ICANN letting registrar negotiations hold fresh TLDs hostage

No fresh agreement, no fresh TLDs.

The prior week I wrote regarding how ICANN’s latest proposed registry agreement for fresh TLD operators.

The agreement mandates that fresh TLD operators use only domain registrars that have signed the fresh Registrar Accreditation Agreement with ICANN.

The problem is that the RAA doesn’t exist yet. As far as we know, it’s still be negotiated. And negotiations are contentious.

Michele Neylon of Irish registrar Blacknight submitted comments to ICANN regarding this clause that I think sum up the concerns:

What is ICANN’s rationale for this criterion?

While it would be expected that ICANN accredited registrars party to an RAA would be used, this document specifies a version of the RAA that right now does not exist.

Does this mean that ICANN wants to drive a “wedge” between registrars and fresh TLD applicants?

Or does this mean that ICANN does not trust those of us who are on the 2009 RAA?

The RAA negotiations are right now ongoing and while they may be concluded shortly any agreement that comes out of the negotiations ought to be agreed to on its own merits ie. without this form of external pressure.

Or is it ICANN’s intention to use any delay with the RAA as an excuse for delaying the launch of fresh TLDs?

A rational explanation for this specific clause would be appreciated.