The Patterns Of Settlements Of The Islands Sovereignty Disputes Among European Countries In Modern Era

Islands sovereignty disputes have important influence in the field of maritime rights and interests historically.It can also be seemed as a key of modem international relationships.From the end of 19th century to 1950s,European countries have developed several effective mechanisms in order to solve their disputes.It can be concluded that,insisting on a peaceful and cooperative resolution is the core of these mechanisms.With the reasonable solutions of the disputes of the sovereignty of islands,European countries guarantee their collective security and decrease the threats.Finally it facilitates positive international relationships and has a vital significance for the present.There are four chapters in this dissertation,which can be conclude as follows:The Prologue introduces the background and significance of the issue,as well as the former academic research.It also supplies the introductions of the methodology and structure of the dissertation.The first chapter summarizes the features of disputes of the sovereignty of islands among European countries and its settlements.These disputes were extensive once in Europe.The related countries usually tended to solve the problems with negotiations and the judgments of International Court of Justice(ICJ).They have achieved success with the peaceful settlements of the disputes.The second chapter introduces the dispute of Heligoland,which troubled Britain and Germany in 1880s,and the benefits of the Integrative Bargaining.The Island of Heligoland is located in the southeastern corner of the North Sea off German coast,and it had been a British possession from 1807 to 1890.Germans placed a high value on the island for defensive and naval purposes,so they required the acquisition of Heligoland after the unification.Under the influence of the Anglo-German Relation,national power and international environment,this island dispute was mainly settled by diplomatic negotiations.Also,the development of the colonial rivalries had effect on the settlement of Heligoland.In 1890 The Anglo-German agreement of 1890,better known as the Treaty of Heligoland-Zanzibar was signed.In this treaty the British offered the cession of Heligoland as an exchange for the Germans to relinquish their claims to Wito and Zanzibar.The dispute was settled peacefully with negotiations between related countries.The Integrative Bargaining used in this case helped the two countries to realize the core interests of the opposite.Then appropriate tactics could be used to reach a settlement and avoided military conflict.The third chapter analyses the dispute of the Channel Islands between Britain and France,with the research of the function of the International Court of Justice(ICJ)in such disputes.ICJ plays a critical role in solving territory disputes postwar.The dispute of the Channel Islands between Britain and France was the first successful territory dispute solved by the ICJ.From 19th century the United Kingdom and France have a dispute over the sovereignty of the Minquiers group and the Ecrehous group,which located in the Channel Islands.After unsuccessful negotiations the two countries submitted the dispute to the ICJ in 1951.The ICJ,mainly following the principle of Effective Control,made a ruling in 1953 that the disputed islands belong to the United Kingdom.The United Kingdom and France had succeed in solving the island dispute by the ICJ's rulings.Such a reference has an important significance for the island disputes between China and its neighboring countries.The last chapter summarizes the significance of joint development,via the introduction of the Svalbard Treaty.The Svalbard Archipelago is a main Archipelago in Arctic,which caused dispute among Russia,Sweden and Norway from 19th century.The Svalbard Treaty,which was signed in 1920 made a settlement of the dispute concerned with the Sovereignty of the Archipelago.The Treaty recognises the full and absolute sovereignty of Norway over the Archipelago.And nationals of all the High Contacting Parties shall have equal liberty of access and entry to the territories.Subject to the observance of local laws and regulations,they may carry on there without impediment all industrial and commercial operations.Seeking joint development have become the main principle.The settlement of Svalbard dispute benefits all related countries and avoid military conflict.Thus it has great significance in practice.The epilogue summarized the three effective patterns in the settlements of the disputes of the sovereignty of islands,with the analysis of the successful experience provided by European countries.The key point is to solve the disputes peacefully,which could improve our understanding of conflict settlements in the development of the marine interests of China.