A
neutral country in a particular
war is a
sovereign state which officially declares itself to be neutral towards the
belligerents. A
non-belligerent state does not need to be neutral. The rights and duties of a neutral power are defined in Sections 5 and 13 of the
Hague Convention of 1907. A
permanently neutral power is a sovereign state which is bound by
international treaty to be neutral towards the belligerents of all future wars. An example of a permanently neutral power is
Switzerland. The concept of neutrality in war is narrowly defined and puts specific constraints on the neutral party in return for the internationally recognised right to remain neutral.