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    <p>Bruce, This is the formal evidence and logic based ICANN's
      contribution to clarity here. That helps but the risk is that the
      IANA Transition will become a political football in the final days
      of the U.S. election. At that point evidence and logic will hold
      little sway against media "sound bites"  that may well be
      completely false. The hope is that the parties to the election
      have bigger issues to deal with. If this becomes an issue there
      will be nothing ICANN can do in the immediate time frame, but
      there would be important lessons for ICANN to learn with regard to
      an ongoing strategy of global internet governance education. <br>
    </p>
    <p>Actually, going forward ICANN, working with its stakeholders,
      should address this challenge even if the issue does not become
      media sound bites in the next couple of weeks. Accountability,
      like open data, should include knowledge translation to inform and
      educate all. [<i>Sorry, as an academic I succumbed to a Saturday
        lecture here, but I do know what it means to talk over people's
        heads, we (and ICANN) do it all the time, with poor results </i><i><span
          class="moz-smiley-s2"><span>:-(</span></span></i> ]</p>
    <p>Sam L. <br>
    </p>
    <br>
    <div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 9/9/2016 11:43 PM, Bruce Tonkin
      wrote:<br>
    </div>
    <blockquote
cite="mid:263EE96C7DADD44CB3D5A07DBD41D0E8BC8B42C8@bne3-0002mitmbx.corp.mit"
      type="cite">
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        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">From</span><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt" lang="EN-US"><a
              moz-do-not-send="true"
              href="https://www.icann.org/iana-stewardship-questions">https://www.icann.org/iana-stewardship-questions</a><span
              style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
        <h1 style="margin-top:0cm"><span lang="EN">Answering some of
            your questions on the stewardship transition<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">By delivering the IANA stewardship transition
            <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/board-ntia-transmissions-2016-06-13-en">proposal</a>
            to the U.S. Department of Commerce's National
            Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in
            March, the global Internet community executed the
            <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/iana-accountability-participation-statistics-2015-11-04-en">largest
              multistakeholder process</a> ever undertaken in Internet
            governance.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">The transition proposal achieved the broad support
            thousands of Internet stakeholders by reinforcing the
            current multistakeholder system and making ICANN more
            accountable to Internet users around the world. The proposal
            also garnered support from global representatives of
            industry, the technical community, civil society groups,
            academics, governments and end users.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">The timely completion of the transition will help
            preserve the continued openness of the Internet by
            entrusting its oversight with those who have made the
            greatest investments in its extraordinary success so far –
            the volunteer-based multistakeholder community.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">Still, some questions remain about the nature of
            the IANA functions, ICANN, and the likely impacts of the
            transition and we wanted to answer them for you in one
            place.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:15.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0
          level1 lfo1">
          <!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">1.<span
                style="font:7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;">   
              </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">Does the transition threaten Internet freedom?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:15.0pt"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">No. The United States Government's contract with
            ICANN does not give the U.S. any power to regulate or
            protect speech on the Internet. The IANA functions are
            technical – not content – based. The freedom of any person
            to express his or herself on the globally interoperable
            Internet is in fact enhanced by the transition moving
            forward. ICANN is not, has not been, and by its Bylaws
            cannot become, a place for regulation of content.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:15.0pt"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">Ensuring that the Internet remains open,
            interoperable and stable in the long-term helps protect
            Internet freedom. Some believe that extending the contract
            may actually lead to the loss of Internet freedom because it
            could fuel efforts to move Internet governance decisions to
            the United Nations (U.N.). Former Homeland Security
            Secretary Michael Chertoff and retired Vice Chairman of the
            Joint Chiefs of Staff James Cartwright
            <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2016/06/keep-internet-free-and-open-icann-000140">stated</a>
            that, "rejecting or even delaying the transition would be a
            gift to those governments threatened by a free and open
            Internet."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:15.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0
          level1 lfo1">
          <!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">2.<span
                style="font:7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;">   
              </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">Will countries be able to censor speech on the
            Internet after the transition?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:15.0pt"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">No more so than they can today. Right now, there
            is nothing about ICANN or its contract with the U.S.
            Government that prevents a country from censoring or
            blocking content within its own borders. ICANN is a
            technical organization and does not have the remit or
            ability to regulate content on the Internet. That is true
            under the current contract with the U.S. Government and will
            remain true without the contract with the U.S. Government.
            The transition will not empower or prohibit sovereign states
            from censoring speech.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:15.0pt"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">Many leading
            <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://www.accessnow.org/cms/assets/uploads/2016/05/CSstatementonIANAtransitionMay2016-1.pdf">civil
              society and advocacy groups</a> [PDF, 106 KB] actually
            argue that the transition will enhance free speech on the
            Internet. Human Rights Watch, Access Now, Article19, Open
            Technology Institute and Public Knowledge, support the
            transition because "executing upon the IANA transition is
            the best way to ensure the continued functionality of the
            global internet and to protect the free flow of information
            so essential to human rights protection."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:15.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0
          level1 lfo1">
          <!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">3.<span
                style="font:7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;">   
              </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">Will ICANN be more susceptible to capture by a
            single entity after the transition?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:15.0pt"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">No. ICANN's multistakeholder model is designed to
            ensure that no single entity, whether country, business or
            interest group, can capture ICANN or exclude other parties
            from decision-making processes. Features of this model
            include open processes where anyone can participate,
            decisions made by consensus, established appeals mechanisms,
            and transparent and public meetings. These elements are all
            reinforced in the
            <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/board-ntia-transmissions-2016-06-13-en">community
              transition proposal</a> and have been building blocks for
            the free and open Internet we see today.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:15.0pt"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">NTIA, along with other U.S. Government agencies
            and a panel of corporate governance experts, conducted a
            <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://www.ntia.doc.gov/report/2016/iana-stewardship-transition-proposal-assessment-report">thorough
              review of the transition proposal</a>. NTIA confirmed that
            the proposal mitigated the risk of a government or
            third-party capture of ICANN after the transition. Columbia
            University's John Coffee also
            <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.newyorklawjournal.com/id=1202762978409/Adventures-in-Corporate-Governance-Guarding-the-Internet?mcode=0&amp;curindex=0&amp;curpage=ALL">concluded
              that</a>, "ICANN has been given so many checks and
            balances that it is difficult to imagine a hostile
            takeover," after the transition.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:15.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0
          level1 lfo1">
          <!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">4.<span
                style="font:7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;">   
              </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">Will ICANN seek oversight by the U.N. to maintain
            its antitrust exemption after the transition?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:15.0pt"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">No. ICANN is not, and never has been exempted from
            antitrust laws. ICANN has not been granted an antitrust
            exemption through any of its contracts with NTIA or the U.S.
            Department of Commerce. No court ruling in favor of ICANN
            has ever cited an antitrust exemption to support its ruling.
            This past July, NTIA Administrator Larry Strickling
            <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://www.ntia.doc.gov/speechtestimony/2016/remarks-assistant-secretary-strickling-internet-governance-forum-usa">addressed
              the concerns</a> about the possible antitrust liability of
            a post-transition ICANN and reaffirmed that "ICANN always
            has and will continue to be subject to antitrust laws."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:15.0pt"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">After the transition, ICANN will have no mandate,
            need or reason to seek to be overseen by another
            governmental or inter-governmental group for protection.
            NTIA also would not allow the transition to occur if ICANN
            were to replace the role of the U.S. Government with another
            government or inter-governmental organization.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:15.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0
          level1 lfo1">
          <!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">5.<span
                style="font:7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;">   
              </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">Will governments have more control over the
            Internet after the transition?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:15.0pt"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">No. The transition proposal does not increase the
            role of governments over the Internet or ICANN as an
            organization. The multistakeholder model appropriately
            limits the influence of governments and intergovernmental
            organizations to an advisory role in policy development.
            More than 160 governments actively participate as a single
            committee and must come to a consensus before policy advice
            can be issued.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:15.0pt"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">After the transition, there will be times where
            the ICANN Board must give special consideration to the
            public policy advice of governments. However, this will only
            happen when there is no objection from any government in the
            committee – which includes the United States. This is a
            stricter requirement than is currently in place for
            government advice.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:15.0pt"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">In a <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://docs.house.gov/meetings/IF/IF16/20160317/104682/HHRG-114-IF16-Wstate-PlonkA-20160317.pdf">March
              testimony before Congress</a> [PDF, 103 KB], Intel
            Corporation stated that the transition proposal "strikes the
            right balance of including governments in a true
            multistakeholder community, while not giving them increased
            influence over ICANN's decisions," after the transition.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:15.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0
          level1 lfo1">
          <!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">6.<span
                style="font:7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;">   
              </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">Does delaying the transition by one or two years
            have any negative consequences?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:15.0pt"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">Yes, any delay of the transition could have
            significant global consequences. The Internet is a
            voluntary, trust-based system. A delay would introduce
            uncertainty, for businesses and other stakeholders, which
            could have long-term business, social, cultural, political
            and economic impacts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:15.0pt"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">This past March, U.S.
            <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/hearings?ID=418B1D81-1F0B-4E09-BB71-A98FBABE42B9">Ambassador
              David Gross testified</a> that, "the clearest impact [of a
            delay] is on the broader, global community. It will signal
            that the U.S. has changed its position and no longer
            believes in a private-sector led internet and that
            governments will play a primary role in making the final
            decision. Russia, China, and others will welcome such a
            decision." In addition, the
            <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://www.ourinternet.org/press/statement-by-gcig-regarding-iana-transition/">Centre
              for International Governance Innovation added</a> to this
            sentiment by expressing that "[A delay will] increase
            distrust, and will likely encourage some governments to
            pursue their own national or even regional Internets."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:15.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0
          level1 lfo1">
          <!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">7.<span
                style="font:7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;">   
              </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">Will ICANN relocate its headquarters outside of
            the United States after the transition?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:15.0pt"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">No. ICANN will not relocate its corporate
            headquarters location after the transition. The
            <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://www.ianacg.org/icg-files/documents/IANA-transition-proposal-final.pdf">transition
              proposal clearly states</a> [PDF, 2.32 MB] that "the legal
            jurisdiction in which ICANN resides is to remain unchanged."
            California law is the basis for the new mechanisms created
            to empower the ICANN community and hold ICANN the
            organization, Board and community, accountable. In addition,
            ICANN's Articles of Incorporation are filed under California
            law, and its Bylaws state that ICANN's headquarters are in
            California.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:15.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0
          level1 lfo1">
          <!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">8.<span
                style="font:7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;">   
              </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">Is it illegal to allow the transition to move
            forward without congressional approval because it is a
            transfer of U.S. property?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:15.0pt"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">No. ICANN is not aware of any U.S. Government
            property that would be transferred as a result of the
            transition. In a
            <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.ntia.doc.gov/files/ntia/publications/20160810_-_ntia_response_to_grassley_goodlatte_-_iana.pdf">letter
              to Chairman Grassley and Chairman Goodlatte</a> [PDF, 1.25
            MB] last month, NTIA stated that the Department of Commerce
            Office of General Counsel conducted a legal review of this
            issue and advised NTIA that transition would not result in
            the transfer of U.S. Government property, and that, in the
            view of the Department, the authoritative root zone file is
            not U.S. Government property.
            <o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:15.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0
          level1 lfo1">
          <!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">9.<span
                style="font:7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;">   
              </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">Will Verisign have the ability to raise prices
            of.com domain names on 1 October 2016 as a result of the
            transition?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:15.0pt"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">No. The cost of .com domains is capped at $7.85
            until 30 November 2018. The current pricing of the .com
            registry is defined by two separate contracts (1) the .com
            Registry Agreement between Verisign and ICANN; and (2) the
            Cooperative Agreement between Verisign and the Department of
            Commerce. After 2018, Verisign and NTIA will have to
            negotiate to change the terms for the Cooperative Agreement
            or agree to end the Cooperative Agreement before discussing
            new pricing of the .com domain with ICANN.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:15.0pt"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">In <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://www.ntia.doc.gov/files/ntia/publications/2016-8-31_doj_response_to_cruz-lee-duffy.pdf">letters</a>
            [PDF, 851 KB] to Chairman Cruz, Chairman Lee, and Chairman
            Duffy last week, the Assistant Attorney General stated that,
            consistent with past practices, it is expected that NTIA
            will seek the advice of the U.S. Department of Justice on
            any competition issues implicated by the extension of these
            two contracts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:15.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0
          level1 lfo1">
          <!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">10.<span
                style="font:7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;">         
              </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">Do the recent independent review process (IRP)
            decisions regarding applications for new generic top level
            domains prove that ICANN is not sufficiently transparent or
            accountable enough for the transition?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:15.0pt"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">No. An IRP is an accountability mechanism used to
            review and resolve a concern raised by the community over a
            policy decision made by ICANN. Any result from an IRP,
            whether positive or negative, demonstrates that the system
            of checks and balances built into the ICANN multistakeholder
            model works. The IRP has been enhanced to strengthen ICANN's
            commitment to employ open, transparent, bottom-up,
            multistakeholder processes after the transition.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
          style="margin-left:15.0pt;text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0
          level1 lfo1">
          <!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">11.<span
                style="font:7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;">         
              </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">Does ICANN have an operational relationship with
            the Chinese government?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:15.0pt"><span
style="font-family:&quot;Helvetica&quot;,sans-serif;color:#333333"
            lang="EN">No. ICANN does not have any operational
            relationship with the Chinese Government. ICANN's engagement
            center in China is one of seven around the world. The
            presence of an ICANN engagement center or operational hub
            within a country does not imply any level of support for the
            nation's government or its policies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
      </div>
      <br>
      <fieldset class="mimeAttachmentHeader"></fieldset>
      <br>
      <pre wrap="">_______________________________________________
Accountability-Cross-Community mailing list
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Accountability-Cross-Community@icann.org">Accountability-Cross-Community@icann.org</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://mm.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/accountability-cross-community">https://mm.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/accountability-cross-community</a>
</pre>
    </blockquote>
    <br>
    <pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">-- 
------------------------------------------------
"It is a disgrace to be rich and honoured
in an unjust state" -Confucius
 邦有道,贫且贱焉,耻也。邦无道,富且贵焉,耻也
------------------------------------------------
Dr Sam Lanfranco (Prof Emeritus &amp; Senior Scholar)
Econ, York U., Toronto, Ontario, CANADA - M3J 1P3
email: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Lanfran@Yorku.ca">Lanfran@Yorku.ca</a>   Skype: slanfranco
blog:  <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://samlanfranco.blogspot.com">http://samlanfranco.blogspot.com</a>
Phone: +1 613-476-0429 cell: +1 416-816-2852</pre>
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