ISSUE #20: April 2000
2223 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20008-2864
Contact Persons:
Chair & Editor: Professor William R. Slomanson Web Site: http://library.lawschool.cornell.edu/asil/asil.htm |
Next Newsletter: August, 2000.
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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR:
This year's UN21 Annual Business Meeting was unusually productive. In addition to electronically electing a Chair, I felt it best to broaden the scope of management within this ASIL interest group - as will be discussed below my brief synopsis of Newsletter #20's content.
After receiving some input from those present, the Chair attended a special meeting (later during that day, on April 6th). The purpose and results of that meeting will also be addressed below. This will be fascinating reading, so do not miss it!
I am, at the same time, saddened but most cheerful about the health of this group's first Chair, Ron MacDonald. former Judge of the European Court of Human Rights and now Honorary Foreign Member of the ASIL. While his health took a turn for the worse about fifteen months ago, my meeting with him in Washington revealed that he is now in great shape! He extends his best wishes to all members of our group - which flourished under his guidance, at the outset of the UN Decade of International Law.
UN DECADE OBJECTIVES:
Each Newsletter issue carries a restatement of the essential goals of the United Nations Decade of International Law (1990-1999). New members, and seasoned ones as well, can readily articulate the reason for our existence. The four essential objectives of the Decade are:
- * Promoting acceptance of the substantive principles of International Law;
* Promoting peaceful settlement of disputes, including greater use of the International Court of Justice (ICJ);
* Encouraging progressive development of International Law and its codification;
* Encouraging the teaching, study, dissemination, and wider acceptance of International Law.
ASIL ANNUAL MEETING:
The Society. s Annual Meeting was conducted from Wednesday, April 5th through Saturday, April 8th, 2000, at the Monarch Hotel (formerly the ANA Hotel) in the Washington, D.C. If you were unable to attend, you might visit the ASIL website for information about the various panels:
Annual Meeting Program: click here: http://www.asil.org/annual_meeting/am2000.htm.
Annual Meeting Coverage: http://www.asil.org/annual_meeting/am2000.htm.
You may also obtain tapes of the various panels by contacting the ASIL for the four-page handout from the conference package listing the taped panels. titles and cost per tape. ASIL telephone: USA (202) 939 6000.
UN21 GROUP MEETING:
Election of Chair: This was the first electronically conducted election. While done on a rather informal basis via recent Internet e-mail exchanges, it did allow a larger group of UN21 members to participate in the election process.
Professor Bill Slomanson was re-elected to the position of Chair. Bill sought the input of those present to decide whether to make this a one-year term or a three-year term - the latter being the standard for ASIL Interest Group elections. The group decided to ratify this election as being for a three-year term of office, per the ASIL's general guidelines. Bill noted that he would be willing to step down during that term, if there were any reason for such action presented by a member(s) of the group - via communication to each other via the group listserv, by communication to the new Vice Chair (see below), or by communication directly to the ASIL - via Sharon Liebel, the ASIL Interest Group Liaison Officer (and Meetings Manager).
About one dozen people who could not attend the ASIL Annual Meeting in Washington nevertheless cast their ballots in this first electronic election. Per prior notice via e-mail to y/our group, the other two positions (Newsletter Editor & listserv Moderator) do not require an election. Bill also serves in those positions, at the will of the UN21 group - which is now conveniently connected via our electronic listserv. Go to http://www.asil.org/annual_meeting/am2000.htm if you are not yet subscribed.
NEW GROUP MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE:
The "new" Chair suggested that there be a decentralization of the group. s management structure. This discussion resulted in creation of two new categories of Interest Group representation: (1) a Vice Chair; and (2) Regional Representatives.
The Chair and all present at the annual business meeting unanimously agreed that Martha Trofimenko should serve as the first Vice Chair of UN21. Martha, you will recall, was the person who suggested "UN21" as our new group name, which became effective after the official close of the UN Decade of International Law on December 31, 1999. Martha's willingness to serve in this capacity now yields representation by officers on the West Coast (Chair Bill Slomanson -- San Diego, California) and on the East Coast (Vice Chair Martha Trofimenko -- of Wilmington, Delaware).
Those present for the Interest Group Meeting also decided to facilitate representation of various regions of the world via IG members who would be willing to so serve. They could thus bring attention to developments in their respective regions that will be of interest to the entire group. Their aid can be conveniently sent/received via the electronic listserv available to all group members at no charge since 1998. Their mandate is to forward any information from their geographic areas of interest to the UN21 group.
The initial representatives who are members of our group, and whom have expressed a willingness to assist, are as follows:
* South America (or a like regional designation to be determined): Lilian C. del Castillo de Laborde, of Argentina. s Department of State (in an unofficial capacity).
* Eastern Europe (or a like regional designation to be determined): Lauri Malksoo, Tartu University, Estonia, who is currently working on his Ph.D. in Germany.
Should you be interested in serving as a Regional Representative for this group, please advise either the Chair or Vice Chair.
BUDGET SURPLUS:
We have a current budget surplus of US $2,491.60. The reason for this (growing) amount is our shift to an electronic newsletter format. This development avoids the usual expenditures on photocopying and mailing copies of the UN21 Newsletter.
I would appreciate hearing from you on any suggestions you may have about how or whether to use this money for an agreed-upon purpose. One possibility would be to use it for a member/members to travel to represent the group at some international conference. I have none in mind as of this writing - this is only a suggestion which attempts to kick off a discussion about whether/how to use this money.
MEETING OF ALL IG CHAIRS:
After soliciting input from those present, the Chair attended a luncheon meeting of all ASIL Chairs. including the new President of the American Society of International Law, the Executive Director, various members of Tillar House staff, and the two Chairs for next year. s Annual Meeting in April 4-7, 2001. The purpose of this meeting was to give IG Chairs a forum for discussing the role of the Interest Groups vis-a-vis the ASIL, especially in regards to the Annual Meeting program.
President Rovine (Baker & McKenzie partner) opened the meeting with a few remarks about how the IGs serve as an enormous resource for the ASIL membership; that the role of the IGs in the work of the ASIL in Washington is not as strong as it could be; and that there should be more IGs in the ASIL.
While the published agenda was not covered - Proposed Guidelines for Annual Meeting Panels - there was a healthy dialogue about improving the relationship between the ASIL and its IGs. For example, the ASIL will establish an electronic listserv, which will link the various IG Chairs. They will thus be able to address issues of interest to all Chairs, in their capacity as representatives of their groups. One result may be the co-sponsorship of panels by two or more interest groups, so as to pool resources to produce the best panel possible.
The perceived "disconnect" seems to focus on the inability of some IGs to obtain approval for Annual Meeting panels. The President noted that "merit" was the key factor in such decisions. IGs were reminded that they could sponsor IG panels, which would not require ASIL approval, during their regularly scheduled business meetings (like the 5-member International Terrorism panel arranged by the UN21 Chair at last year's Annual Meeting).
It appears that this Chair/ASIL management event will become an annual device for facilitating the exchange of views on subjects of interest to all IG Chairs and the ASIL Executive Council.
READER'S CORNER:
I normally review a number of books in each issue of the ASIL. s UN21 Newsletter. For two reasons, I am limiting this issue. s review to only one publication. First, I have been rather occupied this year in co-ordinating my own international conference at http://home.att.net/~slomansonb/sdtjconf.html . I will review of number of books which are on my shelf at present, in the next Newsletter (target date: August, 2000). Second, an unusually prominent and useful publication has come to my attention, which I recommend for inclusion in your respective libraries. Although reviews in this publication tend to be succinct, this "above and beyond" publication merits some additional commentary:
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Young Seek Choue (editor-in-chief), World Encyclopedia of Peace (2d ed. Oceana: Dobbs Ferry, NY & Seoul Press: Seoul, Korea, 2000) ISBN: 89-7225-096-1 (set) [3.740 pages in eight volumes]. Price $550.00. |
This comprehensive, eight-volume reference work should be purchased for any library maintaining significant international content. It is a "must" for any institution/library which focuses on the UN, peace, use of force, international diplomacy, conflict, aggression, disarmament, religion, and human rights. to name a few of the more salient features of this galactic work.
The first edition was published in 1986, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the United Nations and its 1986 International Year of Peace. The second edition consists of 620 articles, by 320 scholars in 35 countries, on many of the milestones which have shaped the contours of peace studies on every continent. Its Honorary Editor-in-Chief is former UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar. The Editor, Young Seek Choue, Chancellor of South Korea's Kyung Hee University system. He was assisted by a cadre of individuals forming an international advisory board for this publication.
The articles are organized alphabetically and cross-referenced. The associated painstaking detail thus promotes ease of access to content. This breadth of this work is evidenced by the following additional features: a cross-referenced bibliography (over 2,000 citations of key resources; directory of several hundred major journals categorized by subject area; multilevel subject index and author index; a volume containing all major peace treaties (Volume VI); and a volume containing chronology of peace from 1815 to present + Nobel Prize information + international peace institutes and organizations (Volume VII).
The essential entries (Volumes I to V) are succinct and constructed to provide immediate access to each central theme. Each is also accompanied by bibliographic references, making this a veritable researcher's dream. Many articles also carry an extensive array of footnoting, for specifics which will aid the reader in obtaining the key references available. The focus of my randomly-selected entries was uniformly valuable and succinct, while sufficiently authoritative to warrant inclusion in any scholarly treatment of peace studies.
More detail is available on the publisher's website at , click on "Products," then scroll down to "W," and then click on this book's title.
Ordering info: US. Oceana Publications, 75 Main Street, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522, USA (tel: 914 693 0402) & Korea. Seoul Press, Room 303, Jeodang Bldg, 7-2, Jeodang, Chung-ku, Seoul 100-032, Korea (tel: 02 2275-2551 / fax: 02 2278 2551).
YOUR TURN:
Members are encouraged to submit any comments, criticisms, suggestions to either the Newsletter Editor or to our Interest Group Liaison Officer, who is Sandra Liebel. Her e-mail address is Sliebel@asil.org or by e-mail to un21@eGroups.com.