deck_14809148 Flashcards
Countries have 5 options to encourage compliance with international obligations:
- asset freezing
- boycotts
- trade enbargoes (sanctions)
- miliatry actions
- severing diplomatic ties
Asset Freezing
high value assets in other countries owned by individuals from the disputed nation are seized
boycott
where countries abstain from buying or using goods from a particular country
Trade Embargoes - (also known as “Sanctions”
where laws or policies prohibit or restrict imports/exports from a particular country
Military Action
such as naval blockades to force a country to comply with agreements
Severing Diplomatic Ties
to pressure a country to change its policies
Source of International Law: International treaties, conventions, protocols, covenants, or acts
Binding international agreements by which states agree in writing to observe their contractual obligationsExample: Treaty of Versailles, Geneva Conventions, USMCA
Source of International Law: Customary practices
An unwritten rule which states practice with the opinions of juriesExample: Immunity from prosecution for heads of state
Source of International Law: General principles of law
Recognized by civilized nations; plays an important role as evidence that there is international law
Example: As described in Article 38 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice
Source of International Law: Judicial decisions and teachings
Published international court decisions/opinions and teachings of the most highly qualified publicistsExample: Decisions made by the ICJ and domestic courts, writings and teachings by legal scholars and the interpretations given to their work by legal experts
In what areas does international law influence the Canadian legal system?
- Civil liberties and human rights based around international laws
- Some economic and trade laws
What are “the rules of reception”?
How international laws take effect in domestic laws
What are 2 examples of current issues in international law and treaty law
USMCA auto & dairy industry changesNEVSUM in Eritrea
SOVEREIGNTY
Principle upon which a nation or ruling body comes to exercise supreme political authority, jurisdiction, or power over the affairs of state.basically a countries ability to make decisions without the influence of other countries Example of sovern countir would eb USA, CHINAExamples of non sovern countries: Afghanistan (i think idk)
Two Aspects of Sovereignty
Internal Sovereignty – Who holds the power within a nationEg. Fed./Prov Gov’t, Judiciary, Military, etc…The constitution usually lays out the power structure. External Sovereignty – Each nation state is autonomous in terms of political, cultural, social and legal identity
Explain the concept of international collective security.
joint effort on the part of the global community to deal with threats to peace, breaches of the peace, or acts of aggression. It is designed to undertake measures in accordance with an agreed set of principles to maintain peace and security.
What factors contributed to the establishment of the League of Nations?
-State systems and traditional methods were unable to control interstate conflicts
- Diplomacy and the treaty-making process could no longer sustain a balance of power among European countries and guarantee peace
- The magnitude and horrors of WWI made it clear that an international institution was needed to help maintain peace
In your opinion, which of these factors was the most significant and why?
The horrors of WWI were the critical factor in the establishment of the League of Nations because it forced the countries of the world to recognize that an association of nations needed to be organized to reduce the danger of war.
To what extent could it be argued that the League of Nations was doomed to fail?
- It failed to provide a sense of security of its members
- The burden of international peace maintenance was too onerous for the fledgling organization
- It did not achieve its goal of universal membership- Its membership did not include the US or the Soviet Union
- The Covenant of the League was a pale copy of its draft mode
- Each state’s unilateral ability to decide upon diplomatic and economic sanctions to be applied in given circumstances left the League powerless to act
Identify the primary objectives of the UN expressed in the Preamble of the Charter
- promote fundamental human rights
- maintain an international environment that promotes justice and respect for international obligations
- promote social progress and better living standards
Why is the UN not considered a world government?
The UN is not a world government because it is based on the principle of sovereign equality of states. This means that every state has agreed to relinquish only certain powers to the UN but not those that relate to their territorial integrity and political independence.
General Assembly
- Represents each member state in the UN, where each member has one vote
- Makes decisions related to such issues as peace, security, the budget, and admission of new members
- Represents world opinion so its recommendations carry moral weight
Security Council
- Maintains peace and security
- Discusses issues that threaten peace and security and votes on recommended action
- May make recommendations regarding mediation, as settlement, economic sanctions, arms embargoes, or military action when there are threats to international peac
Secretariat
- Provides the daily services and programs that keep the UN running
Economic and Social Council
- Oversees the economic and social work on the UN and coordinate the activities of affiliated organizations
- Consults with NGOs to foster local, national and international political and economic co-operation
Trusteeship Council
- Supervised the preparation of 11 territories to become independent countries
- Can reconvene at any time the UN deems it necessary
International Court of Justice
- Settles disputes among member states
- Renders advisory opinions to the UN and its agencies
Negotiation
the first approach adopted by states in managing disputes or conflict
Mediation
uses neutral parties to assist in the negotiations
Conciliation
where diplomacy fails to achieve a settlements, disputes can be brought to an international conciliation commission who will do an inquiry and propose a settlement; not binding
Arbitration
uses a third party to decide the outcome of the conflict
Adjudication
the principal branch of international adjudication is the ICJ
UN peacekeeping missions formulated to:
- prevent outbreak of conflict- stabilize conflict- assist in enforcing peace agreements- guide transition to stable democratic governance
Civilians
- should never be targeted including their means for survival- have a right to receive help/aid- targeting civilian or civilian targets is a war crime under international law