Just read about the tragic tree pruning border incident on the Israel-Lebanon border in The Independent (4/8/10). Apparently the Israel forces began pruning a tree in 'no man's territory' as it obscured their CCTV view of the Lebanon border. The Lebanon forces did not like the 'infringement' and the Israeli forces did not like the warning shots. The border is one of the hottest areas in the world regarding potential conflict and the incident sadly ended with five dead, including a journalist, with both sides having to explain the incident to grieving loved ones.
I'm not a diplomat, but a practical person and when it comes to pruning a tree, Casey Tree Care would make sure that we communicate with everyone who might have a concern regarding trees. There are legal obligations regarding what you can and cannot do with a tree depending on what time of year it is e.g. bird nesting period. Also neighbours and local authorities like to know what's going on depending on the age of the tree and whether it has a preservation order or is regarded as a major icon in the village/surrounding area.
In the case of the Israel-Lebanon 'infringement' incident, if I was going to do a spot of pruning in a highly charged environment, I think I would have communicated with my neighbours what I intended to do and made it clear that it is only pruning and not land grabbing. Better still, I would have let the UN do the pruning so that both parties can be assured that it was only vegatation clearance and nothing to do with changing UN border lines.