Part I Overview, History, Materials, and Dramatis Personae, 1 A Single Set of Rules of Interpretation

Subject(s):

Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties — Official interpretations by the parties — Treaties, application

This chapter first sets out the book’s purpose, which is to explain the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (Vienna rules) and its application. It then discusses the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) gradual progression to affirmation of the Vienna rules; express endorsement of the Vienna rules by the ICJ; endorsement of the Vienna rules by other international courts and tribunals; endorsement of the Vienna rules by national courts; main terms and concepts which are used frequently in the book; the process of interpretation and the nature of the rules; and five examples of treaty interpretations.