The policy of neutrality has played different roles in different historical periods and each time has been adapted to a particular security environment. Each declared neutral country has its historical, geographical and geopolitical reasons to assume such a policy. Neutrality rests upon the principle of sovereignty: any sovereign state has the right to remain neutral in a war between other states, at least if it is not bound by conventional engagement contrary. Neutrality creates special peace-time rights and duties that come to an end with the outbreak of the war or the time when a neutral state decides to enter the war. The neutrality status equally protects neutrals and belligerents, prohibiting both from direct or indirect acts of belligerence. Such a status applies to state entities, but not territories. Permanent neutrality may be conventional (arising from the provisions conventions or treaties) or voluntary. In the latter case, the neutral state can become belligerent of its own volition, while the conventional neutrality requires the consent of otherstates which are parties of that treaty or convention.