The argument that the operation of the international legal system depends on political factors is to many a truism requiring little clarification or verification. But what does the operation of the system of positive international law do to international political processes? Even if it is politics and not law which primarily guides activities and decisions of States, how far could sheer politics get States in achieving their political goals? This paper focuses on three episodes—two historical and one current—about the political life of treaties involving high political stakes, and shows that the viability of foreign policies of States may be more dependent on the ways in which the system of positive international law works than is that system dependent on political agenda pursued by any State or group of States.

中文翻译：

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条约的政治生命：不确定性、解释和政治后果

国际法律体系的运作取决于政治因素的论点对许多人来说是不言而喻的，几乎不需要澄清或验证。但是，实在国际法体系的运作对国际政治进程有何影响？即使主要指导国家活动和决定的是政治而不是法律，纯粹的政治能在多大程度上使国家实现其政治目标？本文重点关注涉及高政治风险的条约的政治生活的三个事件（两个历史事件和一个当前事件），并表明国家外交政策的可行性可能更多地取决于积极国际法体系的运作方式与该系统依赖于任何国家或国家集团所追求的政治议程相比。