Position of LACTLD on the Reform of ICANN

1. On the existence and nature of ICANN

LACTLD supports the continuation of ICANN as a private entity through which the whole of the global Internet community can coordinate the necessary actions to ensure the correct operation of the assignment of IP numbers, protocol parameters and domain names. Consequently, LACTLD does not support initiatives that propose the fragmentation of these functions through a variety of organisms.

We believe that ICANN requires a restructuring of both its nature and its formal organization. A change is needed not only in its Board directory structure and executive bodies, but also in the established objectives in order to limit them to those aspects that require coordination and consultation.

LACTLD deems it important to have a backing institution with enough moral and technical authority to serve as a counterweight in situations that can produce a great degree of instability. This is especially true for countries in which the Internet has not acquired a high degree of development.

2. On the role of governments

National governments should participate as members of the local Internet community.

They also must increase their participation in the GAC to improve the representation of this organism, allowing it to better carry out its consulting role to the ICANN.

We do not support the involvement of the governments in the appointment of members of the Board of ICANN nor in the direct funding of ICANN.

3. On the participation of the ccTLDs within ICANN

We support the constitution of the ccSO (or an organism of the same level) that will allow, within the ICANN structure, the recognition of the volume of ccTLDs and the particularity of issues relevant to them, and that it is necessary to have an organism catering to this group's needs, different from the DNSO.

The mechanism for the appointment of Board members should insure that the ccTLDs have a relevant participation in the highest instance of ICANNīs organizational structure.

4. On the re-delegation of ccTLDs

We do not share the opinion that the re-delegation of a ccTLD be considered exclusively as a local issue. While it may be true that this is an important factor, there exists, without doubt, an interest on the part of the global Internet community to insure an adequate operation of the domain names, including those that are within a ccTLD.

In this sense, it is appropriate that these decisions be analyzed from the point of view of ICANN, looking for the stability in the functioning of the domain name system on a global scale. Experience has shown that it is possible that in some countries some initiatives from different sectors may arise that, either from lack of knowledge or other reasons, can in the end, be harmful to the correct operation of the domain name system. The presence of ICANN can prove to be very helpful, and in fact has been so in several cases.

5. On Root servers

The specification of quality-of-service levels with respect to root servers is very desirable. However, at this moment it is not technically feasible to demand these levels. Technical proposals that will allow the formalization of the root server services should be supported and, in due time, minimum requirements for the correct operation of the DNS on a global level should be set.

The root server operators should establish their conditions in order to formalize their operation and relationship with ICANN, so that it can look for the solution of the current situation in the short term.

6. On the contracts

During a meeting in Miami, in April of this year, the members of LACTLD ratified their interest in working towards the signing of contracts with ICANN. This interest persists because, in the region, there have been several attempts to change the conditions for of the Registry operations. In light of this, the existence of contracts or agreements with ICANN will grant a degree of assurance in the development and stability of the ccTLDs in the region.

LACTLD has agreed to work together with ICANN in developing a scheme for contracts that will adapt to the need of the Latin American and Caribbean ccTLDs.

7. On ICANN funding

We agree that we should participate in the funding of the organization, considering that we are a party interested in that coordination of the above mentioned aspects exists.

However, we believe that the funds provided by the ccTLDs should be applied to the funding of those activities that are directly related to the ccTLDs themselves (operation of root servers, maintenance of IANA ccTLDs database) and not for financing the activities that are relevant only to other sectors such as the gTLDs.

A careful study should be made of the needs of the re-structured ICANN and on what is the necessary staff requirements for carrying out these tasks.