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21 December 2011
On December 19th, Syrian representatives signed an agreement with the Arab League to allow an observer mission to access the country. The observer mission was accepted on a number of conditions, including the cancellation of certain sanctions taken by the Arab League against Syria and a ban to visit “sensitive military sites”. Since the agreement was signed, an increase in violence has been reported.
Source 1: BBC News - Syria crisis: 'Nearly 200 lives lost' in last two days
Source 2: NY Times - Syria Offers to Allow Observers, With Strings
18 December 2011
The New York Times reported that NATO’s air campaign in Libya resulted in civilian casualties that the alliance has been refusing to acknowledge or investigate. While a spokesperson deeply regretted any loss of life, the NYT reports that NATO ‘deferred the responsibility of initiating any inquiry to Libya’s interim authorities, whose survival and climb to power were made possible largely by the airstrike campaign. So far, Libyan leaders have expressed no interest in examining NATO’s mistakes.’
Source: www.nytimes.com : In Strikes on Libya by NATO, an Unspoken Civilian Toll
17 December 2011
Brillmayer and Tesfalidet recently published an article discussing third State obligations not to contribute to the violation of another State’s legal rights in the NYU Journal of International Law and Politics. The article is available here: pdf.
Full citation: Lea Brilmayer & Isaias Tesfalidet ‘Third State Obligations and the Enforcement of International Law’ (2011) 44(1) NYU Journal of International Law and Politics 1.
Source: NYU Journal of International Law and Politics, vol 44
See also: Blogpost on Opinio Juris
16 December 2011
Julia Sebutinde has been elected to the International Court of Justice by the General Assembly and the Security Council, thus filling the remaining vacancy on Court. The new judge will serve a nine-year term starting on 5 February 2012.
Source: UN Press Release
See also: Blogpost on EJIL:Talk!
15 December 2011
One day after the end of the UN Climate Talks in Durban, Canada declared that it would make use of its right to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol. Under the provisions of the Kyoto Protocol, Canada must formally give notice of its intention to withdraw by the end of this year or else face penalties after 2012, which could amount up to 14 billion USD.
Source: www.nytimes.com – Canada Announces Exit From Kyoto Climate Treaty