Diplomatic Law Guide

‘Quam fluctus diversi, quam mare conjuncti– though the waves are many, the sea is one.’

This website contains an evolving bank of legal materials, on-line library resources, news, talks, articles, and blogs, about the dynamic and inter-related subjects of:

(i)   Conflict;

(ii)  International dispute settlementand

(iii) Mediator tools, i.e. how a mediator can facilitate the negotiation of a road-map for peace (i.e. a ‘Peace Process’), which results in the agreement and practical implementation of a coherent, comprehensive and sustainable ‘political’ solution to the underlying ‘root’ and ‘dynamic’ causes of the conflict (i.e. a ‘Peace Treaty’). Thereby, ensuring peace, underwritten by security guarantees and International Law.

I founded this website in June 2014, and it was listed with my permission, on the website of the United States ‘American Foreign Service Association’ (the ‘AFSA’) based in Washington DC underneath the heading ‘Codes of Conduct from Other Services/Countries’ (http://www.afsa.org/ethics).

According to Google Analytics, in under 10 weeks the website grew from a zero readership to a weekly audience spread across Canada, the USA, South America, the Caribbean, the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Ukraine, the Russian Federation, North Africa, the Gulf states, Pakistan, India, China, South East Asia, and Australasia.

Carl Amir-UL Islam

B.Soc.Sc (Keele) (Joint-Honours) (Law & Political Science)*, LLM (Exon) (International Business Legal Studies), Diploma in Art Law (Institute of Art & Law) (London), of Lincoln’s Inn and the Middle Temple, Barrister-at-Law (practising), TEP, SCMA Accredited Mediation Advocate, Accredited Mediator and MSoM (Full Member of the Society of Mediators in London). CMC Registered Mediator: Mediator Search — Civil Mediation

*[Keele is a leading school of Political Science, International Relations & Diplomacy, see Keele Top 3 in England for Politics – Keele University]

1 EC Barristers, 3 Kings Bench Walk North, Temple, London EC4Y 7HR.  (www.1ec.co.uk) and (www.ihtbar.com).

Dual qualified as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court.

Founder of the Diplomatic Law Guide and author of ‘The inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises’ (1988), which was the first article to be published about the existence and legal effect of the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987. Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987 – Wikipedia

Text version available HERE.  ‘The article was very helpful for getting our heads round a law we didn’t know existed until last night, so your work was put to good use.’ Dave McMullan, Senior Broadcast Journalist, The Today Programme, BBC Radio 4 (15 August 2012).

‘More than at any other time I can recall, destructive conflicts are polarizing our communities, poisoning our relationships, and paralyzing our ability to address our most critical issues. How many needs are we sacrificing, and how many opportunities are we losing, for lack of a better way of dealing with our differences?  … The phenomenon of polarization is … a global trend, separating families, communities, and societies around the world. … More change naturally means more conflict. And here’s the kicker: The world needs more conflict, not less. I know this may sound strange, but hear me out. What is conflict? It can be to defined as a clash between opposing positions arising from a perceived divergence of interests and perspectives. In my work, I often come across the common assumption that conflict is a bad thing. I used to hold that assumption myself. But as an anthropologist and mediator, I have come to appreciate that conflict is natural. It is part of life itself. Simply by virtue of being human, we have different perspectives and interests. Conflict arises when we express our differences – or even when we don’t. Conflict, in fact, can be perfectly healthy. The best decisions result not from a superficial consensus but from surfacing different points of view and searching for creative solutions. Conflict lies at the heart of the democratic process as well as our modern economies, where, in the form of business competition, it helps create prosperity. Facing challenges is how we as individuals and groups learn, grow, and change. Conflict provides that challenge, stimulating us in our societies to evolve.. … Conflict is the foundation of human growth. So how can we deal with our differences constructively?’

(‘Possible – How We Survive (and Thrive) in an Age of Conflict’ (2024), by Professor William Ury).

How we can deal with our differences constructively is the focus of future webinars and podcasts to be broadcast on my new YouTube Channel – Dealing With Conflict ConstructivelySee the ‘My YouTube Channel’ page at www.carlislam.co.uk.

See also the ‘Geopolitical Mediation’ and ‘Negotiating Political Order’ pages of this website.

My next book, which I will research and start to write from 1 March 2025, is entitled, ‘Dealing With Conflict Constructively’. See the ‘ ‘Dealing With Conflict Constructively’ page at www.carlislam.co.uk.