Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs
China Initiative

Diplomacy on the Rocks

Friday, April 10, 2015

9:00am – 4:00pm

Joukowsky Forum

Over the past few decades more and more disputes have emerged between nations over the status and resources of rocky outcroppings around the world.  While defined by the Law of the Sea treaty, these claims rest on a myriad of factors including history, ancient maps, hydrocarbons, fishing rights, traditional law, strategy and military moves.  As Arctic sea ice reaches its lowest levels, the competition is moving north as well.  This workshop will bring together academic experts, diplomats and students from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds, from law to environment to diplomacy, in order to look at the origins of the disputes and how some have been solved.

Download the full agenda here.

9:00 to 9:30 am - Opening Session                                                             

Richard Locke, Director, Watson Institute; Richard Boucher, Watson Institute; James Kraska, US Naval War College

 9:45 am to 11 am - International Law from Claims to Outcomes.

Charles Norchi, University of Maine, School of Law; Carter Johnson '16; Caroline Karp, Institute for Environment & Society, Brown University

11:15 to 12:30 - Negotiated solutions

Siri Veland, Brown, Institute for Environment & Society, Brown University; Erlingur Erlingsson, Embassy of Iceland        

12:30 to 1:45 pm - Lunch & Keynote  - Kim Koo Library                                                                           

Peace Park: Thawing Arctic Tensions            

Tess Carter '16; Natalia Ginsburg '18; Meghan Holloway '16; Alan Gorchov Negron '17; Viraj Sikand '17.5; Catherine Willett '16.5

1:45 to 3:00 pm - South China Sea                                          

Ambassador Chas Freeman (USFS, Ret.); Aaron Vale '15; Kovit Talasophon, Royal Thai Navy and University of Maine School of Law; Liu Yi '15 

3:15 to 4:30 pm - The Arctic                                                 

Walter Berbrick, US Naval War College; Rebecca Pincus, Coast Guard Academy; Edwige Cavan, Brown/Sorbonne

4:30  to 5:00 pm - Wrap up session and Final Comments