IHL IN AIR & MISSILE WARFARE MANUAL Regional Workshop 15 - 16 November 2007 The APCML, in conjunction with the Harvard Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research (HPCR) conducted the first International Humanitarian Law in Air and Missile Warfare Manual Regional Workshop on 15-16 November at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Darling Harbour, Sydney. The Workshop was part of an international collaborative effort by the HPCR to produce a Manual on International Humanitarian Law Applicable to Air and Missile Warfare.
	Professor Tim McCormack, Professor Yoram Dinstein, Professor Mike Schmitt, Mr Claude Bruderlein, CDRE Vicki McConachie RAN, CAPT Dale Stephens RAN, LTCOL Paul Muggleton, Professor Wolff Heintschel-von-Heinegg and Mr Bruno Demeyre.
Such a Manual has the potential to decisively influence global thinking on the conduct of aerial warfare and significantly shape operational policy in this area. The Asia Pacific Region was selected to commence this review process with further regional workshops planned for Africa and South America over the next year. The Harvard Program on HPCR has at its core, for this project, a group of 30 senior international law experts serving in their personal capacities. The HPCR core group is led by Professor Emeritus Yoram Dinstein, an acknowledged world leader in the Law of Armed Conflict. The Workshop was attended by representatives of Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Singapore, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Thailand, US and Australia. APCML Director Professor Tim McCormack and APCML Associate Director Professor Stuart Kaye participated in their capacities as leading Australian academic experts in this field. The Workshop Participants provided the HPCR delegation with critical and constructive comments on the draft Manual. The HPCR delegation was deeply impressed by the outcomes from, and organisation of, the Workshop, acknowledging that the comments received from the Australian and regional participants were impressive and that the inputs will have a significant impact on the development of the Manual. By all relevant measures, the regional Workshop was an outstanding success with many positive comments from the HPCR delegation as well as post-event comments from many of the regional participants themselves. The HPCR has indicated that as a result of the positive outcomes from the Workshop, it would seek to have Australia remain engaged in the development of the Manual and expressed an intention to further develop an active and ongoing relationship with the APCML in relation to jointly run ‘rule of law’ activities within the Asia Pacific Region.

 

Contact details:

University Node Cathy Hutton Administrator Asia-Pacific Centre for Military Law Law School The University of Melbourne VIC 3010 AUSTRALIA Tel: + 61 3 8344 4775 Fax: + 61 3 8344 0054 Email: law-apcml@unimelb.edu.au

Military Node Ian Martin Administrator Asia-Pacific Centre for Military Law Building 100 Randwick Barracks Avoca Street RANDWICK NSW 2031 AUSTRALIA Tel: + 61 2 9349 0628 Fax: +61 2 9349 0757 Email: mlc.admin@defence.gov.au