About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline



30 N.Y.U. J. Int'l L. & Pol. 145 (1997-1998)
State Responsibility and International Crimes: Further Reflections on Article 19 of the Draft Articles on State Responsibility

handle is hein.journals/nyuilp30 and id is 151 raw text is: STATE RESPONSIBILIlY AND INTERNATIONAL
CRIMES: FURTHER REFLECTIONS ON ARTICLE
19 OF THE DRAFT ARTICLES ON STATE
RESPONSIBILITY
SHABTAI RosENNE*
I. INTRODUCTION
In 1996, the International Law Commission (the Com-
mission) completed its first reading of the whole of the Draft
Articles on State Responsibility (the Draft Articles). Follow-
ing the Commission's lead, the time has come to reconsider
the Draft Articles, particularly the much-written-about Article
19, the so-called international crimes provision.'
* Honorary member of the American Society of International Law;
member of the Institute of International Law; former member of he Inter-
national Law Commission (1962-1971). This artide is based on a lecture
delivered at the Global Law School of the New York University School of Law
on 29 October 1997.
1. See Report of the International Law Connission on ite Mod of its Fort -
Eighth Session, 6 May - 26July 1996, U.N. GAOR, 51st Sess., Supp. No. 10, at
131 (Ch. III), U.N. Doc. A/51/10 (1996) [hereinafter Draft Articles]. For
the first review of these Draft Articles by the Sixth Committee of the General
Assembly, see REPORT OF THE ITrERNAIONAL LW COlMMSsION ON, nHE WoRK
OF rrs FORT-EiGHr  SESSION (1996): TopiQAL SUMMARY OF THE Dscussiov
HE=D IN THE SIXTH COMMITTE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DURING ITS Fimr-
Fmsr SESSION PREPARED BY THE SECRETARIAT, ADDENDUM, U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/
479/ADD.1 (1997) [hereinafter ToPicL SuzMMARY]. There had been an ear-
lier phase between 1950 and 1961 in which F. V. Garcia-Amador %-s special
rapporteur. For Garcia-Amador's reports to the Commission, see [HrST] RE-
PORT ON STATE RESPONSIBILITy, U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/96 (1956), reprinted in
[1956] 2 Y.B. Int'l. L. Comm'n. 173, U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/SER.A/1956/
Add.l1; SECOND REPORT ON STATE RESPONSIBILrIrT U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/106
(1957), reprinted in [1957] 2Y.B. Int'l. L Comm'n. 104, U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/
SERA/1957/Add.1; THmD REPORT ON STATE REsPONSIBI Ln U.N. Doc. A/
GN.4/111 (1958), reprinted in [1958] 2 Y.B. Int'l. L Comm'n. 47, U.N. Doc.
A/CN.4/SER-A/1958/Add.1; FOURTH REPORT ON STATE RESPONSIBILfIY,
U.N. Doc. A/GN.4/119 (1959), reprinted in [1959] 2 Y.B. MIT. L Comm'n. 1,
U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/SER.A/1959/Add.1; FIFrH REPORT ON ST,%E REsPONSI-
Bumy, U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/125 (1960), repinted in (1960] 2 Y.B. Int'l L
Comm'n 41, U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/.A/1960/Add.1; Srxm-  REPORT ON ST.%TE
REsPoNsmrIY, U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/134 & ADD.1 (1961), reprinted in [1961]
2 Y.B. Int'l L. Comm'n 1, U.N. Doc. A/CN.4/SER.A/1961/Add.1. The re-
145

Imaged with the Permission of N.Y.U. Journal of International Law and Politics