The Story how Vanya Zhukov asked a question on int

The Story how Vanya Zhukov asked a question on international Maritime law


Last night Vanya Zhukov was sitting in a chair by the pool and was admiring a sea. A ship under a foreign flag appeared in the distance, she was approached by the ships of the Republic. The ship sailed farther.

And this morning the media reported the arrival of the great diplomat. He held several important meetings, visited the coast, looked through binoculars, gave interviews.

The local University invited him to give a lecture on Maritime international law.

On the morrow Vanya ran through the streets of the capital of the Latin American Republic. He delivered pizza to customers.

He thought about the topic of the lecture which the great diplomat intended to read at the local University:

"A difficult question - international law of the sea. For example, the Black Sea Straits (Turkish Straits) (Bosphorus and Dardanelles) and the Kerch Strait. The international regime of the black Sea Straits is more or less described in the literature. For example, "The Fourteen Points" of US President Thomas Woodrow Wilson (Not so long ago they celebrated the own age of 100 years old! - 1918 - 2018), (Treaty of Versailles - 1919), The Conference of Lausanne (1922-1923), the Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Straits (1936), the Potsdam Conference (1945)... And what can be read in the literature about the legal regime of the Kerch Strait? The Bosporan Kingdom?  The Genoese colony on the site of the modern Azov? There are in the literature different information, but it of a General or of a military history... Today we know about the conclusion of the Treaty between Russia and Ukraine on December 24, 2003, about the Kechensky incident of 2018, about the Ukraine's appeal to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (2018-2019)?

There was an information about the construction of the Bosphorus canal (Channel Istanbul) by 2023...

What are the prospects for the international regime of the Black Sea Straits (Turkish Straits) and the Kerch Strait?"

Vanya sees that he runs past the local University. It is clear that an urgent need to deliver pizza to the customer, but there is a strong desire to hear a lecture of the great diplomat and to ask him a question.

Vanya could not cope with his desire. He explained at the entrance to the University that he delivered pizza on order, and went inside.

When he opened the door to the auditorium where the great diplomat was giving a lecture, it turned out that the lecture had already ended.

Students asked questions.

One of the students asked the great diplomat when the water in the building with the sign "Embassy of the Latin American Republic" would be turned on.

"We will hold on this matter private consultations..." - the great diplomat pompously answered.
Applause sounded.

Vanya imperceptibly slipped in audience and sat down on one of places in the first row - one of the next to an entrance.

- Whether there are still questions? - the deputy rector of the university asked.

- Yes! - Vanya raised a hand.

The deputy rector nodded as a sign of permission to ask one more question.

- We can find in literature an information on history of the international legal regime of the Black Sea Straits (Turkish Straits), - Vanya began . The great diplomat discontentedly looked at him. - We know about the history of the international legal regime of the Kerch Strait not so a lot of. Generally a modern information arrives: the Treaty Between the Russian Federation and Ukraine of December 24, 2003, the Kerch incident of 2018, the subsequent appeal of Ukraine to the International Tribunal for maritime law... Besides, it is reported about construction of the Channel Istanbul. My question consists of two parts. The first. Tell, at least briefly, about international legal history of the Kerch Strait. The second. What prospects of improvement of the international legal regime of the Black Sea Straits (Turkish Straits) and Kerch Strait? Thanks.

Vanya sat down into place in the first row again – near an entrance to audience.

The great diplomat thoughtfully walked before listeners.

Then he approached a big lecture table, became in front of listeners and took out from a pocket a small brilliant ball (it seems, a gold).

The participants looked at the ball that great diplomat raised above the head.

Then the great diplomat couple times rolled the small ball along the lecture table, from a side to a side, and clamped it in his fist.

He turned to the nearest student: "Approach me, please!"

The student approached.

- Where is the ball?

The student pointed to fist of the great diplomat.

Great diplomat pointedly unclenched his fist. The small ball wasn't there.

There was silence in the audience.

The great diplomat smiled, and looking at the student, took the small shiny ball out of own pocket with other hand.

There was applause.

The student stood there, not knowing what to say.

The satisfied diplomat took a thimble out of his pocket and knocked a thimble lightly on the lecture table. The applause intensified. They were joined by a student standing next to the diplomat.

The diplomat hid the small shiny ball and the thimble in the pocket.

- "You can sit. Thank you," - he told the student. The student returned to his seat.

- “Our attention should be focused on the issues of Latin America and North Africa!” - the great diplomat formulated the idea. – “When did Julius Caesar visit North Africa?”

For a moment there was a pause in the audience.

- I wish you an excellent study and education. Revolution and education!

- Education and a problem-based learning! - it was heard in reply from listeners.

The great diplomat bowed slightly, thanked for the attention and, accompanied by the deputy rector, went towards the exit.

- I warned you that it is better for you to return upon your place - onto trash cans. Questions of restoration of your's identity card of the member of the writer's Association and of your access to the Big Archive will be considered and, if possible, will be solved positively.

The great diplomat came out of the audience.

Vanya ran around the city, continuing to deliver pizza.

"How it all turned out well!" "All was in time: and to ask a question to the diplomat, and to deliver pizza!" "But a pedagogical talent! How he captured the attention of the listeners! As easily and simply he explained complex questions! ... Julius Caesar!..." 

From admiration the thoughts were outpacing of one another and were confused.

An exclusive expensive cars passed by. Vanya thought that through the glass of one of the cars he saw the great diplomat, philosophically looking at the world.

"The focus of attention should be on Latin America and North Africa." "It is important to be in the center of events!"

Vanya quickened his pace...



May 12, 2019 12:33



Translation from Russian into English: May 12, 2019 17:31.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский “Рассказ как Ваня Жуков задал вопрос о международном морском праве”.