The Kosovo Case Unpacked:
A Legal and Political Discussion of the Arguments Presented to the ICJ
event
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Date
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Tuesday, 2 February 2010
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Venue
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Cañada Blanch Room (COW 1.11), Cowdray House, LSE
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Speakers
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Dr James Irving
Visitin Fellow, Department of Law, LSE
Dr James Ker-Lindsay
Eurobank Senior Research Fellow on the Politics of SEE, LSEE , LSE
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In December 2009 the International Court of Justice convened to hear the oral arguments for and against Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence. It made for one of the most fascinating legal debates of modern times, not least of all because it was the first time all five permanent members of the Security Council participated in the Court's proceedings. This discussion will explore the arguments presented by the two sides, both in terms of their significance for international law and as regards their possible impact on the international political system.
Another question related to efforts to encourage expatriate Serbs to return home - a key issue for many of the Serbian students attending the lecture. While again acknowledging that the situation needed to improve, he stressed that Serbia was keen to encourage people to return and channel their experience and expertise towards developing the country further - especially as it pursues European integration.