Part I Overview, History, Materials, and Dramatis Personae, 3 Interpretative Material Generated in Making Treaties

Subject(s):

Treaties, reservations and declarations — Treaties, conclusion — Treaties, binding force

This chapter discusses elements of the treaty-making process that are relevant to treaty interpretation. It begins with a brief outline of the steps in making a treaty. It then explains the major components of that process and their products, and identifies links between those steps and relevant elements of the Vienna rules. Attention is given to recently completed work of the International Law Commission on reservations to treaties and to its work on interpretative declarations. The chapter is also important because it identifies preparatory work of treaties which constitutes an important supplementary means of interpretation considered in Chapter 8.