Allow me to react to what we have just heard in the ICANN Public Forum (ICANN84 Dublin.)

A participant speaking on behalf of the working group on Latin Diacritics stated that the Applicant Guide Book for the next gTLD Round would not include Latin Diacritics. The response from the Board was that, absent a recommendation from GNSO, “our hands are tied”!

I recall that the IDN issue has been on ICANN’s table, to my certain knowledge since ICANN03 1999 Santiago. (I was there). It should have been settled by now.

Furthermore, casual inspection of the World’s literature, media and press would confirm that latin diacritics are integral to languages widely used in the Americas, Africa, Europe and elsewhere. One does not have to be a universal linguist to appreciate the social, economic and cultural scale of this issue. Their use in the DNS should have been a no-brainer a long time ago.

Since ICANN84 has not yet concluded, may I request that this situation be reviewed during the ALAC wrap up this afternoon and addressed again to the IANN Board during the concluding session.

Thank you for your attention

Christopher Wilkinson (on-line)