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Does the International law forbid countries to recognize the sovereignty of any political formation that is not recognized by all the members of UN?

And vice versa: Does the International law obliges countries to recognize the sovereignty of any political formation that is recognized by all the members of UN?

Whatever the answer, can you, please, provide a link to the corresponding clause in the International law?

brilliant
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  • If there is no such clause, how would you expect this question to be answered? – James K May 10 '18 at 04:43
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    Also see https://politics.stackexchange.com/questions/30865/legality-of-attacking-an-occupier-by-third-party-forces-within-partially-occupie on "What is International Law" – James K May 10 '18 at 04:54
  • @JamesK: "If there is no such clause, how would you expect this question to be answered?" - I don't know. Perhaps, there is a clause declaring any nation as having the right to recognize any political formation at its own discretion, or something like that. – brilliant May 10 '18 at 04:59
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    There are no "clauses", international law is more a set of general principles and each country decides which of them apply. Check the link about international law provided by @JamesK. But also A) your formula requires all UN members to recognize new countries at the same time. It does not happen that way. B) There are lots of cases of countries recognized by only part (Kosovo) or a few (Taiwan - Republic Of China, Abkhazia) UN countries, but the recoginition itself is not challenged. – SJuan76 May 10 '18 at 07:25

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Does the International law forbid countries to recognize the sovereignty of any political formation that is not recognized by all the members of UN?

And vice versa: Does the International law obliges countries to recognize the sovereignty of any political formation that is recognized by all the members of UN?

No and no. There are six U.N. member states that are not recognized by at least one other U.N. member state. And there are at least six states that are not U.N. members that are recognized by at least one U.N. member state.

Whatever the answer, can you, please, provide a link to the corresponding clause in the International law?

There is no such thing. International law is a set of general principles, often internally inconsistent, that guide the diplomatic and military affairs of sovereign states, as I explain in the first part of my answer here. It isn't "law" in the sense that ordinary domestic law is "law".

There are treaties and treatises out there that inform efforts to articulate what constitutes international law, but there is no world legislature out there, and there is no court with the power to issue decisions to any country in the world that will be observed without the use of military force on a wide array of issues.

Countries judge their own cases in international law, and do so on a case by case basis, not based upon grand universal principles that clearly dictate an answer. Your question has an answer that is best demonstrated by example, rather than by reference to any particular legal authority. And, in general, international law's force and sources have more to do with examples and analogies than with an authoritative statute-like rule book.

ohwilleke
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Does the International law forbid countries to recognize the sovereignty of any political formation that is not recognized by all the members of UN?

No, recognition is driven by national-level politics and expediency.

  • Turkey recognises Northern Cyprus as an independent state. It is the only country to do so.

  • The US and other countries previously formally recognised the Republic of China as an independent state but ceased doing so when it became more expedient to recognise the People's Republic of China.

References

RedGrittyBrick
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