I have tried to provide some resources and some clarity for those whose reading ability has been clouded by emotions or agendas. This is a real issue that requires real thought with real consequences. I do not expect total agreement, but a little respect might be nice. Understanding a point of view does not imply agreement. --bob ======================================================================== The first question of examples: Here is where the ccTLD agreements (with numerous names for different types) are located: http://www.icann.org/en/cctlds/agreements.html One specific example, although there are lots: This one was signed on Sept 2, 2009 by Rod Beckstrom: http://www.icann.org/en/cctlds/ua/ua-icann-letters-02sep09-en.pdf The agreement is with Communications Systems Ltd. Dmitry Kohmanyuk PO Box 99 Kyiv 01033 Ukraine not with the government of Ukraine. Perhaps, Ukraine has delegated the running of its ccTLD to Mr. Kohmanyuk, but I have not found a document that states that from the Ukrainian government. One of my fixes to the IANA list would include a link to each government with such a document. It would go a long way to providing credibility and transparency. ======================================================================== The RFP is here: http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-3-17aug09-en.htm Review of the Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) 17 August 20090 The closing date for repsonses has passed. ===================================================================== I I I have put four documents on line for background. There are more, but these are are public, well done and discuss the issues. Let me know if you experience any problems. Youn Park's article is from her doctoral dissertation, which I do not have permission to put on line yet. I have read it and she has done a wonderful job of researching and presenting the issues. Garth's document (The Sydney one) is here as well. http://www.coldrain.net/cctld/cctld.html ========================================================================= IANA list fixes: Accuracy and transparency for starters. Also, as mentioned, links to documents from ccTLD governments giving permission to others to run there ccTLD. One thing that could be done is send an email to each of the contacts on the list to see how many are still valid and to see if they know about who runs their ccTLD. ========================================================================= Kim said: "The IANA database is the authoritative contact persons for top-level domain operators. If there are invalid contact details it is because TLD operators have failed to keep their record up-to-date. What is ICANN meant to do, remove the TLD from the root until they fix their contact details?" Bob says: This is clearly sarcasm, not helpful dialogue, but if that is how you wish to deal with the issue, so be it. I have found that there are two types of people at ICANN, those who wish to help fix problems and those that wish to hinder. Pick one. ========================================================================= Kim said: "This seems in direct conflict with what you said earlier. You say it is OK for a country to decide to outsource how the TLD is run, but then you are implying it is not OK here?" Bob says: More sarcasm. I did not imply any such thing. I suggest a more careful reading of what I wrote. =========================================================================== Kim said: "What would you like to see? ICANN prohibit countries from using resources outside their country from being involved in operating their ccTLD?" Bob says: And still more sarcasm. Again I suggest reading more carefully. ====================================================================== On Mon, 5 Oct 2009, Kim Davies wrote:
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 2009 09:44:40 -0700 Subject: Re: [NA-Discuss] LACTLD Statement
On 5/10/09 9:26 AM, "Bob Bruen" <naralo@coldrain.net> wrote:
It is a problem for me when ICANN signs over the control of a .yy to an individual or company just because they ask for it.
Can you give examples when this has happened? I do not believe there are any.
If the country then wants to contract out the running of .yy to that individual or company, so be it. The people of the country ought to have a say in what happens - that is more like the multi-stakeholder issue at the local level and of course more democratic.
So that is how it is now. What are you advocating be changed?
ICANN has pretty much ignored the issue of ccTLDs until a report by Garth was read at Sydney, which caused a large, nasty backlash, followed by an RFP from ICANN to do a study on the ccTLDs.
What does this mean? What report at Sydney? What RFP? What is the "issue of ccTLDs"? I am frankly at a loss what this refers to, and I say this as ICANN staff predominantly working on ccTLD issues now for years.
Some of this group's members do not understand some details, so those people should read up a little bit before saying things. For example, the IANA list of contacts for ccTLDs is way out of date and is inaccurate in many cases. This ought to be fixed before anyone uses it as a source.
Fixed how?
The IANA database is the authoritative contact persons for top-level domain operators. If there are invalid contact details it is because TLD operators have failed to keep their record up-to-date. What is ICANN meant to do, remove the TLD from the root until they fix their contact details?
The fact that some countries use US resources as a backup does not change the other facts that several US citizens run ccTLDs from the US. It merely shows a lack of transparency, as well as a messy bit of bookkeeping - which should be fixed. (It is not only US citizens, but citizens from other countries - not the ccTLD country -who run the ccTLD).
This seems in direct conflict with what you said earlier. You say it is OK for a country to decide to outsource how the TLD is run, but then you are implying it is not OK here?
This is a serious problem that should not be ignored, as it has been for years.
What would you like to see? ICANN prohibit countries from using resources outside their country from being involved in operating their ccTLD?
While there are a few historical anomalies (I believe all well and truly pre-date ICANN), such arrangements are with the consent and endorsement of the relevant stakeholders in the country. To take a recent scenario, the ccTLD for Montenegro .ME. Registry operations there have been outsourced, but it is with the explicit endorsement of the relevant folks within the country. Policy and administrative operations are conducted by the Montenegro Government and the University of Montenegro. What is the issue here?
kim