Double standards: The west and Russia

In: Zbornik Matice Srpske za društvene nauke: Proceedings for social sciences, Issue 155-156, p. 277-285

Abstract

In relation towards Russia, there is a tacit consent of the West not to apply
basic principles of modern international law. Such rule is not applied in one
state only or in some short post-Cold war period? Unique rules have been
applied in that case for almost 300 years, since the creation of the Russian
Empire. Breaking the rule of diplomatic immunity in case of a Russian
diplomat in 1708 in London and his arrest are an incident that could be
compared to taking of hostages in the US embassy in Teheran. Also, breaking
the Convention on Malta from 1798 by Great Britain shows that even the most
basic principles of international contract law, pacta sunt servanda are not
respected when it comes to Russia. Judgment in case ?Wimbledon? in front of
SSMP shows that sometimes it is legal even to start a violent war against
Russia. Double standards are applied by the West when it comes to recognizing
the independence of Kosovo, 2008 and Crimea, 2014 and breaking the contract
signed with the ex Ukrainian president Janukovic in 2014. Different standards
when it comes to aggression of Saudi Arabia on Yemen and sanctions towards
Russia because of the Ukraine in 2015, show that its custom legal case or one
sided legal rule that the West applies towards Russia. Sometimes, as with the
diplomatic boycott of 9 May celebration in Moscow, the EU does not even ask
for unanimous approval of such custom legal rules. That is why it could be
concluded that customary laws are not based on the idea of justice and
respect for international law and not even on state reason (raison d? ?tat).
This has arisen directly from the theory of customary law that does not
recognize the mutuality of application of rules between civilized and
barbaric countries. That is why such behaviour towards Russia can be defined
as regional customary law that is applied unilaterally by the groups of
states.