ABSTRACT
Third, international law requires a declaratory tradition. The process of evolving rules must be clearly set forth as treaties, international agreements, resolutions, court rulings, and even custom. In many cases, international laws are a result of conferences that are convened to deal with specific problems (such as global warming or ongoing damage from land mines) . Sometimes problems arise when jurists must determine the difference between custom and treaty obligations, especially if treaties are new (such as the UN Law of the Seas Convention) and create new customs, as well as build on old ones. Article 38 of the statute that created the International Court of Justice set forth the sources of international law as: (a) international conventions (agreements); (b) international custom; (c) general principles of law recognized by civilized nations; and (d) judicial decisions and teachings.
