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--></style></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Dear Councilors,<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'>If you will recall, the Council has been considering the next steps for the IDN Operational Track for some time now. Kurt Pritz and his fellow RySG Councilors had proposed in an <a href="https://mm.icann.org/pipermail/council/2021-June/024744.html">email</a> a path forward for the IDN Operational Track which recommends:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:2.4pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>“the Council defer the work of the IDN Guidelines v4.0 Operational Track, and<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:2.4pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>advise the Board of this and recommend that the Board continue deferring the adoption of the IDN Guidelines 4.0 until the issues overlapping with the IDN EPDP can be fully deliberated and resolved by the IDN EPDP.”<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>In the email referenced earlier, Kurt included a draft letter from the Council to the Board for the purposes of advising the Board, as noted in the bullet above. Since discussing the approach with the Council and also with the Board in June, that letter has been revised by Council leadership and Kurt to try and take into account input received. Attached, please find that revised draft letter from the Council to the Board. For your reference, you will also find the original draft provided to the Council on 4 June by Kurt. <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:11.0pt'>Please send any proposed revisions to the letter by 11 August 2021.<o:p></o:p></span></b></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'>Best,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Steve<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><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Steven Chan</span></b><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"MS Gothic"'>
</span></b><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Senior Director, GNSO Support<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:black'>Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>12025 Waterfront Drive, Suite 300<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Los Angeles, CA 90094-2536</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"MS Gothic"'>
</span><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><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Email: <a href="mailto:steve.chan@icann.org"><span style='color:#0563C1'>steve.chan@icann.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Skype: steve.chan55<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Mobile: +1.310.339.4410<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;color:black'>Find out more about the GNSO by visiting: <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__learn.icann.org_&d=DwMGaQ&c=FmY1u3PJp6wrcrwll3mSVzgfkbPSS6sJms7xcl4I5cM&r=DRa2dXAvSFpCIgmkXhFzL7ar9Qfqa0AIgn-H4xR2EBk&m=jLNFXvpu9gNdUeHi-G6sjWNCF9w4_AwhzzUDFZy2elE&s=o7Auz997kA-HPv9PHJCjFVZw7Pgo8krw4MxfqCwBrIU&e=" title="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__learn.icann.org_&d=DwMGaQ&c=FmY1u3PJp6wrcrwll3mSVzgfkbPSS6sJms7xcl4I5cM&r=DRa2dXAvSFpCIgmkXhFzL7ar9Qfqa0AIgn-H4xR2EBk&m=jLNFXvpu9gNdUeHi-G6sjWNCF9w4_AwhzzUDFZy2elE&s=o7Auz997kA-HPv9PHJCjFVZw7Pgo8krw4Mxf"><span style='color:#0563C1'>https://learn.icann.org/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:black'>Follow @GNSO on Twitter: <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__twitter.com_ICANN-5FGNSO&d=DwMGaQ&c=FmY1u3PJp6wrcrwll3mSVzgfkbPSS6sJms7xcl4I5cM&r=DRa2dXAvSFpCIgmkXhFzL7ar9Qfqa0AIgn-H4xR2EBk&m=jLNFXvpu9gNdUeHi-G6sjWNCF9w4_AwhzzUDFZy2elE&s=kWw4fQPNjw2lVKy1UjTxS2F0BmjEAzaDFWNmsYywbmE&e=" title="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__twitter.com_ICANN-5FGNSO&d=DwMGaQ&c=FmY1u3PJp6wrcrwll3mSVzgfkbPSS6sJms7xcl4I5cM&r=DRa2dXAvSFpCIgmkXhFzL7ar9Qfqa0AIgn-H4xR2EBk&m=jLNFXvpu9gNdUeHi-G6sjWNCF9w4_AwhzzUDFZy2elE&s=kWw4fQPNjw2lVKy1UjTxS2F0BmjE"><span style='color:#0563C1'>https://twitter.com/ICANN_GNSO</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:black'>Transcripts and recordings of GNSO Working Group and Council events are located on the <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__gnso.icann.org_en_group-2Dactivities_calendar&d=DwMGaQ&c=FmY1u3PJp6wrcrwll3mSVzgfkbPSS6sJms7xcl4I5cM&r=DRa2dXAvSFpCIgmkXhFzL7ar9Qfqa0AIgn-H4xR2EBk&m=jLNFXvpu9gNdUeHi-G6sjWNCF9w4_AwhzzUDFZy2elE&s=-L6chFfv0OperrXHHpTF722WnH3FZIutn4cS16IvpOg&e="><span style='color:#0563C1'>GNSO Master Calendar</span><span style='color:#954F72'> </span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>