Self determination, territorial disputes and international law: An analysis of UN and state practice

Abstract

This study attempts to elicit some of the more important principles of self determination examined in the light of territorial disputes between various non‐self governing territories, metropolitan powers and claimant states. The principles elicited constitute the distillation of many years of practice of UN organs, principally the General Assembly as seen in its resolutions in response to these territorial disputes. In drawing out these principles, reference is made to the difficulties of implementing the right of self determination, including the problem of reconciling this rule with the principle of maintaining the territorial integrity of states.