美国与《联合国海洋法公约》争端解决机制:建构制度性特权

The U.S.and the Dispute Settlement Mechanism of UNCLOS:Making Institutional Privileges

美国至今没有加入《联合国海洋法公约》,但是公约却是美国海洋话语体系中的重要组成部分。事实上,美国推动并在很大程度上主导了公约多部分内容的谈判和文本的起草工作。公约争端解决机制的谈判与起草充分体现了这一点。在第三次联合国海洋法会议召开前,美国对新海洋法公约的争端解决制度就有明确的政策目标,包括争端解决机制的总体设计、框架结构等完整方案。在谈判、起草新海洋法公约过程中,美国代表团以其本国利益为导向,坚持自己的主张,必要时做出适当妥协。美国利益深嵌于公约的相关条款规定之中,演化为美国在公约中的制度性特权。无论美国是否加入公约,它都可以以不同的方式享有这些制度性特权。这与当今国际格局及国际社会的发展趋势背道而驰。

The United States is not yet a state party of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS),but the Convention is an important part of its discourse system for seas and oceans.During the third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea,the U.S.promoted and largely dominated the negotiation of various parts of UNCLOS and the drafting of the texts,especially the dispute settlement mechanism.The U.S.established its clear policy objectives for the dispute settlement mechanism of UNCLOS before the beginning of the Conference,including the overall design and framework of the mechanism of the dispute settlement.The U.S.delegation to the Conference was guided by U.S.interests;they adhered to their own ideas,but made appropriate compromises if necessary.The final texts of UNCLOS not only basically met the interests of the U.S.,but were also welcomed by the other countries.Several U.S.delegates also played an important role in the process.The interests of the U.S.have been deeply embedded in the relevant provisions of UNCLOS,and the U.S.can enjoy institutional privileges through these rules.Accordingly,no matter whether it acceded to the Convention or not,the U.S.would enjoy these institutional privileges.