uti possidetis

from The Century Dictionary.

• noun An interdict of the civil law by which a person who was in possession of an immovable was protected against any disturbance of his possession.
• noun In international law, the basis or principle of a treaty which leaves belligerent parties in possession of what they have acquired by their arms during the war.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

• (Internat. Law) The basis or principle of a treaty which leaves belligerents mutually in possession of what they have acquired by their arms during the war.
• (Roman Law) A species of interdict granted to one who was in possession of an immovable thing, in order that he might be declared the legal possessor.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

• noun law The principle of a treaty which leaves belligerents mutually in possession of what they have acquired by force during the war.
• noun law, historical A species of interdict granted to one who was in possession of an immovable thing, in order that he might be declared the legal possessor.