Book I Diplomacy in General, 3 Introduction to International Law

Subject(s):

Diplomatic immunity — Diplomatic missions — Diplomatic relations — Diplomatic privileges

This chapter provides a brief account of what international law is and what its sources are. This is particularly useful for those who have not studied the subject. International law may be defined as the law governing relations between States, and between States and international organizations. The chapter notes, however, that even this definition borders on the simplistic. In addition, the relevance of international law to the diplomat is emphasized in this chapter, as it contributes to the discussion later. Hence the chapter first briefly argues for the relevance of international law in the arena of international relations, before turning to a discussion on the nature, sources, and content of international law, in order to draw a more comprehensive account of what international law is about.