LECTURE-15
KEY ISSUES IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Contents
1. Treaties/Conventions/Protocols/Agreements 248
2. Global Commons 248
2.1. United Nations Convention on The Laws of The Sea (UNCLOS) 249
2.2. UNCLOS Maritime Zones 249
2.2.1. Territorial Sea 249
2.2.2. Contiguous Zone 250
2.2.3. Exclusive Economic Zone 250
2.2.4. Continental Shelf 250
2.2.5. High Seas 250
2.2.6. The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) 251
2.2.7. Ocean Garbage Patches: A Case for Multilateral Action 251
2.3. The Outer Space Treaty 252
2.4. The Antarctica Treaty 253
2.5. The Arctic Council 254
2.6. Atmosphere 255
2.6.1. UNFCCC 255
2.6.2. COP21 256
2.7. The International Solar Alliance 257
2.8. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) 258
2.9. Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) 258
2.10. International Energy Agency (IEA) 258
2.11. Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) 258
3. Security 259
3.1. India’s Nuclear Policy 259
3.2. MECR 259
3.2.1. Wassenaar Arrangement 259
3.2.2. The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) 260
3.2.3. The Australia Group (AG) 260
3.2.4. MTCR 260
3.3. The NPT 261
3.3.1. NPT Review Conferences 261
3.4. Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) 262
3.5. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons 262
3.6. Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty 262
3.7. Disarmament Miscellaneous 263
3.7.1. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) 263
3.8. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) 263
3.9. Nuclear Security Summit 264
3.10. Terrorism 264
3.10.1. International Efforts 264
3.10.2. Four Pillars of Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy 265
3.10.3. Key UN Steps 265
3.10.4. Security Council Counter Terrorism Committee 265
3.10.5. Comprehensive Convention on Terrorism 265
3.10.6. Key Conventions 266
3.10.7. Financial Action Task Force (FATF) 266
4. Humanitarian Issues: Human Rights/Migration/ Refugees 266
4.1. Human Rights 266
4.1.1. Human Rights Council 267
4.2. Migration/Refugees 267
4.2.1. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) 269
4.2.2. United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) 269
4.2.3. The Rohingya Issue 270
4.2.4. International Organisation for Migration (IOM) 271
5. Key Issues/Conflicts 271
5.1. The North Korean Issue 271
5.1.1. Why is North Korean Nuclear Capability a Concern 272
5.1.2. India and North Korea 273
5.2. The Syrian Issue 273
5.2.1. India and Syria 274
5.3. Yemen Conflict 275
5.3.1. Implications 275
5.3.2. India 276
1. Treaties/Conventions/Protocols/Agreementso ‘an international agreement concluded between states in written form and governed by international law’ (VCLT article 2(a) )♤ According to the VCLT, whether an agreement constitutes a treaty does not depend on its title, but on whether the parties intended the instrument to be governed by international law.o concluded by states or international organizations with treaty-making power;2. Global Commonso the High Seas;♤ It also established three institutions: the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS).2.2.2. Contiguous Zone2.2.3. Exclusive Economic Zone♤ In the exclusive economic zone, the coastal State has jurisdiction with regard to the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures, marine scientific research and protection and preservation of the marine environment.♤ CLCS is one of the three institutions created by the UNCLOS.♤ It is based in Geneva, Switzerland.♤ The seabed and ocean floor and subsoil thereof beyond the limits of national jurisdiction constitute the “Area”. The Convention provides that the Area and its resources are the “common heritage of mankind”.2.2.5.1. International Seabed Authority2.2.6. The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS)2.2.7. Ocean Garbage Patches: A Case for Multilateral Action2.2.7.1. Solutions♤ There are several solutions offered by UN Environment Programme in a report titled "Marine Litter: A Global Challenge.":o Countries should monitor marine litter using international standards and methodologies.♤ Thus, the issue requires international attention and cooperation to be resolved.o the Moon and other celestial bodies shall be used exclusively for peaceful purposes;governmental or non-governmental entities;2.4. The Antarctica Treatytotal number of Parties to the Treaty is now 53.o Antarctica shall be used for peaceful purposes only (Art. I)o Scientific observations and results from Antarctica shall be exchanged and made freely available (Art. III).2.5. The Arctic Council2.6. Atmosphere♤ UNFCCC came into existence in 1992 and has 197 parties. It took effect in 1994.♤ Puts the onus on developed countries to lead the way.♤ The Kyoto Protocol is what “operationalizes” the Convention. It commits industrialized♤ Sets binding emission reduction targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community in its first commitment period. Overall, these targets add up to an average five per cent emissions reduction compared to 1990 levels over the five-year period 2008 to 2012 (the first commitment period).“common but differentiated responsibility”.o Reporting and verification procedures;o A compliance system.♤ India is the world’s third largest emitter of greenhouse gases after the China and the2.6.2.2. Nationally determined contributions2.6.2.3. Key terms2.7. The International Solar Alliance2.8. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)♤ IRENA is an intergovernmental organisation that supports countries in their transition to a sustainable energy future, and serves as the principal platform for international cooperation, a centre of excellence, and a repository of policy, technology, resource and financial knowledge on renewable energy.♤ The Agency is Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, UAE.2.9. Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP)2.10. International Energy Agency (IEA)♤ Its mission is guided by four main areas of focus: energy security, economic development, environmental awareness and engagement worldwide.2.11. Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21)♤ REN21’s goal is to facilitate knowledge exchange, policy development and joint action towards a rapid global transition to renewable energy.o Maintaining Credible Minimum Deterrencenuclear technology.♤ It is not a treaty not legally binding.3.2.3. The Australia Group (AG)3.3. The NPT♤ More countries have ratified the NPT than any other arms limitation and disarmamento nonproliferation,♤ Conferences to review the operation of the Treaty have been held at five-year intervals3.4. Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)♤ 164 countries have ratified the Treaty.♤ Eight States still need to do so: China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Egypt,3.5. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons♤ Opened for signature in September 2017 and would come into force once 50 countries ratify it.3.6. Fissile Material Cut-Off Treatyo highly-enriched uranium (HEU), and3.7. Disarmament Miscellaneous3.7.1. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)3.8. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)♤ IAEA is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons.♤ It has 169 member stateso Safety and Security;♤ These Summits have achieved tangible improvements in the security of nuclear materials and stronger international institutions that support nuclear security.3.10.2. Four Pillars of Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy3.10.3. Key UN Steps3.10.4. Security Council Counter Terrorism Committee3.10.5. Comprehensive Convention on Terrorism3.10.6. Key Conventions3.10.7. Financial Action Task Force (FATF)4. Humanitarian Issues: Human Rights/Migration/ Refugees4.1. Human Rights♤ A series of international human rights treaties and other instruments adopted since 1945 have expanded the body of international human rights law.♤ The Human Rights Council, established on 15 March 2006 by the General Assembly and reporting directly to it, replaced the 60-year-old UN Commission on Human Rights as the key UN intergovernmental body responsible for human rights.4.2. Migration/Refugees♤ The term migrant applies to anyone moving from one country to another with the intention to stay in that place for some period of time.♤ All asylum seekers are potential refugees until their case has been determined by UNHCR or government.♤ A “stateless person” is someone who is not considered as a national by any state under the operation of its law.♤ UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) serves as the ‘guardian’ of the 1951♤ Once in a new country the first legal step for a displaced person is to apply for asylum.♤ Roughly half the world's refugee are children.4.2.1. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)4.2.3.2. India and the Rohingya Issue5.3. Yemen Conflict♤ Yemen’s most recent conflict began in early 2015, when Houthi rebels, from the country’s♤ The Saudi coalition is made up of nine Middle Eastern and African countries, and is supported by the United States.coalition to tighten its blockade of Yemen.♤ The situation in Yemen is, the UN says, the world's worst man-made humanitarian disaster.5.3.2. India1. The Diaspora: Indian’s Around the World1.1. Defining the Diaspora1.1.1. Pattern1.2. Indian Diaspora: Characteristics1.3. Waves of Migrations: The Old and New Diaspora♤ the New Diaspora, andThe first wave of the Indian Diaspora is what we call the “Old Diaspora.” It began during the early 19th century and continued until the end of the British Raj.1.3.1.3. Labour in South East Asia1.3.2.1. After Independence1.4. Status, Success and Future♤ In terms of number they constitute 40 percent of the populations in Fiji, Trinidad, Guyana, Reunion and Suriname, and 70 percent of Mauritius – all Old Diaspora countries.1.5. Issues and Challenges1.5.1. Rights and Changing Policies in Gulf1.5.2. Protectionism and Nationalist Sentiments in USA1.5.3. Xenophobia and Violence1.5.4. Ethnic Ties in the Old Diaspora Countries1.6. The Future1.7. Government Policy and Steps1.8. What Needs to Be Done?1.9. The Overseas Citizen of IndiaAn Overseas Citizen of India is a lifetime visa status with some added benefits. Who can be an OCI?The following groups of people cannot have OCI status:What are the benefits of being an OCI?What are the limitations?How do you become an OCI?
