Preparatory works consist of all the documents preceding the conclusion of a treaty such as minutes of conferences, drafts of the treaty under negotiation and all materials which culminated in the formal conclusion of a treaty.
Article 31 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties states the general rule of interpretation include The basic rules of interpretation. Article 32 of the convention allowed the resort to the preparatory works as a Complementary mean.
This study deals with this method to clarify its Position between other means of interpretation, In jurisprudence and recourse to it by the International Court of Justice.