On Mar 26, 2013, at 9:33 AM, Gert Doering <gert@space.net> wrote:
I can't see how stating "we are the masters of all american IP addresses!" can give you a legal claim on something assigned before ARIN existed, unless the holder either voluntarily accepts that claim, or had a contract with IANA/InterNIC that stated "should an American RIR emerge one day, these address blocks automatically fall under their policy".
Actually, the US Government, at the formation of ARIN stated exactly that: "Creation of ARIN will give the users of IP numbers (mostly Internet service providers, corporations and other large institutions) a voice in the policies by which they are managed and allocated within the North American region." <http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=102819> As I noted, ARIN operates the registry according to the policies set by the community in the region, these policies define how IP addresses are managed and allocated in the region, and this is as expected since our formation. Attempts to transfer resources contrary to policy make resource subject to reclamation per the community-develop guidelines for resource review. Recently, the lead USG agency in these matters (National Telecommunications and Information Administration, aka NTIA) affirmed the USG Internet numbering principles, including that it recognizes ARIN as the RIR for this region and is supportive of the policies agreed upon by the Internet technical community through ARIN for the region. <http://www.ntia.doc.gov/blog/2012/united-states-government-s-internet-protocol-numbering-principles> Community-based Internet self-governance means exactly that, not that policies which are inconvenient don't apply. Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions in this matter, whether on this list or one of the ARIN lists if you prefer. Thanks! /John John Curran President and CEO ARIN