Реферат: International Law Essay Research Paper International law

In 1967 the Security Council decided to isolate Southern Rhodesia

(now Zimbabwe) for its policy of racial separation following its unilateral

declaration of independence from Britain. As in other cases of economic

sanctions, effectiveness in the Rhodesian situation was limited by the

problems of achieving universal participation, and the resistance of

national elites to external coercion. With respect to universal

participation, even states usually sympathetic to Britain’s policy

demonstrated weak compliance.

The decentralization of sanctions remains one of the major

weaknesses of international law. Although international bodies sometimes

make decisions in the implementation of sanctions, member states must

implement them. The states are the importers and exporters in the

international system. They command industrial economies and the passage of

goods across national boundaries.

Furthermore, the UN is wholly dependent on its members on operating

funds, so no matter what decisional authority its members give it, its

ability to take action not only depends on its decision but also on means.

Without the support, the wealth and the material assistance of national

governments, the UN is incapable of effective sanctions. The resistance of

governments to a financially independent UN arises principally on their

insistence on maintaining control over sanctioning processes in

international politics.

Despite sweeping language regarding "threats to peace, breaches of

the peace, and acts of aggression", the role of the United Nationsin the

enforcement of international law is quite limited. Indeed the purpose of

the UN is not to enforce international law, but to preserve, restore and

ensure political peace and security. The role of the Security Council is

to enforce that part of international law that is either created or

encompassed by the Charter of the United Nations. When aggression occurs,