Problems relative to termination in the law of treaties.

Abstract

Ever since the disintegration of the primitive societies and the formation of states, treaties have had a very significant regulative role in interstate relations and their importance in international law has increased even more in the last two centuries. In fact, the law of' treaties is in many respects fundamental to the international legal order, the basic norm of which is often said to be the principle ''pacta sunt servanda (agreements are binding). Treaties have this great importance, however, not merely from a theoretical standpoint, but also because of the legal and political functions they have to play. When the members of the international community wish to signify their approval of a legal regime for a particular area of law, the means employed is to agree to the terms of a multilateral treaty. A similar approach is adopted if those states, or a group of' them, wish to establish an international organisation; its constitution is embodied in a treaty. On the other hand, treaties may be of alliance, or of economic co-operation; or may relate to air passenger arrangements, or to the sharing of' jointly available resources, or even to cultural exchanges. In few words, treaties are put to a wide diversity of uses, both quasi-legislative and purely contractual.