The Position of Relevant Rules of International Law in the Interpretation of Treaties

Article 31(3)(c) of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties of 1969 stipulates that, in the process of treaty interpretation, “any relevant rules of international law applicable in the relations between the parties” shall be taken into account, in addition to the context. Therefore, when interpreting a treaty, the text, context, and other elements of the general rule of interpretation as outlined in Article 31 of the Vienna Convention should be considered alongside the relevant rules of international law. This research aims to address the question: What is the position of relevant rules of international law in the interpretation of treaties? It appears that treaties should be interpreted in harmony with other relevant rules of the international legal system of which they are a part. Thus, incorporating the relevant rules of international law in treaty interpretation ensures the unity and systemic integration of the international legal system. In this research, an examination of library sources, international documents, and international jurisprudence will be conducted utilizing a descriptive-analytical method to explore the position of relevant rules of international law in the interpretation of treaties.