Treaties

According to DFAT, a treaty is "an agreement between States (countries) which is binding at international law. In some cases international organisations can be parties to treaties. A treaty may also be called a ‘treaty’, ‘convention’, ‘protocol’, ‘covenant’ or ‘exchange of letters’. An agreement between an Australian State or Territory and a foreign Government will not, therefore, be a treaty. Even if a document is agreed between two or more sovereign countries, it will not be a treaty unless those countries intend the document to be binding at international law."

Treaties can be:

• Bilateral - between Australia and one other country (eg. Timor Sea Treaty with East Timor)
• Multilateral - between three or more countries (eg. the United Nations charter)

• Australia And International Treaty Making - information from DFAT

• Database of Australian Bilateral and Multilateral Treaties

• Timor Sea Treaty - information about this bilateral treaty with East Timor, signed on May 20, 2002.

• ASEAN Regional Forum - download a brochure from DFAT, outlining Australia's involvement in the 23-member ASEAN Regional Forum, established in 1994.

• International Treaties: Their Impact On Australia - a 1995 speech by the former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Gareth Evans, in which he discusses the treaties Australia is a signatory to, and the impact those treaties have had on Australian policy-making.

• Greater Transparency For Treaty Making Process - The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, has announced new measures to provide for greater public accessibility to the treaty-making process. [Aug 20, 2002]

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