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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Hi WT 5,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span 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;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>It seems that these ideas are floated right now in regard to the geo strings that were exempted in 2012 (ISO 3166 Alpha 3 and territory names):<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>1.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>The 3 to 4 year long discussion of the “CWG on country & territory names” was fruitless – and they recommended the GNSO should do the job. The GNSO formed WT 5 to do the job. Now this WT 5 throws in the towel BEFORE it even really began to discuss the topic: we simply “keep the status quo” – and tell a nation like Spain, Turkey or Israel: “Sorry, we need to protect you from applying for you country name as gTLD!”<br>So like the CWG we would just make no policy recommendations – and leave the names unavailable. Selling it as “predictable”. Wow. Really?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>2.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>We suddenly destroy the definition of the ccTLD – and kill the one and only USP ccTLDs have: that they are 2 character TLDs. Great – why not simply dissolving the entire ccNSO and incorporate it back into the gNSO? Why then not starting to allocate two letter string as gTLD – as future nations always could use their 3 letter code instead? To make SOME non-2-letter strings ccTLDs is the beginning of the end of ccTLDs – which I think would be sad. Why would the ccNSO allow their own decapitation? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span 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;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>I think both ideas are valid and it is OK to “float” them. But they are not really workable solutions. We need to define a method how to apply for these names. Obviously as a bare minimum the relevant Government has to sign off – so they can influence the policies – or if they dislike the policies just deny the letter of support. I myself would lobby that also the relevant ccTLD manager has to sign off – so they can either be RSP or otherwise weigh in! The hurdles could be very HIGH – but there must be a way for a nation like Qatar to make a “.qatar” to represent the country, Government and tourism. <br><br>What I would very much caution of is to follow the suggestion that each country has a right for the first bite – and if they don’t the string is available for the general public. That would be NOT in the interest of the people living in that territory! <br><br>Thanks,<br><br>Alexander Schubert<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>