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Contemporary Practice of the United States Relating to International Law

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Kristina Daugirdas  and
Julian Davis Mortenson
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Contemporary Practice of the United States Relating to International Law
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American Journal of International Law , Volume 110 , Issue 1 , January 2016 , pp. 116 - 129
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Copyright © American Society of International Law 2016

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References

1 Press Release, U.S. Dep’t of State, Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Compensation Fund for Holocaust Victims Deported from France (Dec. 8, 2014), at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2014/12/234822.htm [hereinafter Joint Statement on Compensation Fund]; Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the French Republic on Compensation for Certain Victims of Holocaust-Related Deportation from France Who Are not Covered by French Programs, U.S.-Fr., Dec. 8, 2014, at http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/249135.pdf [hereinafter U.S.-France Agreement].

2 See Press Release, U.S. Dep’t of State, Signing Ceremony for the U.S.-France Agreement on Holocaust Deportation From France (Dec. 8, 2014), at http://www.state.gov/p/eur/rls/rm/2014/dec/234917.htm [hereinafter Signing Ceremony]; Maïa de la Baume, French Railway Formally Apologizes to Holocaust Victims, N.Y. Times, Jan. 25, 2011, at A6.

3 Signing Ceremony, supra note 2.

4 Id.

5 Joint Statement on Compensation Fund, supra note 1.

6 Signing Ceremony, supra note 2.

7 Id.

8 Id.

9 Abrams v. Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français, 389 F.3d 61, 62 (2d Cir. 2004).

10 Id. at 63; see also Abrams v. Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français, 175 F.Supp.2d 423, 433 (E.D.N.Y. 2001).

11 Freund v. Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français, 391 F. App’x 939, 940 (2d Cir. 2010).

12 Id. at 940–41; 28 U.S.C. § 1605(a)(3) (2015).

13 Katherine Shaver, O’Malley to Sign Bill Requiring Railway to Disclose WWII Past, Baltimore Sun, May 19, 2011, at http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-05-19/news/bs-md-marc-trains-20110519_1_holocaust-victims-sncf-trains-holocaust-survivor-groups.

14 Press Release, Benjamin J. Kallos, New York City Council member, Malloney, Levine, and Kallos Fight for Holocaust Reparations for Survivors (Apr. 28, 2014), at http://www.benkallos.com/press-release/maloney-levine-kallos-fight-holocaust-reparations-survivors.

15 S. 634, 112th Cong. (2011); H.R. 1193, 112th Cong. (2011); S. 1393, 113th Cong. (2013); H.R. 1505, 113th Cong. (2013).

16 Press Release, Dep’t of State, Negotiations With France Concerning Compensation for Victims of Deportation and Their Families by the French National Railway Company (SNCF) During the Holocaust(Apr. 9, 2014), at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2014/04/224621.htm.

17 Id. Two months earlier, Maryland state legislators introduced a bill to disqualify a firm whose majority stakeholder is SNCF from bidding on a $4 billion contract. U.S. Lawmakers Take Aim at French Rail for Holocaust Role, France 24, Feb. 6, 2014, at http://www.france24.com/en/20140205-usa-lawmakers-push-disqualify-french-rail-sncf-holocaust-role.

18 Press Release, Dep’t of State, U.S.-France Agreement on Compensation for Certain Victims of Holocaust-Related Deportation from France Who Are Not Covered by French Programs (Dec. 5, 2014), at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2014/12/234709.htm.

19 France to Pay $60m into Compensation Fund for U.S. Victims of Holocaust, The Guardian, Nov. 3, 2015, at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/03/france-60m-compensates-fund-us-holocaust-victims.

20 U.S.-France Agreement, supra note 1, art. 4(1).

21 Id. Art. 2(1).

22 Id. Art. 3(1–2); Press Release, Dep’t of State, Joint Statement Between the United States and France Regarding the Entry into Force of a Bilateral Agreement on the Establishment of Compensation Fund for Holocaust Victims Deported From France (Nov. 3, 2015), at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2015/11/249122.htm [hereinafter Joint Statement on U.S.-France Agreement].

23 U.S.-France Agreement, supra note 1, Art. 3(3–4).

24 Joint Statement on U.S.-France Agreement, supra note 22.

25 U.S.-France Agreement, supra note 1, Art. 5.

26 Id. Annex.

27 Id.

28 Joint Statement on U.S.-France Agreement, supra note 22.

29 Press Release, Carolyn B. Maloney, U.S. Congresswoman, Maloney Applauds French Parliament Approval of Historic Compensation for Holocaust Victims Deported on SNCF Trains (July 9, 2015), at https://maloney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/maloney-applauds-french-parliament-approval-of-historic-compensation-for.

30 Joint Statement on U.S.-France Agreement, supra note 22.

31 Commencement of Holocaust Deportation Claims Program Under U.S.-France Agreement, U.S. Dep’t of State, at http://www.state.gov/p/eur/rt/hlcst/deportationclaims/index.htm (last visited Jan. 15, 2016).

1 See Daugirdas, Kristina & Mortenson, Julian Davis, Contemporary Practice of the United States, 109 AJIL 667 (2015)CrossRefGoogle Scholar; 108 AJIL 529 (2014); 108 AJIL 331 (2014).

2 See generally Office Of Ocean & Polar Affairs, U.S. Dep’t of State, Limits in the Seas: NO. 143, China: Maritime Claims in the South China Sea (2014).

3 See generally Daugirdas, Kristina & Mortenson, Julian Davis, Contemporary Practice of the United States, 109 AJIL 667 (2015)CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

4 See id. ;see also The President’s News Conference with President Xi Jinping of China, 2015 Daily Comp.Pres. Doc. 647 (Sept. 25, 2015) [hereinafter News Conference].

5 Javier C. Hernández, China Blames U.S. Military Actions for Tensions in the South China Sea, N.Y. Times, July 30, 2015, at A9.

6 Helene Cooper, Challenging Chinese Claims, U.S. Sends Warship Near Artificial Island Chain, N.Y. Times, Oct. 27, 2015, at A7; Michael J. Green, Bonnie S. Glaser & Gregory B. Poling, The U.S. Asserts Freedom of Navigation in the South China Sea, Ctr. For Strategic & Int’l Studies (Oct. 27, 2015), at http://csis.org/publication/us-asserts-freedom-navigation-south-china-sea.

7 Press Release, China Ministry of Nat’l Def., Defense Ministry’s Regular Press Conference on (Oct. 29, 2015), at http://eng.mod.gov.cn/Press/2015-10/29/content_4626549.htm [hereinafter Oct. 29 Press Conference].

8 Maritime Security Strategy in the Asia-Pacific Region: Hearing Before the S. Comm. on Armed Servs., 114th Cong. 22 (Sept. 17, 2015) (statement of Assistant Sec’y of Defense for Asian & Pac. Sec. Affairs, U.S. Dep’t of Defense, Ambassador David B. Shear).

9 Simon Denyer, China Says U.S. Naval Destroyer Sailing Close to Chinese-Built Island Damages Peace and Stability, Wash. Post, Oct. 27, 2015, at https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/china-says-us-naval-destroyer-sailing-close-to-chinese-built-island-damages-peace-and-stability/2015/10/27/25b254b4-7c7a-11e5-beba-927fd8634498_story.html.

10 Press Release, China Ministry of Foreign Aff., Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang’s Remarks on USS Lassen’s Entry into Waters near Relevant Islands and Reefs of China’s Nansha Islands (Oct. 27, 2015), at http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2535_665405/t1309567.shtml [hereinafter Lu Remarks].

11 Press Release, China Ministry of Foreign Aff., Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui Makes Stern Representations to US over US Naval Vessel’s Entry into Waters near Relevant Islands and Reefs of China’s Nansha Islands (Oct. 27, 2015), at http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/wjbxw/t1310069.shtml [hereinafter Zhang Representations].

12 Id.

13 Oct. 29 Press Conference, supra note 7 (noting meetings between U.S. officials and officers of the Foreign Affairs Office of China’s Ministry of National Defense and Chinese Defense Attaché in Washington, D.C.).

14 Zhang Representations, supra note 11; Lu Remarks, supra note 10.

15 Ben Blanchard & Andrea Shalal, China Naval Chief Says Minor Incident Could Spark War in South China Sea, Reuters (Oct. 30, 2015), at http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/30/us-southchinasea-usa-china-navy-idUSKCN0SO05320151030#YaqXzvMHxkeCQxYJ.97.

16 See White House Daily Press Briefing by Press Secretary Josh Earnest (Oct. 26, 2015), at https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/10/26/daily-press-briefing-press-secretary-josh-earnest-102615 [hereinafter Earnest Briefing]; U.S. Dep’t of State Daily Press Briefing (Oct. 26, 2015), at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2015/10/248743.htm; U.S. Dep’t of State Daily Press Briefing (Oct. 27, 2015), at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2015/10/248870.htm [hereinafter Oct. 27 State Department Briefing]; Press Briefing, The White House, Press Gaggle by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz en route Chicago, IL 10 /27/2015 (Oct.27, 2015), at https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/10/27/press-gaggle-principal-deputy-press-secretary-eric-schultz-en-route.

17 See Earnest Briefing, supra note 16; Oct. 27 State Department Briefing, supra note 16.

18 United States Military Strategy in the Middle East : Hearing Before the S. Comm. on Armed Servs., 114th Cong. 116 (Oct. 27, 2015), at http://www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/15-81%20-%2010-27-15.pdf.

19 Press Briefing, The White House, Press Gaggle Aboard Air Force One enroute andrews AFB 10/28/15 (Oct. 28, 2015), at https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/10/28/press-gaggle-aboard-air-force-one-en-route-andrews-afb-102815.

20 See Helene Cooper & Jane Perlez, White House Moves to Reassure Allies with South China Sea Patrol, but Quietly, N.Y. Times, Oct. 27, 2015, at A7.

21 Ash Carter, Sec’y of Defense, Remarks on “Strategic and Operational Innovation at a Time of Transition and Turbulence” at the Reagan National Defense Forum (Nov. 7, 2015) [hereinafter Carter Remarks] available at http://www.defense.gov/News/Speeches/Speech-View/Article/628146/remarks-on-strategic-and-operational-innovation-at-a-time-of-transition-and-tur; see also Adm. Harry B. Harris, Jr., Commander, U.S. Pac. Command, Speech at Stanford Center – Peking University, Beijing China (Nov. 3, 2015) (noting the “routine” nature of U.S. freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea) [hereinafter Harris, Jr. Speech] available at http://www.pacom.mil/Media/SpeechesTestimony/tabid/6706/Article/627100/admiral-harris-speech-at-stanford-center-peking-university-beijing-china.aspx.

22 Green et al., supra note 6.

23 Christopher P. Cavas, Navy Chiefs Talk, New Details on Destroyer’s Passage, Defense News (Oct. 31, 2015, 10:58 AM), at http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/2015/10/31/navy-china-richardson-wu-destroyer-las-sen-south-china-sea-innocent-passage/74881704/.

24 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea art. 17, opened for signature Dec. 10, 1982, 1833 U.N.T.S. 397 (entered into force Nov. 16, 1994).

25 Julian Ku, The US Navy’s “Innocent Passage” in the South China Sea May Have Actually Strengthened China’s Sketchy Territorial Claims, Lawfare (Nov. 4, 2015, 11:10 AM), at https://www.lawfareblog.com/us-navys-innocent-passage-south-china-sea-may-have-actually-strengthened-chinas-sketchy-territorial.

26 Andrea Shalal & David Brunnstrom, U.S. Patrol Sought to Avoid Provocation, Not Reinforce China Island Claim: Officials, Reuters (Nov. 7, 2015), at http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/07/us-southchinasea-usa-passage-idUSKCN0SV2QK20151107#PBU1bvBhjvtEJmc1.97.

27 Id.

28 Letter from Senator John McCain, Chairman, S. Comm. Armed Servs., to Ashton B. Carter, U.S. Sec’y of Defense (Nov. 9, 2015), available at http://news.usni.org/2015/11/10/document-letter-from-sen-john-mccain-to-secdef-carter-on-u-s-south-china-sea-freedom-of-navigation-operation.

29 Letter from Ash Carter, U.S. Sec’y of Defense, to JohnMcCain, Chairman, S. Comm. Armed Servs., at 1 (Dec. 21, 2015), available at http://news.usni.org/2016/01/05/document-secdef-carter-letter-to-mccain-on-south-china-sea-freedom-of-navigation-operation [hereinafter Carter Letter].

30 [Editors’ note: The United States has contested requirements imposed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam requiring notification and/or prior consent in the South China Sea.See Dep’t of Defense Representative for Ocean Policy Affairs, Maritime Claims Reference Manual (2014), at http://www.jag.navy.mil/organization/code_10_mcrm.htm (describing requirements for notice and/or prior permission for transit by foreign vessels through territorial waters claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam).]

31 Carter Letter, supra note 29, at 1–2.

32 See Yeganeh Torbati & Trinna Leong, U.S., Japan Push for Inclusion of South China Sea in Defense Forum Statement, Reuters (Nov. 3, 2015), at http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/03/us-asean-malaysia-idUSKCN0SS07F20151103#S0u5viBWJMstOCEI.97.

33 Carter Remarks, supra note 21; see also Harris, Jr. Speech, supra note 21 (“[O]ur military will continue to fly, sail, and operate whenever and wherever international law allows. The South China Sea is not—and will not— be an exception.”).

34 Andrea Shalal & Idrees Ali, U.S. Navy Plans Two or More Patrols in South China Sea per Quarter, Reuters (Nov. 2, 2015), at http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/03/us-southchinasea-usa-navy-idUSKCN0SR28W20151103#Hwdw1e12xkvGC5Du.97.

35 Yeganeh Torbati & David Alexander, U.S. Bombers Flew Near China-Built Islands in South China Sea: Pentagon, Reuters (Nov. 13, 2015, 5:51 AM), at http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/13/us-southchinasea-usa-idUSKCN0T12G720151113#rBoQJ89CT8kQ8MlM.97.

36 Press Briefing, U.S. Dep’t of Defense, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook in the Pentagon Briefing Room, (Nov. 12, 2015), at http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Transcripts/Transcript-View/Article/628778/department-of-defense-press-briefing-by-pentagon-press-secretary-peter-cook-in.

37 Compare Torbati & Alexander, supra note 35 (citing statement by Pentagon spokesman Commander Bill Urban that the bombers did not fly within twelve nautical miles), with Kristina Wong, US Flies B-52 Bombers near Disputed Islands Claimed by China, Hill (Nov. 12, 2015, 2:17 PM), at http://thehill.com/policy/defense/259958-us-flies-b-52-bombers-near-islands-claimed-by-china (noting a statement by a U.S. official that bombers made one pass within twelve nautical miles of islands).

1 See, e.g., Thom Shanker, Pentagon Releases Strategy for the Arctic, N.Y. Times, Nov. 22, 2013, at A7; Steven Lee Meyers, U.S. Is Playing Catch-Up With Russia in Scramble for the Arctic, N.Y. Times, Aug. 29, 2015, at A1.

2 John Kerry, U.S. Secretary of State, Remarks on Intervention at the Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting (Apr. 24, 2015), at http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2015/04/241098.htm. The Arctic Council: A Backgrounder, Arctic Council, http://www.arctic-council.org/index.php/en/about-us (last visited Jan. 15, 2015) (“The Arctic Council is the leading intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic states.”). See generally Israel, Brian R., Review Essay: International Law and Governance in a Changing Arctic, 108 AJIL 348 (2014)CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

3 President Obama’s Trip to Alaska, The White House, at https://www.whitehouse.gov/2015-alaska-trip (last visited Jan. 25, 2015). See Press Release, The White House, Fact Sheet: President Obama Announces New Investments to Enhance Safety and Security in the Changing Arctic (Sept. 1, 2015), at https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/09/01/fact-sheet-president-obama-announces-new-investments-enhance-safety-and.

4 Press Release, The White House, Remarks by the President at the GLACIER Conference—Anchorage, AK (Aug. 31, 2015), at https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/09/01/remarks-president-glacier-conference-anchorage-ak.

5 Press Release, U.S. Dep’t of State, John Kirby, Spokesperson, Secretary Kerry Travel to Anchorage, AK (Aug. 25, 2015), at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2015/08/246327.htm; Press Release, U.S.Dep’t of State, The Conference on Global Leadership in the Arctic: Cooperation, Innovation, Engagement and Resilience (GLACIER)(July 23, 2015), at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2015/07/245241.htm.

6 Press Release, U.S. Dep’t of State, Joint Statement on Climate Change and the Arctic (Aug. 31, 2015), at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2015/08/246487.htm.

7 Press Release, U.S. Dep’t of State, Arctic Nations Sign Declaration to Prevent Unregulated Fishing in the Central Arctic Ocean (July 16, 2015), at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2015/07/244969.htm [hereinafter Arctic Nations Sign Declaration]; Declaration Concerning the Prevention of Unregulated High Seas Fishing in the Central Arctic Ocean, July 16, 2015, at https://www.regjeringen.no/globalassets/departementene/ud/vedlegg/folkerett/declaration-on-arctic-fisheries-16-july-2015.pdf, [hereinafter Oslo Declaration].

8 Steven Lee Myers, Sea Warming Leads to Ban on Fishing in the Arctic, N.Y. Times, July 16, 2015, at A6.

9 Alister Doyle, Russia, U.S. Agree Fishing Ban in Arctic as Sea Ice Melts, Reuters (July 16, 2015), at http://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-arctic-idUSKCN0PQ15N20150716.

10 Id.; see also Myers, supra note 8.

11 Oslo Declaration, supra note 7.

12 Arctic Nations Sign Declaration, supra note 7. [Editors’ Note: Public Law No. 110-243, 122 Stat. 1569, June 3, 2008, provides, in part: “Now, therefore, be it [r]esolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, [t]hat (1) the United States should initiate international discussions and take necessary steps with other Arctic nations to negotiate an agreement or agreements for managing migratory, transboundary, and straddling fish stocks in the Arctic Ocean and establishing a new international fisheries management organization or organizations for the region.” The 2013 National Strategy for the Arctic Region is available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/nat_arctic_strategy.pdf.]

13 Press Release, U.S. Dep’t of State, Meeting on High Seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic Ocean: Chairman’s Statement (Dec. 3, 2015), at http://www.state.gov/e/oes/rls/pr/250352.htm.

14 Id.

15 Id.

16 Press Release, U.S. Dep’t of State, United States and Russia Sign Agreement to Prevent Illegal Fishing (Sept. 11, 2015), at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2015/09/246833.htm [hereinafter U.S. and Russia Sign IUU Agreement]; Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Russian Federation on Cooperation for the Purposes of Preventing, Deterring and Eliminating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing, U.S.-Russ., Sept. 11, 2015 (entered into force Dec. 4, 2015), at http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/250927.pdf [hereinafter U.S.-Russia IUU Fishing Agreement].

17 DJ Summers, US, Russia Sign Deal Aimed at Curbing Illegal Fishing, Alaska J. Commerce, Sept. 16, 2015, at http://www.alaskajournal.com/business-and-finance/2015-09-16/us-russia-sign-deal-aimed-curbing-illegal-fishing.

18 Id.

19 World Wildlife Federation, Illegal Russian Crab: An Investigation of Trade Flow 1 (2014).

20 U.S. and Russia Sign IUU Agreement, supra note 16.

21 Summers, supra note 17.

22 [Editors’ note: Article 1(1)(a) defines “illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing” as “the activities set out n paragraph 3 of the 2001 FAO International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing.” That document is available at http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/y1224e/y1224e00.htm.]

23 U.S.-Russia IUU Fishing Agreement, supra note 16.

24 Summers, supra note 17.