[ga] Policies to govern the launch of new TLDs

[DannyYounger@cs.com]

Dear Bruce,

Like many in the community, I look forward to the introduction of new TLDs.  
When the general public thinks about ICANN reform, they also tend to focus on 
the topic of expanding the namespace.  The last five out of six public 
comments posted to the ERC's Forum (off-topic category) have requested the 
creation of new TLDs -- these particular contributors were asking for 
namespace for an adult domain (with an earlier post requesting the creation 
of a TLD for Scotland).   

The Final Report of the New TLD Evaluation Process Planning Task Force 
recommended that "The Board should consider to what extent it can initiate 
planning of and proposal solicitations for new rounds of gTLDs in parallel 
with the Evaluation and Monitoring projects recommended above."  In response 
to this report, the Board at its 23 August meeting decided to defer acting on 
the NTEPPTF recommendations until the Shanghai session, and resolved [02.97] 
that the President is directed to produce a plan for action for approval by 
the Board at its meeting in Shanghai, China, in October 2002.

I have to admit that I'm not comfortable with the idea of such an action-plan 
being left totally in the hands of ICANN Staff and Management, as the 
introduction of a new round of TLDs should ideally be governed by policies 
set by the DNSO.  I would ask you, as the current Council Chair, to place on 
the Council agenda the prospect of convening an open Working Group to 
formulate such policy recommendations.
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