Topics in Brief

• Author: International Law Group

U S. amends International Traffic in Arms Regulations according to NATO reforms

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Political- Military Affairs, has amended the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (22 C.F.R. Parts 124, 125, 126) to implement the reforms announced by the Secretary of State at the NATO Ministerial meeting in Florence, Italy, on May 24, 2000. It changes the U.S. export controls for NATO Allies, Australia and Japan. For example, U.S. companies may now perform certain maintenance and maintenance training for NATO governments, Australia and Japan on inventoried U.S.-origin defense articles. Moreover, the U.S. can, without a license, transfer technical data for the procurement of defense equipment to NATO countries, Australia and Japan. Citation: 65 Federal Register 45282 (July 21, 2000). EU bans imports of rough diamonds from Sierra Leone. The Council of the European Union has issued a Common Position to prohibit the direct and indirect import of rough diamonds from Sierra Leone. It exempts, however, rough diamonds controlled by the Government of Sierra Leone through the Certificate-of-Origin regime. The ban will endure until January 5, 2002. Citation: Council Common Position 2000/455/CFSP, 2000 O.J. of the European Communities (L 183) 2, 22 July 2000.

I C.J. issues provisional orders in Congo conflict case

On July 1, 2000, the International Court of Justice, pursuant to Article 41 of its Statute, ordered provisional measures in Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo v. Uganda). Without dissent, the Court directed the parties to refrain from any armed or other action that might harm the rights of the other Party or that might worsen the dispute before the Court or make it harder to resolve. The Court further demanded that the Parties carry out their duties under international law, especially pursuant to the U.N. Charter, the Charter of the Organization of African Unity and U.N. Security Council resolution 1304 of June 16, 2000. It reminded the Parties of their duty to fully respect basic human rights and humanitarian law in the zone of conflict. Finally, the Court observes that it is "not disputed that at this date Ugandan forces are present on the territory of the Congo, that fighting has taken place on that territory between those forces and the forces of a neighboring State, that the fighting has caused a large number of civilian casualties in addition to substantial material damage, and that the humanitarian situation remains of profound concern." It also adds that it is "not disputed that grave and repeated violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, including massacres and other atrocities, have been committed on the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo." Citation: International Court of...