2017 European Society of International Law Research
By Mariam Chanishvili
Friday, April 7
On March 30-31, a research forum was held by the European Society of International law at the University of Granada, Spain. The main topic was the Neutrality of International Law, although many other political issues were also discussed.
Representatives of Italian, French, Kuwaiti, Finnish, Czech, British, Greek and Turkish universities attended the forum, and presented their work and research. The keynote speaker was Jan Klabbers, a professor of the University of Helsinki.
While talking about the Principle of Self-Determination and separatism entities, the Kosovo issue, Bosnian Genocide, Annexation of Crimea, Abkhaz-Georgian conflicts were all mentioned, although the Georgia’s case was the least discussed by far, perhaps because the other conflicts are closer to the European heartland.
During a discussion about the Kosovo Case, it was highlighted that on the one hand Kosovo had the right to self-determination, but this in fact contradicts the point about the inviolability of frontiers. Even though Kosovo was declared independent in 2008, many countries still haven’t recognized it as an independent state. After the revision of the borders post World War II, this precedent has, in fact, changed many affairs.
