Ambiguities in plurilingual treaties: A case study of article 22 of the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention

Plurilingual treaties pose unique problems when ambiguities arise in the interpretation of the different language texts. This article provides a case study of plurilingual treaties by examining the dispute between the United States and the former Soviet Union concerning Article 22 of the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention. According to declassified government documents, this conflict was based on fundamentally different interpretations of the right of innocent passage as codified in the Convention. These differences were manifested in the English and Russian language texts of Article 22. The United States and the former Soviet Union were able to resolve their differences only after recognizing the basis for their differing interpretations. More broadly, this article analyzes the unique problems raised by plurilingual treaties and the proposed solutions offered by international law. It suggests that traditional methods of treaty interpretation may exacerbate international tensions and give rise to dangerous confrontations. Finally, this article describes alternative solutions to the problems raised by plurilingual treaties.