Arvid Pardo Attended the Collegio Arly Quality Was Needed
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flavor and dynamic to our work to- intense scholarly correspondences, Area and its resources are the com- gether, in which we never disagreed together with a fundamental opti- mon heritage of mankind." on substance, despite our very dif- mism and generosity toward others, The acceptance of this key provi- ferent starting points. We became enabled him to live the life of a sion of the 1982 treaty followed Am- concerned with the original context scholar rather than a "professional," bassador Pardo's continuing and of Weber's own quite radical think- and served as a reminder that the dedicated effort to obtain an over- ing on these topics and with the university could still mean what it whelmingly favorable vote for U.N. puzzle of his own sources and con- meant for Newman. His classes General Assembly Resolution 2749 text, but also with the peculiar his- were a model of Socratic dialogue, (XXV) on December 17, 1970. As tory of its reception, critique, and and he was loved by his students. the Maltese representative during transformation. The reception his- His Aristotelean sense of virtuous the early law of the sea negotiations, tory we treated in our first Weber action led him to seek out occasions where he was able to enlist the sup- book, the contextual study we de- for political action in which, to use a port of developing countries, as well tailed in our second. Studying con- Weberian phrase, compromises with as to still many of the concerns of text and, indeed, getting a feel for the devil were unnecessary. He the advanced maritime states, he the salient problems of the time is found several, including the Catholic was able to obtain support for the inevitably a large part of both kinds Right to Life Movement and an in- principle, set forth in the General of projects, and very little of the teresting effort to force universities Assembly's Resolution, that "the background reading actually appears to follow the wishes of donors. He sea-bed and ocean floor (hereinafter in the text. found some opportunities for action referred to as the area), as well as In working on this period, the pe- with the university as well, including the resources of the area, are the riod before World War I, Regis dis- service on some crucial committees common heritage of mankind." where his stalwart support of schol- covered the writings of a group of Arvid Pardo attended the Collegio arly quality was needed. But for the German Jesuits that provided an Mondragone, Frascati. His graduate most part, his university political exposition and critique of the domi- studies led to a diploma in diplo- role was restricted to helping stu- nant legal and social and political matic history from the University of dents organize, at which he excelled. theories of non-Catholic thinkers Tours, France, in 1938, and to a He rejected the usual compromises and also provided a critique of the doctorate in international law from of academic life, and at a high price. modernity the theories represented. the University of Rome in 1939. In this respect he became like the Regis, who admired great scholar- This sense of independence and pro- figure from Weber that, I think, al- ship above all else, became fasci- found distrust of totalitarian regimes ways haunted him: the conviction nated with these largely lost figures. led him to become a member of the politician who understood politics He began to work on a large work underground movement. He was and sought a political outlet but was on their critique of modernity and discovered and was imprisoned in denied it by circumstances and by of modern social and economic life. Italy and later in Germany between his own moral standards. In a way, this project paralleled the 1940 and 1945. His prison experi- Weber reception project in that Re- Stephen P. Turner ence produced a life-long concern gis became aware of the innumera- University of South Florida for the problems of the incarcerated. ble subterranean influences of these With the formation of the United thinkers on later Catholic political Arvid Pardo Nations, Dr. Pardo became a mem- thinking and especially on papal re- ber of the early Secretariat, head- sponses to modernity. But he em- Arvid Pardo, diplomat, interna- quartered at Lake Success, New phasized what they said rather than tional civil servant, rigorous scholar, York. His service with the Trustee- its reception. This work will be ed- and university professor, passed ship Department began in 1945, ited by a friend and published post- away on June 19, 1999, in Seattle, where he was a social affairs officer humously, and it will be the best Washington. He was born in Rome, and later an area officer. From 1945 possible scholarly memorial. It was a Italy, on February 12, 1914. to 1954 he was the deputy resident project that employed both his lin- representative of the United Nations guistic and intellectual skills as well He will be remembered on many accounts, perhaps principally for his in Somalia, and from 1963 to 1964 as deriving its impetus from his own in Ecuador. strong intellectual affinity for these innovative proposals relating to the thinkers and the issues that these development and reformulation of When Malta obtained member- thinkers were concerned with. the international law of the sea. His ship in the UN, Dr. Pardo was ap- concern for the equitable sharing of pointed in 1964 as its permanent Regis once described himself as the benefits derivable from the ex- representative, which office he held "persevering, obdurate, and uncom- ploitation of mineral resources, in- until a change of government in promising." And this was true, as far cluding polymetallic nodules, found Malta in 1971. The government of as it went. In the domains over on and under the deep sea bed and Malta appointed Dr. Pardo as its which he had some control, how- ocean floor (referred to the 1982 ambassador to the United States ever, he was quite different. His Law of the Sea Convention as "the and the Soviet Union (1967-71) and links with the international commu- area") led to the provision in Article as the Maltese High Commissioner nity of Catholic scholars and some 136 of that agreement that "The to Canada (1969-71). PSOnline www.apsanet.org 777 From 1971 to 1973 he was the friendly terms to guide and assist International Development, the 1983 leader of the Maltese delegation to them along the way. Prize of the Third World Founda- the UN Seabed Committee. These Even before Ambassador Pardo tion, and in 1992 the National Order diverse offices and the extremely had left the service of Malta he had of Merit of Malta (Knight of Malta) wide range of his contacts with pub- established deep and important con- citation. lic officials and private individuals tacts with California. In 1971 he be- More than the identifiable prizes who were interested in an innovative came a visiting senior fellow of the and awards he received or might and improved international legal Center for the Study of Democratic have received was the cherished regime for the ocean enabled Am- Institutions in Santa Barbara. Under prize accorded by him to those bassador Pardo to play a very influ- the leadership of Robert Maynard many associates, friends, and stu- ential role in the treaty negotiations. Hutchins the Center became heavily dents who benefitted deeply from It is not an exaggeration to say that engaged in studying and promoting his humanitarian outlook and from his leadership gave a very positive the Pacem in Terris program. From his steady and inspiring commitment direction to probably the most suc- this evolved the Pacem in Maribus to the resolution of mankind's need cessful augmentation of formal in- project under the leadership of for disarmament, international de- ternational law since 1945. Elisabeth Mann Borgese. Under her velopment, and a meaningful law for skillful and dedicated tutelage a se- the ocean. For many it may be said His critical role in this area re- ries of research projects were under- that they left the world a better sulted in his appointment as coordi- taken from which important pub- place. The life of Arvid Pardo has nator of the ocean studies program lished books and reports emanated. placed him very high on any list at the Woodrow Wilson Center for These efforts included the convening identifying those who have faithfully Scholars in Washington, DC, where of international conferences, includ- and creatively served to ameliorate he served between 1972 and 1975. ing very substantial multidisciplinary the wants and needs of humankind In 1975 Ambassador Pardo joined participation on the part of leaders the faculty of the University of He is survived by his wife, Margit, of both advanced and developing and children, Christina Pardo Me- Southern California. At USC he was countries, as well as highly placed nez, Lars, and David of Seattle, professor of political science (1975- personages composing the Club of Washington. 81), professor of international rela- Rome. The conferences took place Carl O. Christol tions (1981-90), and senior fellow in in Malta, Japan (including Oki- University of Southern California the Institute of Marine and Coastal nawa), and Algeria. Studies (1975-90). As a member of the political science and interna- The Pacem in Maribus activities, Tang Tsou tional relations faculties, he was in which Ambassador Pardo played a leading role, contributed very ma- Tang Tsou usually spoke with a keenly interested in the research terially to the final draft of the 1982 low voice and a measured cadence.