Subject: Re: [dnsop] ccTLD delegation analysis

From: Jim Reid <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2003 00:06:31 +0000

>>>>> "Eric" == Eric Brunner-Williams in Portland Maine <[email-masked]> writes:

    Eric> There is an important policy question here, begun with the
    Eric> .pn case, and ongoing, over the "public trust" role of the
    Eric> root zone operator, and the policy and process of delegation
    Eric> and modification of ccTLD zones.

Oh yeah. Even nastier policy questions pop up with .kp. IIUC this is
the only ISO 3166 country code that doesn't have a delegation in the
root zone. I think one of the problems here is that ICANN/IANA (a US
entity) could be subject to the US law that forbids dealing with "Axis
of Evil" countries.

    Eric> This issue is, as we say in the US, of constitutional
    Eric> magnitude and thus is matter ultimately entrusted to ICANN
    Eric> or its successors, and not to the IANA (unless the IANA is
    Eric> the successor to ICANN, a fact not in evidence).

Actually, it's bigger than that. It's of international magnitude
involving politicians and government officials. There are many voices
who want an international resource (the DNS root) to be under the
control of an international organisation. For them, it's unacceptable
that that resource can be controlled or managed by one nation. This is
a basic principle of international law.

This discussion has meandered into policy stuff that's off-topic for
this list. Please take any followups somewhere else.
.
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