2016 · digest of. u. nited . s. tates . p. ractice. in . i. nternational . l. aw. 2016 . carrielyn...

DIGEST OF

UNITED STATES PRACTICE

IN INTERNATIONAL LAW

2016

CarrieLyn D. Guymon

Editor

Office of the Legal Adviser United States Department of State

Table of Contents

Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... xix

Note from the Editor ......................................................................................................................... xxiii

CHAPTER 1 ............................................................................................................................................. 1

Nationality, Citizenship, and Immigration ........................................................................................... 1

A. NATIONALITY, CITIZENSHIP, AND PASSPORTS ................................................................................. 1

1. Derivative Citizenship: Morales-Santana ...................................................................................... 1

2. Tuaua: Notation on Passports Issued to Non-Citizen U.S. Nationals ............................................ 13

3. Citizenship Transmission on Military Bases: Thomas .................................................................. 18

B. IMMIGRATION AND VISAS ............................................................................................................ 21

1. Consular Nonreviewability ......................................................................................................... 21

a. Sidhu v. Kerry ......................................................................................................................... 21

b. Allen v. Milas .......................................................................................................................... 22

c. Cardenas v. United States....................................................................................................... 23

d. Santos v. Lynch....................................................................................................................... 25

2. Special Immigrant Visa Programs: Nine Iraqi Allies v. Kerry ......................................................... 27

3. Visa Waiver Program.................................................................................................................. 33

4. Visa Restrictions and Limitations ................................................................................................ 34

a. Caribbean .............................................................................................................................. 34

b. Revised definition of “immediate family” for certain visas ...................................................... 35

5. Removals and Repatriations ....................................................................................................... 36

C. ASYLUM, REFUGEE, AND MIGRANT PROTECTION ISSUES ............................................................. 36

1. Temporary Protected Status ...................................................................................................... 36

a. South Sudan ........................................................................................................................... 37

b. Sudan ..................................................................................................................................... 37

c. Guinea ................................................................................................................................... 38

d. Liberia .................................................................................................................................... 38

e. Sierra Leone ........................................................................................................................... 38

f. Honduras ............................................................................................................................... 39

g. Nicaragua .............................................................................................................................. 39

h. El Salvador ............................................................................................................................. 39

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i. Syria ....................................................................................................................................... 39

j. Nepal ..................................................................................................................................... 40

2. Refugee Admissions in the United States ................................................................................... 40

3. Migration ................................................................................................................................... 42

Cross References ................................................................................................................................... 46

CHAPTER 2 ........................................................................................................................................... 47

Consular and Judicial Assistance and Related Issues ........................................................................ 47

A. CONSULAR NOTIFICATION, ACCESS, AND ASSISTANCE ................................................................. 47

Lawsuits Seeking Evacuation from Yemen .......................................................................................... 47

B. CHILDREN ...................................................................................................................................... 47

1. Adoption .................................................................................................................................... 47

a. Report on Intercountry Adoption ............................................................................................ 47

b. U.S. Adoption Service Providers .......................................................................................... 47

c. Hague Convention .............................................................................................................. 48

d. Litigation ............................................................................................................................ 48

2. Abduction .................................................................................................................................. 54

a. Annual Reports ................................................................................................................... 54

b. Hague Abduction Convention Partners ............................................................................... 55

c. Congressional Testimony .................................................................................................... 55

Cross References ................................................................................................................................... 61

CHAPTER 3 ........................................................................................................................................... 62

International Criminal Law ................................................................................................................ 62

A. EXTRADITION AND MUTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE ...................................................................... 62

1. Extradition Treaties .................................................................................................................... 62

a. Dominican Republic ................................................................................................................ 62

b. Kosovo ................................................................................................................................... 63

c. Chile ....................................................................................................................................... 63

d. Serbia ..................................................................................................................................... 63

2. Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties ............................................................................................... 64

a. Kazakhstan ............................................................................................................................ 64

b. Algeria ................................................................................................................................... 64

c. Jordan .................................................................................................................................... 64

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3. Extradition Cases ....................................................................................................................... 64

a. Munoz Santos ........................................................................................................................ 64

b. Cruz Martinez......................................................................................................................... 69

4. Data Protection Agreement with the EU .................................................................................... 81

5. Universal Jurisdiction ................................................................................................................. 81

B. INTERNATIONAL CRIMES ........................................................................................................... 82

1. Terrorism ................................................................................................................................... 82

a. Determination of Countries Not Fully Cooperating with U.S. Antiterrorism Efforts.................. 82

b. Country reports on terrorism .................................................................................................. 82

c. UN ......................................................................................................................................... 85

d. U.S. actions against terrorist groups ....................................................................................... 90

2. Narcotics.................................................................................................................................... 94

a. Majors list process.................................................................................................................. 94

b. Bilateral arrangements........................................................................................................... 94

c. Interdiction assistance ............................................................................................................ 95

d. UN ......................................................................................................................................... 95

3. Trafficking in Persons ................................................................................................................. 96

a. Trafficking in Persons report ................................................................................................... 96

b. Presidential determination ..................................................................................................... 98

c. U.S. Leadership in Combating Trafficking in Persons ............................................................... 99

4. Piracy ....................................................................................................................................... 101

5. Money Laundering and Asset Sharing Agreements ................................................................... 103

a. FBME as a financial institution of primary money laundering concern .................................. 103

b. North Korea as a jurisdiction of primary money laundering concern ..................................... 104

c. Withdrawal of finding regarding JSC Credex Bank................................................................. 104

d. Asset sharing agreement with Colombia ............................................................................... 105

6. Organized Crime ...................................................................................................................... 105

a. General ................................................................................................................................ 105

b. Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime ...... 107

c. Sanctions Program ............................................................................................................... 108

7. Corruption ............................................................................................................................... 108

C. INTERNATIONAL, HYBRID, AND OTHER TRIBUNALS ................................................................ 113

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1. International Criminal Court..................................................................................................... 113

a. Overview .............................................................................................................................. 113

b. Assembly of States Parties .................................................................................................... 115

c. Central African Republic ....................................................................................................... 117

d. ICC Case on Destruction of Cultural Sites in Mali ................................................................... 118

e. Sudan ................................................................................................................................... 119

f. Libya .................................................................................................................................... 121

2. International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda and the Mechanism for

International Criminal Tribunals ....................................................................................................... 124

a. General ................................................................................................................................ 124

b. International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia .................................................... 128

c. UN Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (“MICT”) ............................................... 129

3. Other Tribunals and Bodies ...................................................................................................... 130

Extraordinary African Chambers .................................................................................................. 130

Cross References ................................................................................................................................. 132

CHAPTER 4 ......................................................................................................................................... 133

Treaty Affairs .................................................................................................................................... 133

A. CONCLUSION, ENTRY INTO FORCE, AND RESERVATIONS ............................................................ 133

1. Treaties and International Agreements Generally .................................................................... 133

2. Treaties Transmitted to the Senate .......................................................................................... 144

3. Senate Advice and Consent to Ratification of Treaties .............................................................. 145

4. ILC Work on the Law of Treaties ............................................................................................... 145

B. TREATY AMENDMENT ............................................................................................................. 148

South Pacific Tuna Treaty ............................................................................................................. 148

C. LITIGATION INVOLVING TREATY LAW ISSUES .............................................................................. 150

1. Abu Khatallah .......................................................................................................................... 150

2. Litigation Regarding U.S.-Colombia Extradition Treaty.............................................................. 153


CHAPTER 5 ......................................................................................................................................... 158

Foreign Relations ............................................................................................................................... 158

A. LITIGATION INVOLVING NATIONAL SECURITY AND FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES .............................. 158

1. Meshal v. Higgenbotham ......................................................................................................... 158

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2. Sokolow ................................................................................................................................... 161

B. ALIEN TORT STATUTE AND TORTURE VICTIM PROTECTION ACT ................................................. 162

1. Overview ................................................................................................................................. 162

2. ATS and TVPA Cases Post-Kiobel............................................................................................... 162

a. Warfaa v. Ali......................................................................................................................... 162

b. Doğan v. Barak ..................................................................................................................... 163

C. POLITICAL QUESTION DOCTRINE, COMITY, AND FORUM NON CONVENIENS .......................... 164

1. Political Question: Lawsuits Seeking Evacuation From Yemen ................................................. 164

2. Political Question: Center for Biological Diversity et al. v. Hagel .............................................. 172

3. Political Question and Standing: Lin v. United States ............................................................... 180

4. Political Question: He Nam You v. Japan .................................................................................. 184

5. Comity, Forum Non Conveniens, and Political Question: Cooper v. TEPCO ................................ 186

D. EXTRATERRITORIAL APPLICATION OF U.S. CONSTITUTION ..................................................... 192

1. Hernandez ............................................................................................................................... 192

2. Rodriguez ................................................................................................................................. 192


CHAPTER 6 ......................................................................................................................................... 194

Human Rights .................................................................................................................................... 194

A. GENERAL ..................................................................................................................................... 194

1. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices ............................................................................ 194

2. UPR Working Groups............................................................................................................... 194

3. Human Rights Council .............................................................................................................. 195

a. Overview .............................................................................................................................. 195

b. Actions regarding Eritrea ...................................................................................................... 197

c. Actions regarding Syria ........................................................................................................ 198

d. Actions regarding South Sudan ............................................................................................. 198

e. Actions regarding Burundi .................................................................................................... 199

B. DISCRIMINATION ........................................................................................................................ 200

1. Race ......................................................................................................................................... 200

Human Rights Council .................................................................................................................. 200

2. Gender .................................................................................................................................... 202

a. General Assembly ................................................................................................................. 202

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b. U.S. Actions on Women, Peace, and Security ........................................................................ 204

c. Human Rights Council .......................................................................................................... 210

3. Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity ................................................................................... 211

Human Rights Council .................................................................................................................. 211

C. CHILDREN .................................................................................................................................... 212

1. Rights of the Child .................................................................................................................... 212

a. Periodic Report on the Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child ........ 212

b. Human Rights Council .......................................................................................................... 214

c. UN General Assembly ........................................................................................................... 215

2. Children and Armed Conflict .................................................................................................... 218

a. Child Soldiers—South Sudan ................................................................................................. 218

b. Child Soldiers Prevention Act ................................................................................................ 218

D. SELF-DETERMINATION ................................................................................................................ 219

E. ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL RIGHTS .............................................................................. 222

1. Food ........................................................................................................................................ 222

2. Housing ................................................................................................................................... 224

3. Water, Peace, and Security ...................................................................................................... 226

4. Education................................................................................................................................. 228

F. RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS CONDUCT ............................................................................................. 228

G. INDIGENOUS ISSUES.................................................................................................................... 229

1. EMRIP Reform.......................................................................................................................... 229

2. Enhanced Participation ............................................................................................................ 240

3. American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ...................................................... 251

4. Annual Thematic Resolutions at the HRC and UN General Assembly ........................................ 252

H. TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN, OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT ........ 253

I. FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY AND ASSOCIATION .............................................................................. 253

J. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION .......................................................................................................... 254

K. FREEDOM OF RELIGION ............................................................................................................... 255

1. Designations under the International Religious Freedom Act ................................................... 255

2. U.S. Annual Report ................................................................................................................... 255

3. U.S. Congressional Hearing ...................................................................................................... 256

4. New U.S. Legislation on International Religious Freedom ......................................................... 259

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5. Human Rights Council .............................................................................................................. 260

L. OTHER ISSUES ............................................................................................................................. 260

1. Protecting Human Rights While Countering Terrorism ............................................................. 260

2. Privacy in the Digital Age ......................................................................................................... 262


CHAPTER 7 ......................................................................................................................................... 264

International Organizations .............................................................................................................. 264

A. UNITED NATIONS ........................................................................................................................ 264

1. Strengthening the Role of the UN ............................................................................................ 264

2. Criminal Accountability of UN Officials and Experts on Mission ................................................ 265

3. UN Role in Advancing International Law ................................................................................... 267

4. Administration of Justice at the UN .......................................................................................... 268

5. Appointment of New Secretary-General .................................................................................. 269

6. UN Women .............................................................................................................................. 271

7. Rule of Law .............................................................................................................................. 272

8. UN-African Union Cooperation................................................................................................. 275

B. INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE ........................................................................................... 278

C. INTERNATIONAL LAW COMMISSION........................................................................................... 278

ILC’s Work at its 68th Session ............................................................................................................ 278

D. OAS: INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS ........................................................ 284

1. Substantive Response Briefs and Letters .................................................................................. 286

a. Case No. 12.958: Reconsideration of Admissibility ................................................................ 286

b. Petition No. P-1481-07: Diplomatic Immunity and Due Diligence ...................................... 288

c. Petition No. P-1416-12: Failure to State a Human Rights Violation; Fourth Instance Formula;

Case-Management Issues ............................................................................................................ 293

d. Petition No. P-1163-10: Extradition Treaty Conditions....................................................... 294

e. Petition No. P-2282-12: Lack of IACHR Competence to Review Claims Under Law of War .. 296

f. Petition No. P-439-16: Asylum and Non-Refoulement ....................................................... 297

g. Petition No. P-1010-15: Non-Joinder of Admissibility and Merits; Absence of Human Right to

Consular Notification; Compatibility of Death Penalty with American Declaration ........................ 300

h. Petition No. P-561-12: Lack of IACHR Competence over Actio Popularis; Failure to Establish

Claim of Racial Bias ...................................................................................................................... 305

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i. Petition No. P-797-12: Fourth Instance Formula ................................................................... 307

j. Petition No. P-563-13: Untimeliness of Claims; Groundlessness Due to Domestic Settlement;

Failure to Pursue and Exhaust Domestic Remedies ....................................................................... 308

k. Petition No. P-184-08: Inapplicability of Exceptions to Exhaustion of Remedies Requirement;

Lack of State Responsibility for Private Misconduct ...................................................................... 311

l. Petition No. P-888-11: Case-Management Recommendations .............................................. 315

2. Other Letters to the Commission ............................................................................................. 316

a. Case No. 12.866: Supervening Developments in U.S. Domestic Law Render Petition

Retroactively Inadmissible ........................................................................................................... 316

b. Confidentiality in IACHR proceedings: U.S. arguments for presumptive publicity ............... 318

3. Hearings .................................................................................................................................. 321

4. Commission Decisions in 2016 ................................................................................................. 327

a. Case No. 12.834: Workers’ and Labor Rights ........................................................................ 327

b. Case No. 13.027: Detention and Interrogation Program ....................................................... 328


CHAPTER 8 ......................................................................................................................................... 331

International Claims and State Responsibility ................................................................................. 331

A. CUBA CLAIMS TALKS ................................................................................................................... 331

B. IRAN CLAIMS ............................................................................................................................... 333

C. HOLOCAUST ERA CLAIMS ............................................................................................................ 336

1. U.S.-France Agreement on Compensation ................................................................................ 336

2. Pending Litigation .................................................................................................................... 337

D. CENTRAL AMERICAN CLAIMS ...................................................................................................... 337

E. IRAQ CLAIMS ............................................................................................................................... 338

Claims Under the October 7, 2014 Referral ...................................................................................... 338

F. LIBYA CLAIMS .............................................................................................................................. 340

1. Foreign Claims Settlement Commission ................................................................................... 340

a. Claim No. LIB-III-021, Decision No. LIB-III-016 (2016) (Final Decision) .................................... 341

b. Claim No. LIB-III-044, Decision No. LIB-III-044 ....................................................................... 343

c. Claim No. LIB-III-036, Decision No. LIB-III-045 ....................................................................... 346

2. Litigation .................................................................................................................................. 347

a. Aviation v. United States ...................................................................................................... 347

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b. Alimanestianu ...................................................................................................................... 350


CHAPTER 9 ......................................................................................................................................... 358

Diplomatic Relations, Succession, Continuity of States, ................................................................... 358

and Other Statehood Issues ............................................................................................................... 358

A. DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS .............................................................................................................. 358

1. Burma ...................................................................................................................................... 358

2. Somalia .................................................................................................................................... 361

3. Cuba ........................................................................................................................................ 363

4. Russia ...................................................................................................................................... 368

B. STATUS ISSUES............................................................................................................................. 369

1. Ukraine .................................................................................................................................... 369

2. Georgia .................................................................................................................................... 374

3. Libya ........................................................................................................................................ 374


CHAPTER 10 ....................................................................................................................................... 380

Privileges and Immunities ................................................................................................................. 380

A. AMENDMENTS TO THE FOREIGN SOVEREIGN IMMUNITIES ACT ................................................. 380

1. Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act ................................................................................ 380

2. Foreign Cultural Exchange Jurisdictional Immunity Clarification Act ......................................... 389

B. FOREIGN SOVEREIGN IMMUNITIES ACT LITIGATION ................................................................... 389

1. Application of the FSIA in Enforcement of ICSID Arbitration Awards ......................................... 390

2. Exceptions to Immunity from Jurisdiction: Commercial Activity................................................ 396

a. Odhiambo v. Kenya .............................................................................................................. 396

b. Helmerich & Payne v. Venezuela .......................................................................................... 402

3. Expropriation Exception to Immunity: Standard for Establishing Jurisdiction ............................ 406

4. Exceptions to Immunity from Jurisdiction: Torts and Terrorism ................................................ 415

5. Service of Process .................................................................................................................... 420

a. Harrison v. Sudan ................................................................................................................. 420

b. Court practice of mailing documents to the Mexican Embassy .............................................. 420

c. Fu Yu Xia v. Parkinson........................................................................................................... 423

d. Hmong I v. Lao People’s Democratic Republic ...................................................................... 425

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6. Execution of Judgments against Foreign States and Other Post-Judgment Actions ................... 427

a. Restrictions on the Attachment of Property under the FSIA and TRIA .................................... 427

b. Post-judgment discovery into foreign state assets: Chabad ................................................... 439

C. IMMUNITY OF FOREIGN OFFICIALS ............................................................................................. 450

1. Overview ................................................................................................................................. 450

2. Warfaa v. Ali ............................................................................................................................ 450

3. Immunity of Former Defense Minister of Israel ........................................................................ 450

4. Immunity of Rabbinical Judges and Administrator .................................................................... 452

D. HEAD OF STATE IMMUNITY ......................................................................................................... 456

1. President and Foreign Minister of Burma ................................................................................. 456

2. President and Prime Minister of Laos ....................................................................................... 459

3. Emperor and Prime Minister of Japan ...................................................................................... 460

E. DIPLOMATIC, CONSULAR, AND OTHER PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES ....................................... 461

1. Foreign Litigation ..................................................................................................................... 461

2. Determinations under the Foreign Missions Act ....................................................................... 462

3. Enhanced Consular Immunities ................................................................................................ 463

F. INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS .............................................................................................. 463

1. Georges v. United Nations ........................................................................................................ 463

2. Zuza v. OHR ............................................................................................................................. 468

3. Koumoin v. Ban Ki-Moon .......................................................................................................... 471


CHAPTER 11 ....................................................................................................................................... 477

Trade, Commercial Relations, Investment, and Transportation ..................................................... 477

A. TRANSPORTATION BY AIR ........................................................................................................... 477

1. Air Transport Agreements ........................................................................................................ 477

2. Aviation Arrangement with Cuba ............................................................................................. 478

3. Preclearance Agreement with Sweden ..................................................................................... 478

4. Foreign Air Carrier Permit for Norwegian Air International and Norwegian UK ......................... 479

5. Investigation of the Downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in Ukraine ................................ 483

6. ICAO Settlement of Differences Proceedings: Brazil and the United States ............................... 483

B. INVESTMENT DISPUTE RESOLUTION UNDER FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS .................................... 484

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1. Non-Disputing Party Submissions under Chapter 11 of the North American Free Trade

Agreement.. .................................................................................................................................... 484

a. Windstream v. Canada ......................................................................................................... 484

b. Eli Lilly & Co. v. Canada......................................................................................................... 485

2. Non-Disputing Party Submissions under other Trade Agreements ............................................ 490

a. Aven v. Costa Rica ................................................................................................................ 490

b. Corona v. Dominican Republic .............................................................................................. 491

C. WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION .................................................................................................. 493

1. Dispute Settlement .................................................................................................................. 493

a. Disputes brought by the United States .................................................................................. 494

b. Disputes brought against the United States .......................................................................... 496

2. WTO Declaration on Expansion of Trade in IT Products ............................................................ 498

3. WTO Accessions ....................................................................................................................... 499

D. TRADE AGREEMENTS AND TRADE-RELATED ISSUES .................................................................. 499

1. Trade Agreements................................................................................................................... 499

a. Trans-Pacific Partnership ...................................................................................................... 499

b. Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership ................................................................. 500

2. Trade Legislation and Trade Preferences .................................................................................. 501

a. Generalized System of Preferences ....................................................................................... 501

b. AGOA ................................................................................................................................... 501

3. Trade-related Arbitration and Litigation ................................................................................... 502

Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement .................................. 502

E. TAXATION ................................................................................................................................... 502

1. Tax Treaties ............................................................................................................................. 502

2. FATCA ...................................................................................................................................... 503

F. LOAN GUARANTEES .................................................................................................................... 504

G. TELECOMMUNICATIONS, DATA PRIVACY, and CYBER ISSUES ..................................................... 504

1. Transatlantic Commercial Data Transfers ................................................................................. 504

2. Weinstein v. Iran: Attempt to attach Internet names and addresses......................................... 505

H. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ............................................................................................................ 507

1. Transmittal of Treaties ............................................................................................................. 507

2. Intellectual Property: Special 301 Report ................................................................................ 508

xii

3. U.S. Joint Strategic Plan on IP Enforcement .............................................................................. 508

I. OTHER ISSUES ............................................................................................................................... 509

1. Presidential Permits: Keystone XL Pipeline ............................................................................... 509

2. Corporate Responsibility Regimes ............................................................................................ 511

a. Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights .............................................................. 511

b. Kimberley Process ................................................................................................................ 511

3. Fiscal Transparency Report ...................................................................................................... 512

4. International Financial Institutions ........................................................................................... 512

a. Global Concessional Financing Facility .................................................................................. 512

b. IMF Reform .......................................................................................................................... 513

5. Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States .......................................................... 515


CHAPTER 12 ....................................................................................................................................... 518

Territorial Regimes and Related Issues ............................................................................................ 518

A. LAW OF THE SEA AND RELATED BOUNDARY ISSUES ................................................................... 518

1. UN Convention on the Law of the Sea ...................................................................................... 518

Meeting of States Parties to the Law of the Sea Convention ......................................................... 518

2. South China Sea and East China Sea ......................................................................................... 519

a. U.S. statement on arbitration between the Philippines and China ......................................... 519

b. December Diplomatic Note to China ..................................................................................... 520

3. Freedoms of Navigation and Overflight .................................................................................... 523

a. Indonesia Maritime Law ....................................................................................................... 523

b. Iran’s detention of U.S. vessels and sailors ............................................................................ 524

c. Venezuela ............................................................................................................................ 524

4. Other Boundary or Territorial Issues ........................................................................................ 526

a. Transmittal of Maritime Boundary Treaties .......................................................................... 526

b. Republic of the Marshall Islands and Wake Island ................................................................ 527

c. Canada and U.S. Claims in Beaufort Sea ............................................................................... 529

5. Maritime Security and Law Enforcement.................................................................................. 529

a. Vanuatu ............................................................................................................................... 529

b. Ghana .................................................................................................................................. 529

B. OUTER SPACE .............................................................................................................................. 530

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1. The Outer Space Treaty ............................................................................................................ 530

2. UN General Assembly First and Fourth Committees ................................................................. 535

3. Sustainability and Security of Outer Space Environment .......................................................... 536

4. U.S. Report to Conference on Disarmament on GGE Recommendations .................................. 538


CHAPTER 13 ....................................................................................................................................... 542

Environment and Other Transnational Scientific Issues ................................................................. 542

A. LAND AND AIR POLLUTION AND RELATED ISSUES ....................................................................... 542

1. Climate Change ........................................................................................................................ 542

a. UN Framework Convention on Climate Change..................................................................... 542

b. Joint Action with Other Countries ......................................................................................... 551

2. Sustainable Development ........................................................................................................ 553

a. U.S. Support for UN Sustainable Development Goals ............................................................ 553

b. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development .......................................................................... 553

3. Ozone Depletion ...................................................................................................................... 554

B. PROTECTION OF MARINE ENVIRONMENT AND MARINE CONSERVATION .................................. 559

1. Fishing Regulation and Agreements ......................................................................................... 559

a. South Pacific Tuna Treaty ..................................................................................................... 559

b. Port State Measures Agreement ........................................................................................... 560

2. Marine Pollution ...................................................................................................................... 560

3. Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction ................................................................................. 560

4. Sea Turtle Conservation and Shrimp Imports ........................................................................... 569

5. Whaling ................................................................................................................................... 569

C. OTHER CONSERVATION ISSUES ................................................................................................... 571

1. Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources ........................................................................................... 571

2. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora ................. 573

3. Wildlife Trafficking ................................................................................................................... 577

Cross references ................................................................................................................................. 578

CHAPTER 14 ....................................................................................................................................... 579

Educational and Cultural Issues ....................................................................................................... 579

A. CULTURAL PROPERTY: IMPORT RESTRICTIONS .......................................................................... 579

1. Italy ......................................................................................................................................... 580

xiv

2. Colombia ................................................................................................................................. 580

3. Greece ..................................................................................................................................... 580

4. Bolivia ...................................................................................................................................... 581

5. Egypt ....................................................................................................................................... 581

6. Syria......................................................................................................................................... 581

B. CULTURAL PROPERTY: LEGISLATION ........................................................................................... 582

C. EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE .......................................................................................................... 582

D. EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM ................................................................................................... 582

1. ASSE Litigation ......................................................................................................................... 582

2. Ireland ..................................................................................................................................... 583

E. GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT CENTER .................................................................................................. 583

F. INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITIONS .................................................................................................... 584

1. 2017 World Expo in Astana, Kazakhstan ................................................................................... 584

2. Proposed Minnesota World Expo 2023 .................................................................................... 584

G. IMMUNITY OF ART AND OTHER CULTURAL OBJECTS .................................................................. 585


CHAPTER 15 ....................................................................................................................................... 587

Private International Law ................................................................................................................. 587

A. COMMERCIAL LAW/UNCITRAL .................................................................................................... 587

1. General .................................................................................................................................... 587

2. UNCITRAL ................................................................................................................................ 593

3. UNCITRAL Treaty Transmittals.................................................................................................. 594

4. Hague Securities Convention.................................................................................................... 598

B. FAMILY LAW ................................................................................................................................ 602

Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family

Maintenance ................................................................................................................................... 602

C. INTERNATIONAL CIVIL LITIGATION .............................................................................................. 603

1. COMMISA v. PEP ...................................................................................................................... 603

2. DA Terra Siderurgica LTDA v. American Metals International ................................................... 605

3. Belize v. Belize Social Development Ltd. .................................................................................... 613


CHAPTER 16 ....................................................................................................................................... 621

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Sanctions, Export Controls, and Certain Other Restrictions........................................................... 621

A. IMPOSITION, IMPLEMENTATION, AND MODIFICATION OF SANCTIONS ..................................... 621

1. Iran .......................................................................................................................................... 621

a. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (“JCPOA”) ............................................................... 621

b. Implementation of UN Security Council resolutions ............................................................... 623

c. U.S. sanctions and other controls.......................................................................................... 624

2. Syria......................................................................................................................................... 625

3. Cuba ........................................................................................................................................ 626

Amendments to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations ................................................................. 626

4. Sudan ...................................................................................................................................... 627

5. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea .................................................................................... 628

a. Human rights ....................................................................................................................... 628

b. Nonproliferation................................................................................................................... 629

c. Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act ................................................................. 647

6. Terrorism ................................................................................................................................. 648

a. UN and other coordinated multilateral action ...................................................................... 648

b. U.S. targeted financial sanctions .......................................................................................... 648

c. Annual certification regarding cooperation in U.S. antiterrorism efforts ............................... 656

7. Russia and Ukraine................................................................................................................... 656

a. Sanctions in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine ............................................................. 656

b. Magnitsky Act ...................................................................................................................... 657

8. Iraq .......................................................................................................................................... 658

9. Targeted Sanctions Relating to Threats to Democratic Process and Restoration of Peace, Security,

and Stability .................................................................................................................................... 658

a. Burundi ................................................................................................................................ 658

b. Democratic Republic of Congo .............................................................................................. 658

c. Burma .................................................................................................................................. 658

d. Zimbabwe ........................................................................................................................... 660

e. Liberia .................................................................................................................................. 660

f. South Sudan ......................................................................................................................... 662

g. Central African Republic ....................................................................................................... 664

h. Côte d’Ivoire ......................................................................................................................... 665

xvi

i. Libya .................................................................................................................................... 666

j. Balkans ................................................................................................................................ 666

10. Transnational Crime ............................................................................................................. 666

11. Malicious Activities in Cyberspace ........................................................................................ 666

B. EXPORT CONTROLS ..................................................................................................................... 667

1. Export Control Litigation .......................................................................................................... 667

a. Goldstein v. Dept. of State.................................................................................................... 667

b. Defense Distributed v. U.S. Dept. of State ............................................................................ 668

c. Leo Combat, LLC v. U.S. Dept. of State .................................................................................. 675

d. Stagg P.C. v. U.S. Dept. of State ............................................................................................ 677

e. Rocky Mountain Instrument Co. ........................................................................................... 679

f. Microwave Engineering Co. .................................................................................................. 680

g. Turi ...................................................................................................................................... 680

2. Export Control Reform ............................................................................................................. 681


CHAPTER 17 ....................................................................................................................................... 686

International Conflict Resolution and Avoidance ............................................................................ 686

A. MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS ..................................................................................................... 686

B. PEACEKEEPING AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION ............................................................................... 704

1. Sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeepers ................................................................. 704

2. Syria......................................................................................................................................... 713

3. Burundi .................................................................................................................................... 739

4. Colombia ................................................................................................................................. 745

5. Mali ......................................................................................................................................... 752

6. Democratic Republic of the Congo ........................................................................................... 755

7. South Sudan............................................................................................................................. 756

8. Sudan ...................................................................................................................................... 761

9. Nagorno-Karabakh ................................................................................................................... 764

10. Yemen.................................................................................................................................. 766

C. CONFLICT AVOIDANCE AND ATROCITIES PREVENTION ................................................................. 770

1. Protecting Civilians................................................................................................................... 770

2. Atrocities Prevention ............................................................................................................... 773

xvii

3. Daesh and Atrocities ................................................................................................................ 779

4. Pursuing Justice for War Crimes In Syria ................................................................................... 782


CHAPTER 18 ........................................................................................................................................ 785

Use of Force ........................................................................................................................................ 785

A. GENERAL ..................................................................................................................................... 785

1. Use of Force Issues Related to Counterterrorism Efforts .......................................................... 785

a. International Law and the Counter-ISIL Campaign ................................................................ 785

b. 2013 Presidential Policy Guidance ........................................................................................ 793

2. Presidential Memorandum on Use of Force and Accompanying Report ................................... 794

3. International Humanitarian Law ............................................................................................... 801

a. Civilians in Armed Conflict .................................................................................................... 801

b. Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions ................................................................... 807

c. Legal Adviser’s Letter on Enhanced Interrogation Techniques ............................................... 809

d. Applicability of international law to conflicts in cyberspace .................................................. 815

B. CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS .......................................................................................................... 827

1. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ...................................................................................................... 827

2. Convention on Conventional Weapons .................................................................................... 827

C. DETAINEES ................................................................................................................................... 829

1. Law and Policy Report Regarding Detainees ............................................................................. 829

2. Guantanamo Closure Plan ........................................................................................................ 835

3. Transfers .................................................................................................................................. 837

4. U.S. court decisions and proceedings ....................................................................................... 839

a. Detainees at Guantanamo: Habeas Litigation....................................................................... 839

b. Former Detainees ................................................................................................................. 850

5. Criminal Prosecutions and Other Proceedings .......................................................................... 856

United States v. Hamidullin .......................................................................................................... 856


CHAPTER 19 ........................................................................................................................................ 867

Arms Control, Disarmament, and Nonproliferation .............................................................................. 867

A. GENERAL ..................................................................................................................................... 867

B. NONPROLIFERATION.................................................................................................................... 867

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1. Overview ................................................................................................................................. 867

2. Non-Proliferation Treaty (“NPT”) ............................................................................................. 869

a. P5 Conference ...................................................................................................................... 869

b. Litigation Involving Alleged NPT Breach ................................................................................ 872

3. Peaceful Uses Initiative ............................................................................................................ 872

4. Nuclear Security ....................................................................................................................... 874

a. Nuclear security treaties ....................................................................................................... 874

b. Threat of nuclear terrorism................................................................................................... 874

5. UN Security Council Resolution 1540 ....................................................................................... 876

6. Country-Specific Issues ............................................................................................................ 879

a. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (“DPRK” or “North Korea”) ....................................... 879

b. Iran ...................................................................................................................................... 884

c. India..................................................................................................................................... 889

d. Ukraine ................................................................................................................................ 891

e. Norway ................................................................................................................................ 892

C. ARMS CONTROL AND DISARMAMENT ........................................................................................ 893

1. United Nations ......................................................................................................................... 893

a. Disarmament Commission .................................................................................................... 893

b. First Committee .................................................................................................................... 895

2. Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty .................................................................................. 898

3. International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification .............................................. 904

4. New START Treaty.................................................................................................................... 907

5. INF Treaty ................................................................................................................................ 908

6. Open Skies Treaty .................................................................................................................... 909

D. CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS...................................................................................... 910

1. Chemical Weapons in Syria ...................................................................................................... 910

2. Chemical Weapons in Libya ...................................................................................................... 919

3. Conference of States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention ......................................... 920

4. Biological Weapons Convention ............................................................................................... 923

E. ARMS TRADE TREATY .................................................................................................................. 926


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Introduction

It is my pleasure to introduce the 2016 edition of the Digest of United States Practice in

International Law. The State Department publishes the on-line Digest to make U.S. views on

international law quickly and readily accessible to our counterparts in other governments, and to

international organizations, scholars, students, and other users, both within the United States and

around the world.

This volume includes key speeches Legal Adviser Brian J. Egan delivered during 2016.

Mr. Egan spoke on the future of international agreements at Yale Law School, where Deputy

National Security Adviser Avril Haines also spoke on the importance of treaties. He responded

to the work of the International Law Commission on protection of persons in the event of

disasters; identification of customary international law; and subsequent agreements and

subsequent practice in relation to the interpretation of treaties. He also delivered a talk entitled

“The Next Fifty Years of the Outer Space Treaty” at a space law symposium; addressed the

International Bar Association on the subject of private international law; discussed international

law, legal diplomacy, and the counter-ISIS campaign at the annual meeting of the American

Society of International Law (“ASIL”); and spoke at Berkeley Law School on international law

and stability in cyberspace.

In addition to Mr. Egan’s speeches, other representatives of the U.S. government

explained U.S. international legal views on current world events in 2016. Secretary of State John

Kerry announced that, in his judgment, ISIS is responsible for genocide in Iraq against groups in

areas under its control, including Yezidis, Christians, and Shia Muslims, and for crimes against

humanity and ethnic cleansing directed at these same groups and in some cases also against

Sunni Muslims, Kurds, and other minorities. The United States responded to papers China

circulated after the decision in the arbitration between the Philippines and China on the South

China Sea with a diplomatic note identifying contradictions between China’s claims and the

international law of the sea. The United States also sent a diplomatic note to the Republic of the

Marshall Islands regarding U.S. sovereignty over Wake Island. And the Obama administration

issued its Report on the Legal and Policy Frameworks Guiding the United States’ Use of

Military Force and Related National Security Operations. All of these enunciations of U.S. legal

views contributed to efforts to promote understanding of and compliance with international law.

There were numerous developments in 2016 relating to U.S. international agreements and

treaties at all stages, from negotiation to entry into force. The President transmitted eleven

treaties to the U.S. Senate for its advice and consent to ratification in 2016, including extradition

treaties, two intellectual property treaties, several private international law treaties, maritime

boundary treaties, and the Arms Trade Treaty. The Senate provided its advice and consent to

ratification of seven treaties in 2016, including extradition treaties, mutual legal assistance

treaties, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food an Agriculture, and the

Convention on the Law Applicable to Certain Rights in Respect of Securities Held with an

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Intermediary (the “Hague Securities Convention”). The United States ratified and joined the

Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter, and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported, and

Unregulated Fishing, and the Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support

and Other Forms of Family Maintenance in 2016. And on January 16, 2016, the 2015 Joint

Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran (“JCPOA”) reached its “Implementation Day,” when

the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran had satisfied the required nuclear

commitments and the United States and European Union took steps to lift nuclear-related

sanctions against Iran. The United States signed new extradition treaties with Kosovo and Serbia;

an agreement “On the Protection of Personal Information Relating to the Prevention,

Investigation, Detention, and Prosecution of Criminal Offenses” (“DPPA”) with the European

Union; an asset sharing agreement with Colombia; several air transport agreements; and

agreements pursuant to the 1970 UNESCO Convention on cultural property. The United States

successfully led the way to renegotiate the South Pacific Tuna Treaty and amend the Montreal

Protocol to phase down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (“HFCs”). And,

the President also submitted to Congress for its review an Agreement for Cooperation with

Norway Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy.

In the area of diplomatic relations, the United States engaged with Cuba in claims talks,

conclusion of an aviation arrangement, and amendments to the Cuban Assets Control

Regulations, among other initiatives. As a reflection of Burma’s democratic transition, the

United States terminated the national emergency with respect to Burma, which had provided the

basis for economic and financial sanctions. Also in 2016, the President terminated the national

emergency with respect to Côte d’Ivoire. And in 2016, the United States swore in its first

ambassador to Somalia in a quarter century after recognizing the government of Somalia in

2013. The United States took several steps in response to Russian interference in the 2016 U.S.

election and increasing Russian harassment of U.S. diplomats overseas.

In the area of human rights, the United States followed up on its accepted

recommendations after its 2015 Universal Periodic Review (“UPR”) before the UN Human

Rights Council by organizing six interagency UPR working groups to consult with civil society

and discuss and coordinate implementation efforts during 2016. The United States submitted to

the Committee on the Rights of the Child its Combined Third and Fourth Periodic Reports on the

Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children

in Armed Conflict and the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography. And the

United States supported the adoption by the Human Rights Council of a resolution on the human

rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (“LGBT”) persons, creating an independent

expert on violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. U.S.

leadership was critical to reforming the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

(“EMRIP”) and to efforts toward enhancing the participation of indigenous peoples in relevant

UN bodies.

The U.S. government also participated in litigation and arbitration involving issues

related to foreign policy and international law in 2016. The United States government filed briefs

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in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, including Lynch v. Morales-Santana, regarding when a

child born abroad out of wedlock should be granted U.S. citizenship at birth; Tuaua v. United

States, addressing the argument that U.S. nationals residing in American Samoa—an “outlying

possession” of the United States—should be granted U.S. citizenship; Thomas v. Lynch,

examining whether children born on U.S. military bases abroad are citizens at birth; Meshal v.

Higgenbotham, opposing review of the appeals court decision that factors including

extraterritoriality, national security, and foreign policy make unavailable a Bivens remedy for

detention and interrogation in foreign countries in the context of counterterrorism investigations;

Venezuela v. Helmerich & Payne, Helmerich & Payne v. Venezuela, and Odhiambo v. Kenya,

regarding the appropriate standard for establishing jurisdiction under the Foreign Sovereign

Immunities Act and interpretation of the expropriation and commercial activity exceptions to

immunity; and Belize v. Belize Social Development Ltd., involving issues related to the

enforcement of an arbitral award. The United States also participated in several cases in the

aftermath of the 2015 Supreme Court decision in Kerry v. Din, confirming the doctrine of

consular nonreviewability with the application of the “facially legitimate and bona fide reason”

standard articulated in Din. The United States and Iran settled an outstand

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