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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Jeff<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>As requested, how about the below draft:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>The GNSO Council wishes to express its disappointment with the Board's decision to meet in a closed session on Saturday 23 June to vote on a topic which was slated for discussion at the public forum on Thursday, January 28, 2012 : <a href="http://www.icann.org/en/groups/board/documents/resolutions-23jun12-en.htm#2"><span style='color:black'>http://www.icann.org/en/groups/board/documents/resolutions-23jun12-en.htm#2</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>ICANN staff had placed the topic of the renewal of the .com Agreement on the Thursday public forum agenda some time ago, and this item remains on the public forum agenda tomorrow. We are aware that of a number of GNSO constituencies, stakeholder groups and/or Advisory Committees that were looking forward to addressing this subject with the board and the ICANN community at the Public Forum. However, neither the GNSO Council nor its constituencies, stakeholder groups or liaisons were aware of the Board's closed session and adoption of the draft agreement <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>This comment is not with regard to the merits of the Board’s action, it is for the constituencies or stakeholder groups to highlight those as they see fit. However, we, the GNSO Council, find the process followed by the Board to be objectionable at a time when the private sector is being urged to advocate for the ICANN model, and its is therefore imperative that the Board hold itself to the highest standards of transparency and accountability that it is mandated to uphold. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Hope helpful. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'>Kind regards<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Brian J. Winterfeldt <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Partner <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:7.0pt'><u><span style='font-size:9.0pt;color:blue'><a href="mailto:bwinterfeldt@steptoe.com"><span style='color:blue'>bwinterfeldt@steptoe.com</span></a></span></u><span style='font-size:9.0pt;color:#971B2F'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:1.0pt'><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#971B2F;letter-spacing:-1.0pt'>Steptoe<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse'><tr style='height:50.8pt'><td width=151 valign=top style='width:113.4pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:50.8pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>+1 202 429 6260 direct<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>+1 202 903 4422 mobile<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>+1 202 429 3902 fax<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=337 valign=top style='width:252.4pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:50.8pt'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Steptoe & Johnson LLP<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>1330 Connecticut Avenue, NW<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Washington, DC 20036<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;color:#971B2F'><a href="http://www.steptoe.com/"><span style='color:blue'>www.steptoe.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>This message and any attached documents contain information from the law firm Steptoe & Johnson LLP that may be confidential and/or privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please do not read, copy, distribute, or use this information. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and then delete this message.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>