12 January 2013
A call for papers has been issued for a conference on the Consequences of the Responsibility of Non-State Actors in International Law, which will be held on 27-28 June 2013 in Vancouver.
Source: Call for Papers: Consequences of the Responsibility of Non-State Actors in International Law
12 January 2013
The International Herald Tribune reports that because of the financial crisis and euro crisis, most member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) will most likely spend less on, and invest less in, defense. EU governments hesitate ‘to really improve Europe’s military technology sector or its security.’ Analysts say that Europe should take ‘more responsibility for its own security’ now the Obama administration’s security agenda focusses more on Asia.
Both NATO and the EU believe there is one way to deal with reducing resources: through smart defense or “pooling and sharing.” In practice, it would mean NATO and EU members, the majority of whom belong to each other’s organization, cooperating much more on defense.
Source: International Herald Tribune | How Much Are Americans Willing to Spend to Defend Europe?
9 January 2013
In a column published in the New York Times, Robert Mazur argues that making bankers more easily punishable under the law would help in the fight against professional money laundering.
Banks have laundered money for drug cartels and used schemes in order to move hundreds of millions of US Dollars to States that are subject to trade sanctions, such as Sudan, Cuba and Iran. Since 2006, more than a dozen banks have reached settlements with the Justice Department in the United States concerning violations related to money laundering. Mazur argues that ‘without the ability to “wash” billions of dollars of money from illicit sources each year and bank the untraceable profits’ both drug trade and terrorism as being criminal enterprises ‘would falter.’
Source: The New York Times | How to Halt the Terrorist Money Train
7 January 2013
On 14 December, the Dutch Supreme Court (Hoge Raad der Nederlanden) ruled that the Dutch Sanction regulation, that was intended to give effect to UN Security Council Resolution 1737, violated the prohibition of discrimination under Article 26 ICCPR.
Resolution 1737 imposed sanctions on Iran in connection with the Iranian nuclear programme. Implementing the Resolution, the Netherlands blocked access of Iranian nationals to specialised education that could contribute to nuclear activities/developing nuclear weapons. The Supreme Court found that the State did not do everything it could to harmonise the obligations it has under international law. The Court referred in this context to the judgment of the ECtHR in the case of Nada v. Switzerland (12 September 2012, application no. 10593/08).
Source: Hoge Raad | Judgment, 14 December 2012 | LJN: BX8351 | 11/03521 (in Dutch)
Source: Sanctieregeling tegen Iraniërs maakt onnodig onderscheid (Press Release in Dutch)
19 December 2012
The states parties to the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan) adopted a Protocol for the Protection of the Caspian Sea against Pollution from Land-based Sources and Activities during the fourth Conference of the Parties (COP 4). According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Protocol will further enhance the co-operation on environmental matters in the region.
Source: UN News Centre | UN environment agency welcomes renewed commitment to protecting Caspian Sea