These include self-declared states like Abkhazia, Transnistria, and Somaliland, which are recognized by both the UN and the US as part of Georgia, Moldova, and Somalia, respectively. There are several other entities like Palestine in the world that have proclaimed independence, but because their independence is not sanctioned or supported by the US, they cannot achieve practical sovereignty. Countries Seeking Independence Without US Support In contrast, the borders of any future Palestinian state are not agreed upon, even by those that recognize the State of Palestine, because although most of the international community acknowledges that there should be a Palestinian state, there is also a general understanding that the final borders of Palestine should be determined by negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel, which effectively controls much of the territory that the Palestinians want as part of their future state. One important difference between Kosovo and Palestine, however, is the fact that Kosovo has a defined territory that is recognized by the international community, even those that do not support its independence. In addition, once the US recognizes a country’s independence, it often provides assistance and protection to that country, as is the case with Kosovo. But because the US is the world’s most powerful country, with the world’s biggest economy and most powerful military force, it has effectively been able to decide whether or not a country gains independence. Serbia has never granted permission to Kosovo to be independent, and still claims it as its territory. It is also not recognized by Serbia, the country from which it broke away. Kosovo is recognized by over half of the UN’s member countries, including the US, but is not recognized by the UN itself. One exceptional case of a country that has recently managed to receive international recognition of its independence without the consent of the authority from which it tried to break away is Kosovo. The Power Of The US To Determine A Country’s Sovereignty Map showing the location of Kosovo, a territory claimed by Serbia but recognized as independent by the U.S. But recognition, or at least support, from the US government can do just that. In practice, however, recognition by the UN does not guarantee an entity’s sovereignty. By convention, an entity that is recognized by the UN should formally be recognized as a sovereign state. At the same time, though, international law also guarantees the territorial integrity of states. Others, however, contend that this fifth criterion is a contradiction of international law that supposedly gives people the right to self-determination. Some would say, however, that there is also a fifth criterion that the country seeking self-determination must have the consent of the government that currently has sovereignty over it. A country must have a people, a defined territory, a government, and the ability to conduct relations with other countries as a sovereign state. Most experts on international law would agree that there are certain basic criteria that a country must meet in order for it to be recognized by other governments or the UN as a sovereign state. The Criteria For Becoming A Sovereign State Moreover, just because a country is recognized by the UN, it does not mean that it will also be recognized by the US, and it is often the recognition by the latter that is more important for an entity that wants to achieve independence. By convention, an entity is usually recognized as a sovereign state when it is recognized by the United Nations, but this is not always the case. Most international law experts believe that there are certain criteria that a country must meet before it can be recognized as a sovereign state. Creating a new country can be extremely difficult, as can getting other governments to recognize it. The United States recognizes 195 countries around the world.
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