Andreas J. Jacovides

Andreas J. Jacovides
Born	1931 (age 94–95) Cyprus
💼 Occupation	Diplomat, international lawyer
Known for	Ambassador of Cyprus to the United States; Member of the UN International Law Commission

Andreas J. Jacovides (born 1931) is a Cypriot diplomat, international lawyer, and academic whose career has spanned more than four decades in multilateral diplomacy and public international law. He served as Ambassador of Cyprus to the United States, Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the United Nations, and as a three-term member of the International Law Commission (1981–1996). Over the course of his diplomatic service, he represented Cyprus at major international negotiations, including the conferences that produced the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, signing the latter on behalf of Cyprus in 1982.

Jacovides has been widely recognized for his expertise in international law, particularly in the Law of the Sea, UN peacekeeping, and the legal dimensions of the Cyprus dispute. Independent commentary has described him as one of Cyprus’ most authoritative diplomatic figures, noting his leadership in key United Nations deliberations, his seniority within the Washington diplomatic corps, and his long-standing role as a lecturer and scholar. His work has been praised by leading jurists, including former International Court of Justice President Dame Rosalyn Higgins, and he has received institutional recognition such as the Onassis Distinguished Scholar Award from the Rhodes Academy of Maritime Law and Policy.

In addition to his diplomatic and academic work, Jacovides has published extensively on international law and has remained an active commentator on contemporary legal and political issues, contributing to public debates on maritime delimitation, UN practice, and Cyprus’ foreign policy.

Career

Jacovides joined the Cyprus diplomatic service in 1960 and went on to hold senior posts for more than four decades. He served twice as Ambassador of Cyprus to the United States, with concurrent accreditation to Canada, Brazil, Ecuador, and several Commonwealth states, and later as Ambassador to Germany, Austria, Denmark, and Taiwan. He also served as Cyprus’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, where he chaired the UN Host Country Relations Committee from 1992 to 1993. Between 1986 and 1989 he was Deputy Dean of the Washington Diplomatic Corps, becoming Dean in 1989.

Throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, Jacovides represented Cyprus at major multilateral negotiations. He was a member of the Cypriot delegation to the Vienna Conference on the Law of Treaties (1968–69) and played a central role in the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (1973–82), where he signed the 1982 UNCLOS on behalf of Cyprus. His participation in the Law of the Sea negotiations was noted in contemporary reporting, including The New York Times, which highlighted the scale of the diplomatic effort involving more than 150 states.

In addition to his treaty work, Jacovides participated in the drafting of the statutes of the International Criminal Court and negotiated bilateral agreements with the United States and Canada, including treaties on double taxation and customs cooperation.

His diplomatic activity in Washington also drew contemporary media attention. A 1989 Washington Post feature noted his presence among prominent political and diplomatic figures in the U.S. capital, reflecting his visibility and seniority within the international community during his tenure as ambassador.

Published opinions

Jacovides has contributed to international discourse through opinion pieces and letters to major publications. In March 1992, he published a letter in The New York Times addressing issues of global diplomacy and international relations, reflecting his active engagement in foreign policy debates.

In September 2009, he wrote a letter published in The New York Times discussing Turkey's role in regional politics and its relationship with Cyprus, reflecting ongoing concerns about diplomatic tensions and the prospects for reconciliation in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Academic and legal work

Jacovides earned his legal qualifications as a Barrister-at-Law from the Middle Temple in 1959. He taught public international law at the New School for Social Research (1963–65) and served as a supervisor at Cambridge University (1958–59). He later lectured at the London School of Economics, the Rhodes Academy on Maritime Law and Policy, and San Diego Law School.

He has published extensively on topics including the Law of the Sea, UN peacekeeping, state responsibility, and the Cyprus conflict. He contributed to volumes such as the Memorial Volume for John McMahon and the International Law Commission Publications, and his collected volume International Law and Diplomacy: Selected Writings has been described as an important contribution to the field.

Arbitration and judicial service

Jacovides served as an arbitrator and senior judge on the Claims Resolution Tribunal for Dormant Swiss Accounts in Zurich (1998–2002), and as Commissioner on the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC), Panel F-3. He was also involved in arbitration cases under the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), including disputes involving Georgia and Venezuela.

Honors and affiliations

He received decorations from the governments of Greece (1976) and Austria (1992). Jacovides has been a long-standing member of the American Society of International Law (ASIL) and the International Law Association (ILA), American Branch. His special interests within international law include claims, criminal law, dispute settlement, treaties, and corporate governance.

Reception

Independent commentary in the Cyprus Mail and other publications has highlighted Jacovides’ long-standing reputation as one of Cyprus’ most experienced and authoritative figures in international law and diplomacy. A 2006 report on his receipt of the Onassis Distinguished Scholar Award from the Rhodes Academy of Maritime Law and Policy praised his “life-long career of distinguished accomplishments in promoting the rule of law in the world’s oceans,” with Professor John Norton Moore describing him as “a noted authority in the Law of the Sea” who had provided leadership at the United Nations for many years.

A 2009 feature profiling his diplomatic career in Washington emphasized his prominence within U.S. political and diplomatic circles, noting his participation in three presidential inaugurations and his seniority within the Washington Diplomatic Corps. Another 2009 retrospective by former Foreign Minister Nicos Rolandis placed Jacovides among the core group of Cypriot diplomats involved in securing key United Nations resolutions in the late 1970s, describing the period as one of Cyprus’ most productive eras in multilateral diplomacy.

In 2010, the Cyprus Mail reported on his appointment to the Executive Council of the American Society of International Law (ASIL), noting that he would serve alongside figures such as former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and International Court of Justice judge Bruno Simma. The article described the appointment as recognition of his standing as a leading expert in international law.

A 2011 review of his book International Law and Diplomacy: Selected Writings characterized the volume as an important contribution to the field, citing praise from former International Court of Justice President Dame Rosalyn Higgins, who highlighted his authoritative knowledge of international law and his participation in major UN committees.

Later coverage continued to present Jacovides as a leading interpreter of the Law of the Sea and UN practice. In 2015, he was cited as an expert authority on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in response to remarks by UN Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide regarding Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone. A 2016 report on the Rhodes Academy noted his long-standing role on its faculty and his continued engagement with contemporary maritime issues, including developments in the South China Sea. Another 2016 commentary placed him among the senior diplomats responsible for Cyprus’ most effective period of UN diplomacy in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

In 2017, the Cyprus Mail reported on a lecture he delivered at the Harvard Club of New York, highlighting his authority on UN peacekeeping and conflict resolution and describing him as a long-standing interpreter of the UN Charter and Security Council practice in relation to Cyprus.

Personal life

In May 1979, Jacovides married Pamela Karrh in a ceremony held in the Bahamas. At the time, he was serving as a diplomat, and the wedding was noted in The New York Times for its international significance and social prominence.

Jacovides has maintained residences in New York City (Sutton House), Nicosia, and Paphos, Cyprus. He is fluent in Greek and English.

Bibliography

• Jacovides, Andreas J. International Law and Diplomacy: Selected Writings. Leiden: Brill, 2011.
• Jacovides, Andreas J. Cyprus: Legal and Political Issues. Nicosia: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2002.
• Jacovides, Andreas J. “The Law of the Sea and the Cyprus Problem.” In: Marine Policy (various issues).
• Jacovides, Andreas J. “UN Peacekeeping and the Cyprus Question.” In: International Law Commission Publications.
• Jacovides, Andreas J. “State Responsibility and Peremptory Norms.” In: Memorial Volume for John McMahon.
• Jacovides, Andreas J. Selected Speeches and Statements on Cyprus and International Law. Nicosia: Government Printing Office, various years.

References

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