=====> your explicit support is needed, see further below <======= Dear Colleagues, We have recently published the draft proposal for the ICANN Address Supporting Organisation (ASO). The proposal is the result of numerous discussions within the RIPE community and the collective effort of all the Regional Internet Registries: APNIC, ARIN and the RIPE NCC. The proposal reflects the input we have received from the community. In particular it builds on the existing regional structures and proposes to continue using the well established processes we have been using to develop address space related policies over the years. This eliminates the need for you to participate in another, global, process of IP addressing policy development in order to be represented and defend your interests. The Regional Internet Registries plan to collectively submit the ASO proposal to ICANN later this month. This will allow ICANN to consider the proposal at the ICANN meeting to be held on 24-26 August 1999 in Santiago, Chile. The cover letter and draft proposal for a MoU-based ASO document can be found under the current issues section at: http://www.ripe.net/info/ncc/icann.html If you have any comments or discussion points please use the mailing list <aso-discuss@ripe.net>. If you can support the draft as is, please register your explicit support on that list too. Since there is at least one other proposal (also referenced from the URL above) it is extremely important that our proposal collects as much explicit support from ISPs as possible. Without this support being explicit, ICANN will not be able to decide on the establishment of the ASO in an expeditious fashion. It will be very useful if your supporting message would include - Organisation Name - RIPE NCC registry ID (if a LIR and if known) - Function (get someone with an impressive job title to send it ;-) Thank you for your support Rob Blokzijl Chairman of RIPE Keith Mitchell Chairman of the RIPE NCC Executive Board Daniel Karrenberg General Manager of the RIPE NCC