...Just in addition: Handling over IP addressing / segmentation power to countries or even a country centric addressing policy will damage the former function of IP as a international / global "tool of democracy". If countries have direct or indirect control over IP segments they are able to "cut" or "block" IP segments countrywide which they see i.e. "abusive" to their political interests. As many Tier-1 carriers are using the IRs public ressources to filter their routes / traffic - this could bring up new (or even old) political interests within countries to "control" IP within their own countries. I see here many different negative impacts into rights like the freedom of speech. As a example: Political active groups or news agencies which still has outsourced their domain names have to outsource their IPs too (at least if they will find IPs within another accepting country)... Cheers, Niels.