] In addition, our review of the .com and .net registry
] agreements between ICANN and VeriSign leads us to the
] conclusion that VeriSign%u2019s unilateral and
] unannounced changes to the operation of the .com and .net
] Top Level Domains are not consistent with material
] provisions of both agreements. These inconsistencies
] include violation of the Code of Conduct and equal access
] provisions, failure to comply with the obligation to act
] as a neutral registry service provider, failure to comply
] with the Registry Registrar Protocol, failure to comply
] with domain registration provisions, and provision of an
] unauthorized Registry Service. These inconsistencies
] with VeriSign's obligations under the .com and .net
] registry agreements are additional reasons why the
] changes in question must be suspended pending further
] evaluation and discussion between ICANN and VeriSign.

If you look closely, you can actually see ICANN growing a spine.

] Given these conclusions, please consider this a formal
] demand to return the operation of the .com and .net
] domains to their state before the 15 September changes,
] pending further technical, operational and legal
] evaluation. A failure to comply with this demand will
] require ICANN to take the steps necessary under those
] agreements to compel compliance with them.

There is an October 4th deadline. That's tomorrow.

ICANN | Letter from Paul Twomey to Russell Lewis | 3 October 2003 | 'Stop or else...'