this from the ARIN-PPL mailing list... it deserves broad consideration, even from NANOG :) ------------------------------------------------------- william@elan.com writes: Since ARIN has been sending new proposals today, they seem to have forgotten the most important one of all, that applies to all RIRs and how they deal with ICANN. The info is at http://lacnic.net/sp/draft-9-22.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The four RIRs (Regional Internet Registries): APNIC, ARIN, LACNIC, and RIPE NCC have jointly worked on the preparation of a proposal concerning the liaison among the RIRs as well as the structure through which the RIRs and their communities take part in ICANN. As a consequence, three documents have been prepared: - Proposal to execute an agreement between the four RIRs in order to create the Number Resource Organization (NRO). This organization will represent the interests of the IP addresses community before the national, international or public entities. - Proposal of a Memorandum of Understanding between the RIRs, to act through the NRO and the ICANN in relation to the ASO (Address Supporting Organization), the ICANN section committed to the Internet Number Resources issues. The ASO was created through a previous Memorandum of Understanding, signed in 1999. The current proposal would replace the previous Memorandum, modifying the present ASO structure. - Proposal of an Open Letter from the RIRs to the ICANN relative to the previous items. The RIRs call for public comments from the community members in relation to these documents. As the comments will be jointly organized, they will be officially managed in English.