International law

International law constitutes that body of rules which governs the relationships between sovereign states. These rules of law emanate from the free wills of states as expressed in conventions or by usages which are generally accepted as expressing principles of law. The object of these rules is to regulate the relations between these co-existing independent communities as means of achieving common aims deemed important in the collective opinion of the international community. See the Lotus Case (1927). Since international law is the product of forces within international society, in order to understand the nature of the international legal system, it is necessary to analyse the structure and processes which function within the global society.

Historically, although several systems of international law have existed since antiquity, contemporary international law has its origins in Medieval Europe. Arguably, the most notable historic development was the signing of the Peace of Westphalia 1648 which established an embryonic sovereign state system in Europe. Prior to this agreement, the creation of a sovereign state system had been retarded by the transnational authority of the Pope in spiritual matters and the control of the Holy Roman Emperor in political concerns. In the signature of the Peace of Westphalia the Emperor acknowledged restrictions on his dominion in favour of the territorial autonomy of the various nation states which had previously composed the Empire, whilst simultaneously the treaty recognised the limits of the authority of the Pope.

International society since then has remained a pluralistic structure of sovereign states. Sovereignty in the relations between states is synonymous with independence. This independence allows states to regulate the internal constitutions of their territories and to enter into international relations whith other sovereign states.

Notes

international law - международное право body of rules - зд. свод правил govern — управлять, руководить sovereign states — суверенные государства emanate — происходить

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convention — конвенция co-existing — сосуществующие community — общность, общество deem - считать что-л. необходимым notable — значительный, важный retard — замедлять

Упражнения

*1. Соотнесите слова в левой колонке с их определениями в правой.

1. to emanate from a. noteworthy

2. deem b. to make slow

3. arguable с to consider

4. notable d. open to discussion

5. to retard e. inside, domestic

6. internal f. to come from

^.Найдите в тексте английские эквиваленты данных словосочетаний.

1. средство достижения общих целей; 2. международное сообщество; 3. подписание договора; 4. признать ограничения; 5. в пользу территориальной автономии

3. Ответьте на вопросы

1. How can you define international law?

2. What is necessary to do to understand the nature oi the international legal system?

3. What is the origin of contemporary international law?

4. In what case can we say that sovereignty is synonymous witl independence?

5. What is the relationship between law and society?

6. What is the structure of global society? text 2

SOURCES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW

Collectively the 'sources' of international law constitute that reservoir of authoritative rules and principles to which the international lawyer must refer in order to ascertain the content of the law. An international lawyer must be able to deduce rules of international law in order to substantiate legal opinions supporting particular courses of action. The cogency and consistency of a legal argument will stand or fall depending on the familiarity of the lawyer with these sources of law. It is therefore of the utmost importance that each student understand the nature of these sources and

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their interaction with each other and is accustomed to the methodology involved in citing these sources as authority for particular propositions.

Formal and Material Sources of Law

A distinction is frequently made by commentators between formal and material sources of law:

1. Formal sources of law establish constitutional processes and methods which authorise the creation of binding legal rules which are generally applicable to the subjects of the legal system.

2. Material sources of law provide evidence of particular or specific rules of law which, when proven, are applicable to a particular dispute.

A formal source is that from which a rule of law derives its force and validity. A material source is that from which the content, not the validity of the law, is derived. The material source provides the substance of the rule to which the formal source gives force and authority.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) shall apply the following sources of law to any disputes submitted for settlement:

3. International convention whether general or particular, establishing rules expressly recognised by the contesting states;

2. International custom, as evidence of a general practice accepted as law;

3. The general principles of law recognised by civilised nations;

4. The judicial decisions and the teachings of the most highly qualified publicists of the various nations, as subsidiary means for the determination of the rules of law.

Notes

constitute — составлять

authoritative rules and principles - авторитетные права и пршщилы

refer to — ссылаться на что-л.

ascertain — выяснять, устанавливать

content of the law - содержание права

substantiate — обосновать

legal opinion — юридическое решение

cogency — убедительность

constitutional processes - конституционные процедуры

authorise — давать разрешение, уполномочивать

binding legal rules — обязательные юридические правила

applicable — применительный

derive — черпать

recognize — признавать

contesting states — конкурирующие, спорящие государства

judicial decisions - судебные решения

subsidiary means — вспомогательные средства

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Упражнения

*4. Найдите в тексте английские эквиваленты данных словосочетаний.

A. 1. источники международного права;

2. авторитетные правила;

3. содержание закона;

4. выводить правила (из чего-л.).

5. последовательность;

6. взаимодействие друг с другом.

B. 1. применимый;

2. спор (разногласие);

3. признавать правила;

4. вспомогательное средство.

* 5. Составте словосочетания, используя слова из обеих колонок.

1. refer to a. evidence

2. to deduce b. importance

3. the utmost с principles

4. to establish d. force and validity

5. to provide e. rules

6. to derive f. constitutional processes