08/21/97 -- NEW YORK, NY-- The new internet Policy Advisory Body
(PAB), established in Geneva, Switzerland on May 1, 1997, and which
represents Internet users involved in the new generic Top-Level Domain
(gTLD) name system, elected its new officers and passed its first resolution
last week. Elected as Chairperson was Antony Van Couvering of NetNames
USA, Inc. PAB members elected Rick Wesson of Internet Business
Services, Inc. as Deputy Chair and Robert Connelly of PSI-Japan, Inc., as
Secretary. Javier Sola and Amadeu Abril i Abril, both from Spain, were
elected to be the PAB Official Observers to the Policy Oversight Committee
(POC), headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

The PAB also passed a resolution requesting two seats with voting rights on
the POC, the body which makes final decisions about new domain names.
This resolution is now being considered by the POC.

The PAB Observers are monitoring the POC's activities for the the PAB
membership. Final approval of the elected PAB Observers is required from
the POC, but this is expected in the near future, . David Maher, POC
Chairperson, said today, "I welcome PAB's participation and look forward
to an early formalization of this relationship."

PAB membership is open to any signatory of the generic Top-Level Domain
Memorandum of Understanding, a document that sets the framework for
establishment of the new domains. Each PAB member has one vote on all
domain name issues.

PAB's new Chairperson also said, "As a result of the voting, all internet
stakeholders will be able to have an input and help formulate policy. This is
truly an important step in the history of the Internet because owners of
domain names will no longer be on the outside looking in. The PAB will
make sure that these people have a say on the issues that affect us all."

"People and organizations with an interest in the future of domain name
administration shold not be frozen out of the process," said Van Couvering.
"It's time that domain name policy makers are accountable to the people they
affect. The PAB makes this possible. PAB representatives will also represent
-- and vote -- our members' views on the POC."

PAB's agenda for the next several months includes the creation of a
permanent charter, outreach programs to groups that feel left out of the
process, and publicizing the merits of the gTLD-MoU.

PAB's web page is located at http://www.pab.gtld-mou.org; information
about joining PAB is at http://www.itu.int/net-itu/gtld-mou/mousign.htm. A
list of gTLD-MOU signatories is at
http://www.itu.int/net-itu/gtld-mou/signat.htm. Info on the gTLD-MoU
initiative is at http://www.gtld-mou.org.
 
 

Contact: Antony Van Couvering
Voice: 212-627-4599
Email: avc@netnamesusa.com

or

Contact: Rick Wesson
Voice: 415-673-4106
Email: rick@organic.com

or

Contact: Robert Connelly
Voice: +81 3 3234-6921
Email: rconnell@psi-japan.com