Dear Janis, Attached please find a letter from the ... - GNSO - icann
Dear Janis, Attached please find a letter from the ... - GNSO - icann
Dear Janis, Attached please find a letter from the ... - GNSO - icann
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<strong>Dear</strong> <strong>Janis</strong>,<strong>Attached</strong> <strong>please</strong> <strong>find</strong> a <strong>letter</strong> <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>GNSO</strong> Council written in response to youropen <strong>letter</strong> of April 24 2009 to <strong>the</strong> ICANN CEO. Thiscommunication has been approved by <strong>the</strong> <strong>GNSO</strong> Council with <strong>the</strong> notedabstention of <strong>the</strong> Commercial and Business Constituency, of <strong>the</strong> Internet ServiceProviders and Connectivity Providers Constituency, and of Kristina Rosette.Thank you for <strong>the</strong> opportunity to comment and for accepting our comment at thistime. The <strong>GNSO</strong> Council looks forward to discussing <strong>the</strong> issue with <strong>the</strong> GAC at ourjoint meeting in Sydney.Best Regards,Avri DoriaChair, <strong>GNSO</strong> Council
<strong>Janis</strong>KarklinsChairmanGovernmentalAdvisoryCommitteeParis,15May2009<strong>Dear</strong><strong>Janis</strong>,The<strong>GNSO</strong>Councilreadyour<strong>letter</strong>toICANNCEOandPresidentPaulTwomeydatedApril24,2009withinterest.Asyouknow,<strong>the</strong>currentprogramfor<strong>the</strong>introductionofnewgTLDsstems<strong>from</strong>recommendationsmadeby<strong>the</strong><strong>GNSO</strong>andpresentedto<strong>the</strong>ICANNBoardinSeptember2007.Theserecommendationswerecraftedthroughabottom‐upconsultationprocessinvolvingall<strong>the</strong>majorICANNstakeholdersincluding<strong>the</strong>GAC.TheGACand<strong>the</strong><strong>GNSO</strong>Councilhavehadin‐depthdiscussionsonthistopicsince<strong>the</strong>Boardapproved<strong>the</strong>newgTLDprogramatitsParismeetinginJune2008.Welookforwardtocontinuingworkingtoge<strong>the</strong>rinthiswayas<strong>the</strong>newgTLDprogramcomestofruition.Inthisspiritofcollaborationandmutualdiscussions,<strong>the</strong>Councilwishestocommentonsomeof<strong>the</strong>pointsraisedinyour<strong>letter</strong>toPaulTwomey.TheCouncilunderstands<strong>the</strong>needtoprovideadequateprotectionforexistinglegalrights.Suchprotectionisdefinedin<strong>GNSO</strong>Recommendation3and,asitpertainstointernationallyrecognizedlegalrights,isoneof<strong>the</strong>fundamentalprinciplesincludedin<strong>the</strong>DraftApplicantGuidebookaspreparedbyICANNstaff.Fur<strong>the</strong>rmore,ImplementationGuidelinePreferringtoRecommendation20statesthatoppositiontoaTLDstringmustbeevaluatedbyadisputeresolutionpanelconstitutedforthatpurpose.Inlightofthis,<strong>the</strong>GACrequesttoallowgovernmentsor<strong>the</strong>GACitselftoobjecttoanapplicationwithoutgoingthrough<strong>the</strong>formalobjectionprocessmaybeseenasawaytocircumventthisprocess.TheCouncilfeels<strong>the</strong>remustbealevelplayingfieldforallparticipantsin<strong>the</strong>newgTLDprogramandthatgivingcertainpartiesprivilegedaccesstoobjectionprocesses,beyond<strong>the</strong>needtoprotectinternationallyrecognizedlegalrights,maybedetrimentalto<strong>the</strong>programasawhole.TheGAC<strong>letter</strong>statesthatgeographicalnamesarespecialcasesdeservingofspecialrules.TheCouncilwishestopointoutthatthisisalready<strong>the</strong>caseasgeographicalnamesareaffordedspecialprotectionunder<strong>the</strong>DraftApplicantGuidebookwhichinitsfinalversionwillbecome<strong>the</strong>setofguidelinesanyprospectiveapplicantistofollowinordertobegranted<strong>the</strong>righttorunaTLDby<strong>the</strong>ICANNBoard.Your<strong>letter</strong>alsosuggeststhatgovernmentsbeallowedtoforceanygTLDregistrytosuspendanynameat<strong>the</strong>secondlevelwhich<strong>the</strong>governmentinquestionobjectsto.TheCouncilisworriedthatthiswouldineffectgiveanygovernmentvetopoweroveranyregistrationmadeat<strong>the</strong>secondlevel,withoutgiving<strong>the</strong>registrantinquestionanypossibilityofrecourse.Webelievethatsuchvetopowerisinconsistentwith<strong>the</strong>rightsdeterminationproceduresof<strong>the</strong>UDRP,including<strong>the</strong>possibilityofreferringdisputestonationalcourts.Domainnamessupportsuchawidevarietyofactivitieson<strong>the</strong>Internet
thatgivinganyentitysuchcommandingvetopowercouldresultinunwarranteddisruptiontoessentialwebserviceswithout<strong>the</strong>providerofthoseservicesbeingabletopreventthis.Bothserviceprovidersandserviceusers(i.e.,allInternetusers)wouldthus<strong>find</strong><strong>the</strong>mselvesvictimsofthisdisruption.If<strong>the</strong>domainnamesuspensionwas<strong>the</strong>nfound,atalaterdate,tohavebeenabusive,<strong>the</strong>damagewouldhavebeendone.Fur<strong>the</strong>rmore,suchaschemewouldseemtooverruleanyperson'snaturalrighttodefendhimselfifaccusedofimproperregistrationofadomainnameorinfringementofathirdparty'srightsthroughhisregistrationofthatdomainname.Onceagain,<strong>the</strong>Councilunderstands<strong>the</strong>GAC'sdesiretoprovideadequateprotectionforgeographicalnamesandtodefendgovernments'rights.Welookforwardtobeingabletocontinueworkingwith<strong>the</strong>GAConthisissue,whileat<strong>the</strong>sametimeprotecting<strong>the</strong>rightsofallregistrantsandprospectiveTLDoperatorsandproviding<strong>the</strong>mwi<strong>the</strong>qualaccessandopportunitiesto<strong>the</strong>newgTLDprogram.<strong>GNSO</strong>PrincipleAstatesthatnewgTLDsmustbeintroducedinanorderly,timelyandpredictableway.Achievingthismeanstaking<strong>the</strong>propercaretoprotectexistingrightsandpreventabuse,butitalsomeansensuringthatprivilegedpowersofvetoordomainnamesuspensionarenotaffordedanyonegroupofstakeholdersthatmakeup<strong>the</strong>Internetcommunity.Doingsorisksdelaying<strong>the</strong>programundulyandgivingsomebetteraccesstonewTLDsthano<strong>the</strong>rs.Yourssincerely,The<strong>GNSO</strong>Council.
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