World Wide Alliance of Top Level Domain-names
Communiqué from Shanghai meeting

Communiqué of the ccTLD Support Organisation (in formation)

Meeting in Shanghai

October 29, 2002

INTRODUCTION

143 representatives of 65 country codes met in Shanghai, China on October 27, 28 and 29, 2002. A list of the country codes which were present or appointed proxies is attached.

The country code managers record their appreciation for the work done by the members of the local host organising committee, in facilitating this meeting.

1. COMPLETION OF WITHDRAWAL FROM DNSO.

• 1.1 In Stockholm in June 2001, the ccTLD community began the process of withdrawing from the DNSO and forming a Support Organisation to represent country code interests in ICANN. That process is complete, with the withdrawal taking effect at the close of the Names Council meeting today.

2. FURTHER ASPECTS OF ICANN REFORM

• 2.1 Managers re-confirmed the detailed Response to the ERC Blueprint which had been produced and delivered in Bucharest in June 2002 (see www.wwtld.org/documents). It was expected this would provide support for ccTLD members of the cc Assistance Group in presenting and developing the position of the ccTLD community. We noted with dismay that the ERC has not yet taken into account what was said in Bucharest.

• 2.2 Managers agreed that the first output from the Assistance Group, a graphical analysis of the functions, responsibilities and accountabilities of parties involved in internet registry maintenance, provided a useful tool for further work by the Assistance Group in defining the scope of the ccSO and accepted the Assistance Group's working methodology.

• 2.3 In view of the continuing failures by ICANN in conducting its stewardship of the IANA function, particularly in relation to ccTLD database updates, managers agreed to set up a Working Group to develop a plan to set up a system of independent management of the DNS root entries and database entries. It is expected this plan will be developed in parallel with attempts to create an acceptable ccSO, and to be available in the event that is unsuccessful.

• 2.4 Managers agreed that while a role for ccTLD managers in ICANN was being reviewed, managers would continue to operate as The World Wide Alliance of ccTLDs, using the existing Administrative Committee, secretariat and systems, although henceforth outside the ICANN bylaws.

• 2.5 It was agreed that no ccTLD meeting would be organized in conjunction with ICANN's proposed meeting in Amsterdam in December.

• 2.6 Managers wholeheartedly support the Blueprint for reform of Internet address management which is proposed by the Regional Address Registries.

3. INTERNATIONALISED (MULTILINGUAL) DOMAIN NAMES.

• 3.1 Presentations were received from the ICANN IDN Committee (Masanobu Katoh and Vincent W Chen), and the IETF (John Klensin) on recent developments with internationalised domain names. Managers expect to play a leadership role in the introduction of internationalised domain names, and have formed an IDN committee to coordinate ccTLD activity.

4. ZONE FILE TRANSFERS

• 4.1 Detailed presentations were received from CENTR, LACTLD and APTLD, which each rejected, on technical and other grounds any proper basis for the recent requests by the ICANN staff operating the IANA for transfers of zone files as a precondition to them updating the IANA database transfers.

• 4.2 Managers endorsed the statements made by the regional associations, and called on the board to immediately instruct the ICANN staff managing the IANA function to make timely updates in response to proper requests, without imposing any conditions.

• 4.3 Managers appointed 4 delegates [Porteneuve (.fr), Davies (CENTR), Dolderer (.de), Robles (.mx)] to the proposed working group involving the ICANN staff and the Stability and Security Advisory Committee. Those delegates will prepare a mission mandate for on-line approval by managers, and their participation will be subject to any output being approved by the ccTLD managers, as the delegates have no authority to create policy for ccTLDs.

5. WORKSHOP WITH THE GAC

• 5.1 A productive working session was conducted in Shanghai, during which there was a useful exchange of views on the IANA function, ICANN reform and the possibility of further cooperation.

6. ccTLD NAME SERVER TRAINING

• 6.1 Expert volunteers provided training over 2 days in the running of ccTLD name servers to 32 trainees from 17 ccTLDs. Thanks are due to Bill Manning, Yang Woo Ko and Joe Abley for their huge contribution, and to the ccTLD Secretariat for organizing this valuable event.

• 6.2 The next scheduled event is planned to occur in Brazil in March 2003. Training will be conducted in Spanish.

7. REGISTRY PRESENTATIONS

• 7.1 Excellent presentations on DNS services provided by their registries were given by .de, .au, and .jp; and by .nl on a new DNS server that has been developed by RIPE NCC and NLNET Labs. Managers noted the significant benefit of sharing information of this sort between managers at this meeting.

8. ITU PRESENTATION

• 8.1 Richard Hill (ITU) took part in a panel presentation on Resolution 102. Other participants were Marilyn Cade (ATT) and Tony Holmes (BT). ccTLDs were asked for information on their Admin Contacts.

9. GRATEFUL THANKS

• 9.1 Managers expressed their grateful thanks with small presentations to Elisabeth Porteneuve and Oscar Robles on the completion of their service as Names Council representatives for the former ccTLD constituency, noting the duration, difficulty and range of services which had been demanded of them, and their consistent high level of performance and service to the ccTLD community

• 9.2 Managers also expressed their thanks to Dr B.K Kim for his service as Executive Director of the ccTLD Secretariat for the past 18 months, and paid tribute to the developments of the secretariat and the work done under his leadership.

List of ccTLDs Represented: (65)

1. .ac - Ascension Islands
2. .af - Afghanistan
3. .as - American Samoa
4. .at - Austria
5. .au - Australia
6. .bd - Bangladesh
7. .be - Belgium
8. .bf - Burkina Faso
9. .bi - Burundi
10. .br - Brazil
11. .bv - Bouvet Island
12. .bz - Belize
13. .ca - Canada
14. .cc - Cocos Islands
15. .cd - Congo, Democratic Republic of
16. .ch - Switzerland
17. .cl - Chile
18. .cm - Cameroon
19. .cn - China
20. .cx - Christmas Island
21. .cz - Czech Republic
22. .de - Germany
23. .es - Spain
24. .fj - Fiji
25. .fr - France
26. .gg - Guernsey
27. .gr - Greece
28. .hk - Hong Kong
29. .io - British Indian Ocean Territory
30. .je - Jersey
31. .jp - Japan
32. .kr - Korea
33. .li - Liechtenstein
34. .lt - Lithuania
35. .ly - Libyan Arab Jamahriya
36. .mt - Malta
37. .mu - Mauritius
38. .mw - Malawi
39. .mx - Mexico
40. .my - Malaysia
41. .na - Namibia
42. .nl - Netherlands
43. .no - Norway
44. .nu - Niue
45. .nz - New Zealand
46. .pe - Peru
47. .ph - Philippines
48. .pl - Poland
49. .pm - St. Pierre and Miquelon
50. .re - Reunion Island
51. .ro - Romania
52. .sc - Seychelles
53. .se - Sweden
54. .sg - Singapore
55. .sj - Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands
56. .th - Thailand
57. .tk - Tokelau
58. .tv - Tuvalu
59. .tw - Taiwan
60. .uk - United Kingdom
61. .us - United States
62. .vi - Virgin Islands
63. .wf - Wallis and Futuna Islands
64. .yt - Mayotte
65. .za - South Africa