[ALAC] Red Cross/IOC - Questions for Consensus Call - Reply due by September 26th

[Rinalia Abdul Rahim]

Hi everyone.

I am sharing some additional questions that I have asked Alan on this topic
and his responses for the benefit of the ALAC's further understanding:

1. What is the impact on the Drafting Team (DT) if the recommendation that
you suggested is forwarded with a "notation" that the ALAC's preference is
that the IOC and the RC be de-linked?  Would this notation have any
effect/make a difference?

*AG: I think there will be no difference. The issue was raised a number of
times in the DT, but there was little interest among the other members in
pursuing it. So it died.*

2. What is the implication of "dissenting voices" from the NCUC or NCSG on
the process of providing protection to the organizations prior to a PDP?
Would this halt the process?  What would halt the process?

*AG: That's hard to tell. In the DT, it will be noted but not likely have
much impact. Although we will not know until the results of the consensus
call are in, my sense is that most of the DT and their constituents support
the compromise proposal. When it comes to a vote in Council, it is a bit
less clear. To be approved a majority of each house is required. Although
that sounds reasonable, it means that in reality, if all of one house
supports a motion, it will take over 75% of the overall council to achieve
this. So if the Registrars and Registries support the proposal, and the
NCSG votes as a block against approval, all of the CSG and the NomCom
Appointee must support it for it to pass. One of those abstaining or voting
no (or not voting) would kill it.*

3.  How long exactly would the PDP take and when would it start?  The
length of time is a factor in terms of cost accruing to the RC if
protection is not granted at this time, yes?

*AG: About the shortest possible PDP with virtually no substantive debate
would take about 9 months. Longer including the creation of its charter.
This is not a simple issue. So I would guess in the order of 2 years.
Perhaps longer. Certainly way past the time when the first gTLDs are
deployed. Since names will be registered long before they go into the Root,
and that rate could be as high as 500 per year, it is possible that the
majority of new gTLDs are approved prior to the completion and
implementation of the PDP.  **I don't pretend to know what strategy the RC
will follow if the names are not reserved, but my guess is that they will
reserve them during sunrise in any TLD where it makes even a bit of sense.
So the costs could be substantial. And it they don't defensively register
the names there will be defense costs. .XXX which is the only non-private
TLD to be deployed recently had a process by which an entity could block
the name instead of registering it, but that was not a cheap process either.
*

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