Reservations to the Acceptance of the Compulsory Jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice

The thesis deals with one of the most important aspects of the optional compulsory jurisdiction system of the World Court which constitutes the last stage towards the achievement of an ideal, namely, the general and automatic jurisdiction over all legal disputes. In adhering to this system States have made different types of reservations and conditions. The analysis of all these reservations and conditions, their scope, RAISON D'ETRE, effect on the Court's role in contributing to the development of compulsory jurisdiction and peaceful settlement of disputes, and whether they serve the interests of States making them and of the system of compulsory jurisdiction, is the purpose of the study. In short, the thesis attempts to evaluate to what extent, if any, the reservations have affected the Court's role in promoting the rule of law in international relations through the compulsory jurisdiction system