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THE PRINCIPLE OF SYSTEMIC INTEGRATION AND ARTICLE 31(3)(C) OF THE VIENNA CONVENTION

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 January 2008

Abstract

'Every international convention must be deemed tacitly to refer to general principles of international law for all questions which it does not itself resolve in express terms and in a different way.'

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Institute of International and Comparative Law 2005

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References

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11 The author is indebted to Xue Hanquin, Ambassador of China to the Netherlands and member of the International Law Commission, for this illuminating analogy.Google Scholar

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19 Subject to the (contested) category of peremptory norms otjus cogens, which are granted priority over treaties pursuant to Arts 53 and 64 VCLT.Google Scholar

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27 VCLT Art 30.Google Scholar

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40 In contract law, this may be seen as an aspect of party autonomy or ‘will theory’, as to which see , AtiyahThe Rise and Fall of Freedom of Contract (Clarendon Press Oxford 1979).Google Scholar For a recent defence of the role of the intentions of the parties in contractual interpretation, see McLauchlan, DWThe New Law of Contract Interpretation’ (2000) 19 NZULR 147.Google Scholar

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54 The test provided under Art 32 for reference to supplementary means of interpretation.Google Scholar

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57 Ibid 55 para 10.

58 Annuaire de I'Institut de Droit International (‘Annuaire’) (1956) 364–5. Inclusion of this reference in the resolution of the Institut had had a controversial history. It did not appear in Lauterpacht's original scheme in 1950 (Annuaire (1950–1) 433). A reference to the interpretative role of general principles of customary international law was subsequently added by him in 1952 (Annuaire (1952–1) 223). It faced considerable opposition on grounds of uncertainty, and inconsistency with the Institut's codification role (Annuaire (1952–11) 384–6, remarks of Guggenheim and Rolin Annuaire (1954–1) 228). When Fitzmaurice was appointed to replace Lauterpacht as rapporteur, there was no reference of this kind in his draft (Annuaire (1956) 337–8). It was only added in the course of the debate, following an intervention of Basedevant (Annuaire (1958) 344).Google Scholar

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91 Ibid 1144 para 143.

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112 Ibid Al-Adsani 49– 51, Dissenting Opinion of Judges Rozakis and Caflisch, joined by JudgesWildhaber, Costa, Cabral Barreto, and Vajic.

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124 Ibid 1410 paras 22–3.

125 Ibid 1430–4 paras 5–16.

126 Ibid 1431 para 6.

127 Ibid 1432 para 9.

128 Ibid.

129 Ibid para 10.

130 Ibid 1386–8 paras 40–54.

131 Ibid 1387 para 46.

132 Ibid 1387 para 49.

133 Ibid 1396–1402 paras 21–52

134 Ibid 1400 para 42.

135 Ibid 1401 para 48.

136 Ibid 1402 para 52.

137 Annuaire (1952–1) 200–1. For a similar analysis as applied to statutory interpretation indomestic law see: Glazebrook, ‘Filling the gaps’ in Bigwood, (ed) The Statute: Making and Meaning (LexisNexis Wellington 2004) 153.Google Scholar

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151 OSPAR Tribunal Arbitral Award in Mox Plant, above n 71 para 103 1138. Waldock antic-ipated this point in his initial draft formulation of Art 56 of the VCLT: see text above at n 59. Thisphenomenon is well developed in the case of domestic statutory interpretation by Bradley, aboven 36.Google Scholar

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