Sovereignty Over The Air Space

Introduction

In any state, sovereignty is an embedded, basic element of a state as a supreme power. However, it is only be applied within its own borders, where outside of its own territory the sovereignty of another country takes over. This research was administered supported the approach of current legal regulations and review of literature. The study showed that airspace sovereignty is, in theory, embedded to a state of which ownership is exclusive in nature. No-fly zones are airspace during which a sovereign state determines to be restricted for flight traffic supported the prevailing international and national regulations.

Sovereignty

State Sovereignty is a fundamental principle of international law. However, the term is very often used in a political sense, with differing interpretations depending on context and intention. The notion of sovereignty is dynamic, evolving with the development of the global institutional environment. In aviation, sovereignty refers to the ownership of airspace. In other words, to the exclusive competence of a State to exercise its legislative, administrative and judicial powers within its national airspace.

The sovereignty and jurisdiction of a state may be a  subject of paramount importance among the international community. Each state possess a natural sovereignty that is embedded thereto, since sovereignty may be a fundamental element of a state. The sovereignty of a state extends as far as the territory of the state itself. Outside of its border, a state does not have sovereignty, so the definition of sovereignty as supreme power has two important limitations namely that sovereignty is valid only within the territory of the respective state which sovereignty of a state is not any longer legible within the border of another state.

Issues regarding sovereignty also include separation of air and space territorial borders. This issue has been a source of constant discussion thanks to the fact that until today, there is no clear boundary between air and space territories. The distinction of air and space territory is important to keep away from international conflict concern the matter. Jurisdiction is a reflection of the sovereignty of a state. Without sovereignty, a state would have no jurisdiction. Jurisdiction assumes that each state is equal and that between them there must not be any intervention in domestic matters. Air territory is crucial a part of the weather of sovereignty of a stateside from land and sea territories. Many states have claimed their air territories under which their land and air territories are located. However, early within the development of human civilization, air borders had received little attention compared two the opposite two other territories since the technological and science development at the time on air, flight, or aviation had not been sufficient.

In air territory regulations the idea of substance is always focused around two opposing views. One view stated that airspace should be freed from territorial borders, where other views seek to defend the ownership of air territory of the state under which land and sea territories lie. The following discussion will study sovereignty of a state specifically to air territory and its reference to no-fly zones within the context of law of nations and regulations.

National Security

The protection of national security was one among the main reasons for the establishment of the concept on complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace. During war I and war II, balloons and aircrafts were wont to drop bombs into enemy territories. the subsequent examples involve cases where aircrafts were shot down because they were considered as representing a threat for the national security of sovereign States.

On 1 September 1983, Korean Air Lines Flight 007 was a civilian aircraft that was shot down by the Soviet Union when it intruded the Soviet airspace. Soviet military jets were sent to intercept the Boeing 747 when the aircraft started diverging from its intended path. The Soviet authorities may have feared that the civilian airplane was an American intelligence aircraft that was overflying the peninsula of Kamchatka at an equivalent time on a reconnaissance .31 The fights jets launched two air to air missiles that completely destroyed their target.  The crew on board and all 269 passengers were killed. This shot down give rise to wave of resentment within the international community and led to the adoption of article 3 bis of the Chicago Convention that pre-empts  States from using force against civilian aircrafts.

On 21/22/23 September 1983, Abkhazian rebel separatist forces shot down three civilian Tupolev aircrafts in Georgia. a complete of 136 people lost their lives as a results of those terrorist acts.

The link between Sovereignty and Jurisdiction of State

Any state can only exercise its sovereignty fully and exclusively within its own borders. This territorial sovereignty possesses two aspects, namely positive and negative aspects. The positive aspect of sovereignty pertains to the character of the exclusive rights associated with the competence of a state within its own territory. The negative aspect of sovereignty lies within the obligation of a state to restrain from breach of rights of another state.

The supreme power of any state is defined by their sovereignty.  The principle which is born from the definition of territorial sovereignty states that a state must be ready to execute full measures of sovereignty within its own borders.

Conclusion

Air sovereignty of a state is an integral a part of the state itself of which ownership is exclusive in nature. No-fly zone is an airspace designated by a sovereign state where flying prohibition is placed supported the applicable national and law of nations.

This article is authored by Gunjan Karn, Second-Year, B.A. LL.B. student at IIMT AND SCHOOL OF LAW, GGSIPU.

Also Read – Rule Of Law Embedded In United Nations

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