The Second International Law Conference of the Indian Society of International Law (ISIL) yesterday concluded its deliberations with a clearcut emphasis of the respect of international law as basis for a peaceful international order.

The conference was opened by the External Affairs Minister of India, Shri K. Natwar Singh. The Vice-President of India, Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, addressed the delegations at a Special Plenary Session.

The conference was attended by over four hundred delegates from Europe, Asia, the United States, and Latin America. Among the speakers were the President of the International Criminal Court, Mr. Philippe Kirsch; the Secretary-General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, Mr. Tjaco van den Hout; the Vice-President of the International Law Association, Dr. Kamal Hossain; and General Satish Nambiar, Chairman of the Centre for United Nations Peace-Keeping, United Services Institute, New Delhi.

Special sessions were co-sponsored by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on international humanitarian law and by UNESCO on poverty as a violation of human rights.

The International Progress Organization participated in the proceedings of the conference along with NGOs from Asia, Europe and America. The President of the I.P.O., Dr. Hans Köchler, delivered the keynote address on "The UN Organization and Global Power Politics" at the session on "The United Nations and the Emerging World Order."

At an interactive session with ISIL and NGOs from America and Europe, the President of the I.P.O. briefed the delegates on the aims of activities of the International Progress Organization. In talks with ISIL President Shri Ram Niwas Mirda and ISIL Secretary-General Mr. C. Jayaraj, Dr. Köchler agreed on closer cooperation between the I.P.O. and the Indian Society of International Law in regard to the legal aspects of United Nations reform.

The participants at the conference expressed their serious concern about the gradual subversion of the international rule of law by power politics. The External Affairs Minister of India and many conference speakers had referred to the unilateral use of force against Iraq as violation of the United Nations Charter, while stating the urgent need that the international community return to the respect of the principle of the non-use of force in international relations in conformity with the UN Charter.

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END/The United Nations and the Emerging World Order/2004-11-19/P/RE/18939c-is