESOLUTION CARRIED. THANK YOU. AND ONE FURTHER RESOLUTION DEALING WITH THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY, AND PARTICULARLY TO THE GAC. AND I'LL ASK BRUCE TONKIN, WHO I THINK WILL NOT BE CONFLICTED IN RELATION TO THIS RESOLUTION. BRUCE. >>BRUCE TONKIN: THANK YOU, PETER. BEFORE I FORMALLY READ THE RESOLUTION, I'LL JUST MAKE A COUPLE OF REMARKS. ONE WAS THAT I HAD THE HONOR OF CHAIRING THE POLICY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS THAT BEGAN IN 2005, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THAT POLICY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS INCLUDED REPRESENTATIVES FROM INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS, BUSINESS USERS, NONCOMMERCIAL USERS, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY EXPERTS, REGISTRIES, REGISTRARS, NONCOMMERCIAL USERS, AND MEMBERS OF THE AT- LARGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THAT POLICY PROCESS STARTED WITH PEOPLE VERY WIDE APART. THERE WERE GREAT DIVERSITY OF VIEWS. AND IN THE END, THERE WAS CLOSE TO CONSENSUS ON NEARLY ALL OF THE GNSO POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS IN AUGUST OF 2007. SINCE THEN, IT'S BEEN INTERESTING THAT THOSE CORE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE STOOD THE TEST OF TIME WITH HUGE SCRUTINY, SINCE 2007, AND THE BOARD HAS NOT CHANGED ANY OF THOSE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS. SO I'D LIKE TO COMMEND THE WORK OF THAT GROUP, PARTICULARLY IN COMPROMISING AND REACHING A CONSENSUS POSITION AT THE TIME. I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE BY MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS. SO WE HAD A MEETING IN CARTAGENA, WE HAD ANOTHER MEETING -- WHICH WAS IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE. THEN ANOTHER MEETING IN BRUSSELS IN FEBRUARY, THEN ANOTHER MEETING IN SAN FRANCISCO IN MARCH, AND THEN A TELECONFERENCE WHILE WE'RE IN ISTANBUL, I THINK, IN MAY, THEN ANOTHER MEETING YESTERDAY. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THOSE GAC MEMBERS HAD TO CONSULT NOT JUST WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES TO REACH POSITIONS AT THE GAC WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN COMPROMISE POSITIONS BUT ALSO NEEDED TO CONSULT WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES TO REACH RESOLUTION. SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WHILE, AT TIMES, THERE'S DIFFERENCES OF OPINION, THE WORK THAT THE GAC MEMBERS HAVE DONE IN ASSISTING IN THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN IMMENSE. AND ALSO NOTE THAT WHILE IN THE PUBLIC SESSIONS WHERE WE'RE SPEAKING BETWEEN THE BOARD AND THE GAC IT MAY APPEAR AS THOUGH ONLY A COUPLE OF BOARD MEMBERS ARE ENGAGED, THE TRUTH IS THAT ON EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE PIECES OF ADVICE FROM THE GAC, WE HAD A LONG CONSULTATION WITHIN THE BOARD. YOU CAN SEE THE BOARD UP HERE, IT'S 21 PEOPLE. THINK ABOUT EACH PERSON TAKING A ROUGH, AN AVERAGE OF FIVE MINUTES, SOME TAKE SHORTER, SOME TAKE LONGER, BUT EVERY SINGLE TOPIC TAKES ABOUT 75 MINUTES OF DISCUSSION THAT THE BOARD -- LINE BY LINE. SO YOU ADD THE NUMBER OF LINES BY THE GAC STATEMENT, MULTIPLY THAT BY 75 MINUTES. THAT'S HOW MUCH TIME WE SPENT ON EVERY ISSUE. SO DON'T GET THE IMPRESSION WE TREAT ANYTHING LIKE THAT LIGHTLY. AND WE ALSO RESPECT THAT NOR DOES THE GAC TREAT WHAT WE SAY LIGHTLY. AND FINALLY, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE EFFORT OF THE ICANN STAFF. THE STAFF HAVE WORKED TREMENDOUSLY HARD, PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS WHERE OFTEN THESE MEETINGS AND CALLS ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. THEY WOULD HAVE WORKED ALL WEEKEND TO PREPARE THE PAPERS FOR THOSE CALLS AND FOR THESE MEETINGS. AND SO I THINK IT'S PROBABLY SURPRISING THAT ANY OF THEM HAVE STILL REMAINED MARRIED OR HAVE ANY PERSONAL LIFE LEFT. AND WE STILL HAVE BIG CALLS ON THE STAFF IN THE MONTHS AHEAD. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, IF YOU INDIVIDUALLY SEE A STAFF MEMBER IN THE CORRIDORS, PLEASE EXPRESS YOUR THANKS BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET THANKED ENOUGH. OFTEN THEY ARE CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO WARRING PARTIES, AND THEY GET A LOT OF, I GUESS, FLACK AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THOSE BATTLES. BUT, REALLY, THEY DESERVE TREMENDOUS RESPECT AND THANKS FROM THE COMMUNITY. [ APPLAUSE ] >>BRUCE TONKIN: SO I WOULD NOW LIKE TO PUT THE RESOLUTION. IT IS RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD WISHES TO EXPRESS ITS DEEP APPRECIATION TO THE ICANN COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE MEMBERS OF THE GAC, FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY WORK IT HAS INVESTED IN CRAFTING THE NEW gTLD PROGRAM IN FURTHERANCE OF ICANN'S MISSION AND CORE VALUES. AND HELP FROM THE COMMUNITY'S ONGOING SUPPORT IN EXECUTING AND REVIEWING THE PROGRAM. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANK YOU, BRUCE. IS THERE SOMEONE PREPARED TO SECOND THAT RESOLUTION? GEORGE SADOWSKY WAS FIRST. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT THANKS, AND THANKS FOR PUTTING THAT SO WELL, BRUCE. SO IT'S BEEN MOVED, BRUCE; SECONDED, GEORGE. WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS RESOLUTION THANKING THE STAFF? YOU CAN DO IT BEFORE OR AFTER. ANYBODY LIKE TO SPEAK BEFORE? SÉBASTIEN. >>SÉBASTIEN BACHOLLET: I WILL SPEAK IN SPANISH. I WANT TO SPEAK IN SPANISH BECAUSE IT'S NOT MY MOTHER TONGUE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS IS THE COMMUNITIES AT WORK. SO EVERYBODY NEEDS TO PARTICIPATE AND HAS PARTICIPATED IN ENGLISH MAINLY. SO IT'S ALWAYS HARDER FOR NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS TO PARTICIPATE. THEREFORE, THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I WANT TO THANK THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY FOR THEIR WORK, AND I WANT TO THANK THE VOLUNTEERS COMMUNITY HERE, PRESENT HERE ON ACCOUNT OF THE COMPLETION OF THIS PROGRAM. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOULD ALL -- OR THEY SHOULD ALL REMAIN WORKING HERE WITH A FOCUS ON THE NEXT PHASE, THAT IS THE IMPLEMENTATION. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS RESOLUTION? HEATHER, THE CHAIR OF THE GAC, IS THE LIAISON TO THE BOARD. THANK YOU. >>HEATHER DRYDEN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, PETER. I'M TRYING TO GAUGE WHERE WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE MOMENT FOR ME TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS, GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS DECISION. I THINK IT WOULD BE REMISS FOR THE CHAIR OF THE GAC TO NOT MAKE SOME COMMENT, AND IN PARTICULAR, TO THANK THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY AND ON THE BOARD THAT HAVE REALLY PLAYED A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN WORKING WITH THE GAC AND UNDERSTANDING AND RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF GOVERNMENT CONCERNS IN THAT IT REALLY IS NECESSARY TO FIND A WAY TO HAVE THE GAC WORKING AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY IN DEVELOPING COMMUNITY CONSENSUS AND TO GENERATE RESULTS THAT, IF ANYTHING, REINFORCE THE MULTISTAKEHOLDER MODEL THAT WE ALL WORK SO HARD TO MAINTAIN. SO I THINK IT'S TRUE THAT, AS OTHERS HAVE SAID, THIS IS THE END OF THE BEGINNING, AND THE GAC CERTAINLY WILL HAVE, AT A MINIMUM, A ROLE TO PLAY REGARDING THE OPERATIONAL ASPECTS OR IMPLEMENTATION ASPECTS THAT REMAIN, AS WELL AS OTHERS. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO RAISING THE DECISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TODAY WITHIN THE COMMITTEE, AND I'M SURE WE WILL CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION WITH THE BOARD AND WITH THE COMMUNITY REGARDING THE NEW gTLD PROGRAM AS A RESULT OF THAT. SO A THANK YOU, AS I SAY, TO ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE PLAYED A ROLE. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, AND THANK YOU. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANK YOU, HEATHER. [ APPLAUSE ] >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: BERTRAND. EN FRANCAIS. IT. >>BERTRAND DE LA CHAPELLE: ON THAT ONE I WON'T. APOLOGIES. I WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY AT THIS END OF THIS PHASE NOT ONLY TO ASSOCIATE MYSELF TO THE THANKS THAT ARE BEING EXPRESSED BUT ALSO TO EXPLAIN WHAT YOU AND WE COLLECTIVELY HAVE DONE, WHICH IS BASICALLY A GLOBAL PUBLIC INTEREST FUNCTION, BECAUSE YOU ARE ICANN AS WELL. AND THIS GLOBAL PUBLIC FUNCTION IS TO FIND THE BETTER RULES OR THE BETTER MODALITIES FOR ALLOCATING A COMMON RESOURCE. THIS COMMON RESOURCE CAN BE NAMED IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. I NAME IT THE SEMANTIC SPECTRUM, WHATEVER. IT'S ABOUT DEFINING A POLICY FOR A COMMON RESOURCE. IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT FUNCTION. AND THE ORIGINALITY OF THIS IS THIS QUASI REGULATORY ROLE IS EXERCISED BY A COMMUNITY THAT IS OPEN, AS ROD SAID IN THE BEGINNING. IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S AN AMAZING EXERCISE. AND THE VERY FACT THAT IT WAS ABLE, OF COURSE, IN THREE YEARS, BUT EVEN IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED, THE LEVEL OF DEBATE THAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED IN THREE YEARS, THE FACT THAT IT CAN BE PRODUCED BY A COMMUNITY WHERE ANYBODY CAN COME AND PARTICIPATE, IS A TESTIMONIAL NOT ONLY TO THE VALUE OF ICANN AS IT IS, BUT TO THE FACT THAT THE FUNDAMENTAL ASSUMPTION THAT ALLOWING THE PARTICIPATION OF EVERYONE IN GOVERNANCE PROCESSES IS A FUNDAMENTAL POSITIVE AND WORKING ASSUMPTION. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU DEFINE THE GLOBAL PUBLIC INTEREST, THERE'S NOTHING MORE DIFFICULT THAN GOING NOT ONLY BEYOND THE INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE INTERESTS BUT ALSO ARTICULATING THE GLOBAL PUBLIC INTEREST WITH THE NATIONAL PUBLIC INTEREST THAT ARE REPRESENTED IN THE GAC. AND AS YOU KNOW, NOBODY IS BETTER PLACED THAN I AM TO UNDERSTAND THE TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO. I THINK WHAT THIS PROGRAM AND THIS PHASE IN THE PROGRAM HAS DONE IS TEST THE MEDDLE OF OUR PROCEDURES, TO BASICALLY MAKE THE EQUIVALENT OF A STRESS TEST TO SEE WHETHER THE RESILIENCE WAS THERE AND WHETHER WE COULD OVERCOME THE BUMPS. AND AS A RESULT, I THINK OUR PROCEDURES ARE BETTER. THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE GAC, IN PARTICULAR, AND THE BOARD, BUT ALSO BETWEEN THE GAC AND THE OTHER PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN STRENGTHENED. AS I SAID BEFORE, THIS IS NOT A ZERO-SUM GAME. WHENEVER ONE PART OF THE STRUCTURE IS SEEING ITS ROLE STRENGTHENED, ITS ENGAGEMENT BROADENED, IT MAKES FOR A STRONGER STRUCTURE. AND SO AT THAT STAGE, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN ANALOGY. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY ANALOGIES ABOUT THIS PROGRAM. MINE IS ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN AIRPORT. IN 2008 WE AGREED ON THE MASTER PLAN. TODAY WE ARE BASICALLY FINISHING THE FACILITIES. I MEAN, WE ARE CUTTING THE RIBBON AND SAYING, OKAY, THE FACILITIES ARE THERE. WE ARE GOING TO INVITE COMPANIES, SMALL PLANES, TO APPLY FOR THE RIGHT TO TAKE OFF TO WHATEVER DESTINATION. AND IN THIS PHASE, THERE WILL BE SMALL PLANES, LARGE PLANES, BUT WE WANT TO HAVE RULES THAT ARE BOTH UNIFIED AND SIMPLE TO UNDERSTAND ENOUGH SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO -- AND THEY ARE FAIR, BUT ALSO THAT ARE FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR DIVERSITY. IN THIS NEW PHASE, THE CHALLENGE FOR THE BOARD AND THE STAFF WILL CHANGE. IT WILL NOT BE MORE POLICY-MAKING. THIS IS A PHASE THAT IS CLOSED. IT WILL BE IMPLEMENTATION. AND AS MANY HAVE SAID, IT'S ALMOST A BIGGER CHALLENGE TO BE UP TO PAR IN THAT RESPECT. BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IN CLOSING IS TO MAKE A CALL TO MOST OF YOU AND ALL OF YOU. MOST OF YOU ARE GOING TO, AFTER THIS DAY, GET INTO OPERATIONAL MODE LIKE WE DO, PREPARING YOUR OWN APPLICATIONS, SUPPORTING OTHER APPLICATIONS, PREPARING AND RAMPING UP YOUR CAPACITY. I WOULD LOVE TO ASK YOU ALL TO CONTINUE YOUR ENGAGEMENT IN THIS PROCESS. NOT ONLY TO GO ON YOUR OWN ACTIVITIES, BUT TO KEEP ENGAGED, BECAUSE OF TWO THINGS. THE FIRST ONE IS THAT WE WILL NEED YOU TO SPREAD THE WORD AND TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM KNOWN SO THAT IT REACHES WHO IT CAN BENEFIT. BUT THE SECOND THING IS MORE SUBTLE. AND BY THE WAY, WE NEED YOU ALSO TO CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN WHATEVER PROCESS WILL BE NEEDED TO ADDRESS THE UNAVOIDABLE, UNPLANNED THINGS THAT WILL EMERGE. THERE IS NO WAY THIS PROGRAM CAN BE IMPLEMENTED WITHOUT THINGS EMERGING THAT WILL NEED TO BE SOLVED. AND SO WE WILL NEED YOU ALSO TO PARTICIPATE IN WHATEVER ADAPTION MAY BE NEEDED SO THAT THEY REMAIN FULLY MULTISTAKEHOLDER ENDORSED. BUT IN MORE SUBTLE WAY, YOU HAVE PARTICIPATED HERE NOT ONLY TO DEFEND YOUR OWN INTERESTS, WHICH ARE LEGITIMATE, BUT ALSO TO PARTICIPATE COLLECTIVELY IN A GLOBAL PUBLIC INTEREST EXERCISE. PLEASE KEEP IT WITH YOU IN EVERYTHING YOU DO, BECAUSE IT IS A GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY AND A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS IMPLEMENTED, AND THAT WHATEVER FLAWS IT MAY STILL CONTAIN, WHATEVER LOOPHOLES IT MAY STILL CONTAIN, ARE NOT EXPLOITED THAT WILL MAKE IT FAIL. SO YOU ARE WITH US IN CHARGE OF MAKING ALL THOSE PLANES FLY CORRECTLY AND SAFELY. BUILD NICE PLANES SO THAT THERE IS NO NEED FOR ADDITIONAL REGULATION. AND MY FINAL WORD IS A QUOTE FROM SOMEBODY THE PEOPLE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION KNOW IS CALLED JANINA WHO IS ACTUALLY THE ORIGINATOR OF THE IDEA OF THE EUROPEAN UNION. AND THE QUOTE IS WHEN AN ID CORRESPONDS TO THE NECESSITY OF THE TIME, IT NO LONGER BELONGS TO THOSE WHO INVENTED IT, AND IT BECOMES STRONGER THAN THOSE WHO ARE IN CHARGE OF IMPLEMENTING IT. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANKS, BERTRAND. RAF RITA. >>RITA RODIN JOHNSTON: THANK YOU, PETER. I THINK BRUCE DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF EXPRESSING SOME OF THE TIME AND JUST THE SCALE OF THE DISCUSSION THAT THE BOARD IS ENGAGED IN IN GENERAL ON THESE ISSUES BUT ESPECIALLY WITH RESPECT TO SO. GAC ADVICE. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK HEATHER FOR HER REMARKS AS WELL. I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO INTEGRATE THE GAC AND GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE WORLD INTO THESE IMPORTANT DIALOGUES. IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT BUMPY. SOME EM BOS HAVE BEEN THROWN. I, FOR ONE, HAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT UNCOMFORTABLE WITH SOME OF THE EXCHANGES IN THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE BOARD AND THE GAC. AND I'M VERY HOPEFUL THAT THE BOARD, THE GAC, AND THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY CAN CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE PARTICIPATION OF ALL STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS PROCESS, AND DO SO IN A WAY THAT RESPECTS BOTH THE IDEAS AND THE PROCESSES OF THE OTHER GROUPS. THANK YOU. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANK YOU, RITA. THERE BEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS IN RELATION TO THIS RESOLUTION, I'LL PUT THE RESOLUTION THANKING THE COMMUNITY FOR THE WORK IN BUILDING THE NEW gTLD PROGRAM. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE THEIR HANDS. (HANDS RAISED). >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: ANY ABSTENTIONS? ANY OPPOSED? CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. [ APPLAUSE ] >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: SO, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THAT CONCLUDES THE RESOLUTIONS THAT WE HAVE SCHEDULED FOR THIS MEETING. ROD HAS ASKED TO MAKE A COMMENT. SO, RODZ, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. >>ROD BECKSTROM: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WAS ALMOST SPEECHLESS A WHILE AGO BUT I THINK THAT WAS THE COLD I'VE HAD WHILE TRAVELING THE LAST FEW DAYS. ON BEHALF OF THE ORGANIZATION AND THE STAFF, WE THANK THE COMMUNITY AND THE BOARD FOR YOUR EXCEPTIONAL EFFORTS OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY LONG DAYS AND NIGHTS OF WORKING. THERE WAS EVEN A PAJAMA PARTY ALONG THE WAY, AS SOME MUCH YOU MIGHT RECALL, WHEN SOME OF US WERE IN NAIROBI AND OTHERS WERE IN D.C. DIALING IN REMOTELY. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY MEETINGS IN EVERY REGION OF THE WORLD, THOUSANDS OF PAGES OF E-MAILS, DOCUMENTS, DRAFTS, REVISIONS, SUBMISSIONS, AND MANY, MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC INPUT. THE PROCESS HAS BEEN TRULY OPEN, AND A GOOD MODEL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. THANK YOU, AND CONGRATULATIONS. AND AS CEO, I ACCEPT THE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS AUTHORIZATION YOU HAVE GRANTED ME, AND, UNDER MY DIRECTION, OUR EXCELLENT STAFF. A VERY LARGE BALL WITH YEARS OF WORK HAS JUST ROLLED THIS WAY. AND I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT WE WILL EXECUTE, AND WE WILL DO SO PROFESSIONALLY. AND I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT THE ICANN STAFF IS PREPARED TO SUPPORT THE LAUNCH, AND WE WILL EXECUTE WITH COMPETENCE, TRANSPARENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY WHILE RESPECTING CONFIDENTIALITY WHEN APPROPRIATE. FOLLOWING THIS VOTE, THE FIRST STEP WILL BE THE COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM WHICH WILL START LATER THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE PRESS CONFERENCE FOLLOWING THIS MEETING. WE ARE COMMITTING -- [ APPLAUSE ] >>ROD BECKSTROM: THANK YOU. WE WERE NOT WASTING TIME. WE ARE MOVING AHEAD. WE ARE COMMITTING SUBSTANTIAL RESOURCES TO THIS, BUT WE WILL ALSO RELY UPON THE COMMUNITY AND NEED YOUR WORK -- YOUR HELP TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT AROUND THE WORLD. I'D LIKE TO TAKE JUST ONE MOMENT, PLEASE, TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS FROM SOME OF THE PEOPLE AND TEAMS IN ICANN. FIRST KURT PRITZ. KURT PRITZ AND HIS TEAM. LET'S GIVE HIM A HAND. (STANDING OVATION). >>ROD BECKSTROM: PLEASE STAND, KURT. [ APPLAUSE ] >>ROD BECKSTROM: AND I WOULD NOW LIKE TO RECOGNIZE JOHN JEFFREY, AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS J.J., AND OUR LEGAL TEAM. JOHN, PLEASE STAND UP. (STANDING OVATION). [ APPLAUSE ] >>ROD BECKSTROM: AND FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE ALL OTHER ICANN STAFF IN THE ROOM. PLEASE STAND UP. PLEASE STAND UP FIRST, AND LET'S RECOGNIZE ALL THE ICANN STAFF THAT HAVE SUPPORTED THIS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU ALL OF YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] (STANDING OVATION). >>ROD BECKSTROM: THANK YOU. >>PETER DENGATE THRUSH: THANK YOU, ROD. SO I HAVE THE PLEASURE NOW OF CLOSING THE MEETING. JUST A FEW FINAL COMMENTS. FIRST OF ALL, SUPPORTING WHAT'S BEEN SAID ABOUT THE PRINCIPLE OF INNOVATION. UNLESS THERE'S A GOOD REASON TO RESTRAIN IT, IT SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO RAIN FREE. AND REMEMBERING ALSO WHAT PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID IN THE SPEECH IN SAN FRANCISCO. WE KNOW THAT THE PROGRAM ISN'T PERFECT. WE KNOW THAT NOT EVERYONE'S VIEW HAS BEEN INCORPORATED. WE KNOW WE HAVE TO WATCH IT VERY CAREFULLY, AND AS PRESIDENT CLINTON -- AND SO WE WILL STUMBLE SOMETIMES. BUT AS PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID, AS LONG AS WE ARE STUMBLING FORWARDS, THEN THAT'S THE WAY OF PROGRESS. SO THERE'S A LOT TO BE DONE. AS PEOPLE HAVE SAID, THIS IS THE START OF A WHOLE NEW PHASE. THE PERFECT, THOUGH, IS THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD, AND WE HAVE GOT TO THE STAGE WHERE, AS STEVE CROCKER AND OTHERS HAVE SAID, THIS IS A GOOD PROGRAM. AND I THINK WE HAVE GOT COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR IT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HANDING THAT BIG BALL OVER TO ROD AND THE STAFF, AND TO THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY. IT'S AN ENORMOUS CHALLENGE, BUT I THINK WE'RE UP TO IT. SO CONGRATULATIONS. MEETING CLOSED. [ APPLAUSE ]