Modern Treaty Law and Practice

Treaties have always been an indispensable tool of diplomacy. The Egyptian and Hittite Kings concluded a treaty in 1272 BC, and since 1945 some 54,000 treaties have been registered with the United Nations. The number continues to grow. This new edition of a book first published in 2000 provides a comprehensive account of the law of treaties. Written from the viewpoint of an experienced practitioner, this edition updates existing information and refines previous arguments. New material is included covering topics such as the use of memorandums of understanding (MOUs) in litigation, the treaty-making capacity of [states] entities such as the Vatican, Taiwan and Palestine, and the effect of hostilities on treaties. Given their increasing importance, there is also a new chapter on international organisations, including an attempt to explain the sometimes baffling roles in treaty-making played by the European Community and European Union.