Re: [db-wg] Recognisition of Kosovo and adding of LIR signup options with Kosovo as well as XK in inet(6)num

[Michael Tremer <michael.tremer@ipfire.org>]

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Hello Peter,

This is interesting, since I do not consider this closely following the standard.

I assumed that the intention of the user-specified codes was something else instead of allocating them to countries.

Sadly, the situation around Kosovo is still very much unresolved as I understand it, and of course we won’t find a solution to this here. I can very much understand why people in Kosovo are using XK so that they have something. To add my own personal opinion here: I do not understand that Kosovo is being recognised as a country by so many other countries and organisations and not having been assigned a regular country code.

I do not see any problems here at all with some people using XK in the registry and we should process this just as any other country code if we add it to the list of known countries (which is not a problem).

However, having stated that I do not see why Kosovo has not been assigned a regular country code, yet, that moment might come for either Kosovo or others. How would we deal with that then? Would we automatically rewrite XK in this case to the newly allocated code? Do we allow both and have two codes for the same country?

We always assume that the list of countries is fairly static when it actually isn’t. That creates some problems and some of those require a political decision which RIPE is about to make here - or not.

I am personally happy to follow the decisions that RIPE or - since we are Europeans - the European Union make here. I do not think that we are qualified to decide this by ourselves at all. Some might object, but as long as we follow a pattern, I would say we should be fine.

-Michael

> On 16 May 2022, at 19:45, Peter Müller <peter.mueller(a)ipfire.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello *,
> 
> just wanted to bring this one to your attention - please also refer to the follow-up
> messages, if interested/necessary.
> 
> I genuinely dislike the idea of having X* country codes in a RIR database as well,
> in addition to their usual mess we need to cope with. The geofeed approach is by no
> means a promising alternative to me. :-(
> 
> Thanks, and best regards,
> Peter Müller
> 
> 
> 
> -------- Forwarded Message --------
> Subject: [db-wg] Recognisition of Kosovo and adding of LIR signup options with Kosovo as well as XK in inet(6)num
> Date: Fri, 13 May 2022 02:10:22 +0200
> From: William Weber via db-wg <db-wg(a)ripe.net>
> Reply To: William Weber <william(a)inbox.li>
> To: db-wg(a)ripe.net
> 
> Hi,
> 
> As the Netherlands recognise the Republic of Kosovo as sovereign nation
> (see 1), and the EU does as well (see 2) there should be a way to include
> the proposed 2 letter country code (XK, see 3) as option for inet(6)num
> objects. The EU and other multinational organisation (IMF, SWIFT etc., see
> 4) use this code already since independence in 2008, and it is the
> currently reserved ccTLD for Kosovo as well. Kosovo also has a unique phone
> number prefix assigned (+383) by the ITU (see 5).
> 
> It makes no sense that EU and AP is available (which are not countries, AP
> is not even in ISO-3166-2), but XK is not.
> 
> I am aware the the X* series of codes is reserved and not permanently
> assigned, however UN Security Council resolution 1244/99 (see 6) mandates
> the use binding to all UN members.
> 
> Please let me know how to bring in a draft resolution to adopt the ability
> to use Kosovo as legitimate country option in RIPE database objects, as
> well as the LIR sign up. It is the ONLY country that is recognised by both
> the Netherlands and the EU that cannot be used to sign up as a LIR and my
> client - a Telecoms company in Pristina that wants to stay anonymous at
> this time to avoid issues with Serbia - feels their right is violated by
> having to use either Serbia or Albania as billing location, and sees
> uncertainty in applicable laws and taxation with this.
> 
> Thank you,
> William Weber
> (LIR Portal user: william(a)william.si, multiple LIRs managed)
> 
> 1:
> https://web.archive.org/web/20080430070042/http://www.minbuza.nl/en/news/newsflashes,2008/03/The-Netherlands-recognises-
> Kosovo.html
> 2:
> https://ec.europa.eu/neighbourhood-enlargement/countries/detailed-country-information/kosovo_en
> 3:
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_3166-1_alpha-2#User-assigned_code_elements
> 4:
> https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Glossary:Country_codes
> 5: https://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-t/oth/02/02/T02020000FD0001PDFE.pdf
> 6: https://www.nato.int/kosovo/docu/u990610a.htm
>