Afilias without abilities to transfer domains?!

[Pflege]

Just for information to all:

Since end of December I have been trying to transfer an .info-domain
from NameSecure(loosing) to OpenSRS (gaining).
Several transfer attempt failed, because NameSecure refused to
to provide the 'auth code'.

I have send lots of emails, notarized letters, fax to NameSecure without
success. Also I have contacted Afilias in the US and Afilias Europe.
My expenses for this specific domain name have been only for
fax, phone (to the US + within Europe), notarized letter > $250


Yesterday I got the 'final' reply from Afilias:
==================================================================
We have been in contact with Namesecure on a number of occasions in relation to your problem. Unfortunately we have no legal power to force them to complete the transfer. We can only suggest that you work through another registrar in having the domain transferred.
I regret that there is nothing further we can do in this case.

best wishes
Tom Wade
CFO
Afilias Ltd
==================================================================

It is really strange that Afilias is not able to do a Registry transfer.
I had suggested this at the phone to Afilias, but they told me 'we can not do that'.
Afilias was able to do such transfers for false trademark claims,
but they can not (or probably they do not want to do this) for
a normal domain, even if it is without doubt, that a Registrar is
refusing to transfer a fully payed domain.

I appreciate very much the very good and friedly support by Afilias staff members,
but I will no longer recommend as a webmaster to my clients the .info as a real
good alternativ to the standard top level .com / .net

Matthias Eckert