A PARADOX OF INTERNATIONAL (NON)RECOGNITION: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DE FACTO STATES AND PATRON STATES

Year 2018, Volume: 1 Issue: 1, 1 - 7, 15.04.2018

Vildan Meydan

Abstract

International system has been witnessing some jeopolitical mobilization after the second half of 20. century. These mobilities resulted in several conflicts which demand secession from their parent state. The conflicts which are caused by secessionist movements usually end with unilaterally secessions and these entities establish their own state without consent of parent state. After decolonization era, these secessionist movements are regarded as illegal by international community because they are not as part of decolonization movements. So these entities remain as unrecognized, in other words, de facto states. The violation of territorial integrity principle and threat to international peace and stability are main reasons that these states are regarded as illegal. But de facto states can’t achieve their statehood without a support from external sources. While external sources, in other words patron states support de facto states from several aspects, they also have a control on these entities. De facto states which are not recognized by international community also exprerience isolation politics. These isolationism make de facto state dependent on patron state’s support. But these dependences take de facto states away from international recognition. So in this study, it is aimed to analyze the relationship between de facto states and patron states and how this relationship evolves around a vicious circle.

Keywords

De Facto States, Patron States, Recognition, International Society

A Paradox Of International (Non)Recognition: The Relationship Between De Facto States And Patron States

Abstract

International
system has been witnessing some jeopolitical mobilization after the second half
of 20. century. These mobilities result in several conflicts which demand
secession from their parent state. The conflicts which are caused by secessionist
movements usually end with unilaterally secessions and these entities establish
their own state without consent of parent state. After decolonization era,
these secessionist movements are regarded as illegal by international community
because they are not as part of decolonization movements. So these entities
remain as unrecognized, in other words, de facto states. The violation of
territorial integrity principle and threat to international peace and stability
are main reasons that these states are regarded as illegal. But de facto states
can’t achieve their statehood without a support from external sources. While
external sources, in other words patron states support de facto states from
several aspects, they also have a control on these entities. De facto states
which are not recognized by international community also exprerience isolation
politics. These isolationism make de facto state dependent on patron state’s
support. But these dependences take de facto states away from international
recognition. So in this study, it is aimed to analyze the relationship between
de facto states and patron states and how this relationship evolves around a
vicious circle.

Keywords

De Facto States, Patron States, Recognition, International Society

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