http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-28feb08.htm ICANN Makes Presentation to Midterm Review Public Meeting Now is the time to start planning transition 28 February 2008 WASHINGTON, DC: The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers made its presentation on the Midterm Review of the Joint Project Agreement (JPA) between itself and the United States Department of Commerce at a public meeting held today in Washington, DC. "I think that after almost 10 years of experience of this model the question before us is very stark: Are we going to complete the White Papers vision of private sector management of the Internets system of unique identifiers? I believe the overwhelming view from virtually all participants is that transition is the goal and the interest is in settling how we get there," ICANN Chair Peter Dengate Thrush said. Todays public meeting was held to discuss the written submissions that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration had received during its recently concluded public comment period on the JPA between the U.S. Department of Commerce and ICANN. The JPA was signed in September 2006, is due to conclude in September 2009 and was scheduled for a Midterm Review at this point. In his presentation the Chairman said he would ask the Presidents Strategy Committee to outline a plan for developing this transition framework. They will meet in April and make a first presentation involving the community, starting a process for further engagement with the community at the ICANN meeting in Paris in June. The process will be guided by the input ICANN has received so far from its own consultations, and the analysis of the comments surveyed in this Review. "The U.S. government has been and remains a staunch advocate for an Internet that is based on values of freedom, enterprise and crucially coordination not control. Now, there are final steps to be taken to make this a reality and to celebrate an enlightened U.S. policy under two administrations to transition to private sector management of the domain name system. "We all now need to work together over the 18 months remaining in the JPA to finalize the model for the long term," Dengate Thrush said. The complete statement to the public meeting is available on the ICANN website at http://www.icann.org/jpa/presentation-to-jpa-midterm-review-publi c-meeting-28feb08.pdf [PDF, 201K]. -- Regards, Nick Ashton-Hart Director, At-Large ICANN Office Tel: +33 (450) 40 46 88 Office Fax: +41 (22) 594 8544 Mobile: +41 (79) 595 5468 USA Tel: +1 (202) 657-5460 email: nick.ashton-hart@icann.org Win IM: ashtonhart@hotmail.com / AIM/iSight: nashtonhart@mac.com / Skype: nashtonhart Online Bio: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashtonhart