TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1981//
TI  - The United Nations convention against the taking of hostages: realistic or rhetoric?
JO  - Terrorism
A1  - Aston, Clive C.
SP  - 139
EP  - 160
VL  - 5
IS  - 1-2
N2  - In an effort to circumvent the lack of international agreement on needed measures against political terrorism and impelled by the siege of their embassy in Stockholm in 1975, the West German government decided to propose a convention banning a more specific manifestation of terrorism: the taking of hostages. The author reviews the central political issues that have pervaded the debates on this item within the United Nations until its final adoption in 1979. The most crucial issue was whether the scope of the proposed convention should include actions undertaken by those movements engaged in a recognized struggle for national liberation. The resulting compromise required to ensure its adoption by the General Assembly has left the Convention with an inherent tautology which will undoubtedly hinder and may prevent its general ratification and subsequent entry into force.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0149-0389
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10576108108435508
ID  - ref1
ER  -