The international legal system in quest of equity and universality : : Liber Amicorum Georges Abi-Saab / / edited by Laurence Boisson de Chazournes, Vera Gowlland-Debbas.

• TeilnehmendeR: Boisson de Chazournes, Laurence,; Gowlland-Debbas, Vera, 1943-
• Place / Publishing House: The Hague : : Martinus Nijhoff Publishers,, [2001]; ©2001
• Year of Publication: 2001
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource.

Georges Abi-Saab began his writing and teaching at a time when the process of decolonization, and thereafter the quest for emancipation, began to make its far-reaching impact on the international scene, producing significant changes in the international environment, both quantitatively in increasing the number of nation-States and qualitatively in changing patterns of interests and claims. This was bound to result in new pressures on the international legal system itself and in a questioning of the traditional Eurocentric content of international law. In his work and teaching Professor Abi-Saab viewed the dynamics of international law as a function of two driving forces: the emergence of the third world and the sense of injustice. In his view, the first driving force - the emergence of the third world - raised the problem of exclusion: exclusion from participation in the elaboration of international law and the decision-making process, and exclusion as beneficiaries of the resulting rules of international law. At the same time, this new force introduced diversity into the international scene, reflecting the richness of the international community in its different facets. This process remains relevant today, reflecting the contemporary problem of exclusion of new actors as well as their quest for participation. The second driving force - the sense of injustice - posed a teleological problem for him, that of defining community values in order that they capture the different facets of justice, whether formal or distributive. So long as there is no effective organic structure, international law in his view will continue to remain effectiveness-oriented, reflecting rather than impacting on the structures of power. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that there is an on-going process of development of community values and interests; as Georges Abi-Saab wrote with reference to international crimes: `law, like all social phenomena, is a continuous unfolding, a continuous process of elaboration'. He has also considered that the dynamics of the international legal process itself can be captured from the perspective of international organizations as vehicles for change in the international system. From his early writings, Georges Abi-Saab approached the United Nations Charter as a blueprint - both normative and institutional - for a certain type of international society. International institutions with all their imperfections, continue for him to be the means of realization of the law of cooperation which lies at the heart of his concept of the international system. The themes selected for this volume in honour of Professor Georges Abi-Saab are intended to reflect his unique and pioneering contribution to the field of international law. The contributors are drawn from what he has always considered to be his large `family' of former students: in his forty years of teaching, Georges Abi-Saab has acted as mentor to generations of students from all over the world who have benefited from his vision, insights, originality and creative and stimulating use of language. The contributors also include colleagues and friends who share a similar vision of the international legal system.

Table of Contents

Intro -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- TABLE OF CONTENTS -- FOREWORD -- INTRODUCTION -- 1 Portrait de Georges Abi-Saab -- 2 Libre parcours à travers la richesse dʼune œuvre: Notes de lecture sur les travaux de Georges Abi-Saab -- I GEORGES ABI-SAAB AND THE CONCEPT OF AN INTERNATIONAL LEGAL SYSTEM GEORGES ABI-SAAB ET LA CONCEPTUALISATION DE LʼORDRE JURIDIQUE INTERNATIONAL -- 3 Propos sur la fécondité du paradigme systémique en droit international à la lumière de la théorie de Georges Abi-Saab -- 4 Lʼenlacement du droit international (à propos du Cours général de droit international public de Georges Abi-Saab): quelques reflexions prospectives -- 5 System-Building with Social Consciousness: The Contribution of Georges Abi-Saab -- II FOUNDATIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL LEGAL SYSTEM: THE QUEST FOR EXPANSION LES FONDATIONS DE LʼORDRE JURIDIQUE INTERNATIONAL: UN SYSTÈME EN QUÊTE DʼÉLARGISSEMENT -- 6 The Idea of Justice in the Works of Early Scholars of International Law -- 7 Etat, cultures, et mondialisation Yadh -- 8 Manifeste pour le droit international du XXIe siècle -- 9 La souveraineté, un concept dépassé à lʼheure de la mondialisation? -- 10 Humanitarian Intervention after Kosovo -- 11 Ethics, Law and Unethical Compassion in the Kosovo Intervention -- 12 Réflexions sur le ʻdroit dʼingérence humanitaireʼ -- 13 Non-Binding Agreements in International Law -- 14 Sociabilité et droit du commerce international -- 15 Alternatives to Cash in International Law and Practice -- 16 La codification du droit de la responsabilité internationale: tâtonnements et affrontements -- 17 Les obligations quantitatives et lʼillicéité -- 18 Responsabilité internationale et succession dʼEtats -- 19 State Crimes: a Decaffeinated Coffee -- 20 Race, Liberty, Equality: An International Lawyerʼs Post-Colonial Perspective on Shakespeareʼs Tempest.

21 Developing Countries and the Multilateral Trade Rules: The Continuing Quest for an ʻEquitable Playing Fieldʼ -- 22 Developing Countries in the New Global Information Order -- III PROMOTING VALUES IN THE INTERNATIONAL LEGAL SYSTEM: THE QUEST FOR HUMANIZATION LA PROMOTION DES VALEURS DANS LʼORDRE JURIDIQUE INTERNATIONAL: UN SYSTÈME EN QUÊTE DʼHUMANISATION -- 23 Crimes Against Humanity: Comments on Some Problematical Aspects -- 24 A UN Constabulary to Enforce the Law on Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity -- 25 Remarques politico-historiques sur lʼétiologie des guerres civiles -- 26 Le droit humanitaire et les troubles internes -- 27 Le progrès du droit international humanitaire et la Circulaire du Secrétaire Général des Nations Unies du 6 août 1999 -- 28 La Palestine et les Conventions de Genève du 12 août 1949 ou lʼhistoire dʼune adhésion avortée -- IV THE JUDICIAL FUNCTION IN THE INTERNATIONAL LEGAL SYSTEM: THE QUEST FOR JUSTICE LA FONCTION JUDICIAIRE DANS LʼORDRE JURIDIQUE INTERNATIONAL: UN SYSTÈME EN QUÊTE DE JUSTICE -- 29 The Concept of ʻthe Stateʼ: Variable Geometry and Dualist Perceptions -- 30 Lʼopportunité dans les décisions de la Cour internationale de Justice -- 31 Provisional Measures in Disputes Between African States Before the International Court of Justice -- 32 Nouveaux aspects du droit des frontières en Afrique à la lumière de la jurisprudence de la Cour internationale de Justice -- 33 De la prétendue discrétion de la Cour internationale de Justice de refuser de donner un avis consultatif -- 34 The Role of the Security Council in the New International Criminal Court from a Systemic Perspective -- 35 Immunité de juridiction et respect des droits de lʼhomme -- 36 The Pinochet Extradition Case in the English Courts -- 37 After Pinochet: The Proper Relationship Between National and International Courts.

V INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS AS VEHICLES FOR CHANGE: THE QUEST FOR SOCIAL ORDER LES ORGANISATIONS INTERNATIONALES COMME VECTEURS DE CHANGEMENT: UN SYSTÈME EN QUÊTE DʼORDRE SOCIAL -- 38 La crise du droit international et lʼavenir des organisations internationales -- 39 Organisations internationales et démocratie -- 40 "Clash" of Operational and Normative Activities of International Institutions -- 41 The Historical Origins of the Concept of ʻGeneral Commentsʼ in Human Rights Law -- 42 La métamorphose des opérations de maintien de la paix des Nations Unies -- 43 The Southern African Development Community -- 44 L'impossible réforme de la Ligue des États arabes -- 45 International Institutions: Towards Coherent Multilateralism -- ANNEXES -- Georges Abi-Saab - Principal Publications -- Georges Abi-Saab - Biographical Summary -- List of contributors.