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Minorities, Minority Rights and Internal Self-Determination pp 115–134Cite as

Legitimacy and Justice of Non-Binding Instruments

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Abstract

Legitimacy and Justice allow for a more inclusive view on the international field compared to legal positivism and the sources doctrine. While the sources doctrine only lets us see certain aspects of international relations and international law, legitimacy and justice let us see more. They let us see, if not all, at least more of the actors and instruments that exist in the field of minority rights and self-determination. International law treats these two categories of actors and instruments differently. While international law has come to accept that states are not the only actors in international law, it has much more difficulty accepting classically non-binding instruments.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    In this context, the CSCE (1990) Copenhagen Document http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/14304, accessed on 06 May 2014 refers only to part IV on minorities if not otherwise indicated.

  2. 2.

    In this context, the General Assembly (1970) Friendly Relations Declaration UN Doc. A/RES/2625 (XXV) refers only to the Principle of Equal Rights and Self-Determination of Peoples if not otherwise indicated.

  3. 3.

    For an introduction to the document see Sect. 4.2.3.

  4. 4.

    Arts. 4 (3), 5 (1), 5 (2) respectively UN Minority Declaration, UN Doc. A/Res/47/135.

  5. 5.

    United Nations (2014) Functions and Powers of the General Assembly. http://www.un.org/ga/about/background.shtml. Accessed 06 May 2014.

  6. 6.

    Participation can be in public, political, cultural, religious, social or economic affairs. See para. (35) CSCE (1990) Copenhagen Document http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/14304, accessed on 06 May 2014; UN Minority Declaration UN Doc. A/Res/47/135, art. 15 FC. In addition, art. 13 LC in relation to language.

  7. 7.

    Existence covers physical and/or mental existence. See para. (33) CSCE (1990) Copenhagen Document http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/14304, accessed on 06 May 2014; art. 1 UN Minority Declaration, UN Doc. A/Res/47/135, art. 5 (1) FC. In addition, see art. 27 ICCPR which speaks of the existence of minorities.

  8. 8.

    There is a slight difference in wording regarding ‘in community with others’ or ‘in community with other members of their group.’ Para. (32.6) CSCE (1990) Copenhagen Document http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/14304, accessed on 06 May 2014; art. 3 (1) UN Minority Declaration, UN Doc. A/Res/47/135, art. 3 (2) FC.

  9. 9.

    Para. (32.6) CSCE (1990) Copenhagen Document http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/14304, accessed on 06 May 2014, art. 2 (4) UN Minority Declaration, UN Doc. A/Res/47/135, art. 7 FC.

  10. 10.

    Para. (36) CSCE (1990) Copenhagen Document http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/14304, accessed on 06 May 2014, art. 6 UN Minority Declaration, UN Doc. A/Res/47/135, art. 18 FC. In addition, art. 14 LC.

  11. 11.

    See Sect. 4.1.3.

  12. 12.

    Preamble UN Minority Declaration, UN Doc. A/Res/47/135.

  13. 13.

    Preamble UN Minority Declaration, UN Doc. A/Res/47/135.

  14. 14.

    Art. 3 (1) Phillips, A (2002): The Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities: A Policy Analysis, Minority Rights Group International, London.

  15. 15.

    The issue of the majority or society imposing membership in a minority is discussed in Sect. 8.1.4.

  16. 16.

    Art. 20 Phillips, A (2002): The Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities: A Policy Analysis, Minority Rights Group International, London.

  17. 17.

    Paras. (33), (34), (40.3) respectively, CSCE (1990) Copenhagen Document http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/14304, accessed on 06 May 2014.

  18. 18.

    Rec. 69, Final Recommendations of the Helsinki Consultations 1973 (1973). http://www.osce.org/mc/40213. Accessed on 06 May 2014.

  19. 19.

    A definition of ‘reservation’ is found in art. 2 (1) VCLT. I understand interpretative statements to be similar to declarations that can be made to Council of Europe treaties.

  20. 20.

    Bloed (1993), pp. 18–25.

  21. 21.

    CSCE (1990) Copenhagen Document http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/14304, accessed on 06 May 2014.

  22. 22.

    See above on the coherence of the UN Minority Declaration, UN Doc. A/Res/47/135.

  23. 23.

    Preamble Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (1998) As published in Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, Collected Texts, 4th ed., Council of Europe Publishing, Strasbourg, 2007.

  24. 24.

    Denmark (1999) Report Submitted by Denmark Pursuant to Article 25, Paragraph 1 of the Framework Convention on the Protection of National Minorities CoE Doc. ACFC/SR(1999)009, p. 6.

  25. 25.

    My italics; Principle General Assembly (1960) Principles Which Should Guide Members in Determining Whether or not an Obligation Exists to Transmit Information Called for under Article 73 e of the Charter UN Doc. A/RES/1541 (XV).

  26. 26.

    See United Nations (2014) UN Voting Record Res. 1541 (XV). http://unbisnet.un.org:8080/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile=voting&index=.VM&term=ares1541. Accessed 06 May 2014.

  27. 27.

    See Bleicher (1969), p. 449. For the same view see Harris (1998), p. 59. Several colonial powers did not vote in favour of the resolution.

  28. 28.

    General Assembly (1960) Principles Which Should Guide Members in Determining Whether or not an Obligation Exists to Transmit Information Called for under Article 73 e of the Charter UN Doc. A/RES/1541 (XV).

  29. 29.

    For more on Human Rights Committee (1984) General Comment No. 12: The Right to Self-Determination (Art. 1) UN Doc. CCPR General Comment No. 12 on self-determination and the continuous application of self-determination see Sect. 3.2.3.

  30. 30.

    General Assembly (1960) Principles Which Should Guide Members in Determining Whether or not an Obligation Exists to Transmit Information Called for under Article 73 e of the Charter UN Doc. A/RES/1541 (XV).

  31. 31.

    Rosenstock (1971), p. 733.

  32. 32.

    General Assembly (1963) Considerations of Principles of International Law Concerning the Friendly Relations and Co-Operation Among States in Accordance with the Charter of the United Nations UN Doc. A/RES/1966 (XVIII).

  33. 33.

    United Nations (2007) Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly UN Doc. A/520/Rev.17.

  34. 34.

    See Sect. 4.2.3.

  35. 35.

    Para. 2 (3) Part I World Conference on Human Rights (1993) Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action UN Doc. A/CONF.157/23.

  36. 36.

    See Sect. 4.2.3.

  37. 37.

    General Assembly (1960) Principles Which Should Guide Members in Determining Whether or not an Obligation Exists to Transmit Information Called for under Article 73 e of the Charter UN Doc. A/RES/1541 (XV).

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  1. Department of Law, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark

    Ulrike Barten

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Barten, U. (2015). Legitimacy and Justice of Non-Binding Instruments. In: Minorities, Minority Rights and Internal Self-Determination. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08876-1_6

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