New Textbook – New Approaches. Review of the book edited by V.I. Kuznetsov, B.R. Tuzmuhamedov, “International Law: the Textbook”, 2nd edition, Moscow, 2007, 944 p.

Abstract

The book under review is the second revised and corrected edition of the textbook released in 2001 edited by Professor V.I. Kuznetsov (1940-2002). Composite author is presented by famous names in the field of international law, by people who had a long standing with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Constitutional Court, other ministries, as well as international organizations.
Apart from that the majority of authors have been involved for a long time in scientific and educational activities in the major universities teaching international law all over Russia. All of the authors are united by the Russian Association of International Law, which celebrates 50th anniversary in 2007 and endorses the publication of the book.
The authors tried to approximate the text of the book to the needs of carrying out practical activities by foreign policy and external economic organizations and ministries of our country without any drawbacks for the theoretical level of the book. One of the peculiarities of the book is that international law is analysed in unity with the national one.
In comparison with the previous edition the book has undergone several structural changes and its content has been considerably renewed. Apart from that, new chapters have appeared in the book – e.g. “International Court of Justice”.
Still there are several aspects which can be improved: new textbook lacks appendixes containing official documents which could have been of help to those studying international law; also a list of cases offering real or imaginary situations containing international law element could be added.
Upon the whole, the appearance of the new textbook is a great accomplishment and its publication should not be postponed.