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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; background-color: white;"><font face="Calibri">Dear all,</font></p>
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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; background-color: white;"><font face="Calibri">The co-chairs and staff met last week to:<o:p></o:p></font></p>
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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 36pt; text-indent: -18pt; background-color: white;">
<font face="Calibri">-<span style="line-height: normal;"> </span>prepare for today's conference call;<o:p></o:p></font></p>
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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 36pt; text-indent: -18pt; background-color: white;">
<font face="Calibri">-<span style="line-height: normal;"> </span>discuss arrangements for the Helsinki meeting; and<o:p></o:p></font></p>
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<font face="Calibri">-<span style="line-height: normal;"> </span>take stock of where we are at this point.<o:p></o:p></font></p>
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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; background-color: white;"><font face="Calibri">It was noted by all that we have received some helpful input in comments to the three-letter "straw-woman proposal".<o:p></o:p></font></p>
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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; background-color: white;"><font face="Calibri">But we also agreed that we have not yet received a significant number of comments, and that those we have received present what are, in some senses, diametrically opposed views. <o:p></o:p></font></p>
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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; background-color: white;"><font face="Calibri"> </font></p>
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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; background-color: white;"><font face="Calibri">With this in mind, we turned to thinking strategically about how to move forward, and specifically whether and how the new ICANN Meeting B "Policy Forum" structure might assist
us in doing so. The meeting B format is focused on SO/AC/SG/C policy work and cross-community outreach. </font><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Currently geo names as TLDs - including country and territory names - are being discussed by different threads
within the ICANN environment, and the Policy Forum in Helsinki is an excellent opportunity for cross-community discussion. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; background-color: white;"><font face="Calibri"> </font></p>
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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; background-color: white;"><font face="Calibri">We propose that, in our upcoming conference call on May 2nd 20:00 UTC, we not only acknowledge the comments received on the straw-woman to date, but also to have an open discussion
about the upcoming Helsinki meeting and how we might strategically use our time there to progress our work. </font></p>
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<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; background-color: white;"><font face="Calibri">You will find this reflected in the proposed agenda below. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas.</font></p>
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<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="Calibri"><b>AGENDA</b></font></p>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">meeting of the CWG on country and territory names as TLDs scheduled on<b> Monday, 02 May 2016 at 2000 UTC.</b></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> </span></p>
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<ul style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<li><font face="Calibri">Welcome</font></li><li><font face="Calibri">Acknowledgement of the comments received on the straw-woman paper to date – 3 character codes as TLDs</font></li><li><font face="Calibri">Suggested approach for ICANN56 in Helsinki</font></li><li><font face="Calibri">AOB</font></li></ul>
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<div>Best regards,</div>
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<div>Joke Braeken</div>
<div>ccNSO Policy Advisor </div>
<div><a href="mailto:joke.braeken@icann.org">joke.braeken@icann.org</a></div>
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<div>Follow @ccNSO on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ccNSO" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);">https://twitter.com/ccNSO</a></div>
<div>Follow the ccNSO on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ccnso/" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);">https://www.facebook.com/ccnso/</a></div>
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<div><a href="http://ccnso.icann.org">http://ccnso.icann.org</a> </div>
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