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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=FR link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><a href="http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-14may12-en.htm">http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-14may12-en.htm</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><h1><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Independent Objector for New gTLD Program Selected<o:p></o:p></span></h1><p class=MsoNormal><span class=date-display-single><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>14 May 2012</span></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>ICANN is delighted to announce that Professor Alain Pellet has agreed to serve as the Independent Objector for the New Generic Top-level domain program. The Independent Objector will act solely in the interests of the public who use the global Internet.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Professor Pellet's credentials and experience are an ideal fit for this key role. He is a highly regarded professor and practitioner of law and has represented governments as Counsel and Advocate in the International Court of Justice in many significant and well-known cases. He is widely published and holds several significant honors.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>ICANN's formal search for an Independent Objector began with the posting of a Request for Proposals in November 2011. We also advertised, utilized the services of a global recruiting firm and welcomed word-of-mouth recommendations. Numerous candidates were interviewed and considered throughout the search process.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Acting solely in the best interests of global Internet users, the Independent Objector may lodge Limited Public Interest and Community objections in cases where no other objection is made to an application that the Independent Objector deems to be objectionable.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>More information about the Independent Objector role can be found in the </span><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><a href="http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/applicants/agb"><span lang=EN-US>new gTLD Applicant Guidebook</span></a></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>More information about Professor Pellet, including his curriculum vitae, can be found at: </span><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><a href="http://www.alainpellet.eu/"><span lang=EN-US>http://www.alainpellet.eu</span></a></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>We are honored by Professor's Pellet's agreement to participate in ICANN and this program.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-language:FR'>Glen de Saint Géry <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-language:FR'>GNSO Secretariat <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-language:FR'><a href="mailto:gnso.secretariat@gnso.icann.org">gnso.secretariat@gnso.icann.org</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-language:FR'><a href="http://gnso.icann.org">http://gnso.icann.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p></div></body></html>