Diplomacy & Politics Glossary

Acts taken by a state in response to another state's internationally wrongful act, intended to induce compliance with international obligations.

The process by which consistent state practice accompanied by opinio juris creates binding international law norms. It requires both objective behavior and subjective belief in legal obligation.

Voluntary payments made by a state or organization without admitting legal obligation, often to victims of conflict or human rights violations.

A state that consistently objects to an emerging customary international law norm and thus is not bound by it once established.

A state consistently opposing an emerging customary international law norm may exempt itself from being bound by that norm.

Consistent and general behavior by states followed out of a sense of legal obligation, forming a source of customary international law.

Declarations made by states to exclude or modify the legal effect of certain treaty provisions in their application.

Treaty reservations are unilateral statements modifying treaty obligations, while objections are responses by other states rejecting such reservations.

Treaty termination clauses specify the conditions and procedures under which a treaty may be ended or withdrawn from by the parties.