This portion of the Newsletter identifies recently published materials which relate to the work of the UN Decade of International Law. The Editor would deeply appreciate your sending any books, articles, other publications (or citations) to him at Western State University - San Diego Campus, 2121 San Diego Avenue, San Diego, CA 92120, USA.

The Editor thanks Martinus Nijhoff Publishers of Dordrecht, The Netherlands, for providing copies of the two items appearing in this issue of the Newsletter.

(1) Brus, Muller & Weimers, The United Nations Decade on International Law (Dordrecht/Boston/London: Martinus Nijhoff, 1991)

Abstract This 160-page book is the hardbound version of Volume 3 of the Leiden Journal of International Law (1990). It is essentially a symposium of articles on international dispute resolution. The book contains the following items:

• Preface by J. Perez de Cuellar
  
• Muller & Brus, The Decade of International Law: Idealist Dream or Realist Perspective?
  
• Sucharitkul, The Role of the International Law Commission in the Decade of International Law
  
• Quintana, The Hague Declaration and the Acceptance of the Compulsory Jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice: A Missed Opportunity?
  
• Sohn, Preparation of a New Treaty for the Settlement of International Disputes
  
• Shinkaretskaya, A Changing Attitude Towards International Adjudication in the Soviet Union
  
• Falk, Implementing International Law - The Role of Domestic Courts: Some Reflections on the United States Experience
  
• Schermers, The Role of Domestic Courts in Effectuating International Law
  
• Kooijmans, Inter-State Dispute Settlement in the Field of Human Rights
  
• Myjer, The Law of Arms-Control and International Supervision
  
• Ostrihansky, The Future of Dispute Settlement within GATT: Conciliation v. Adjudication?
  
• Van Traa-Engelman, Settlement of Space Law Disputes
  
  

(2) Macdonald, The Role of the Legal Adviser of Ministries of Foreign Affairs (Dordrecht/Boston/London: Martinus Nijhoff, 19__)

Abstract: This 90-page book is an offprint made available by Martinus Nijhoff Publishers as a contribution to the UN Decade of International Law. Its purpose is to provide guidance to the Legal Advisers of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Member States of the United Nations.

The purpose of this book is to summarize the systems for advising national governments on questions of international law. It also addresses methods for improving the effectiveness of these systems. The author suggests that the advisers are in the best position to undertake this process.

This publication provides guidance on how the adviser must discharge his duties, the scope of professional responsibilities, and the obligation to encourage respect for the international legal system. The adviser must be sensitive to the needs of the international system, as well as that of his or her own government.

While there are different legal systems, cultures, and traditions, there are only three main categories of advising mechanisms:

• a centralized legal advising system, where one body co-ordinates all such advising
  
• a separate cadre of lawyers that advises from within the foreign office
  
• the lawyer-diplomat system where the adviser is fully integrated into the foreign service
  

This book provides specific details about the advising system and procedures in:

• Austria
  
• Canada
  
• Federal Republic of Germany
  
• Japan
  
• The Netherlands
  
• Nigeria
  
• Sweden
  
• Switzerland
  
• United Kingdom
  
• United States