Questions for Negotiation:
Spring 2000 International System Simulation
During the simulation, there will be two conferences held on each of the major
international issues below. Each major issue listed below is broken down into two separate
areas for discussion. Each of these separate areas of discussion will have one full
conference dedicated to them. You should be prepared well in advance of the conference to
discuss each issue.
Following are questions that are intended to help guide you in the negotiation process.
They will also serve as the basis of discussion for the on-line conferences.
Based upon the course of the negotiations prior to the conference and participant input,
Simcon will distribute an agenda for each conference several days before each conference.
International Trade
1. Regional Free Trade Zones
With the explosion in numbers of regional trade areas (RTAs), some are concerned that
regionalization may undermine the goal of global free trade. Others worry that with the
flurry of negotiations surrounding RTAs, the World Trade Organization (WTO) may become
marginalized or irrelevant to the system of international trade.
a. Is the goal of global free trade, as exemplified by the establishment of the World
Trade Organization, compatible with the establishment of regional free trade zones?
b. If so, how can the WTO work with RTAs to coordinate efforts towards improving
international trading relationships? If not, what actions should be taken within the WTO
to counteract the possible negative effects of regionalization?
c. Should the WTO continue to be a significant player in international trade? If so,
how can it avoid becoming irrelevant?
2. Emerging Issues in International Trade
a. Should the scope of the World Trade Agreement be expanded to cover issues not
directly related to trade, such as foreign investment? If so, what might some specific
rules be?
b. Should trade policy be used to effect changes in the labor practices of other
countries, particularly child labor? If so, how?
Debt And Development
1. Debt
a. How can future debt crises be prevented?
b. What should be the role of the International Monetary Fund in dealing with and
preventing debt crises? Is reform of the organization necessary? If so, what reforms would
be desirable?
c. What sort of support should be given to developing countries burdened with
unsustainable debt?
2. Development
a. What economic development tactics might best relieve the debt and dependency cycle?
Options include heavy industrialization, sustainable development, and protection of local
industries.
b. Some developing countries feel that they are not receiving equal benefits from
participating in the global trade system. Can the rules of international trade be amended
to help LDCs more successfully development? How?
Global Environment
1. Global Warming
a. Should greenhouse gas reduction targets be adopted by parties to the Kyoto Protocol?
Should the developed countries help the LDCs to meet possible international environmental
standards pertaining to greenhouse gas emissions? If so, how can this be done?
b. What sort of system should be established to help countries committed to reduction
meet their goals?
2. Deforestation
a. Should the use of a nation's forests be considered an international issue?
b. What steps can be taken to alleviate deforestation?
3. Biodiversity
a. How can the rights of LDCs to benefit from their genetic resources be balanced
against the intellectual property rights of biotechnology and pharmaceutical firms?
b. In light of the recent discussions on marine and coastal areas, what steps should be
taken to continue the process of protecting marine biodiversity?
Human Rights
1. Defining Human Rights
Despite the United Nations' approval of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, there
is little international agreement about what constitutes "human rights". The
nations in attendance at the Human Rights Conference will be faced with the tasks of
developing an internationally acceptable definition of human rights. Among the questions
that must be considered in drafting a definition are:
a. Should the economic rights to food, shelter, and employment be protected?
b. Can the nations of the world agree on political rights which deserve protection?
c. Is it a violation of sovereignty for one nation or a group of nations to attempt to
influence how another country should treat its citizens?
d. How can human rights violations be controlled or eliminated? Should there be some
enforcement of "internaional standards"?
2. The Rights of Women
a. Can, and should, the status of women worldwide be improved? If so, what steps are
necessary to achieve this?
a. Should special provisions be made for protecting the rights of women? If so, what
should these provisions be?
World Health
1. Communicable Diseases
a. What precautions can be undertaken to prevent the international spread of diseases
such as tuberculosis, cholera, and AIDS? How can these efforts be funded?
b. Realizing that different diseases require different actions, how can communicable
diseases be treated and prevented? What role should the international community play?
2. Humanitarian Assistance
a. Are current international efforts in humanitarian emergencies sufficient? If not,
how can they be improved?
b. How can humanitarian assistance be provided in a way that will alleviate current
suffering without leading to future suffering? Under what circumstances, if any, should
aid not be provided?
c. How can civilians, including humanitarian workers, best be protected in conflict
situations?
International Security
1. Terrorism and Illegal Arms Sales
a. How can international law enforcement cooperation be increased to deal with problems
of cross-border terrorism?
b. What forms of enforcement should be constructed to deal with illegal and
black-market sales?
2. Nuclear Non-Proliferation
a. How can non-signatories like India, Israel, or Pakistan be encouraged to join the
NPT?
b. How can current signatories, such as Iraq and North Korea be prevented from
cheating?
c. Could the NPT be amended to have a broader appeal or to be more effective?
International Crime
1. Drug Trafficking
a. How can international drug trafficking be controlled? What strategies are likely to
be the most effective in this process?
b. What strategies can be followed to decrease drug production and/or consumption?
2. Money-Laundering
a. What strategies can the international community implement to eliminate
"money-laundering havens?"
b. What steps can the international banking community and its regulators take to make
money-laundering more difficult?
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