Counter Nesting Clarification

Section 12.4.1 of the CSS 2.1 WD is clear that resetting a counter in a descendant element creates a new instance of the counter. And it is clear that resetting a counter in a following sibling resets the original instance of the counter. However, it is not clear to me what the effect of resetting the counter in a descendant of a following sibling should be.

Should resetting a counter in a descendent of a following sibling:

    a.   reset the original counter or

    b.  create a new instance of the counter?

For example should the following snippets produce "0" or should they produce "0.0"?

 

child {counter-reset: item}

nefew1{counter-reset: item}

nefew2:before{content: counters(item, ".")}

 

<root>

        <child> 

        </child>

        <sibling>

                <nefew1>                 

                </ nefew1>     

                < nefew2>                 

                </ nefew2>     

         </sibling>

</root>