Hi Adam: Due consideration was given in the ALAC Ex-Com this past week and I'm sure the Chair of ALAC will announce a perspective from the ALAC soon. Speaking as a generic At-Large member, I have indicated my support for observer status to interested parties several days ago. I share the perspective in the reasoning posted on the CircleID website by Antony Van Couvering. Cheers, Carlton ============================== Carlton A Samuels Mobile: 876-818-1799 Strategy, Planning, Governance, Assessment & Turnaround ============================= On Sat, Jan 8, 2011 at 7:40 AM, Adam Peake <ajp@glocom.ac.jp> wrote:

Hi, At Large might like to support this letter asking the Board and GAC to hold the intersessional meeting on new gTLDs open to observers. I think open meetings have become the default for both Board and GAC, but it is worth emphasizing in this case. The letter:

< http://www.circleid.com/posts/icann_board_gac_geneva_meeting_open_to_observe...

...

An important paragraph:

"We respectfully request that this consultation between the Board and GAC be open to observers, consistent with the practices of GAC -- Board interactions at the public meetings which ICANN holds three times a year. Since this is the first meeting of this nature in ICANN's eleven year history, the precedent for all future such meetings will be established by this meeting."

No idea if the comment that the meeting will be held in Geneva at the end of February is correct. But if At Large does support the letter it might also say that should the Board wish to launch the new gTLD at the San Francisco meeting (and given the years of process a decision during later teleconference would be a disappointment), holding such discussions at the end of February would leave too little time for public comment. It will take some days for staff to take the results of the Board/GAC discussion into account and publish a final applicant guide book. The community must have ample time to comment and participate to the fullest extent possible in the process. As stated in the workplan adopted in October 2010 < http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/new-gtld-work-plan-28oct10-en.pdf> a final 30 day public comment period is required.

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