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<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>Registrars:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>Here is the NTIA’s statement related to the mid-term review of its
JPA with ICANN.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>Thanks.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>Jon<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'><a
href="http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/domainname/ICANN_JPA_080402.html">http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/domainname/ICANN_JPA_080402.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>Statement on the Mid-Term Review of the Joint Project Agreement (JPA)
Between NTIA and ICANN <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>Released April 2, 2008<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA),
on behalf of the <st1:PersonName w:st="on">D</st1:PersonName>epartment of
Commerce, recently conducted a mid-term review of the <st1:PersonName w:st="on">D</st1:PersonName>epartment’s
Joint Project Agreement (JPA) with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names
and Numbers (ICANN). The JPA is a continuation of a series of agreements
between the <st1:PersonName w:st="on">D</st1:PersonName>epartment and ICANN to
facilitate the transition of the technical coordination of the management
functions related to the Internet domain name and addressing system (<st1:PersonName
w:st="on">D</st1:PersonName>NS) to the private sector. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>Although views during the midterm review represent diverse
perspectives, there was general consensus on the need to preserve the security
and stability of the <st1:PersonName w:st="on">D</st1:PersonName>NS and the
recognition that ICANN is the appropriate technical coordinator of the Internet
<st1:PersonName w:st="on">D</st1:PersonName>NS. ICANN has made significant
progress in several key areas, but most participants agree that important work
remains to increase institutional confidence through implementing effective
processes that will enable: long term stability; accountability; responsiveness;
continued private sector leadership, stakeholder participation; increased
contract compliance; and enhanced competition. It is important to note that
the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) functions contract was not part
of the JPA mid-term review. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>Over the next eighteen months, NTIA will continue to monitor
ICANN’s performance in meeting the ten responsibilities articulated in
the annex to the JPA. Furthermore, NTIA remains fully committed to the 2005
U.S. Principles on the Internet's <st1:PersonName w:st="on">D</st1:PersonName>omain
Name and Addressing System.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>NTIA would like to gratefully acknowledge the ICANN community’s
efforts to provide well-reasoned and substantive contributions to the mid-term
review of the JPA. NTIA considers all of the contributions and perspectives shared
as invaluable elements of this review and looks forward to further discussions
on the topic. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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