Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations'

Rules of diplomatic immunity, which nowadays are enshrined in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, play an important role in interstate diplomacy because they ensure the efficient performance of diplomatic functions. This thesis investigates a particular form of diplomatic immunity - diplomatic immunity ratione materiae. Unlike diplomatic immunity ratione personae, which pertains to the personal status of a diplomatic agent, diplomatic immunity ratione materiae depends in essence on the official nature of a particular act In practice, however, the determination of diplomatic immunity ratione materiae may meet with many conceptual and practical difficulties. For one, it is not always easy to distinguish the official acts of a diplomatic agent, who represents the sending State in the receiving State, from his or her private acts. In case of disagreement between the two States, questions may also arise as to who has the authority to make a final determination. The Vienna Convention does not offer much guidance on these issues; on the contrary, the Convention complicates them by employing, without adequate explanation, distinct formulas for different kinds of diplomatic immunity ratione materiae. This thesis examines these formulas in detail. On a general level, it is submitted that diplomatic immunity ratione materiae for certain types of activity constitutes not only a procedural bar to court proceedings but also a substantive exemption of individual responsibility. More specifically, it is argued that each formula must be understood in the light of the rationale behind immunity, the type of immunity concerned, and the specific functions or duties performed. In case of controversy, weight should be given to the opinion of the sending State, although the authority to make a decision lies ultimately with the court of the receiving State.

2011 was the fiftieth anniversary of the negotiation, at the height of the cold war, of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (VCDR). Since then the VCDR has become a cornerstone of diplomatic law. Despite its importance, no complete commentary had been written on the political aspects of the codification process until now. Thus, the original contribution to knowledge of this research is the description of the political aspects of the codification process in general, and the explanation of the British contribution to it in particular. It will be shown that Cold War tensions created the necessary momentum for it to be prioritised in the International Law Commission (ILC) and that procedural rather than substantive issues were the reason for the separate codification of diplomatic and consular relations. Analysing the contribution and role of the British, it will be shown that the British member of the ILC would have favoured codification by passing a UNGA resolution and that the decision to codify diplomatic privileges and immunities by convention led to a change in the British approach. Furthermore, it will be shown that Britain provided one of the leading delegations at the 1961 Vienna Conference. However, despite its leadership role, it could not avoid the inclusion of what, in British eyes, were unfavourable restrictions on the freedom to appoint staff and the freedom of communication. In comparison to traditional British diplomatic practice, codification via the VCDR led to a decrease of diplomatic immunities, while it increased diplomatic privileges. Thus, the ratification of the VCDR implied fiscal concessions on part of the Treasury, and this led to an interdepartmental dispute (i.e. over tax-free reimport of Scotch whisky) which, together with the low legislative priority given to the legislation necessary for the implementation of the Convention, delayed British ratification until 1964.

The rule of non-interference in the internal affairs of the receiving State, which is today enshrined in Article 41 (1) of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, contains a fundamental duty of the diplomatic agent. But the Convention does not define the scope and extent of the concept of interference, nor its relationship with norms which inform its character. This thesis investigates a particular form of interference: interference through the diplomatic message. In its first part it examines the problems arising from an analysis of the available sources on the law of diplomatic interference. It also approaches the meaning of "interference" in diplomatic relations and endeavours to come to an understanding of the diplomatic message and its legal bases, and of the legal context of the rule of non-interference.

The aim of this thesis is to analyse the inviolability of the diplomatic bag and its abuse. The first chapter introduces the current work of the International Law Commission relating to subsequent conduct of treaties. Second chapter defines diplomatic privileges and immunities, three theories of diplomatic immunity and its historical background. Third chapter elaborately analyses treatment of diplomatic bag in Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Fourth chapter presents an overview of cases of abuse of the diplomatic bag or violation of its inviolability. Finally it introduces options, how states can fight against such abuses.

The thesis deals with the present functions of the honorary consuls and their importance to the business diplomacy and international trade. The general part is focused on the historical development of the consular representation, the codification of the international law related to the consular relations and business diplomacy. The practical part analyzes the results obtained by questionnaire from the Czech honorary consuls.

L’arbitrage commercial international dans lequel une des parties est étatique est aussi actuel que décrié. Les tribunaux étatiques doivent renoncer à leur pouvoir d’appréciation de la validité légale et de l’efficacité de la convention d’arbitrage commerciale internationale, même si cette dernière n’est pas conforme à leur droit national. On comprend facilement les problèmes de légitimité que pose cette convention vis-à-vis de l’État partie. La question des intérêts étatiques dans l’arbitrage commercial international représente des enjeux non seulement juridiques mais également économiques importants pour les États. Notre première partie est dédiée à l’étude des instruments juridiques favorisant, dans l’intérêt des États, l’extension de la validité de la convention d’arbitrage à l’égard de la personne publique ; tandis que la seconde partie aborde les délicates questions, soulevées lors de différends engagés, qui tendent à remettre en cause la validité ou l’efficacité de la convention d’arbitrage, en raison d’allégations par la personne publique, de violations de certaines normes juridiques internes ou de certains changements politiques ou économiques. Depuis quelques décennies, la jurisprudence et la doctrine françaises prônent le fait que la convention d’arbitrage insérée dans un contrat international a une efficacité et une validité propres. Nos recherches nous ont permis de trouver le corps de règles et de principes fondant le cadre juridique de la convention d’arbitrage véritablement détachée de tout lien national avec les autorités et les droits nationaux, en démontrant par ailleurs l’inefficacité récurrente de solutions recherchées sur le terrain des conflits de lois de procédure ou par le recours aux tribunaux des États. Cette théorie est particulièrement mise en exergue lorsqu’une personne publique est partie à un arbitrage commercial international. Nous analysons de manière critique pour les intérêts des États, le recours à la protection diplomatique comme voie de substitution à l’inefficacité ou l’invalidité de la convention d’arbitrage. Le recours à l’exercice de la protection diplomatique est un recours extrêmement subjectif, car dépendant à la fois du jugement arbitraire de l’état protecteur par rapport à son ressortissant et de la puissance de cet État sur la scène internationale. Les opérateurs économiques ne sont pas en situation d’égalité lorsqu’il s’agit de juger de la bonne ou mauvaise exécution des obligations contractuelles relevant d’un contrat international, puisqu’il n’est plus question d’un recours objectif grâce au droit, mais une question de puissance entre États. D’autant plus que l’exercice de la protection diplomatique a souvent amené des conflits interétatiques. Notre thèse défend la légitimité, la pertinence et les avantages de la convention d’arbitrage à travers le kaléidoscope de nombreuses sources juridiques internationales et au regard de la prévalence des intérêts étatiques. Même si cela peut paraître a priori paradoxal, il n’y a aucun paradoxe pour les États à s’engager de manière conventionnelle à renoncer aux pouvoirs discrétionnaires des juridictions nationales, au contraire les relations économiques internationales sont basées sur la confiance, la moralité et la loyauté, et l’arbitrage commercial international atteint cet objectif en offrant une voie de recours internationale judiciaire objective pour les deux parties
The international commercial arbitration in which one party is a State party is as current as criticized. The State courts may have to give up exercising their discretion of the legal validity and the efficacy of the international commercial arbitration agreement, even if the latter does not conform to their national law. It is easy to understand the problem of legitimacy posed by this agreement opposite to the State party. The question of State interest in international commercial arbitration represents not only important legal issues but also economic issues for the State. The first part is dedicated to the study of the legal instruments favoring, in the interest of the State, the extension of the validity of the arbitration agreement towards the State; whereas the second part deals with the delicate questions raised during disputes which call into question the validity or the efficacy of the arbitration agreement, due to the allegations made by the public entity based on violations of certain national legal provisions or changes in economic or political circumstances. For a few decades, the jurisprudence and the French doctrine advocate that the arbitration agreement in an international contract has its own efficacy and validity. Our legal research has revealed the body of rules and principles basing the legal framework of the arbitration agreement detached of some link with authorities and with the national law. At the same time, we demonstrate the repeating ineffectiveness of the remedies sought on the ground of the conflicts of procedural legislations or by recourse to State court. This theory is particularly underlined when a public entity is a party to an international commercial arbitration. We critically analyze for the State interest, the exercise of diplomatic protection as a substitute remedy against the inefficiency or invalidity of the arbitration agreement. The exercise of diplomatic protection is highly subjective, because it depends simultaneously on the arbitrary judgment of the protective State with respect to its national and to the power of this State on the international scene. The economic operators are not on an equal footing while it is a question to rule the proper or improper performance of contractual obligations based on an international contract, because it is no longer a matter of an objective remedy through the right, but a matter of power between the States. This is all the more the case as the exercise of diplomatic protection has often leaded to inter-state conflicts. Our thesis defends the legitimacy, pertinence and advantages of the arbitration agreement through the kaleidoscope of many international legal sources and with regard to the prevalence of State interest. However paradoxical that might seem a priori, there is no paradox for the State to engage itself in a conventional manner to waive its discretionary power of domestic jurisdiction. On the contrary, the international economic relations are based on trust, morality and loyalty, and international commercial arbitration achieved that goal by providing an effective international judicial remedy for both parties

In the case of LaGrand (Germany v United States), the International Court of Justice held that the United States (US) had violated its international obligation to Germany under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations when it executed two German nationals without first informing them of their consular rights. The case came before the court after the United States had disregarded a preliminary ruling passed by the IC], which directed the US not to execute the German nationals pending the outcome of the ICJ case. The decision raised the issue of the effect of ICJ decisions in domestic proceedings and the effectiveness of ICJ enforcement mechanisms. This thesis considers the possibility of a role for national courts as active enforcers of ICJ decisions. It is argued that whilst evidence shows that there is no legal obligation on courts to enforce ICJ decisions, there is certainly room in international law to facilitate this development. In support of this argument, the thesis demonstrates how basic presuppositions about international law have shifted over the last few decades. This shift has been both the impetus and the result of globalisation. The case of LaGrand alongside similar cases is used to show how national courts may play an increased role in the enforcement of ICJ decisions.

Trata-se do estudo da casuística internacional sobre as violações cometidas pelos Estados Unidos da América contra o artigo 36 da Convenção de Viena sobre Relações Consulares de 1963. A Corte Internacional de Justiça e a Corte Interamericana de Direitos Humanos interpretam, regulamentam e aprimoram o direito de informação sobre assistência consular para preso estrangeiro, que deixa de ser visto como um direito puramente inter-Estatal por ambos os tribunais. Abordamse questões de Direito Internacional Público, como a força vinculante das decisões da Corte Internacional de Justiça, e sua íntima relação com o direito interno do Estado parte do tratado, inclusive com relação aos Estados terceiros ao litígio internacional, como o Brasil. Em sendo um componente do pacote das garantias do devido processo legal, o prejuízo causado ao réu estrangeiro pela falta de informação sobre o direito de assistência consular pode ensejar o reconhecimento de nulidade processual penal absoluta.
This is the study of international cases relating the violations committed by the United States of America against the article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963. The International Court of Justice and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights have the opportunity to interpret, regulate and enhance the right to information on consular assistance to foreign detainee, who is no longer seen as a purely inter-State law by both Courts. The study addresses issues of Public International Law, as the binding force of decisions of the International Court of Justice, and its close relationship with the Domestic Law of the State party to the treaty, including with respect to third states to the international dispute. Considered a human right, part of the package of guarantees of due process, the demonstrated prejudice caused to the foreign defendant for lack of information about his right to consular assistance may cause the recognition of absolute nullity of criminal procedure.

A presente tese evidencia o estado da arte da Teoria Jogos nas Relações Internacionais, e analisa estratégias de negociação decorrentes de processos decisórios no âmbito comercial. Ao delimitar - em tempo e espaço - a trajetória da Governança Mercantil Global, confere-se posição de destaque à Convenção de Viena de 1980 (CISG), regime dotado de ampla legitimidade, concebido sob a égide das Nações Unidas e recém ratificado pelo Brasil. A análise do referido processo de vinculação dá-se a partir de instrumentos metodológicos conferidos pela Teoria dos Jogos, culminado com a apresentação dos limites do modelo e de alternativas viáveis para seu desenvolvimento.
The present thesis sheds light on contemporary game theoretical approaches in International Relations, in particular as they pertain to the role of strategy setting in cross-border trade. The study of Global Trade Governance leads to questions of regime legitimacy, culminating with the adoption of the 1980 United Nations Vienna Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG), recently ratified by Brazil. The analysis of the aforementioned ratification process validates the threshold of game theory as its stands today, and proposes, on the other hand, viable alternatives for the development of the model.

The thesis describes privileges and immunities provided to offices of diplomatic missions in order to facilitate carrying out international relations. The key legal document regulating diplomatic privileges and immunities is the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations which commemorated 50 years of its existence this year - since it was signed on 18 April 1961 after the Vienna Conference. The aim of the thesis is to describe the contents of the individual privileges and immunities and to consider to which extent the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations represents a suitable legal instrument even for the needs of the today's practice of diplomatic relations. First the thesis deals with general issues related to ensuring diplomatic privileges and immunities, theories which justify their necessity and selected provisions of the Vienna Convention. This is followed by an analysis of the individual privileges and immunities of a diplomatic mission - the right to display a flag, the inviolability of mission premises, the inviolability of mission archives and documents, tax privileges and the freedom of communication.

The thesis covers the privileges and immunities provided to diplomatic agents in order to facilitate the performance of their functions. The main source of law is the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations which has been signed at the end of the Vienna Conference on 18th April 1961 and remained unchanged even after 50 years in force. It reflected the previous codification attempts as well as the existing practice of the contractual states and established rules that together with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations represent the basis in the field of diplomatic and consular law. The aim of the thesis is to describe particular privileges and immunities of the diplomatic agents, evaluate their applicability on the current diplomatic practice and consider whether the Vienna Convention represents a suitable regulation of the modern diplomatic relations. Examining both the practice of national courts and the International Court of Justice it is shown how the practice has changed over the past 50 years. The thesis covers the limits of such privileges and immunities, points out the possibilities of their abuse and presents examples of conflicts that arise in the current diplomatic practice. The thesis first deals with theoretical issues - it provides definitions of the diplomatic privileges and...

Stosunki dyplomatyczne państw przez wieki regulowane były przez normy prawa zwyczajowego. Jednakże wraz z intensyfikacją stosunków międzynarodowych pojawiło się dążenie do skodyfikowania norm prawnych obowiązujących pomiędzy państwami w umowie międzynarodowej. Zadanie to zrealizowała Komisja Prawa Międzynarodowego ONZ, opracowując w latach 1954–1958 projekt artykułów w zakresie prawa dyplomatycznego, przyjęty następnie przez państwa w postaci Konwencji wiedeńskiej o stosunkach dyplomatycznych z dnia 18 kwietnia 1961 r. W niniejszej rozprawie przeprowadzono analizę związków pomiędzy obowiązującymi, w ocenie Komisji Prawa Międzynarodowego, normami zwyczajowego prawa dyplomatycznego a normami umownymi wyrażonymi w Konwencji wiedeńskiej z 1961 r. Pierwszy rozdział stanowi wprowadzenie do analizowanej tematyki poprzez przedstawienie genezy kodyfikacji norm zwyczajowego prawa dyplomatycznego. Co więcej, znalazło się w nim wyjaśnienie podstawowych terminów stosowanych w dalszych częściach pracy. W rozdziale drugim zostały zaprezentowane kolejne etapy prac podejmowanych przez Komisję Prawa Międzynarodowego. Proces ten rozpoczął się od powołania specjalnego sprawozdawcy, który przygotował raport wraz z projektem artykułów. Były one następnie przedmiotem debaty podczas dwóch kolejnych sesji Komisji. W trakcie prac swoje uwagi zgłosiły również państwa, które w 1961 r. na konferencji kodyfikacyjnej w Wiedniu przyjęły obecnie obowiązującą treść Konwencji wiedeńskiej z 1961 r.W rozdziałach od trzeciego do szóstego przeanalizowano kolejne normy zwyczajowego prawa dyplomatycznego, których treść dyskutowana była na posiedzeniach Komisji Prawa Międzynarodowego w latach 1957–1958. Rozdział trzeci zawiera analizę norm prawa zwyczajowego w zakresie nawiązania stosunków dyplomatycznych przez państwa. Obejmuje ona działania zmierzające do utworzenia misji dyplomatycznej państwa wysyłającego, ustanowienia personelu misji dyplomatycznej, a w szczególności powołania szefa misji dyplomatycznej. W rozdziale czwartym analizie poddano funkcje dyplomatyczne, których katalog został wypracowany przez Komisję Prawa Międzynarodowego. Komisja uwzględniła także zgłoszone uwagi państw, w szczególności w zakresie pełnienia przez misję dyplomatyczną funkcji konsularnych. Rozdział piąty rozpoczyna się od wskazania teoretycznych podstaw przywilejów i immunitetów dyplomatycznych. Najważniejszą jest teoria funkcji, która uzasadnia przyznanie przywilejów i immunitetów, jako niezbędnych do wykonywania funkcji misji. W dalszej części rozdziału przeanalizowano przywileje i immunitety przyznawane misji dyplomatycznej. Z kolei w rozdziale szóstym została przeprowadzona analiza przywilejów i immunitetów przyznawanych członkom personelu misji. Istotna w tym zakresie jest analiza zarówno przywilejów i immunitetów przyznawanych personelowi misji dyplomatycznej, jak również ich obowiązków w stosunku do państwa przyjmującego. Rozdział siódmy stanowi uzupełnienie przeprowadzonej analizy, obejmując wyjaśnienie miejsca prawa zwyczajowego, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem prawa dyplomatycznego, w polskim porządku prawnym, w świetle obowiązujących źródeł prawa wewnętrznego, orzecznictwa sądów oraz poglądów doktryny.W wyniku badań przeprowadzonych w niniejszej rozprawie możliwe było wysunięcie wniosków, wyrażonych w stosunku do kolejnych postanowień Konwencji wiedeńskiej z 1961 r., określających, czy stanowią one kodyfikację zwyczajowego prawa dyplomatycznego, czy są wyrazem działania Komisji Prawa Międzynarodowego ONZ przyczyniającej się do stopniowego rozwoju prawa międzynarodowego. W zakończeniu niniejszej rozprawy przedstawiono natomiast wnioski ogólne wynikające z przeprowadzonej analizy.
Diplomatic relations of states has been always regulated by the norms of a customary law. However, along with the intensification of international relations arose the need to regulate legal rules binding states in the form of the international treaty. This task has been achieved by the International Law Commission (henceforward called ILC) which, between 1954–1958, has prepared a draft articles on diplomatic law which were accepted by states and concluded in the form of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 18 April 1961. The overriding goal of the present doctoral dissertation was to analyse the relations between binding, in the opinion of the International Law Commission, rules of customary diplomatic law and treaty rules arising from the Vienna Convention of 1961.The first chapter is an introduction to the analysed topic, in which the origin of the codification of customary diplomatic law has been described. In addition, the chapter provided the explanation of the basic terms used in the further parts of this work. In the second chapter, the progress of work of the International Law Commission has been presented. This process has begun with the appointment of the special rapporteur, who had prepared the special report with the draft articles. The draft was then the subject of debate during two consecutive sessions of the ILC, during which states also gave theirs comments. The proposed draft articles were agreed during the conference in Vienna in 1961 and concluded as Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.Chapters from three to six contain analysis of the norms of the customary diplomatic law, which were discussed during the plenary sessions of the International Law Commission in 1957 and 1958. Chapter three provided the analysis of customary law of in conection with establishing diplomatic relations between states. It consists of activities aiming at starting diplomatic mission, appointing the personnel of this mission, and in particular in appointing the head of the mission. In chapter four the diplomatic function, which catalogue was proposed by the International Law Commission, has been analysed. The ILC has taken into account the comments of states, especially by adding the possibility of performing consular function by the diplomatic mission. In chapter five the theoretical background of diplomatic privileges and immunities has been described. The most important is theory of functional necessity, which justifies privileges and immunities as being necessary to enable the mission to perform its functions. After that, the analysis of the privileges and immunities relating to the diplomatic mission was conducted. Chapters six provided the analysis of personal privileges and immunities. What is important, the subject of this chapter were both: the privileges and immunities of the personnel of the diplomatic missions, as well as as theirs obligations towards the receiving state. Finally, chapter seven consists of the explanation of the customary law, especially diplomatic law, in Polish legal order according to the inner sources of law, judicial decisions and doctrine.The results of analysis described in the present doctoral dissertation allows to draw conclusions concerning articles of the Vienna Convention of 1961, and identify whether they are the result of the codification of the customary diplomatic law, or the proposition of the International Law Commission influencing the progressive development of international law. At the end of the work, the general conclusions has been presented.