OSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration in focus at simulation of conciliation

On 2 December, the OSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration hosted its first-ever simulation of conciliation proceedings within the Court at the Faculty of Law of the University of Ljubljana and with the support of Professor Vasilka Sancin, Head of the Department of International Law and member of the Bureau of the Court.

A group of Professor Sancin's domestic and exchange students that are enrolled in the course on diplomatic and consular law addressed a fictional case submitted for conciliation under the provisions of the Convention on Conciliation and Arbitration within the OSCE. The contrived dispute pertained to two fictitious states: the Republic of Andromeda and the Kingdom of Rhea and raised a wide range of issues, including subjects relating to human rights, minorities, territorial integrity and the responsibilities of states with regard to environmental protection, including plastics pollution and activities in outer space.

Prior to the role-play session, students acting as agents as well as conciliators were required to submit their written submissions in which they set out their arguments, including proposals based on international law and OSCE commitments for the resolution of the submitted dispute. During the session, President of the OSCE Court Professor Emmanuel Decaux participated actively as a member of the jury.

The OSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration provides a set of mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes between States. The Court was established by the Convention of Stockholm, which entered into force on 5 December 1994. To date, 34 States have become parties to the Convention.