[comments-wipo] Approve the Alvestrand Position

[Dennis Schaefer <apsdps@mediaone.net>]

The Harald Alvestrand position is a very workable way of according some
respect for broadly-accepted definitions of intellectual property,
without putting ICANN in the inappropriate role of reconciler of of
existing treaties and national laws.

In addition, by requiring owners of Famous Marks to pay all registration
fees for reserved domain names, it pegs itself to generally-accepted
notions of private property, thus relieving ICANN of the impossible
burden of defining where free speech ends and intellectual property
begins.

I would like to have seen Working Group B permit greater opportunity for
individual participation.  Nevertheless, the Alvestrand position avoids
unbalancing the competing legal interests that any mention of Famous
Marks involves.

I hope the Names Council will endorse it.