Territorial integrity is a principle of international law that protects a state's territory from being changed through another state's use of force. This lesson introduces the principle and traces how ideas about territory and sovereignty developed over time.
Territorial integrity is the principle that a sovereign state may defend its borders and the territory within them against another state. It is part of the broader international order in which states are treated as independent political entities with defined territory.
All flashcards
What is territorial integrity?
The international-law principle protecting a state's territory and borders from forcible alteration by another state.
What does Responsibility to Protect (R2P) address?
The international community's responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity; it does not itself authorize border changes.
What did the ICJ conclude about Kosovo's declaration of independence?
The declaration, in itself, did not violate the international-law principle of territorial integrity; the opinion did not grant every group an automatic right to independence.
How can cross-border institutions relate to territorial integrity?
They can enable shared decision-making and cooperation across borders while preserving state borders.
What is mutual self-restraint in territorial disputes?
The proposed norm that states avoid forcible border revision partly to discourage competing claims and conflicts; its strength is debated.
Quiz questions
What is the stated purpose of Responsibility to Protect (R2P)?Answer: To address protection of populations from four specified grave crimes.
What was the scope of the ICJ's Kosovo advisory opinion on territorial integrity?Answer: It held that Kosovo's declaration of independence, in itself, did not violate the principle.
What does Article 73(b) of the UN Charter address in the context of non-self-governing territories?Answer: Developing self-government while taking account of peoples' political aspirations.
What can cross-border institutions established after the Good Friday Agreement facilitate?Answer: Shared decision-making and coordination across borders, based on inclusion and consent.
Why might states exercise mutual self-restraint over forcible border revision?Answer: To avoid encouraging competing territorial claims and further conflicts.