2002 Friedmann Award Given to Dr. Hans Blix

New York, NY (April 4, 2002) -- On April 11, 2002, The Columbia Journal of Transnational Law will award the Wolfgang Friedmann Memorial Award to Dr. Hans Blix for his exceptional contributions to the field of international law.

Dr. Blix was appointed to his present position as Executive Chairman of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) by the UN Secretary General in January 2000 and took up his duties on March 1, 2000. Prior to his appointment at UNMOVIC, Dr. Blix served as Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency from 1981 until 1997. He is also a distinguished scholar who has written several books on subjects associated with international and constitutional law.

Born in Uppsala, Sweden, Dr. Blix went on to study at the University of Uppsala, at Columbia University, where he was also a research graduate, and at Cambridge, where he received his Ph.D. In 1959, he became Doctor of Laws at Stockholm University and in 1960 was appointed associate professor in international law. From 1963 to 1976 Dr. Blix was head of department at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and served as legal adviser on international law. In 1976 he became Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in charge of international development cooperation. He was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs in October 1978. From 1961 until 1981 he was a member of Sweden's delegation to the United Nations General Assembly, and from 1962 to 1978 a member of the Swedish delegation to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva. Dr. Blix has Honorary Doctorates from Moscow State University (1987), the University of Bucharest (1944) and the University of Managua (1966).

The Wolfgang Friedmann Memorial Award is given annually to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the field of international law. The award is given in memory of the Journal's founder, Professor Wolgang G. Friedmann, who was respected around the world for his extraordinary commitment to the practical realization of an international rule of law and his relentless advocacy of a world order based on mutual respect of nations. Previous award recipients include Madame Justice Louise Arbour, Gabrielle Kirk McDonald, Judge Stephen M. Schwebel and Boutros Boutros-Ghali and Columbia University Professor Louis Henkin.

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