International Legal Evangelism: Intelligence, Reconnaissance & Missions

independence plans. This is typically the case of the Canadian province of Québec in
the seventies, under the Parti Québécois.
Non-central governments may be allowed to negotiate and sign agreements with foreign
non-central authorities or even with the government of a foreign state. Conditions can
vary largely from a limited capacity to negotiate with the assistance of their central
authorities to a most complete autonomy based on sovereign constitutional
prerogatives.
This can not be the object of the international law. Only the internal law of the states is
to determine which internal powers are entitled to do so and to which extent. In some
states, the outward relations of their non-central governments is a constitutional matter
directly related to the issue of legal competence.
City Diplomacy
In recent years the term 'city diplomacy' has gained increased usage and acceptance,
particularly as a strand of paradiplomacy and public diplomacy. It is formally used in the
workings of the United Cities and Local Governments and the C40 Cities Climate
Leadership Group and recognised by the USC Center on Public Diplomacy. A March
2014 debate in the British House of Lords acknowledged the evolution of town twinning
into city diplomacy, particularly around trade and tourism, but also in culture and postconflict
reconciliation.
Federalism
Federative countries ordinarily set apart in their constitutions, when it comes to the
internal division of powers, matters that are exclusive of the central authority. "National
defense", "currency" and "external relations" are typically the case.
However, as cross-border contacts become an imperative for sub-national communities,
diplomacy is increasingly becoming a decentralized prerogative. Some states do
formally recognize the stakes their political and administrative units have in foreign
affairs and have, accordingly, set the required legal basis at a constitutional level. Legal
provisions on this matter are present in the constitution of the following federations:
Argentina
Austria
Belgium
Germany
Russian Federation
Switzerland
United States
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