The Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) will use a two part response
to ICANN's calls for input to ICANN's evolution and reform process. The
initial response will enumerate a set of principles that the RIRs believe
should frame the interaction between ICANN and the RIRs. The second part
will focus on integrating these principles into a more general comment
about roles and relationships between ICANN and the RIRs.
Any ICANN changes and reforms arising from this process need to be deliberate
steps that are intended to achieve specific and well understood outcomes.
The RIRs believe that the initiation of such a process can be assisted
by the enumeration of a set of principles of interaction between ICANN
and the RIRs.
1. The RIRs believe in the value of informed policy making, using an
open process of participation that implements an industry self-regulatory
framework for RIR policies. The RIRs believe ICANN should be a venue
for responsible review of those policies that are developed within the
RIR process and that are common to all RIRs (global policies). The RIRs
see no value in a process that admits the imposition of arbitrary and
potentially capricious policies onto the management of Internet resources.
2. As address allocation is constrained by network topology and other
technical considerations, it is the RIRs conviction that address allocation
policies are best developed within the RIR process by those who understand
and represent the needs of the interested constituencies. Equally, the
RIRs believe that within the area of address management, ICANN should
not be a policy developing body, but should focus on coordination of
informed external review of global policies as well as technical coordination
of the address resource.
3. The RIRs believe that they represent an important constituency for
ICANN's efforts in coordination of Internet resource management, and
would see direct representation on the Board of ICANN as being consistent
with this position.
4. The RIRs believe that the open policy determination processes used
by the RIRs provide interested stakeholders and constituencies the ability
to participate fully and openly. The RIRs believe that no additional
measures relating to the consideration of the At Large study with respect
to ICANN are relevant to this RIR process.
5. The RIRs are willing to undertake a fair allocation of funding of
ICANN activities. This funding commitment should be described within
the context of an executed contract
between the RIRs and ICANN, and executed within a public ICANN budget
process.
6. Funding should be provided by those using ICANN's services. The
RIRs would see ICANN concentrate on its basic set of roles, and ensure
that ICANN's 'Activity Plan' and ICANN's budget are fully transparent
and well understood by ICANN's service consumers.
7. The RIRs seek from the outcome of the ICANN evolution and reform
process a body capable of operating in a stable fashion with consistency
and openness in the manner in which it undertakes its responsibilities.
8. The RIRs are not necessarily committed to a model of ICANN as a
single body with responsibilities in the areas of domain names, Root
DNS Server operations, Internet addresses, Internet protocol numbers.
The RIRs would like to understand the implications of a devolution of
this role into up to four distinct entities with responsibilities in
each of these areas, as an alternative approach to a single ICANN entity.
9. The RIRs are not necessarily committed to the continued existence
of an Address Council and an Address Supporting Organization in any
future structure of ICANN. The RIRs would like to understand the implications
of undertaking the address management policy coordination role currently
undertaken by the ASO within a number of different scenarios.
10. The RIRs see no absolute requirement to have a two level address
management process of initial allocations to RIRs and subsequent allocations
from RIRs to local registries and end users, and wish to understand
whether an approach of RIR management of the unallocated address resources
would support a more efficient management process with adequate safeguards
regarding longer term stewardship of the address resource.
11. The RIRs believe that within the area of address management there
is a valid role for a lightweight external review body with respect
to global RIR policies, as part of an overall RIR requirement for check,
balance and review in the global RIR policy determination process. The
RIRs would be supportive of an outcome of the ICANN evolution and reform
process that defined an address management role consistent with this
requirement.
Raymond A. Plzak
President and CEO
ARIN
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