The legal concept of international boundary

Abstract EN

This paper considers the subject of international boundaries which by a process involving many forces has come to have a very important position in international law.

The mathematical precision of boundaries is a special characteristic of higher civilization, the progress of geodesy and cartography have permitted the making in Europe of political boundaries as well as geographical abstraction.

Since the end of the Second World War several new independent states have emerged, particularly in Asia and Africa.

as a result of which many for many internal boundaries have become international boundaries.

This phenomenon, therefore, has enlarged the area in which boundary controversies may possible occur and such conflicts at present constitute one of the major threats to international peace and security.

There has been considerable progress in the methods of boundary making.

A whole range of new scientific equipment has been devised.

Aerial surveys nowadays supplements Conventional field-triangulations with the result that most of the familiar errors and inaccuracies which characterized earlier boundary works have become increasingly rare.

But these advances are not alone sufficient to eliminate all the possible causes of boundary disputes.

However, international boundaries affect the lives of people and should be more adapted to human convenience.

In conformity with the UN Charter and in order to achieve the kind of stability and finality in international boundary disputes must be settled peacefully.

Apart from the legitimate exercise of the right of self-defence, the use of force which unfortunately occurs very frequently in boundary disputes, is no longer compatible with modern international law.