Law of Treaties: Conference Simulation Rules

Conference Rules

1. Students will enter the room no later than 1.15pm (Session I : June 4^th), 3.30pm (Session II: June 4^th), and 15am (Session III: June 5^th), and will be required to submit their credentials to The President of the Committee. On those times, the committee session will commence.
2. Students will sit together with their delegation.
3. Students shall at least wear semi-formal outfits. Polo shirts, T-Shirts, sandals, semi-sandals, are not acceptable.
4. All speeches shall be in the best of manners, and given towards the other delegates. Order is to be maintained at all times. Nobody shall speak unless given permission by The President, except in an unmoderated discussion. Otherwise, discussions between delegates shall be strictly in writing form.
5. Session I will be started by a roll call. When the State’s name is mentioned, they shall reply with:
6. Present, if both delegates are present
7. Present with one, if only one delegate is present
8. With an alphabetical order, each delegation will be given 7 minutes to present an opening speech. This opening speech:
   1. Shall contain the hopes of the delegation of what shall be achieved in the sessions
   2. May be distributed between both members, but total time shall not exceed 7 minutes
9. After the opening speeches, the speaker list
10. A speaker list means:
    1. Any delegate may raise their hands silently, and The President shall determine who speaks.
    2. Chosen delegates shall address their concern for not more than 3 minutes.
    3. In addressing their concern, the delegate may highlight certain issues and present their arguments
    4. It is best to focus discussions one issue at a time (e.g. the issue of immunity), discuss until there is a general agreement/deadlock, then divert to other topics. Although it is not prohibited to divert away to other topics if any delegates find it necessary to do so.
    5. The President, at his discretion, may ask certain delegates to address their views.
11. At any time during the speakers list, a delegate may request a motion for an unmoderated discussion for up to 10 minutes. If accepted and passed, the delegates may freely discuss informally with other delegates
12. How to request a motion for an unmoderated discussion:
    1. A delegate raises her/his hand, saying ‘motion!’
    2. The President will ask what motion is she/he requesting, and the delegate will say “motion for an unmoderated discussion for X minutes”
    3. The President will, at his discretion, accept or reject it.
    4. If The President accepts it, he will ask the delegates whether they agree to have the unmoderated discussion. If there is a simple majority (50% + 1, one delegation one vote) then the unmoderated discussion commences.
    5. No extension will be granted for unmoderated discussions.
    6. After an unmoderated discussion ends, the session will return to the speaker list.
13. The end product of all three sessions is a new preamble and articles of a new Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
14. To simplify the drafting, the delegates may, until the end of the three sessions, make separate topics papers. This means that each paper contains one issue (e.g. diplomatic bag) and then debated and voted separately. Each paper shall at least contain the following:
    1. Title (indicating issue)
    2. Drafter (list of states involved in the drafting of this paper)
    3. Specific provisions of the VCDR 1963 on this issue
    4. The new proposed provisions on this issue
    5. Shall be introduced in the speakers list, and the President at his discretion may extend the speaking time of the speaker making such an introduction to allow a full introduction of the paper.
15. More than one separate topics papers on the same issue (but by different drafters) is possible, but it is not encouraged.
16. At any time after the introduction of a separate topics paper, a delegate may request a motion to vote on the paper with the mechanism as follows:
    1. A delegate raises her/his hand, saying ‘motion!’
    2. The President will ask what motion is she/he requesting, and the delegate will say “motion to vote on the paper xxx [indicating which issue and, if more than one paper submitted on this issue, indicating also the drafters]”
    3. The President will, at his discretion, accept or reject it.
    4. If The President accepts it, he will ask the delegates whether they agree to have a vote. If there is a simple majority (50% + 1) then the voting commences.
    5. There will be a roll call of the delegations, and The President will ask whether each delegation whether they accept the paper. They can either say yes, no, or
    6. If there is a simple majority of yes votes (50%+1), then the paper will be accepted and cannot be amended. Then the discussion shall continue to other issues.
17. Alternatively, delegate(s) may also propose draft conventions altogether following the same procedure as separate topics paper.
18. At the end of the 3^rd session, all separate topics paper that are accepted and voted shall be submitted via email (matahati@gmail.com). No more negotiations may occur after this point.
19. Shall there be any confusion regarding these rules before the sessions, kindly contact me through email or in person.
20. Shall there be any confusion regarding these rules during the session, a delegate may request an inquiry of procedure with the mechanism as follows:
    1. A delegate raises her/his hand, saying ‘inquiry!’
    2. The President will ask what she/he wishes to ask, and the delegate shall address the question and then the President shall answer.
21. At the time of the exams, all delegates will submit a hardcopy draft of the Yogyakarta Convention on Diplomatic Relations (2015) which incorporates all the agreed changes from the separate topics papers (the changes shall be highlighted). Easily put, you just submit the VCDR but with edits on the stuff you have managed to agree on.
22. Remember that students will be marked with a negative marking scheme, so it is encouraged for everyone to be active.
23. There will still be written exams on two items: the materials we have learned and the conference simulation