Wolfgang Kleinwächter wrote: > [...] > Who is right? Is it consumer confusion or is it consumer choice? ALAC > is planning to organize a workshop on that issue in San Juan to > figure out the arguments of pro and con. But the more interesting > issues is who decides on .berlin? If ICANN follows the .xxx procedure > it will ask the GAC. GAC members will ask the German government but > the German government has an internal problem to harmonize different > approaches on the federal and the local level. If it is seen as a > "cultural affair", then according to the German constiution, the > federal government has no competences. Does it mean, that for such a > decision ICANN has to consult with the local authorities directly? > And how other governments will see this? Some may be happy to have > next to the ccTLD also some big (or small) cities with a TLD for > local marketing, tourism, local economy promotion, local language > support (like .cat) etc. Others will fear that this will become very > counterproductive, undermining national monopolies etc. Curiosity: did ICANN through GAC consult with Spain's government on deciding on .cat? --c.a. -- ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Carlos A. Afonso diretor de planejamento Rede de Informações para o Terceiro Setor - Rits http://www.rits.org.br ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++