How to Search

1. Enter the word of phrase in the search box

2. Select from one of the following four indexes where you wish to search:

- Documents: Search, either in English or in French, all the documents of the International Law Commission available on this web site, including the annual Report of the International Law Commission to the General Assembly;
- ILC Reports / Rapport de la CDI: Provides a more focused search, in English or French, limited to the annual Report of the International Law Commission to the General Assembly;
- Texts and commentaries / textes et commentaires: Search, in English or French, the final texts and commentaries (where available) adopted by the International Law Commission, on second reading, and transmitted to the General Assembly of the United Nations. Note that interim texts, such as first reading texts, are not included, but would be searchable in either of the above two indexes as they are typically reproduced in the annual report of the Commission to the General Assembly;
- Summary records / Comptes rendus: Search, in English of French, only the summary records of the debates in the Commission (as reproduced in volume I of the Yearbook for each year); or
- Entire site: Search the entire web site (both English and French documents), including all of the documents in the above three indexes together with the web pages (html pages) themselves. Note that there is a possibility of duplicate results.

3. Select the search type

The default search type is set for "the exact phrase" which will search only for the exact phrase entered. Alternatively select:

- "Any of the words" or "All of the words" search

Enter a list of words or phrases to find.  Use quotation marks around phrases, put + in front of any word or phrase that is required, and - in front of a word or phrase to exclude it.  Examples:
    banana pear "apple pie"
  "apple pie" -salad +"ice cream"

- "Boolean" search

Use connectors such as and and or to indicate the relationship between words or phrases in your search request.  Examples:

apple and pear

Both words must be present

apple or pear

Either word can be present

apple w/5 pear

Apple must occur within 5 words of pear

apple not w/5 pear

Apple must not occur within 5 words of pear

apple and not pear

Only apple must be present

name contains smith

The field name must contain smith

Click here for more help on search requests.

4. Hit the "search button"

Codification Division, Office of Legal Affairs

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