[At-Large] Letter, ICANN Board/GAC intersessional meeting on gTLDs: Open to Observers?

[Adam Peake]

Hi, At Large might like to support this letter asking the Board and 
GAC to hold the intersessional meeting on new gTLDs open to 
observers.  I think open meetings have become the default for both 
Board and GAC, but it is worth emphasizing in this case.  The letter:

<http://www.circleid.com/posts/icann_board_gac_geneva_meeting_open_to_observers/>

An important paragraph:

"We respectfully request that this consultation between the Board and 
GAC be open to observers, consistent with the practices of GAC -- 
Board interactions at the public meetings which ICANN holds three 
times a year. Since this is the first meeting of this nature in 
ICANN's eleven year history, the precedent for all future such 
meetings will be established by this meeting."

No idea if the comment that the meeting will be held in Geneva at the 
end of February is correct.  But if At Large does support the letter 
it might also say that should the Board wish to launch the new gTLD 
at the San Francisco meeting (and given the years of process a 
decision during later teleconference would be a disappointment), 
holding such discussions at the end of February would leave too 
little time for public comment. It will take some days for staff to 
take the results of the Board/GAC discussion into account and publish 
a final applicant guide book. The community must have ample time to 
comment and participate to the fullest extent possible in the 
process.  As stated in the workplan adopted in October 2010 
<http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/new-gtld-work-plan-28oct10-en.pdf > 
a final 30 day public comment period is required.

Adam