"The Principle of Sovereignty under challenge” Says Ambassador Fabian
The concept of sovereignty is a widely contested theme
in the conduct of diplomacy and international relations, as challenging as it
were in the social science discourse, according to Ambassador K. P.
Fabian, Diplomat-in-Residence,
K.P.S Menon Chair for Diplomatic Studies, School of International Relations and
Politics (SIRP), Mahatma Gandhi University. He was delivering the K.P.S. Menon Lecture
on “Sovereignty: A Critical Examination” at the SIRP today. Mr. Fabian said that
the contradiction and complexities of engaging ‘sovereignty’ were nowhere
evident than in the very operation of the United Nations (UN). The UN has been
founded on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its members, but a
close reading of the many of the provisions of the UN Charter shows that “this
assertion is not to be taken seriously.” He said that if the “principle of sovereign equality is to be taken
seriously, the Security Council members should be chosen through voting by
member states.” It is possible “to factor into the rules for election
geographical balance and other relevant factors.” But it will be “irresponsibly
idealistic and pathetically naïve to expect endorsement of any such proposal
from the current Permanent Members of the Security Council. Without their
endorsement no amendment to the Charter can be possible.” He concluded that the
UN Charter “has patently inconsistent provisions as far as sovereignty is
concerned.” However, he pointed out that the UN Charter is not the first
international treaty to fail to comply with the principle of sovereign
equality. The Vienna Congress of 1815, to decide on the political arrangements
in Europe after Napoleon’s defeat, attended by almost all the states in the
continent, never met in plenary. All work was done in committees, he pointed
out. Prof. K.M.Seethi, Dean of Social Sciences and Coordinator K.P. S.
Menon Chair welcomed. Prof A.M. Thomas, Prof. Mathew Kurian, M.V.Bijulal, Ms.
Parvathy, Mr. Navas, Dr. Santhosh and others spoke.
