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The Law of Neutrality - Obstruction or Completion to the System of Collective Security?

Müller, Rune LU (2013) LAGF03 20131
Department of Law
Abstract
The concept of neutrality emerged at a time when conflicts between states were still regional matters. Today the system of collective security within the UN Charter has converted these conflicts into a global issue.

The purpose of this essay is to examine the correlation between the law of neutrality and the Charter of the United Nations and how this affects the neutral member states of the United Nations. The question I will try to answer in this essay is to what extent a state’s neutrality is compatible with the concept of collective security within the United Nations. The answer will clarify if neutral states hold a special position within the UN, and if so, what this position entails.

The methods that have been used are a legal... (More)
The concept of neutrality emerged at a time when conflicts between states were still regional matters. Today the system of collective security within the UN Charter has converted these conflicts into a global issue.

The purpose of this essay is to examine the correlation between the law of neutrality and the Charter of the United Nations and how this affects the neutral member states of the United Nations. The question I will try to answer in this essay is to what extent a state’s neutrality is compatible with the concept of collective security within the United Nations. The answer will clarify if neutral states hold a special position within the UN, and if so, what this position entails.

The methods that have been used are a legal dogmatic method regarding the analysis of separate articles and legal systems, a comparative method regarding the comparison of the law of neutrality and the UN Charter and a historical method for the background to the question at issue.

My conclusion is that the law of neutrality is compatible with the Charter of the United Nations, but only regarding permanent neutral states. These hold a special position within the United Nations that renders them exempt from obligations under the UN Charter that would jeopardise their status as permanent neutral states. Member states, pursuing a policy of neutrality, e.g. Sweden, can be forced to abandon their position to assist a victim state or to partake in non-military sanctions. Consequently, non-permanent neutrality is not compatible with the system of collective security. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Neutralitetskonceptet växte fram under en tid då konflikter mellan länder fortfarande var en regional angelägenhet. Idag har kollektiva säkerhetssystemet i FN-stadgan konverterat dessa konflikter till en global angelägenhet.

Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka korrelationen mellan neutralitetslagstiftningen och FN-stadgan och hur detta påverkar neutrala stater inom FN. Frågeställningen är i vilken utsträckning neutralitet är kompatibelt med kollektiva säkerhetssystemet inom FN. Svaret är ämnat att klargöra huruvida neutrala medlemsstater intar en särskild roll inom FN och, om så är fallet, vad denna roll innebär.

De metoder som har använts är en traditionell rättsdogmatisk metod gällande rättsutredningen av de separata artiklarna... (More)
Neutralitetskonceptet växte fram under en tid då konflikter mellan länder fortfarande var en regional angelägenhet. Idag har kollektiva säkerhetssystemet i FN-stadgan konverterat dessa konflikter till en global angelägenhet.

Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka korrelationen mellan neutralitetslagstiftningen och FN-stadgan och hur detta påverkar neutrala stater inom FN. Frågeställningen är i vilken utsträckning neutralitet är kompatibelt med kollektiva säkerhetssystemet inom FN. Svaret är ämnat att klargöra huruvida neutrala medlemsstater intar en särskild roll inom FN och, om så är fallet, vad denna roll innebär.

De metoder som har använts är en traditionell rättsdogmatisk metod gällande rättsutredningen av de separata artiklarna och juridiska systemen, en komparativ metod gällande jämförelsen mellan neutralitetslagstiftningen och FN-stadgan samt en historisk metod för att belysa bakgrunden till frågeställningen.

Min slutsats är att neutralitetskonceptet är kompatibelt med FN-stadgan, men endast gällande permanent neutrala stater. Dessa intar en särskild roll inom FN som undantar dem från skyldigheter att assistera angripna stater samt delta i icke-militära sanktioner. Medlemsstater som för en neutralitetspolitik, t.ex. Sverige, kan tvingas överge sin neutralitet för att bistå angripna stater samt delta i icke-militära sanktioner. Icke-permanent neutralitet är följaktligen ej kompatibel med kollektiva säkerhetssystemet. (Less)
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author
Müller, Rune LU
supervisor
organization
course
LAGF03 20131
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
hague V, un charter, charter of the united nations, Neutrality, collective security, comparative law, public international law, un, use of force, self-defense, collective self-defense
language
English
id
3798876
date added to LUP
2013-09-11 14:25:27
date last changed
2013-09-11 14:25:27
@misc{3798876,
  abstract     = {{The concept of neutrality emerged at a time when conflicts between states were still regional matters. Today the system of collective security within the UN Charter has converted these conflicts into a global issue. 

The purpose of this essay is to examine the correlation between the law of neutrality and the Charter of the United Nations and how this affects the neutral member states of the United Nations. The question I will try to answer in this essay is to what extent a state’s neutrality is compatible with the concept of collective security within the United Nations. The answer will clarify if neutral states hold a special position within the UN, and if so, what this position entails. 

The methods that have been used are a legal dogmatic method regarding the analysis of separate articles and legal systems, a comparative method regarding the comparison of the law of neutrality and the UN Charter and a historical method for the background to the question at issue. 

My conclusion is that the law of neutrality is compatible with the Charter of the United Nations, but only regarding permanent neutral states. These hold a special position within the United Nations that renders them exempt from obligations under the UN Charter that would jeopardise their status as permanent neutral states. Member states, pursuing a policy of neutrality, e.g. Sweden, can be forced to abandon their position to assist a victim state or to partake in non-military sanctions. Consequently, non-permanent neutrality is not compatible with the system of collective security.}},
  author       = {{Müller, Rune}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Law of Neutrality - Obstruction or Completion to the System of Collective Security?}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}