Page 31 - Law of Peace, Volume ,

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currently existing international legal norms reflects only U&ted Nations General Assembly become the authorita-
the interests of the developed Western European and .rive source of modem legal norms. The emerging coun-
North American states which formulated these rules, tries will continue to become, on an ever increasing basis,
evolving states contend that they are justified in refuting a viable force in the formulation of public international
most of these concepts. Unable to participate in the for- law.
mulation of these rules and fm in their belief that their 1-21. Conclusion. It has been the purpose of this chapter
voluntary consent to these principles is essential to their to acquaint the reader with the overall structure of inter-
valid application, these countries regard treaties as the national jurisprudence and the sources and evidences of
only legitimate source of international jurisprudence. Yet, its norms. A working knowledge of this subject matter, as
even with regard to this source of legal norms, the emerg- well as some of the more contemporary views toward its
ing countries reserve the right to pick and choose the content, serves as the nexus between all of the legal con-
treaty commitments undertaken by their former colonial cepts and principles contained in the following chapters.
rulers to which they must adhere. Buoyed by their vastly Before proceeding to any discussion of the various areasof
increased representation and resultant voting strength in international law that follow, however, it is essential that
the United Nations and its subsidiary commissions and the relationship between international and state (munici-
agencies, evolving states are increasingly insistent that the pal) law be examined in some detail.