3. International Organizations

An international organization is an organization set up by agreement between two or more States. They range from organizations of universal membership and general competence (the UN), to regional organizations with specialized functions (the NATO). When States create an international organization they set it up for specific purposes and in this respect legal personality must be treated as being relative to those purposes.

Usually the question about its possessing an international personality can only be answered by examining its functions and powers expressly conferred by, or to be implied from, its constitution. Relevant factors may include:

Status under municipal law

Many treaties setting up international organization provide for the enjoyment of legal personality under the municipal laws of its member states.

Treaty making power

Under Art. 43 of the UN Charter, the UN is empowered to make certain treaties with member States.

Recognition

If international personality is conferred on the organization then by signing the constitution of the organization its members will have effectively recognized the independent international status of the organization.

4. Individuals

Individuals per se do not exercise international rights unless conferred expressly by treaty. The most relevant instruments: the European Convention on Human Rights 1950, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966 and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1966

At the same time, INTERNATIONAL LAW imposes duties directly on individuals:

– The duty to refrain from acts of piracy which is defined as a crime humani generis;

– The duty to refrain from committing crimes against peace, crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide;

– Hijacking and associated acts are now considered to be crimes of quasi-universal jurisdiction as created by convention.

Task 2. Answer the following questions using the information of the text

1. What document has traditionally been accepted as reflecting generally the requirements of statehood?

2. What are the principal subjects of international law?

3. Are there any requirements as to the ‘permanent population’ or the defined territory?

4. Why must a State be legally independent from the authority of any other State?

5. What entities do non-self-governing territories include?

6. What system was replaced by a trusteeship system?

7. Do international organizations possess international personality?

8. What duties does international law impose directly on individuals?

9. What instruments regulate the legal status of the individual under international law?

10. What is the difference between colonies and non-self-governing territories?

Task 3. Fill in the blanks with the words from the box

international personality foreign affairs undisputed municipal enjoyment internal domestic affairs be subject to jurisdiction

legal relations specific trusteeship statehood valid

1. The Montevideo Convention has been accepted as reflecting the requirements of _________ under customary international law.

2. After World War II the system of mandates was replaced by a __________ system.

3. There is no requirement that the frontiers of the State be fully defined and __________.

4. The emergence of the principle of self-determination may give colonial territories a measure of __________.

5. When States create an international organization they set it up for __________ purposes.

6. Hijacking and associated acts are now considered to be crimes of quasi-universal__________.

7. In order for a territory to be considered as a State, it must have a government of its own and not __________the control of another State.

8. Many treaties setting up international organizations provide for the __________ of legal personality under the __________ laws of its member states.

9. Liberation Movements may enter into _________ ________ and conclude __________ internationally recognized agreements with States.

10. The federal State has exclusive competence in________ ________ while the constituent member States concern themselves solely with ________ ________ _______.

Task 4. Mark the sentences as true or false

1. International organizations and individuals are subjects possessing limited capacity.

2. When the UN replaced the League of Nations after World War II the system of mandates was replaced by a trusteeship system.

3. There is a strict requirement that the frontiers of the State be fully defined and undisputed.

4. In order for a territory to be considered as a State, it must have a government of its own and be subject to the control of another State.

5. An international organization is an organization set up by agreement between two States.

6. It is the federal State which has exclusive competence in foreign affairs while the constituent member States concern themselves solely with internal domestic affairs.

7. Individuals per se exercise international rights unless conferred expressly by treaty.

8. The Montevideo Convention has traditionally been accepted as reflecting generally the requirements of statehood under customary international law.

9. The emergence of the principle of self-defence overrides any plea of domestic jurisdiction.

10. Many treaties setting up international organization provide for the enjoyment of legal personality under the municipal laws of its member states.

Task 5. Translate the following

Ограниченная дееспособность, legal criteria of statehood, a permanent population, a defined territory, capacity to enter into relations with other States, nomadic, to be admitted to the United Nations, to be subject to the control of another State, вступать в отношения с другими государствами, trusteeship territories, principalities, обладать международной правосубъектностью, the principle of self-determination, внутренняя юрисдикция, internal affairs, foreign relations, the system of mandates, a trusteeship system, самоуправление, international supervision, constituent member States, organizations of universal membership, regional organizations with specialized functions, the enjoyment of правосубъектностью, to sign the constitution of the organization, независимый международный статус организации, to exercise international rights, the European Convention on Human Rights 1950, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966 and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1966, налагать обязательства, to refrain from acts of piracy, to refrain from committing crimes against peace, crimes against humanity, военные преступления и геноцид, quasi-universal jurisdiction.

Task 6. Match the words and word combinations with their Russian equivalents

limited capacity	неотъемлемое право
universal membership	подлежать контролю
legal personality	быть принятым в ООН
enter into legal relations	вступать в юридические отношения
to impose duties	ограниченная правоспособность
to refrain from	обладать международной правосубъектностью
internal affairs	правительственные структуры
delimitation of the boundaries	международные отношения
to recognize the independent international status	международная опека
to be admitted to the United Nations	юридическая правосубъектность
constituent member States	несамоуправляющиеся территории
exclusive competence	признавать независимый международный статус
foreign relations	демаркация границ
to be subject to the control	всеобщее членство
governmental authority	внутренние дела
non-self-governing territories	государства-участники, входящие в состав
inalienable right	налагать обязанности
international trusteeship	исключительная компетенция
to conclude agreements	заключать соглашения
to possess international personality	воздерживаться от чего-либо

Task 7. Compare the meanings of the similar-looking words in English and in Russian. Use them in the sentences of your own

Organization – организация, устройство, формирование

Theme – тема, предмет, вопрос (обсуждения, лекции и т.п.), основная мысль

Criterion – критерий, признак

Territory – территория; земля, местность, область

Permanent – постоянный, неизменный; долговременный; перманентный

Protectorate – протекторат

Colony – колония, группа единомышленников, сообщество

Local – местный, локальный, частный, частичный

Mandate – мандат, наказ (избирателей), приказ суда, поручение

Principle – принцип; доктрина; правило; норма

Task 8. Read and translate the text