<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style>
<![endif]--><o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="City"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="place"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PersonName"/>
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
pre
{margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Courier New";}
span.EmailStyle21
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
@page Section1
{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Hi Sophia,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Interesting & generally acceptable
answers to the questionnaire. But I would like to ask for clarity on .africa:
who is .africa right now? Are you part of a particular structure appointed to
coordinate .africa? Who owns it? How far is this project?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Best regards,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Vika Mpisane<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>.za Domain Name Authority<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'>Johannesburg</span></font></st1:City><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>, <st1:country-region
w:st="on">South Africa</st1:country-region></span></font></st1:place><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>
<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1>
</span></font></div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
africann-bounces@afrinic.net [mailto:africann-bounces@afrinic.net] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Sophia B<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> 22 October 2007 06:31 AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> ccnsosecretariat@icann.org; <st1:PersonName
w:st="on">africann@afrinic.net</st1:PersonName><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Cc:</span></b> AfTLD Discuss;
support.dotafrica@gmail.com<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: [AfrICANN-discuss]
Resending letter to ccTLD Managers (.Africa'sposition)</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Dear Mr. Disspain:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Speaking as a member of an African community, I
have respond to your questions below.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>1. Do you believe that the local community in your
territory has a </span></font></b></strong><b><span style='font-weight:bold'><br>
<strong><b><font face="Times New Roman">pressing need for an IDN ccTLD?</font></b></strong></span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>re:There is a need in <st1:place w:st="on">Africa</st1:place> as urgent
as anywhere else (percentage of <br>
English users is low) but the Internet infrastructure problems are <br>
different (lack of Unicode scripts to low connectivity).<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>2. If so, is there yet agreement in your territory on
the scripts and </span></font></b></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>the string within the script(s) for which delegation
of an IDN ccTLD </span></font></b></strong><b><span style='font-weight:bold'><br>
<strong><b><font face="Times New Roman">would be sought, and could you indicate
which strings and scripts are </font></b></strong><br>
<strong><b><font face="Times New Roman">of interest?</font></b></strong></span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>re: From .Africa perspective, no africawide dicussion on this topic <br>
has been mooted (but one could imagine at least a couple of languges like <br>
Amharic are ready for it). Probably on an individual country basis from <br>
Afriaca, there would be some time needed to coordinate, with the present <br>
survey being an early step.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>3<strong><b><font face="Times New Roman">. Do you believe the
delegation of an IDN ccTLD under a fast </font></b></strong><b><span
style='font-weight:bold'><br>
<strong><b><font face="Times New Roman">track/interim approach would be of
interest to your community?</font></b></strong></span></b><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>re: Fast/track delegation would not be a benefit to African community <br>
if done without African particpation (as is liklely) - or at the very <br>
least selecting and setting aside IDN equivalents of African cctlds <br>
before launching any fast/track script anywhere.<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Additionally, <strong><b><u><font face="Times New Roman">by the
attached document</font></u></b></strong>, please be advised of the
position of .Africa towards this end.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Thank you for the opportunity.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Kind regards,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Sophia Bekele<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=gmailquote><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>On 11/10/2007, <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Anne-Rachel
Inné</span></b> <<a href="mailto:annerachel@gmail.com">annerachel@gmail.com</a>>
wrote:</span></font></span> <o:p></o:p></p>
<pre><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Dear All,<br>
<br>
Please respond either to the email of Chris Disspain I gave you yesterday or to this one:<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><br>
<a href="mailto:ccnsosecretariat@icann.org" target="_blank"><o:p></o:p></a></span></font></pre><pre><font
size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><br>
<br>
Thanks in advance<br>
AR<o:p></o:p></span></font></pre>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>***********************************************<br>
Dear All,<br>
<br>
This letter is from Chris Dispain, Chairman of the ccNSO at ICANN. Please share
with any ccTLD managers you know. Thanks. <br>
<br>
<br>
Dear ccTLD Manager, <br>
I am writing to you, in my capacity as Chairman of the Country Codeames
Supporting <br>
Organisation (ccNSO), about the introduction of ccTLD Internationalised Domain
Names (<span class=st><span name=st id=st>IDN</span></span> <br>
<span class=st><span name=st id=st>ccTLDs</span></span>). The input I am
requesting from you is very important and your response will be<br>
much appreciated.<br>
At the end of this email is a Background and References section that provides
some <br>
background information and links to various documents.<br>
Based on work done by the ccNSO and discussions amongst ccTLD managers in all
regions<br>
the ccNSO has taken the first step to launching a Policy Development Process to
set the <br>
overall policy for <span class=st><span name=st id=st>IDN</span></span> <span
class=st><span name=st id=st>ccTLDs</span></span>.<br>
At this stage, the ccNSO is also discussing whether or not to recommend that
the ICANN<br>
Board consider a fast track/interim approach under which some <span class=st><span
name=st id=st>IDN</span></span> <span class=st><span name=st id=st>ccTLDs</span></span>
could be<br>
delegated while the overall policy is being developed. To help with those
discussions we need <br>
to find out the level of interest in your territory and that is why I am
writing to you. <br>
<br>
While community feedback has encouraged the ccNSO to explore levels of interest
in a fasttrack/<br>
interim approach to <span class=st><span name=st id=st>IDN</span></span> <span
class=st><span name=st id=st>ccTLDs</span></span> , this is the first of many
steps that would have to be <br>
carefully and successfully taken towards that end and it is generally accepted
that any<br>
implementation would have to be in compliance with current policies and
procedures. Some <br>
of these that may be relevant are set out in the Background and References
section below. <br>
<br>
I would be grateful if you would answer the following questions:<br>
1. Do you believe that the local community in your territory has a pressing
need for an <br>
<span class=st><span name=st id=st>IDN</span></span> ccTLD?<br>
2. If so, is there yet agreement in your territory on the scripts and the
string within the <br>
script(s) for which delegation of an <span class=st><span name=st id=st>IDN</span></span>
ccTLD would be sought, and could you<br>
indicate which strings and scripts are of interest?<br>
3. Do you believe the delegation of an <span class=st><span name=st id=st>IDN</span></span>
ccTLD under a fast track/interim approach <br>
would be of interest to your community?<br>
<br>
The fast track/interim approach will be discussed by ccTLD managers at the
ICANN meeting<br>
in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Los Angeles</st1:place></st1:City>.
So, it would be most helpful if you could respond by 26 October 2007. <br>
<br>
Background and References<br>
In the Domain Name System, a ccTLD string (like .jp, .uk) has been defined to
represent the<br>
name of a country, territory or area of geographical interest, and its
subdivisions as identified <br>
in ISO 3166-1, and is represented by 2 US-ASCII characters<br>
(<a
href="http://www.iso.org/iso/country_codes/iso_3166_code_lists/english_country_names_and_cod"
target="_blank">
http://www.iso.org/iso/country_codes/iso_3166_code_lists/english_country_names_and_cod
</a><br>
e_elements.htm). This method of identification was adopted for use in the
Internet through<br>
RFC 920, dated October 1984, and reaffirmed through RFC 1591, dated March 1994.
All <br>
<span class=st><span name=st id=st>ccTLDs</span></span> in use today are taken
directly from the ISO 3166-1 list or from the list of <br>
exceptionally reserved code elements defined by the ISO 3166 Maintenance
Agency.<br>
The implementation of <span class=st><span name=st id=st>IDN</span></span> <span
class=st><span name=st id=st>ccTLDs</span></span> introduces the (apparent) use
of characters outside the<br>
US-ASCII character set (for example characters in Cyrillic, Chinese, Arabic,
and other scripts) <br>
for domain name strings.<br>
<br>
In initial discussions by the ccNSO members, other ccTLD managers and ICANN's<br>
Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) a number of policy questions were
identified and a<br>
"Questions and Issues Paper" was submitted to the ICANN Board of
Directors <br>
(<a
href="http://www.icann.org/topics/idn/ccnso-gac-issues-report-on-idn-09jul07.pdf"
target="_blank">http://www.icann.org/topics/<span name=st id=st><span class=st>
idn</span></span>/ccnso-gac-issues-report-on-<span name=st id=st><span
class=st>idn</span></span>-09jul07.pdf </a>). It became<br>
clear that the development of the required policy for <span class=st><span name=st
id=st>IDN</span></span> <span class=st><span name=st id=st>ccTLDs</span></span>
to resolve the issues raised <br>
was likely to take a minimum of 2 years. It also became clear that such a time
frame was a<br>
major concern for a number of ccTLD managers who have expressed there is a
pressing need <br>
for an <span class=st><span name=st id=st>IDN</span></span> ccTLD in their
territory. Because of this, the concept of a fast track/interim <br>
approach began to be discussed. In those discussions it was thought that it
might be <br>
possible to find a method to allow the introduction of a limited number of <span
class=st><span name=st id=st>IDN</span></span> <span class=st><span name=st
id=st>ccTLDs</span></span> while<br>
the overall policy was being developed. <br>
<br>
Policies and procedures that may be relevant to the delegation of an <span
class=st><span name=st id=st>IDN</span></span> ccTLD under a fast<br>
track/interim approach include:<br>
the IDNA protocol standards (<a
href="http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-2-" target="_blank">
http://icann.org/announcements/announcement-2-</a><br>
11may07.htm);<br>
RFC 3454 (<a href="http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc3454.txt" target="_blank">http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc3454.txt
</a>);<br>
RFC 3490 (<a href="http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc3490" target="_blank">
http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc3490</a>);<br>
RFC 3491 (<a href="http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc3491.txt" target="_blank">
http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc3491.txt</a>);<br>
RFC 3492 ( <a href="http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc3492.txt" target="_blank">http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc3492.txt
</a>);<br>
RFC 1591 and associated procedures for delegation of a country code top level
domain <br>
(<a href="http://www.isi.edu/in-notes/rfc1591.txt" target="_blank">
http://www.isi.edu/in-notes/rfc1591.txt</a>)<br>
The GAC principles <a href="http://gac.icann.org/web/home/ccTLD_Principles.rtf"
target="_blank">http://gac.icann.org/web/home/ccTLD_Principles.rtf</a>.<br>
Following consideration of the "Questions and Issues Paper", and
statements of the GAC and<br>
ccTLD managers on a fast track/interim approach the ICANN Board has requested
the ccNSO <br>
to explore both an interim and an overall approach to <span class=st><span name=st
id=st>IDN</span></span> <span class=st><span name=st id=st>ccTLDs</span></span>
associated with the ISO<br>
3166-1 two-letter codes and to recommend a course of action to the Board taking
the <br>
technical limitations and requirements into consideration <br>
<a href="http://www.icann.org/minutes/resolutions-29jun07.htm#m" target="_blank">http://www.icann.org/minutes/resolutions-29jun07.htm#m
</a>.<br>
At its meeting on 2 October 2007, the ccNSO Council launched a Policy
Development Process <br>
(ccPDP) by requesting a PDP Issues Report and appointing an Issues Manager.
This ccPDP<br>
has been launched to develop an overall approach, which includes finding
solutions for the <br>
matters raised in the "Questions and Issues Paper". <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<pre><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></pre>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
_______________________________________________<br>
AfrICANN mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:AfrICANN@afrinic.net">AfrICANN@afrinic.net</a><br>
<a href="https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann"
target="_blank">https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann</a> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>