PEACE THROUGH LAW

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30179, 10 July 1963, Page 9

PEACE THROUGH LAW

UOHDQN, July 9. The decision to promote world peace through a law centre was taken unanimously at the final session of the Peace Through Law Conference in Athens, says the "Guardian’s” special correspondent in Uie Greek capital. The New Zealand Law Society representative at the conference was Mr J. C. White, a former president of the Wellington section. The declared aim of the centre is a compromise between those who want a new independent organisation to initiate research and education in the field of international law and those who think a new centre would be harmful to existing organisations or would have preferred regional centres. The centre is designated as a clearing house of the activities of all existing legal organisations and it is to be instructed not to duplicate existing work. Its task is to encourage the teaching and study of international law, to assist in the exchange of teachers and students, and to disseminate the results of international studies and research to members and to Governments.

Another important resolution adopted “was proposed and successfully fought for by the New Zealand representative, Mr. White.” The resolution charged the executive to set up a special committee to prepare a draft

(Special Correspondent NJEJ’.A.)

disarmaments plan which would be submitted to United Nations members and all legal organisations. The correspondent says that the final session "was the liveliest of the whole conference, for suppressed political passions broke through when the question of the right of self-determination for all peoples was raised.” This had been included in the declaration of general principles, but strong objection was taken by Sir Denys Hicks, of Britain, supported by the Irish, Australian and New Zealand delegatee. “They maintained this was a political and not a legal principle and might be taken, for instance, as support for Scottish or Welsh independence. “In fact, everyone was aware that the declaration had other people in mind. • “The eventual compromise stated that the right of selfdetermination as defined in the United Nations Charter was a fundamental principle of international law. “This satisfied all sides although, in fact, the United Nations Charter does not define the principle,” the correspondent says. War is little more than a catalogue of mistakes and misfortunes.—Winston Churchill*.