A Right to Self-Determination for the Kosovo Albanians?

Leiden Journal of International Law

Volumn 13, Issue 1, 2000, Pages 219-227

  Quane, Helen ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

Kosovo; recognition of peoples; self determination; territorial integrity

Indexed keywords

EID: 0042257566     PISSN: 09221565     EISSN: 14789698     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1017/S0922156500000157     Document Type: Article

References (45)

1. See, e.g., J. Dugard, Secession: Is the Case of Yugoslavia a Precedent for Africa?, 5 AJICL 163, at 171 (1993).
2. See. e.g., UN Docs. S/1998/223 (1998), S/RES/1160 (1998), S/1998/470 (1998), S/RES/1199 (1998), S/1999/107 (1999), S/1999/319 (1999), S/1999/429 (1999), S/1999/649 (1999) and S/RES/1244 (1999).
3. This interpretation is uncontroversial but for a fuller discussion of the relevant Charter articles and academic literature, see H. Quane, The United Nations and the Evolving Right to Self-Determination, 47 ICLQ 537, at 539-547 (1998).
4. See, e.g. Documents of the United Nations Conference on International Organization (UNCIO), Vol. VI, at 296 and Vol. XVII, at 142,143, 381 (1954).
5. When the Charter was drafted self-determination for these peoples was simply an objective to be pursued; see, e.g., UNCIO, Vol. X, at 562, 497 (1954). By 1971, it had evolved into a legal right for all colonial peoples: see Legal Consequences for States of the Continued Presence of South Africa in Namibia (South West Africa) Notwithstanding Security Council Resolution 276, Advisory Opinion of 21 June 1971,1971 ICJRep. 16, at31, para. 52.
6. 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 6 ILM 368 (1967).
7. 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 6ICM 360 (1967).
8. See, e.g., the wording of Art. 1(2)(3).
9. See, e.g., the comments cited in M. J. Bossuyt, Guide to flie “Travaux Preparatoires” of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 27,32-33,44-45 (1987).
10. Of the 97 states, 87 commented on self-determination. Of these, 69 states or 79% commented directed or indirectly on internal self-determination. See UN Docs, CCPR/C/32/Add.l9 (1994), CCPR/ C/58/Add.l5 (1992), CCPR/C/36/Add,4 (1988), CCPR/C/68/Add.l (1991), CCPR/C/32/Add.l7 (1993), andCCPR/C/62/Add,I (1991)
11. Id
12. Id.
13. Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Spain, US and Colombia; see respectively, UN Docs. CCPR/C/57/Add. 3 (1991), CCPR/C/37 (1986), CCPR/C/l/Add.32 (1978), CCPR/C/95/Add.l (1995), CCPR/a81/Add.4 (1994), andCCPR/a64/Add.3 (1991).
14. An exception being Finland which refers to self-government by the Aalanders as an “example of how self-determination of a distinct population group can be realized within a larger community” although it is significant that it did not apply it to otiier groups such as the Samis: see UN Doc. CCPR/C/58/Add.5 (1989).
15. On the fiinctions of the Committee, see Articles 40-41.
16. Genera] comment No. 23: UN Doc. CCPR/C/21/Rev.l/Add.5 (1994), at para. 3.1.
17. This is evident fiom their reports on Art. 27 ICCPR conceming minority rights: see UN Docs. CCPR/C/92/Add.2 (1997), CCPR/C/51/Add.l (1989), CCPR/C/103/Add.3 (1996), CCPR/C/81/Add.5 (1994), CCPR/C/95/Add.6 (1995), and CCPR/a81/Add.lO (1996).
18. Communication No. 205/1986, Mikmaq people v. Canada (views adopted on 4 November 1991, at the forty-third session), UN Doc. A/47/40 (1995), Annex IX, at 208, paras. 5.4-5.5.
19. For a more detailed discussion, see Quane, note 4, at 564-571.
20. Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia, the Soviet Union, the German Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany.
21. Arguably, the Baltic Republics.
22. Opinion No. 1, 31 ILM 1494 (1992).
23. Opinion No. 3, 1499.
24. Opinion No. 2,92ILR 167, at 168-169 (1993).
25. Opinion No. 2 note 40.
26. For example, the EC's approach to the recognition of Macedonia; see further, Weller, Opinion No. 2 note note 34, at 594.
27. UN Docs. A/48/PV.36, A/48/147, and A/48/147/Add.l (1993).
28. UN Doc. A/48/147,3 (1993).
29. See UN Docs. A/C.3/48/SR.22, at 2,4, 6-11,13; A/C.3/48/SR.21, at 4-6; and A/C.3/48/SR.4, at 3 (1993)
30. UN Doc. A/RES/48/427 (1993).
31. See. e.g., the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, UN Doc. A/RES/47/135 (1992), and the Council of Europe's 1995 Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, ETS 157 (1995).
32. See, e.g., UN Docs. S/1998/223 (1998), at para. 9; S/RES/1160 (1998), at preambular para. 7; S/RES/1199 (1998), at preambular para. 13; S/RES/1203 (1998), at operative para. 10; S/1999/319 (1999), at para. 3; S/1999/347 (1999), at para. 2; S/RES/1244 (1999), Annex 1, principle 7; S/RES/1239 (1999), at preambular para. 7; and S/RES/1244 (1999) at preambular para. 10.
33. See, e.g. Ait 1ICCPR.
34. See Quane, si4pra note 4, at 553,557,565-568
35. See, documents cited Quane note 49.
36. See, e.g., S/PRST/1999/2 (1999); and S/1999/429 (1999), at paras. 2 and 5.
37. UN Doc. S/RES/1244 (1999), at operative para 11.
38. See. e.g. UN Doc. SG/SM/6878 (1999), at para. 12.
39. See. e.g., Report of the CSCE Meeting of Experts on National Minorities, Geneva, 1991, at 6-7.
40. UN Doc. S/RES/1244 (1999), at operative para 11.
41. See. e.g. UN Doc. SG/SM/6878 (1999), at para. 12.
42. See. e.g., Report of the CSCE Meeting of Experts on National Minorities, Geneva, 1991, at 6-7.
43. Cf., Document of the Copenhagen Meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE (1990), at para. 35; the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, See. e.g., Report of the CSCE Meeting of Experts on National Minorities note 48, Arts. 10(2) and 13(1); and the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, See. e.g., Report of the CSCE Meeting of Experts on National Minorities note 48, Art. 2(1).
44. Cf., the elements ofthe Liechtenstein proposal oudined in UN Doc. A/48/PV.36 (1993), at 3, with Arts. 2-5 of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, Document of the Copenhagen Meeting of the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE note 48.
45. UNDoc.SG/SM/6949(1999), at para.36.