Territorial integrity principle

The rights and obligations that derive from the principle of sovereignty that are most relevant to cross-border hnmanitarian activities are the inviolability of the territorial integrity and political independence of the State concerned, the right of that State to exercise jurisdiction over their territory and over all persons and things therein, and the duty not to intervene in matters within the domestic jurisdiction of that State, including their internal and external affairs (principle of nonintervention). ... 

There is a well-established rule of international law protecting the territorial integrity and unity of states. For instance, even UN Security Council Resolution 1514 (XV), which first enshrined the principle of self-determination as classically understood, determined that ... 

Any attempt aimed at the partial or total disruption of the national unity and the territorial integrity of a country is incompatible with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. 

In accordance with the 1970 Declaration on Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation Among States in Accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, this shall not be construed as authorizing or enconraging any action which would dismember or impair, totally or in part, the territorial integrity or political... 

The EU opposed Russia s action in this instance. The states of the EU demanded that a peacefiil and lasting solution to the conflict in Georgia must be based on full respect for the principles of independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity recognised by international law, the Final Act of the Helsinki Conferenee on Seeurity and Cooperation in European and United Nations Seeurity Council resolutions. In this context, the Council deplores... 

A second but very important point is the applicability. Principle IV defines a colony and establishes the so-called salt-water rule. A colonial power must report on a territory that is geographically separate from the administering country. The territory must also be ethnically and/or culturally distinct. This rule is taken to establish that giving away an overseas territory does not threaten the territorial integrity of the colonial power. This is important in relation to minorities. If they were given any kind of external self-determination, most cases would threaten the territorial integrity which in turn would be against the spirit of the UN Charter. 

Another well-known issue is raised the tension between self-determination and territorial integrity. The FRD concludes the principle on self-determination with securing the territorial integrity of the state. Compared to other documents, however, it adds a sentence that has caused much discussion. The territorial integrity may not be threatened of states... 

Another reason for focusing on internal self-determination is territorial integrity. Regarding self-determination, there has always been a bias towards an internal solution which is most obviously pronounced in the principle of territorial integrity. Even when considering the external possibilities as listed in Res. 1514, territorial integrity is always a limit to the exercise of self-determination. Internal self-... 

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