Миленко Веснић на Конференцији о болничким бродовима у Хагу 1904. године
Milenko Vesnić at the Conference on Hospital Ships in the Hague, 1904

Summary/Abstract: In the intermediate period between the First and the Second Hague Peace Conferences Serbia took part in the proceedings of another international congress, which dealt with similar issues of international and humanitarian law. This was a conference held in The Hague in 1904 where Serbia’s only delegate was its ambassador in Paris – Milenko Vesnić. The main aim of the conference was unquestionably further to help the work of hospital ships – whose mission is essentially humanitarian – by exempting them, in time of war, from all dues and taxes imposed on vessels for the benefit of the State, in the ports of the Contracting Parties. In the period of relative diplomatic isolation Serbia received outstanding opportunity to participate in an international conference and present herself as the state fully aware of the significance of the principles of humanity in international relations and international law. On the other hand, successful participation at this conference was an important step in Vesnić’s career, the one that contributed to the growth of its reputation in diplomatic circles. This paper provides several documents regarding the conference, its outcome and the role played by Milenko Vesnić. These documents are kept in the Archive of Serbia, in the fund of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. We put an emphasis on the importance and historical value of Vesnić’s final report about the conference, which gives us important insight into proceedings, main issues, Vesnić’s own position and role, his perception of it, etc.

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