iation process. Thus, the conduct of international relations is no longer the sole prerogative of governments, although no effective international actions will occur in the absence of participation by governments.
The conduct of international relations is also related to international law. Through international law, transnational agreements have been reached in some uncontroversial areas, such as telecommunications, mail, health, weather forecasting, air transportation, and sea transportation. The application of international law in controversial issues and issues that are perceived to impinge on national sovereignty, however, has proved to be notably ineffective. The human rights issue is a case in point. Although most nations have accepted the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the declaration is not tightly constructed, and, thus, is subject to different interpretations. This point assumes significant proportions when Western governments and organizations attempt to impose their own ethnocentric perspectives on Eastern societies.
International relations are largely as
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