Self-Determination and Humanitarian Secession in International Law of a Globalized World : Kosovo V. Crimea

Annotation This book addresses questions in connection with the international legal regime on demands for secession, which have arisen in various States. More specifically, it examines the unilateral declarations of independence by Kosovo in 2008, and by Crimea and its subsequent annexation by the Russian Federation in 2014. The work investigates the two cases so as to shed light on the international legal regime affecting entities that are smaller than a sovereign State. It analyzes the relevant principles of international law, the intention being to determine their scope and review them in light of the most recent practice and developments in international law. In turn, the book examines and explains the events of relevance for international law that occurred in the changing situations in Kosovo and Crimea. On the basis of these legal considerations, it explores how the international community can respond when faced with situations that may violate international law, together with the effectiveness of various measures. It also discusses whether certain situations might be legitimate as a concept could now be emerging that secession may be justified in specific circumstances, such as serious and widespread violations of basic human rights Preface 6 Contents 9 Abbreviations 13 Table of Case Law 17 Table of Documents of International Organizations and Associations 19 Table of National Laws 24 Table of Treaties and International Texts 26 Chapter 1: Introduction 28 References 32 Part I: Self-Determination and Secession Versus Territorial Integrity in International Law 34 Chapter 2: The Recognition of the Right to Self-Determination in International Law 35 2.1 Self-Determination Under the Charter of the United Nations 37 2.1.1 Origins of the Idea of Self-Determination 37 2.1.2 The Principle of Self-Determination in the Charter of the United Nations 39 2.1.3 The Right to Self-Determination in the Era of Decolonization 40 2.2 The Right to Self-Determination After the End of Decolonization 43 2.2.1 The Right to Self-Determination as a Norm of jus cogens 43 2.2.2 The Scope of the Right and the Notion of a People 45 2.3 The Extent and Limitations of the Principle of Territorial Integrity 49 2.4 Towards a Definition of the Right to Self-Determination 52 References 54 Chapter 3: The Right to Self-Determination and Unilateral Secession 60 3.1 The Absence of a Prohibition on Unilateral Secession in International Law 62 3.1.1 The Neutrality of International Law Toward Unilateral Secession 64 3.1.2 Unilateral Secession as a Fact and Presumptions in Favour of the State 65 3.2 The Scope of Unilateral Declarations of Independence and Their Effectiveness 67 3.3 The Wrongfulness of Secession Under Certain Circumstances 70 References 72 Part II: The Independence of Kosovo and Crimea in the Light of Contemporary International Law 76 Chapter 4: Kosovo ́s Long Road to Independence in 2008 77 4.1 The Disintegration of the Yugoslav State and Demands for Autonomy 78 4.1.1 Albano-Kosovar Reactions to Repression 78 4.1.2 The Outbreak of Internal Armed Conflict 80 4.1.3 Regional Action Seeking Peaceful Resolution of the Conflict 81 4.2 The Humanitarian Crisis and the Use of Force by NATO in 1999 84 4.2.1 The Humanitarian Crisis and the Recrudescence of Armed Conflict 84 4.2.2 Resort to Force by NATO 85 4.2.3 Russian Opposition and the Consequences of Intervention 89 4.2.4 Administration of Kosovo as a Premise for the Unilateral Declaration of Independence 92 References 99 Chapter 5: The Crimea ́s Declaration of Independence and Annexation to Russia in 2014 104 5.1 Calls for Independence and the Crisis of the Ukrainian State 104 5.1.1 The Evolution of the Crimean Oblast into the Autonomous Republic of Crimea 105 5.1.2 The Intricate Relationship Between Russia and the Ukraine 109 5.1.3 The Outbreak of Generalized Conflict in the Ukraine 113 5.2 Russia ́s Intervention in Crimea 114 5.2.1 The Russian Military Presence in Crimea 115 5.2.2 The Holding of a Referendum and the Ensuing Declaration of Independence 117 5.2.3 The Accession of Crimea to the Russian Federation 120 References 124 Chapter 6: The Legality of the Secessions of Kosovo and Crimea 129 6.1 Interventions by NATO in Kosovo and Russia in Crimea 129 6.1.1 The Illegality of NATO ́s Intervention in Kosovo 130 6.1.2 The Flagrant Breach of International Law in the Russian Intervention 131 6.1.2.1 Threat to the Life of Russian Citizens 132 6.1.2.2 Intervention by Invitation 135 6.2 Referenda as the Basis for Declarations of Independence 139 6.2.1 International Standards for Referenda 139 6.2.2 The Illicit Nature of the Crimean Referendum 142 6.3 Kosovan Independence Versus Crimean Secession 145 6.3.1 The Debatable Legality of Kosovan Independence 145 6.3.2 The Illegality of the Crimea ́s Declaration of Independence 148 6.4 The Infringement of International Law in Russia ́s Annexation of Crimea 151 References 154 Part III: The Emergence of Humanitarian Secession as a Response to Humanitarian Crises 158 Chapter 7: The International Community Faced with Illegal Secessions by Sub-State Units 159 7.1 The Difficulty of Reacting to the Illicit and the Obligation to Deny Recognition 160 7.1.1 The Effectiveness of Non-Recognition 162 7.1.1.1 The Emergence of an Obligation Not to Recognize in International Law 162 7.1.1.2 Scope and Effectiveness of the Obligation for Non-Recognition 166 7.1.2 Non-Recognition of Crimea 168 7.2 Effectiveness in the Consolidation of Illicit Situations Against the International Legal Order 170 References 173 Chapter 8: The Emergence of Humanitarian Secession as an International Response to Serious Violations of Human Rights 176 8.1 The Unclear Theory of the Right to `Remedial Secession ́ 177 8.1.1 Towards an opinio on the Lawfulness of Remedial Secession 178 8.1.2 Remedial Secession in State Practice 181 8.1.3 Remedial Secession as a Unclear Norm of International Customary Law 183 8.1.4 Proposed Requirements for Remedial Secession 185 8.2 The Legitimacy of `Humanitarian Secession ́ 187 8.2.1 The Safeguarding of Human Rights by the International Community and a Review of the Idea of Secession 188 8.2.2 Principles That Should Govern Humanitarian Secession 191 References 193 Chapter 9: Conclusion 197 References 204 Bibliography 206 Works and Courses 206 Articles and Contributions to Collective Works 208 Front Matter ....Pages i-xxx Introduction (Juan Francisco Escudero Espinosa)....Pages 1-6 Front Matter ....Pages 7-7 The Recognition of the Right to Self-Determination in International Law (Juan Francisco Escudero Espinosa)....Pages 9-33 The Right to Self-Determination and Unilateral Secession (Juan Francisco Escudero Espinosa)....Pages 35-50 Front Matter ....Pages 51-51 Kosovo’s Long Road to Independence in 2008 (Juan Francisco Escudero Espinosa)....Pages 53-79 The Crimea’s Declaration of Independence and Annexation to Russia in 2014 (Juan Francisco Escudero Espinosa)....Pages 81-105 The Legality of the Secessions of Kosovo and Crimea (Juan Francisco Escudero Espinosa)....Pages 107-135 Front Matter ....Pages 137-137 The International Community Faced with Illegal Secessions by Sub-State Units (Juan Francisco Escudero Espinosa)....Pages 139-155 The Emergence of Humanitarian Secession as an International Response to Serious Violations of Human Rights (Juan Francisco Escudero Espinosa)....Pages 157-177 Conclusion (Juan Francisco Escudero Espinosa)....Pages 179-187 Back Matter ....Pages 189-204