June 2010
A Bright Future for International Law?
Despite rumors to the contrary, power within the international system resides principally in states and is likely to do so for some time to come. It is they that still formally determine what is and what is not international law. In that sense, the law derives from two principal sources: formal agreements (conventions and treaties) and the customary practice of states. Interests and power influence both. States make the law that regulates their relations and only really do what their interests require. If national interest suggests that a proposed formal agreement is inappropriate, a state is not obliged formally to agree.
© 2010 Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP)
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Author:
Steven Haines
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3
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