Tomasz Kamiski Ph.D.

Institute of International Law

Law Faculty
Warsaw University

Public International Law

Syllabus
1. Definition, functions and sources of International Law general approach.
2. Law of treaties on the basis of 1969 Vienna Convention. a. negotiation and conclusion of treaties,
b. treaty structure,
c. entry into force of treaties,
d. consent to be bound by treaty,
e. signature followed by ratification.
3. Invalidity of treaties
4. Observance of treaties.
a. pacta sunt servanda,
b. territorial scope of treaties,
c. interpretation of treaties,
d. Treaties and third states.
5. Reservations to the treaty
a. Definition,
b. Right to make a reservation,
c. acceptance and legal effect of reservations.
6. Termination and suspension of treaties. a. Reasons of treaty termination or suspension stipulated by the treaty.
i. the end of period the treaty is entered question prolongation of the treaty,
b. Termination of a treaty on the basis of reasons not stipulated in the treaty,
i. i.a. material breach of the treaty,
ii. clausula rebus sic stantibus.
7. Treaties and state succession
8. Customary international law 9. Resolutions of intergovernmental international organizations as a sources of international law.
10. Subjects of International Law.
a. States as subjects of international law.
i. Definition of a state in international law.
ii. Raising and fall (dissolution) of states.
b. Subjects other than states
i. International organizations as subjects of international law.
ii. Other subjects of international law, i.a. Vaticano and Holly Seat, Sovereign Order
of Malta,
iii. Individuals as subjects of international law
11. Recognition in international law.
a. Recognition of states,
b. Recognition of governments,
12. Responsibility of states.

13. International criminal law

14. International Organizations.
a. International Organizations in general nature of int.org.
b. United Nations
i. U.N. Charter,
ii. Nature and functions
iii. U.N. Organs
iv. Voting procedures,
v. Binding character of UN resolutions,
vi. Law-making and legislative activities (i.a. International Law Commission,
progressive development and codification of international law.
15. Specialized Agencies of UN 16. Law of the sea.
Sources of International Law of the Sea. 1958 Geneva Conventions and 1982 Convention on Law of
the Sea. Major Maritime Zones
i. Baselines and internal waters.
ii. Territorial Sea,
iii. Contiguous Zone,
iv. Straits and archipelagos, [(1 4)
v. Continental Shelf,
vi. Exclusive economic zone,
vii. High seas,
viii. International sea-bed area,
ix. Delimitation of maritime boundaries [(5-9)
x. LOSC dispute settlement (Hamburg LOS Tribunal)
17. Diplomacy
18. Consular Law
a. Legal sources of diplomatic and Consular Law.
b. Diplomatic mission staff and functions.
c. Privileges and immunities of diplomatic agents.
d. Main characteristics of consular law.
19. International Dispute Settlement.
a. Non Judical Methods.
i. Negotiations,
ii. Mediation and good offices,
iii. Inquiry,
iv. Conciliation.
b. Quasi-Judical Methods.
i. Arbitration legal sources 1907 Hague Convention on Peaceful Settlement of
International Disputes.
ii. Nature and composition of arbitral tribunals.
c. Judical Methods.
i. International Court of Justice.
1. Composition and institutional structure.
2. Contentious jurisdiction.
- Condition of reciprocity (art.362 ICJ Statute).
- Effect and enforcement of judgments.
3. Advisory Jurisdiction.

Handbooks (basic):
1. Shaw M.N.: International Law, 6th ed., Cambridge 2008.
2. Brownlie I.: Public International Law, 6th ed., Oxford 2003.

3. Buergenthal T., Murphy S.D.: Public International Law In a Nutschell, 4th ed., St.Paul 2007.