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United Nations Security Council consists of 15 UN member states. Five powers - Russia, USA, Great Britain, China and France - are permanent members of the Council. The General Assembly elects 10 other states as non-permanent members of the Council for a two-year term. In the election of non-permanent members of the Council, the participation of these states in the maintenance of international peace, as well as fair geographical distribution, shall be taken into account. The Security Council has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. In the performance of his duties, he acts on behalf of all UN Member States. All UN member states have agreed to abide by and implement the decisions of the Security Council. Unlike other UN bodies that make recommendations to states, only the Security Council has the right to make decisions that member states are required by the Charter to comply with. The UN Security Council ensures that non-member states act in accordance with the principles of the UN in order to maintain international peace.
Each member of the Security Council has one vote. Decisions of the Council on procedural issues are taken by the votes of 9 members of the Council. Decisions of the Council on all other matters are considered adopted when they are voted by nine members of the Council, including the concurring votes of all the permanent members of the Council. This means that if one or more permanent members of the Council vote "against", then even if there are nine positive votes of other members of the Council, the decision will not be made, that is, a "veto" will be applied to it. In other words, 9 votes and no “against” votes among the permanent members are required for the Council to take decisions on matters of substance. All five permanent members of the Council have exercised their veto power at one time or another. If a permanent member of the Council does not fully agree with the proposed decision, but does not want to block it by veto, he may abstain, thus allowing the decision to be taken if it receives the required 9 yes votes. A party to the dispute must abstain from voting in the Council if we are talking on the resolution of local disputes by means of regional agreements; and on the recommendations of means of amicable settlement of disputes that could lead to international friction. Disputes of a legal nature should, as a general rule, be referred by the parties to the International Court of Justice.
According to the Charter, the Security Council has the following functions and powers:
- maintain international peace and security in accordance with the principles and purposes of the United Nations;
- investigate any dispute or any situation that could lead to international friction;
- make recommendations on the methods of resolving such disputes or the conditions for their resolution;
- determine the existence of a threat to the peace or an act of aggression and make recommendations regarding necessary measures;
- call on the members of the Organization to implement economic sanctions and other measures not related to the use of force to prevent or stop aggression;
- take military action against the aggressor;
- make recommendations regarding the admission of new members;
- make recommendations to the General Assembly regarding the appointment of the Secretary-General and, jointly with the Assembly, select the judges of the International Court of Justice.
The Security Council is empowered to consider any dispute or situation to determine whether the continuation of that dispute or situation may threaten the maintenance of international peace and, if necessary, to recommend to the parties a procedure, methods or terms for a settlement (Articles 33 and 34 of the UN Charter). The Security Council also determines the existence of any threat to the peace, any breach of the peace or act of aggression, and makes recommendations or decides what measures should be taken to maintain or restore international peace and security. Previously, he may require the parties to implement provisional measures to prevent the deterioration of the situation (Articles 39 and 40 of the UN Charter). He is further empowered to decide what measures, not related to the use of armed forces, should be applied, including a complete or partial interruption of economic relations, rail, sea, air, postal, telegraph, radio and other means of communication, as well as the severance of diplomatic relations (Article 41 of the Charter UN). If the Security Council considers that the above measures are insufficient, it is empowered to take such action by air, sea or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace, including demonstrations, blockades and other operations by air, sea or ground forces UN member states (Article 42 of the UN Charter).
Thus, the Security Council plays a major and decisive role in UN peacekeeping. Only this UN body is authorized to take action and, if necessary, use force to maintain international peace. As a rule, when a threat to peace arises, the Council first seeks to reach an agreement and resolve the situation by peaceful means. He can himself formulate the principles of a peaceful settlement and recommend them to the parties to the conflict. In carrying out mediation functions, he can send a mission, appoint a special representative, or invite the UN Secretary General to mediate. If a dispute escalates into hostilities, the Council will first of all seek to bring it to an end as soon as possible, and to this end may issue instructions or orders for a cease-fire and a truce that may prevent an escalation of the conflict. In doing so, the Council may also send military observers or a UN peacekeeping force to ease tensions, disengage opposing forces, and create a calm environment in which peaceful solutions can be sought.
Unlike other UN bodies that work by meeting in session, the Security Council is organized so that it can function continuously. Therefore, each of the member states of the Council must always be represented at the seat of the UN. The Council can meet not only at the UN Headquarters in New York: in 1972 he held meetings in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), in 1973 in Panama (Panama), in 1990 in Geneva (Switzerland). If necessary, the Security Council creates for its work standing committees, open-ended committees, committees on sanctions, working groups, as well as international tribunals. There are currently three standing committees in the Council, each of which includes representatives of all member states of the Security Council:
- Security Council Committee on Council Meetings Away from Headquarters
- Committee for the Admission of New Members
- Committee of Experts of the Security Council.
As necessary, open-ended committees are established, which include all members of the Council:
- Counter-Terrorism Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001) of 28 September 2001
- Committee for the Prevention of the Proliferation of Nuclear, Chemical or biological weapons and its means of delivery (1540 Committee)
- Board of Governors of the United Nations Compensation Commission established pursuant to Security Council resolution 692 (1991).
In addition, there are 12 sanctions committees:
- Bureau of Sanctions Committees (2008)
- Afghanistan [Al-Qaeda and Taliban] - Resolution 1267 (1999)
- Democratic Republic of the Congo - Resolution 1533 (2004)
- Iraq - Resolution 1518 (2003)
- Iran - Resolution 1737 (2006)
- Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Resolution 1718 (2006)
- Côte d'Ivoire - Resolution 1572 (2004)
- Liberia - Resolution 1521 (2003)
- Lebanon - Resolution 1636 (2005)
- Rwanda - Resolution 918 (1994)
- Somalia - Resolution 751 (1992)
- Sudan - Resolution 1591 (2005)
On questions about peacekeeping operations and on other issues, working groups were created:
Similar information.
Competence. According to Art. 23 of the UN Charter, the Security Council consists of 15 members of the Organization. Of these, 5 are permanent, namely: Russia, China, France, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, USA. The General Assembly elects 10 other UN members as non-permanent members. The latter are elected for a term of two years and, in their election, due regard shall be paid to the degree of participation of the candidates in the maintenance of international peace and security and in the achievement of other purposes of the Organization, as well as to equitable geographical distribution.
The seats of non-permanent members of the Council are distributed as follows: from Asia and Africa - 5 members, Eastern Europe - 1, Latin America and the Caribbean - 2, Western Europe, Canada, New Zealand and Australia - 2 member.
AT last years at the sessions General Assembly the issue of increasing the number of members of the Security Council to 20 or more, including permanent members to 7-10, is being very actively discussed.
In order to ensure prompt and effective action, the Members of the United Nations confer on the Security Council primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security and agree that, in discharging its duties arising from this responsibility, the Security Council shall act on their behalf.
The Security Council submits annual reports to the General Assembly and, as required, special reports.
The Security Council will be able, in accordance with its responsibilities under the UN Charter, to maintain and strengthen international peace and security only if the decisions of the Council enjoy the full support of the international community and if the parties to the conflicts implement these decisions in full 1 .
The functions and powers of the Security Council are as follows:
a) maintain international peace and security in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN;
b) investigate any disputes or situations that may cause international friction;
d) develop plans for the establishment of a system of arms regulation, determine the existence of a threat to the peace or an act of aggression and make recommendations on measures to be taken;
e) call on the UN member states to apply economic sanctions and other measures not related to the use of armed forces to prevent or stop aggression;
f) take military action against the aggressor;
h) to carry out trusteeship functions of the United Nations in strategic areas;
j) submit annual and special reports to the General Assembly.
The role of the UN, and in particular the Security Council, in maintaining peace and ensuring international security boils down to the following four activities.
1. Preventive diplomacy- these are actions aimed at preventing the emergence of disputes between the parties, preventing the escalation of existing disputes into conflicts and limiting the scope of conflicts after they arise. In accordance with General Assembly Resolution A/Res/47/120 A of 18 December 1992, preventive diplomacy may require measures such as confidence-building, early warning, fact-finding and other measures, the implementation of which should properly combine consultations with States members, tact, confidentiality, objectivity and transparency.
2. Peacekeeping- these are actions aimed at inducing the warring parties to an agreement, mainly through such peaceful means as are provided for in Chapter VI of the Charter UN.
3. Keeping the peace- this is the provision of a UN presence in a given area, which is associated with the deployment of UN military and (or) police personnel, and often civilian personnel.
4. Peacebuilding in times of conflict- these are actions aimed at preventing the outbreak of violence between countries and peoples after the elimination of a conflict or conflict situation.
According to UN, these four activities together, with the support of all members, can be a holistic contribution UN to peace in the spirit of its Charter.
When the Security Council is informed of a threat to the peace, it asks the parties to reach an agreement by peaceful means. The Council may act as a mediator or formulate principles for the settlement of a dispute. He may request the Secretary-General to investigate and report on the situation. In the event of the outbreak of hostilities, the Security Council shall take measures to ensure a ceasefire. It can, with the consent of the parties concerned, send peacekeeping missions to conflict areas to ease tensions and disengage opposing forces. The Security Council has the right to deploy peacekeeping forces to prevent the resumption of conflict. It has the power to enforce its decisions by imposing economic sanctions and deciding to apply collective military measures.
The legal status of the UN peacekeeping forces is determined by an agreement between UN and the host state. Under these agreements, once the Security Council decides to establish a peacekeeping operation, the Member States concerned are required to contribute to the implementation of the operation's mandate.
According to Art. 5 and 6 of the Charter, the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the Security Council, may suspend the exercise of the rights and privileges belonging to a state as a member of the organization if measures of a preventive or enforcement nature have been taken against it by the Security Council. A UN Member State that systematically violates the principles enshrined in the Charter may be expelled from the Organization by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council. The Security Council acts on behalf of all members of the Organization. In accordance with Art. 25 of the Charter, the members of the Organization agree to "obey and carry out the decisions of the Security Council." According to Art. 43 they undertake to place at the disposal of the Security Council, at its request and in accordance with a special agreement or agreements, the armed forces, assistance and appropriate facilities, including the right of passage, necessary for the maintenance of international peace and security. Such an agreement or agreements shall determine the strength and type of troops, their degree of readiness and their general disposition, and the nature of the facilities and assistance to be provided.
The UN Charter gives the Security Council the right to apply provisional and coercive measures. Interim measures are intended to prevent deterioration of the situation and must not prejudice the rights, claims or position of the parties concerned. Such measures may include requiring the parties to cease hostilities, withdraw troops to certain lines, and resort to some form of peaceful settlement procedure, including entering into direct negotiations, recourse to arbitration, the use of regional organizations and bodies. Temporary measures are not coercive. They are not legally binding on the parties, but the Security Council, in accordance with Art. 40 of the UN Charter "takes due account of the failure to comply with these provisional measures".
Coercive measures are subdivided into measures not related to the use of armed forces and actions involving the use of armed forces (Articles 41 and 22 of the Charter). Their application is the exclusive competence of the Security Council, which constitutes one of its most important powers.
In accordance with Art. 41 of the Charter, coercive measures not related to the use of armed forces may include a complete or partial interruption of economic relations, rail, sea, air, postal, telegraph, radio and other means of communication, severance of diplomatic relations, as well as other measures of a similar nature.
In cases where the above measures become insufficient or ineffective, the Security Council, on the basis of Art. 42 of the Charter has the right to take the actions necessary for the maintenance of international peace and security by the armed forces of the United Nations. All members of the United Nations undertake to place at the disposal of the Security Council, at its request, armed forces, assistance and appropriate facilities, including the right of passage through the territory, territorial waters and air space. A special type of coercive measure is the suspension of the rights and privileges of any member of the UN in respect of which the Security Council has taken a decision on coercive action. Such a measure is also expulsion from the membership of the UN for violation of the Charter (Article 6).
Order work. The Security Council meets almost daily to review issues on its agenda, warn of threats to peace, take various measures to control and resolve conflicts, and mobilize regional and international support for these actions. In order to ensure the continuity of work, each member of the Security Council must be represented at the seat of the UN at all times. Any state that is not a member of the Security Council may participate in its meetings without the right to vote if the issue under discussion in any way affects the interests of this member of the Organization. A non-member state of the UN may be invited to meetings of the Council if it is a party to a dispute considered by the Security Council. Moreover, he sets such conditions for the participation of a state - a non-member of the Organization, which he finds fair.
Meetings of the Security Council, with the exception of periodic meetings (such meetings are held twice a year), are convened by the President at any time when the latter considers it necessary. However, the interval between meetings should be no more than 14 days.
The Chairman convenes a meeting of the Security Council in cases where: a) any dispute or situation is brought to the attention of the Security Council in accordance with Art. 35 or paragraph 3 of Art. 11 of the UN Charter; b) The General Assembly makes recommendations or refers any issue to the Security Council in accordance with paragraph 2 of Art. eleven; c) The Secretary General draws the attention of the Security Council to any matter in accordance with Art. 99 of the UN Charter.
The meetings of the Security Council are usually held at the seat of the UN (ie New York). However, any member of the Council or the Secretary-General may propose that the Security Council meet elsewhere. If the Security Council accepts such a proposal, it shall decide on the place and duration for which the Council shall meet at that place.
The chairmanship of the Security Council is exercised by its members in turn in the English alphabetical order of their names. Each chairman holds this post for one calendar month.
English, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, Russian and French are both official and working languages of the Security Council. Speeches delivered in one of the six languages are translated into the other five languages.
Decisions and resolutions. Each member of the Security Council has one vote. Substantive decisions require a majority of nine votes, but this number must include the votes of all five permanent members of the Security Council. This is the essence of the principle of unanimity of the five great powers. This principle is of particular importance for the successful functioning of the entire security system within the UN. It places on the Great Powers the primary responsibility for the efficiency of the Organization. The USSR (and now Russia) and the US used their veto power quite often.
The Security Council makes decisions and recommendations at its meetings. In any case, they are referred to as resolutions, which are legally binding (Art. 25, 48, etc.).
subsidiary bodies. According to Art. 29 of the Charter, the Security Council may establish such subsidiary bodies as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions.
All these organs are divided into two groups: permanent and temporary. The permanent ones include the Military Staff Committee, the Committee of Experts, the Committee for the Admission of New Members, the Committee on the Question of Meetings of the Security Council away from Headquarters.
Among the permanent bodies, the most important is the Military Staff Committee (MSC), the status of which is defined in Art. 47 of the Charter. It draws up plans for the employment of armed forces, advises and assists the Security Council in all matters relating to the military needs of the Security Council in the maintenance of international peace and security, the use of troops placed at its disposal, the command of them, as well as the regulation of armaments and possible disarmament.
This committee consists of the chiefs of staff of the permanent members of the Security Council or their representatives. Any Member of the Organization not permanently represented on a committee shall be invited by the latter to cooperate with it if the effective performance of the duties of the committee requires the participation of such Member State in the work of the committee.
The MSC is subordinate to the Security Council and is responsible for the strategic direction of any armed forces placed at the disposal of the Council.
The committee usually meets once every two weeks. However, this rule is violated. Interim bodies are established by the Security Council to investigate a specific situation and prepare a comprehensive report. They hold their meetings as needed. As an example, we note the Commission of Inquiry into the aggression committed by mercenaries against the Republic Seychelles(established in 1981), Committee to study the problem of small states in connection with the question of the possibility of their admission to the United Nations (established in 1969)
The status of the UN peacekeeping forces. The first UN peacekeeping operation was an observer mission headquartered in Jerusalem, the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), established in May 1948 and still in operation. Since 1948, the UN has carried out about 40 peacekeeping operations on four continents. Among the largest were operations in the Congo (now Zaire), Cambodia, Somalia and the former Yugoslavia. There are currently 16 operations involving about 70,000 people from 77 UN member countries. Since 1948, more than 720,000 military personnel have served in the UN forces, and several thousand civilian employees have also been involved.
In 1991 Somalia began Civil War, which led to the death of more than 300 thousand people, and 5 million people were at risk of starvation. To eliminate mass starvation and prevent mass slaughter of the population in 1992, the Organization established the UN operation in Somalia (UNOSOM). In 1993, instead of UNOSOM, UNIKOM-2 was formed a to restore order, promote reconciliation and rebuild civil society and the Somali economy.
In 1992, to help implement a peace agreement between the government and the Mozambican National Resistance, the Security Council established the United Nations Operation in Mozambique (ONUMOZ). ONUMOZ monitored the ceasefire, monitored the demobilization of combatants, coordinated humanitarian aid. ONUMOZ successfully completed its mission in January 1995.
The UN helped end the 12-year conflict in Cambodia. More than 21 thousand peacekeepers from 100 countries took part in the UN operation in Cambodia. In accordance with the 1991 Agreements, the UN established the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC). Its task was to monitor the ceasefire, disarm combatants, repatriate refugees, organize and hold free and fair elections. The task of UNTAC was successfully completed and in September 1993 it was liquidated.
The UN played an important role in ending the 8-year war between Iran and Iraq. Mediation efforts by the Security Council and the Secretary-General led in August 1988 to a ceasefire and the acceptance by both countries of the 1987 UN peace plan. After the ceasefire, United Nations military observers were stationed between the two opposing armies as part of the United Nations Iran-Iraq Group of Military Observers (UNIIH) to monitor the cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of troops. UNIGV ended its activities in 1991.
The UN has played a similar peacekeeping role in Afghanistan. At the end of negotiations that lasted for six years, which were held by the personal representative of the Secretary General, Ambassador D. Cordoves, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the USSR and the USA in April 1988 signed agreements aimed at resolving the conflict. To check the implementation of the agreements, the UN sent observers, who are part of the UN good offices mission in Afghanistan and Pakistan. With the completion of the withdrawal Soviet troops in accordance with the schedule in 1989, the task of the mission was completed.
The UN has made many efforts to resolve the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. In an effort to help restore peace, the Organization imposed an arms embargo in 1991, and the Secretary-General and his personal representative assisted in finding ways to resolve the crisis. The United Nations Peacekeeping Force (UNPROFOR), deployed in 1992, sought to create conditions for peace and security in Croatia, facilitated the delivery of humanitarian aid to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and helped to prevent the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia from being drawn into conflict. In 1995, UNPROFOR was divided into three operations covering three countries. As UN-sponsored negotiations continued, UN peacekeeping forces and UN agencies made efforts to maintain the ceasefire, protect the population and provide humanitarian assistance.
In early 1995, UN Blue Helmets were also present in many other "hot" areas. UN missions have sought to contribute to security and reconciliation in Rwanda (UNAMIR, established in 1993), peace in Angola (UNAVEM, 1989), referendum monitoring in Western Sahara (MINURSO, 1991) and restoration of normal conditions in Cyprus (UNFICYP, 1974).
Military observers were in Tajikistan (UNMIT, established in 1994), Liberia (UNOMIL, 1993), Georgia (UNOMIG, 1993), on the Iraqi-Kuwait border (UNIKOM, 1991) and in the state Jammu and Kashmir - on the cease-fire line between India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP, 1949). The UN does not have its own armed forces. According to the Charter, the Security Council concludes agreements with states on placing military contingents and related facilities at its disposal.
The General Assembly, in its Resolution A/Res/48/42 of 10 December 1993, instructed the Secretary-General to include in agreements concluded with troop-contributing States an article under which those States shall take measures to personnel of their contingents participating in UN peacekeeping operations, had a full understanding of the principles and norms of the relevant section international law, in particular international humanitarian law, and the principles and purposes of the UN Charter.
These forces are used in the common interest of all UN member states. They are necessary in order to respond to direct aggression, whether imminent or actual. However, in practice, there is often a situation where ceasefire agreements are concluded, but they are not respected. In this case, the Organization is forced to send military units to restore and ceasefire. According to the UN, there is a need for the Security Council to use peace enforcement units in well-defined circumstances and with predetermined terms of reference. Such units, provided by Member States, could be used at the request of the States concerned and be composed of volunteers who have expressed a desire to enter into such service. The deployment and operations of such forces must be subject to the authorization of the Security Council; as well as peacekeeping forces, they would be under the command of the UN Secretary-General. Such peace enforcement units should not be confused with the forces that may eventually be created under Art. 42 and 43 to respond to acts of aggression, or with military personnel that Governments may agree to have as a reserve force to be made available to peacekeeping operations. Peacekeeping is often a prelude to peacekeeping, just as the deployment of UN forces on the ground can enhance conflict prevention, support peacekeeping efforts and, in many cases, serve as a precondition for peacekeeping.
Since 1948, more than 750 thousand people from 110 states have been involved in the UN peacekeeping forces. Of these, about 2 thousand people died.
UN Security Council, composition of the UN Security Council, functions and powers of the UN Security Council
The history of the creation of the UN Security Council, permanent and non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, historical decisions of the UN Security Council
Section 1. United Nations Security Council.
The UN Security Council is a permanent body of the United Nations, which, in accordance with Article 24 of the UN Charter, is entrusted with the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. It is one of the six "principal organs" of the United Nations.
UN Security Council is permanent political body of the United Nations. It consists of 15 members, 5 of them are permanent (Great Britain, France, USA, Russia, China), the remaining 10 are non-permanent, elected by the GA for 2 years. The Council acts on behalf of the member states of the UN. Allotted to him the main role in the peaceful resolution of disputes. Decisions on issues of procedure in the Council are made if at least 9 out of 15 members of the UN Security Council voted for them, but 5 votes of the permanent members must coincide, which means that it is enough for one member of the Security Council to vote against, and the decision is considered rejected. The UN Security Council is endowed with broad powers. he can make decisions not only of a recommendatory nature, but also legally binding decisions for states. It has the primary responsibility for maintaining peace and security. can make decisions of a coercive nature make recommendations on the procedure for resolving disputes, on admission to UN membership and on expulsion from the UN, develop plans for the creation of a system of arms regulation, etc. Permanent members of the UN Security Council are vested with the right of veto.
United Nations Security Council
The Security Council held its first meeting on 17 January 1946 at Church House, Westminster, London. On April 4, 1952, the first meeting of the Security Council was held at the UN Headquarters in New York, and since then this place has been its permanent residence. The Security Council has convened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (1972), Panama, Panama (1973), Geneva, Switzerland (1990) and Nairobi, Kenya (2004).
The emergence of the UN was due to a number of objective factors of the military-strategic, political, economic development of human society at the end of the second millennium. The creation of the UN was the embodiment of the eternal dream of mankind for such a device and organization of international community that would save mankind from the endless series of wars and ensure peaceful living conditions for peoples, their progressive advancement along the path of socio-economic progress, prosperity and development, free from fear for the future. .
The beginning of the discussion and development of the problem of the general organization of labor and security was laid by the Atlantic Party, signed by US President F.D. the first formulated an extremely important task facing peace-loving states, namely “to determine ways and means for organizing international relations and the post-war order of the world”.
The first intergovernmental document adopted during the Second World War, which put forward the idea of creating a new international security organization, was the Declaration of the Government Soviet Union and the Government of the Polish Republic on Friendship and Mutual Assistance, signed in Moscow on December 4, 1941. It pointed out that a lasting and just world could only be achieved by a new organization of international relations, based not on the unification of democratic countries in a lasting alliance. When creating such an organization, the decisive moment should be "respect for international law, supported by the collective armed force of all Allied States."
January 1, 1942 In Washington, the Declaration of the United Nations was signed by 26 member states of the anti-Hitler coalition, including the USSR, on joint efforts in the fight against Nazi Germany, fascist Italy and militaristic Japan. The name "United Nations" was later proposed for the new organization by US President R.D. Roosevelt and was officially used for the UN Charter.
At the suggestion of the US government in August - September 1944 in Dumbarton Oaks, on the outskirts of Washington, a conference of four powers - the USSR, Great Britain, the USA and China was held, at which the agreed text of the final document was signed: "Proposal for the creation of the General International Security Organization". These proposals served as the basis for the development of the UN Charter.
During the work of the Conference in San Francisco on April 25, 1945. The text of the UN Charter was prepared, which was signed on June 26, 1945. From the day the UN Charter came into force on October 24, 1945, when the last 29th instrument of ratification of the USSR was deposited with the US Government, the beginning of the existence of the UN is officially counted. By decision of the General Assembly, adopted in 1947. The day of entry into force of the UN Charter was officially declared "United Nations Day", which is solemnly celebrated annually in the countries - members of the UN.
The UN Charter embodies democratic ideals, which finds expression, in particular, in the fact that it affirms faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equality of men and women, and enshrines the equality of large and small peoples. The UN Charter establishes as its main objectives the maintenance of international peace and security, the settlement by peaceful means, in accordance with the principles of justice and international law, of international disputes and situations. It determines that the UN is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its members, that all members faithfully fulfill their obligations under the Charter in order to provide them all in the aggregate with the rights and benefits arising from membership in the Organization, that all members must resolve by and refrain from the threat of force or its application, and that the UN has the right to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state. The UN Charter emphasizes the open nature of the Organization, whose members can be all peace-loving states.
Each of the members of the Security Council should have a representative at United Nations Headquarters at all times so that the Council can meet at any time the need arises.
Under the Charter, the Security Council bears the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. The Security Council consists of fifteen members of the Organization. Each member of the Security Council has one vote. The Members of the Organization agree, in accordance with this Charter, to abide by and carry out the decisions of the Security Council.
The Security Council plays a leading role in determining whether there is a threat to the peace or an act of aggression. It calls on the parties to the dispute to settle it amicably, and recommends methods of settlement or terms of settlement. In some cases, the Security Council may resort to sanctions or even authorize the use of force in order to maintain or restore international peace and security.
In addition, the Council makes recommendations to the General Assembly regarding the appointment of a new Secretary-General and the admission of new members to the UN. The General Assembly and the Security Council elect the judges of the International Court of Justice.
The Charter of the United Nations provides for the creation of six principal organs of the United Nations, including the Security Council. It gives primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security to the Security Council, which can meet at any time when there is a threat to peace.
According to the Charter, the United Nations has four purposes:
maintain international peace and security;
develop friendly relations between nations;
cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights;
to be the center for coordinating the actions of nations.
All members of the United Nations agree to abide by and comply with the decisions of the Security Council. While other organs of the United Nations make recommendations to Member States, only the Security Council has the power to make decisions that Member States are then bound by the Charter.
Maintaining peace and security
When a complaint about a threat to the peace is made to the Council, it usually first recommends that the parties try to reach an agreement by peaceful means. The Council may:
establish principles for achieving such agreement;
in some cases, conduct investigations and mediate;
direct missions;
appoint special envoys; or
to ask the Secretary-General to provide it good offices to reach an amicable resolution of the dispute.
If a dispute leads to hostilities, the Council's first concern is to put an end to it as soon as possible. In this case, the Council may:
issue ceasefire instructions that can help prevent the escalation of the conflict;
send military observers or peacekeepers to help de-escalate tensions, disengage opposing forces and create a calm environment in which to seek a peaceful solution.
In addition, the Council may turn to coercive measures, including:
the imposition of economic sanctions, arms embargoes, financial penalties and travel restrictions and bans;
rupture of diplomatic relations;
or even collective military action.
The focus is on targeting measures primarily at those responsible for policies and practices condemned by the international community, while minimizing the impact of the measures taken on other parts of the population and the economy.
Functions and powers
According to the Charter, the Security Council has the following functions and powers:
maintain international peace and security in accordance with the principles and purposes of the United Nations;
investigate any dispute or any situation that could lead to international friction;
develop plans for determining the existence of a threat to the peace or an act of aggression and make recommendations for the necessary measures;
call on the members of the Organization to implement economic sanctions and other measures not related to the use of force to prevent or stop aggression;
take military action against the aggressor;
to exercise United Nations trusteeship functions in "strategic areas";
The relevant articles of the Charter of the United Nations contain Additional Information regarding the Security Council.
Article 29 of the Charter of the United Nations provides that the Security Council may establish such subsidiary organs as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions. This is also reflected in rule 28 of the Council's Provisional Rules of Procedure.
All current committees and working groups are composed of 15 members of the Council. While the chair of the standing committees is the President of the Council, whose position is rotated monthly, the chairs or co-chairs of other committees and working groups are appointed members of the Council, whose names are presented annually in a note by the President of the Security Council.
The mandates of the subsidiary bodies, whether committees or working groups, range from procedural matters (eg documentation and procedures, meetings away from Headquarters) to substantive matters (eg sanctions regimes, counter-terrorism, peacekeeping operations).
The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) are subsidiary organs of the Security Council within the meaning of Article 29 of the Charter. As such, they are dependent on the United Nations for administration and financial matters However, as judicial bodies, they are independent of any state or group of states, including the body that established them - the Security Council.
Counter-Terrorism and Non-Proliferation Committees
Counter-Terrorism Committee established pursuant to resolution 1373 (2001)
Committee to Prevent the Proliferation of Nuclear, Chemical or Biological Weapons and Their Means of Delivery (1540 Committee)
Military Staff Committee
The Military Staff Committee helps plan United Nations military arrangements and regulate armaments.
Sanctions committees (ad hoc)
The application of mandatory sanctions is intended to put pressure on a State or entity to adhere to the goals set by the Security Council without resorting to the use of force. Thus, for the Security Council, sanctions are one of the important tools to ensure compliance with its decisions. Because of its universal nature, the United Nations is a particularly suitable body to introduce and monitor such measures.
The Council has resorted to binding sanctions as one of the tools to enforce its decisions when peace is in danger and diplomatic efforts have proved fruitless. Sanctions include comprehensive economic and trade sanctions and/or targeted measures such as arms embargoes, travel bans, and financial or diplomatic restrictions.
Standing committees and special bodies
Standing committees are open-ended bodies and are usually established to deal with certain procedural matters, such as the admission of new members. Special committees are established for a limited period of time to deal with a particular issue.
Peacekeeping operations and political missions
A peacekeeping operation involves military, police and civilian personnel who work to provide security and political support, as well as in the early stages of peacebuilding. Peacekeeping is flexible and has been carried out in many configurations over the past two decades. The current multifaceted peacekeeping operations are designed not only to maintain peace and security, but also to promote political processes, ensure the protection of civilians, assist in the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants; to support the organization of elections, to protect and promote human rights, and to assist in the restoration of the rule of law.
Political missions are one element in a range of United Nations peace operations that operate at various stages of the conflict cycle. In some cases, after the signing of peace agreements, the political missions managed during the peace negotiation phase by the Department of Political Affairs are replaced by peacekeeping missions. In some cases, United Nations peacekeeping operations are being replaced by special political missions whose task is to monitor the implementation of longer-term peacebuilding activities.
International courts and tribunals
The Security Council established the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in 1993 following widespread violations of humanitarian law in the former Yugoslavia during hostilities. It was the first postwar court established by the United Nations to prosecute war crimes and the first war crimes tribunal since the Nuremberg and Tokyo Tribunals, which were established at the end of World War II. The Tribunal hears the cases of those individuals who are primarily responsible for such heinous acts as murder, torture, rape, enslavement and destruction of property, as well as other violent crimes. Its purpose is to ensure that justice is done for the thousands of victims and their families, and thus contribute to the establishment of lasting peace in the area. As of the end of 2011, the Tribunal had convicted 161 people.
The Security Council established the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in 1994 to prosecute those responsible for the genocide and other serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in Rwanda between 1 January and 31 December 1994. It may also prosecute Rwandan citizens who committed acts of genocide and other similar violations of international law in the territory of neighboring States during the same period. In 1998, the Tribunal for Rwanda became the first international court to pass judgment on a genocide case, and the first ever to impose a sentence for such a crime.
Advisory Subsidiary Body
The Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) is an intergovernmental advisory body that supports efforts to bring peace to countries emerging from conflict and is also an important complementary tool for the international community in its work on the broad peace agenda.
The Peacebuilding Commission has a unique role to play in terms of:
ensuring coordinated interaction between all relevant actors, including international donors, international financial institutions, national governments and troop-contributing countries;
mobilization and distribution of resources; and
The Peacebuilding Commission is an advisory subsidiary body of both the Security Council and the General Assembly.
Adopted by the Security Council at its first meeting and amended at its 31st, 41st, 42nd, 44th and 48th meetings on 9 April, 16 and 17 May, 6 and 24 June 1946; 138th and 222nd meetings on 4 June and 9 December 1947; 468th meeting 28 February 1950; 1463rd meeting, 24 January 1969; 1761st meeting, 17 January 1974; and 2410th meeting, 21 December 1982. Previous editions of the provisional rules of procedure were issued under the symbol S/96 and Rev. 1-6.
Composition of the UN Security Council
The Council consists of 15 member states - 5 permanent and 10 non-permanent, elected by the UN General Assembly for a two-year term, 5 each year. Corresponding amendments to the UN Charter were made on December 17, 1963 by the UN General Assembly resolution 1995 (XVIII) (before that, the Council included only 6 non-permanent members). According to the said resolution, the 10 non-permanent members of the Security Council are elected on a geographical basis, namely:
five - from the states of Africa and Asia;
one from states of Eastern Europe;
two from the states of Latin America;
two - from the states of Western Europe and other states.
The Presidents of the Council rotate monthly according to the list of its Member States, arranged in Latin alphabetical order.
permanent members the UN Security Council have a "right of veto".
Great Britain
Place of China until October 25, 1971 Republic of China, since 1949 controls only Taiwan and some adjacent islands.
Russia has been a permanent member of the UN Security Council since December 24, 1991 as the successor state of the USSR.
In a historical retrospective, more often than others, non-permanent members of the Security Council were elected:
Brazil, Japan - 20 years each as a member of the Security Council;
Argentina - 17;
India, Colombia, Pakistan - 14 each;
Italy, Canada - 12 each.
After finishing " cold war"and large-scale territorial changes in Europe in 1991-1992, these statistics look like this:
Argentina, Brazil, Japan - 8 each;
Germany, Pakistan - 6 each;
Gabon, Italy, Spain, Colombia, Costa Rica, Morocco, Mexico, Nigeria, Portugal, Rwanda, Chile, South Africa - 4 each.
The UN Security Council was organized in 1945 with the adoption of the UN Charter. Until 1965, the Security Council consisted of 11 members - five permanent and six non-permanent members, since 1966 the number of non-permanent members has been increased to 10.
The non-permanent members are elected on the principle of equal regional representation. The member states of the UN are divided into five groups, each of which has certain number seats on the Security Council:
African Group (54 states) - 3 seats
Asian group (53 states) - 2 seats (+ 1 permanent member seat - PRC)
Eastern European group (CEIT, 23 states) - 1 seat (+ 1 permanent member seat - Russia)
Group of Latin American and Caribbean States (GRULAC, 33 states) - 2 seats
Group of Western European and Other States (WEOG, 28 states) - 2 seats (+ 3 permanent member seats - USA, UK, France)
One seat in the group of states of Western Europe and other states must be given to a Western European state. Representative Arab States alternately selected from the African and Asian groups.
Until 1966, there was another division into regional groups: Latin American group (2 places), Western European group (1 place), Eastern Europe and Asia group (1 place), Middle East group (1 place), Commonwealth group (1 place).
Non-permanent members of the UN are elected by the UN General Assembly for a period of two years, each year by one five. One State cannot hold the seat of a non-permanent member for more than one consecutive term.
The Security Council is authorized to "investigate any dispute or any situation which may give rise to international friction or give rise to a dispute, to determine whether the continuation of this dispute or situation may not threaten the maintenance of international peace and security." It "determines the existence of any threat to the peace, any breach of the peace or act of aggression, and makes recommendations or decides what measures should be taken to maintain or restore international peace and security." The Council has the right to apply coercive measures against states that violate international peace and security, including those related to the use armed forces. Article 25 of the UN Charter states: "The Members of the United Nations agree, in accordance with this Charter, to be bound by and to carry out the decisions of the Security Council." Thus, the decisions of the Security Council are binding on all states, since at present almost all generally recognized states are members of the UN. globe. At the same time, all other UN bodies can only make advisory decisions.
In practice, the activity of the Security Council in maintaining peace and security consists in determining certain sanctions against violating states (including military operations against them); the introduction of peacekeeping units into conflict zones; organization of post-conflict settlement, including the introduction of an international administration in the conflict zone.
Security Council decisions (except for procedural ones) require 9 votes out of 15, including the concurring votes of all permanent members. This means that each of the five permanent members of the Security Council has the right to veto the decisions of the Council. At the same time, the abstention of a permanent member from voting is not considered an obstacle to the adoption of a decision.
As a rule, Security Council decisions are formalized in the form of resolutions.
The resolution of the UN Security Council is a legal act of the Security Council, one of the main organs of the United Nations. Adopted by voting of members of the Security Council. The resolution is adopted on the condition that at least 9 votes (out of 15 members of the Council) are cast in favor of it, and at the same time none of the permanent members of the Security Council (UK, China, Russia, USA and France) voted against.
Resolutions of the UN Security Council may relate to the current activities of the UN (for example, the election of members of the International Court of Justice), but are more often adopted as part of the work of the Security Council to ensure the peaceful resolution of international disputes, eliminate threats international peace and security. The Security Council resolution may impose sanctions aimed at restoring peace and security. In particular, the resolution may authorize military measures against the offending state, establish international tribunals, approve the mandates of peacekeeping forces, and impose restrictive measures (asset freezes, travel bans) on individuals.
Security Council resolutions adopted in accordance with Chapter VII of the UN Charter ("Actions with regard to threats to the peace, violations of the peace and acts of aggression") are binding on all members of the UN. In Russia, resolutions requiring action at the national level are implemented through the issuance of a relevant presidential decree.
The reform of the UN Security Council implies a variety of proposals, including procedural reforms, such as its expansion, limiting the veto power available to the five permanent members. In practice, it usually means a plan to reorganize the structure or expand the number of members.
In March 2003, Russian Foreign Minister I. Ivanov stated that “Russia has repeatedly stressed that, like any living organism, the UN and its Security Council need to be reformed in accordance with the changes that took place in the world during the second half of the last century in order to to reflect the real alignment of forces in the world and increase the effectiveness of the Security Council and the UN as a whole.” Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov noted in 2005 that "Russia stands for the expansion of the UN Security Council to take place. But only on the basis of a broad agreement."
China's main position on reform is the following (as of 2004): 1. The UN Security Council must carry out the necessary reform; 2) when reforming the UN Security Council, it is necessary primarily to strengthen the representation of developing countries. Because in today's world the influence of developing countries is gradually expanding, but such a change has not been fully embodied in the UN Security Council; 3) the reform of the UN Security Council is important question on which a consensus should be reached among its members.
The General Assembly Working Group on Reform of the UN Security Council has released a report (concerning more equal representation and increased membership of the Security Council) recommending a compromise solution to implement intergovernmental reform negotiations.
The report is built on the basis of existing changed realities ( transition period) in order to propose the concept of "time perspective". The "time perspective" implies that the member states will start negotiations, the results of which should be included in short-term intergovernmental agreements. Crucial to the "time perspective" is the task of convening a review conference - a forum to discuss changes to any reforms that need to be implemented in the near future and to reach agreements that could not be reached until now.
In March 2003, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov stated that "Russia has repeatedly stressed that, like any living organism, the UN and its Security Council need to be reformed in accordance with the changes that took place in the world during the second half of the last century since in order to reflect the real alignment of forces in the world and increase the effectiveness of the Security Council and the UN as a whole."
On September 15, 2004, Kofi Annan, who served as UN Secretary-General, made a statement about the need to reform the UN Security Council. This led to a real battle for the status of permanent members of the Security Council.
On September 22, 2004, before the start of the 59th session of the UN General Assembly, Brazilian President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi made a joint statement, noting the intention of their countries to receive permanent representation in the Security Council: Japan and Germany - as one of the most developed industrial countries in the world and the main sponsors of the UN; India - as a country with a billion people, rapidly developing high technology and nuclear weapons and Brazil as the largest country in Latin America. They also believe that the structure of the Security Council, established in 1946, is hopelessly outdated, and consider it necessary to increase the number of permanent members of the Security Council with veto power in order to effectively resist new global threats. This group of countries is the so-called "four" - G4.
Meanwhile, Indonesia said that it should be represented in the Security Council as the most populous (230 million people) Muslim country planets. And Italy came up with a proposal to provide a permanent seat for the entire European Union with the right to transfer powers from one EU state to another. In addition, three African countries - South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria, who are going to represent their continent in the Security Council, also announced their claims. This group of countries is the so-called "five" - G5.
Brazil, Germany, India and Japan have been pushing for UN reform and expansion of the Security Council since the mid-1990s. In May 2005, they proposed to the UN General Assembly a draft resolution increasing the number of members of the Security Council from 15 to 25, and the number of countries sitting on it permanently from five to 11. In addition to the initiators of the reform themselves, two African states are counting on permanent membership. Possible candidates are Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa.
China, the US, Russia, France and the UK oppose the expansion of the Security Council. Washington is opposed in principle to an increase in the number of members of the Security Council, as this will complicate the decision-making process.
On June 9, 2005, the Quartet submitted an amended draft resolution for consideration by the UN General Assembly, according to which new permanent members of the UN Security Council will be deprived of the right to veto for the next 15 years.
The issue of expanding the UN Security Council was discussed informally at the G8 summit on July 6-8, 2005 in Gleneagles (Scotland).
In order to exert pressure on a state whose actions endanger international peace or constitute a breach of the peace, the Council may decide and require the UN Maples to apply measures not related to the use of armed forces, such as a complete or partial interruption of economic relations, railway, sea, air, postal, telegraph, radio or other means of communication, as well as rupture of diplomatic relations. If such measures are considered insufficient by the Council, or have already proven insufficient, it is empowered to take action involving the use of air, sea and land forces. These actions may include demonstrations, blockades, operations by the armed forces of UN members, etc. The Council makes recommendations on the admission of states to UN members, on the exclusion from UN members that systematically violate the principles of the UN Charter, on the suspension of the exercise of the rights and privileges belonging to a member of the UN, if it takes action of a preventive or enforcement nature against that member. The Council makes recommendations to the UN General Assembly regarding the appointment of the UN Secretary General, selects with it the members of the UN International Court of Justice and may take measures to enforce the decision of this Court, which this or that state has refused to comply with. According to the Charter, the Council can take, in addition to recommendations, legally binding decisions, the implementation of which is ensured by the coercive power of all UN member states. Each member of the Council has one vote. Decisions on procedural issues are taken by the Council if at least 9 of any of its members vote for them. Decisions on matters of substance are considered adopted if at least 9 members voted for them, including the concurring votes of all 5 permanent members. If at least one permanent member votes against, the decision is considered rejected. The basis of the activities of the Council and the entire UN is the principle of unanimity of the permanent members of the Council. According to the UN Charter, the Security Council must function continuously and carry out prompt and effective action on behalf of the UN members. To this end, each member of the Council is obliged to permanently reside at the seat of the UN. During the entire existence of the UN, there has not been practically a single important international event that jeopardized the peace and security of peoples or caused disputes and disagreements between states that the attention of the Council would not be drawn to, and a significant number of them became the subject of consideration at meetings of the Security Council.
Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council operates under the general direction of the General Assembly and coordinates the activities of the United Nations and the institutions of its system in the economic and social fields. As the main forum for discussing international economic and social issues and making policy recommendations in these areas, the Council plays an important role in strengthening international cooperation for development purposes. It also consults with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), thus maintaining a vital link between the United Nations and civil society.
The Council consists of 54 members elected by the General Assembly for three years. The Council meets periodically throughout the year, meeting in July for its substantive session, during which critical economic, social and humanitarian issues are discussed at a high-level meeting.
The subsidiary bodies of the Council meet regularly and report to it. For example, the Commission on Human Rights monitors the observance of human rights in all countries of the world. Other bodies deal with issues social development, the status of women, crime prevention, drug control and sustainable development. Five regional commissions promote economic development and cooperation in their regions Trusteeship Council
The Trusteeship Council was established to provide international oversight of the 11 Trust Territories administered by the seven Member States, and to ensure that their governments make the necessary efforts to prepare these Territories for self-government or independence. By 1994, all of the Trust Territories had become self-governing or independent, either as independent states or by joining neighboring independent states. The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau), administered by the United States, was the last to go into self-government and became the 185th Member State of the United Nations.
Since the work of the Trusteeship Council has been completed, it currently consists of five permanent members of the Security Council. Its rules of procedure have been amended accordingly to enable it to meet only when the circumstances so require. International Court
The International Court of Justice - also known as the World Court - is the main judicial organ of the United Nations. Its 15 judges are elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council, who vote independently and simultaneously. The International Court of Justice deals with the settlement of disputes between states on the basis of the voluntary participation of the states concerned. If the State agrees to participate in litigation, it is bound to comply with the decision of the Court. The Court also prepares advisory opinions for the United Nations and its specialized agencies. Secretariat.
The Secretariat carries out the operational and administrative work of the United Nations in accordance with the instructions of the General Assembly, the Security Council and other bodies. It is headed by the Secretary General, who provides general administrative direction.
The Secretariat is made up of departments and offices with approximately 7,500 regular budget funded staff representing 170 countries worldwide. In addition to United Nations Headquarters in New York, there are United Nations offices in Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi and other duty stations.
Sources
Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia, WikiPedia
un.org – UNSC website
academic.ru – Academic Dictionary
ereport.ru - World economy
33. UN Security Council: functions and principles of activity.
a permanent body of the United Nations, which, in accordance with Article 24 of the UN Charter, is entrusted with the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. It is one of the six "principal organs" of the United Nations.
According to the Charter, the Security Council has the following functions and powers:
maintain international peace and security in accordance with the principles and purposes of the United Nations;
The Council consists of 15 member states - 5 permanent and 10 non-permanent, elected by the UN General Assembly for a two-year term, 5 each year. Corresponding amendments to the UN Charter were introduced on December 17, 1963 by the UN General Assembly resolution 1991 (XVIII) (before that, the Council included only 6 non-permanent members). According to the said resolution, the 10 non-permanent members of the Security Council are elected on a geographical basis, namely:
five - from the states of Africa and Asia;
one from the states of Eastern Europe;
two from the states of Latin America;
two - from the states of Western Europe and other states.
The Presidents of the Council rotate monthly according to the list of its Member States, arranged in Latin alphabetical order.
Functions and powers:
investigate any dispute or any situation that could lead to international friction;
develop plans for determining the existence of a threat to the peace or an act of aggression and make recommendations for the necessary measures;
call on the members of the Organization to implement economic sanctions and other measures not related to the use of force to prevent or stop aggression;
take military action against the aggressor;
to exercise United Nations trusteeship functions in "strategic areas";
34. The UN Charter as a universal source of international law.
UN Charter - international treaty, establishing the international organization of the United Nations; signed on June 26, 1945 in San Francisco at the final meeting of the United Nations Conference on the Establishment of the International Organization by fifty states and entered into force on October 24, 1945, after having been ratified by the permanent members of the UN Security Council.
All countries that have signed the Charter are bound by its articles; moreover, their obligations under the UN Charter take precedence over all other obligations arising from other international treaties. The charter has been ratified by most countries in the world; the only exception among the generally recognized countries is the Holy See, which chose to retain the status of a permanent observer, and therefore is not a party that signed the document in full.
The Charter of the United Nations consists of a preamble and 19 chapters covering 111 articles. The Statute of the International Court of Justice is considered an integral part of the UN Charter.
In the preamble and ch. I proclaim the purposes and principles of the United Nations. Chapter II regulates questions of membership in the Organization. Subsequent chapters define the structure, competence and procedure for the functioning of the main organs of the UN (thus, Chapters IV-VII speak of the legal status and activities of the General Assembly and the Security Council, Chapter XV - of the UN Secretariat). The Charter also contains chapters on regional arrangements, international economic and social cooperation, non-self-governing territories and the trusteeship system.
It is possible to change the Charter. It should be noted that the amendments to the Charter (Art. 108) and the revision of the Charter (Art. 109) are different. Amendments, i.e. changes to certain provisions of the Charter, of a private nature, are adopted by the UN General Assembly by two-thirds of the votes of the members and come into force for all members of the Organization after their ratification by two-thirds of the members of the Organization, including all permanent members of the Security Council. Consequently, without the consent of any of the permanent members of the Security Council (USSR, USA, Great Britain, France, China), no amendment to the Charter shall acquire legal force. At the same time, the amendments that have entered into force are also binding on those states that either did not vote for this or that amendment, or, having voted for the amendment, have not yet ratified the corresponding document. The General Assembly adopted amendments to certain articles of the Charter at the XVIII, XX and XXVI sessions in 1963, 1965 and 1971. All these amendments are connected with the expansion of the composition of two UN bodies: the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council (Articles 23, 27, 61 and 109, and Article 61 was changed twice).
The revision of the Charter requires the convening of a General Conference of the Members of the Organization, which is allowed only by decision or with the consent of two-thirds of the members of the General Assembly and nine (out of fifteen) members of the Security Council. A decision to amend the Charter taken by the General Conference (two-thirds of the participants) comes into force only if it is ratified by two-thirds of the members of the Organization, including all permanent members of the Security Council. Thus, and in this case the change of the Charter is subject to the consent of all five permanent members of the Security Council.
The stability of the Charter as a fundamental document of the UN does not in any way mean that the legal status and functions of the Organization remain unchanged. On the contrary, with the progressive development of international relations and international law, the strengthening of the universal nature of the UN and democratic tendencies in its activities, its structure, competence and forms of functioning of its bodies are constantly enriched. But such enrichment is based on the norms of the Charter, on strict observance of its goals and principles.
Since the formation of the Security Council, there has not been a single important international event that it has not paid attention to. It is by the results of the activities of the Security Council that one can speak about the successes and failures of the work of the UN and, in general, about its influence on the development of international relations. In accordance with Articles 24-26 of the UN Charter, the Security Council is endowed with great powers in terms of preventing armed conflicts and creating conditions for a peaceful way of resolving them, as well as establishing cooperation between states. The functions and powers of the Security Council are as follows:
o Maintain international peace and security in accordance with the principles and purposes of the United Nations;
o investigate any dispute or any situation that may lead to international conflicts;
О develop plans for the creation of a system of regulation of weapons; Ü determine whether there is a threat to the peace or an act of aggression and recommend measures to be taken;
Ü call on the members of the Organization to apply economic sanctions or other measures not related to the use of force to prevent or stop aggression;
o take military action against the aggressor;
Ü exercise United Nations trusteeship functions in "strategic areas";
In accordance with the listed functions and powers, the Council develops its decisions.
Thus, in 2005 the Security Council held about 200 formal meetings and adopted 71 resolutions on a wide range of problems, including terrorism, the situation in Africa, the situation in the Middle East, Iraq and Afghanistan. Resolutions adopted addressed, in particular, the reports of the Secretary-General on the Sudan (4 reports), the situation between Eritrea and Ethiopia (4), the situation in the Middle East (3), the situation regarding the Democratic Republic of the Congo (3), the situation in Afghanistan (2 ), situation in Georgia (2), protection of civilians in armed conflicts (1), non-proliferation of weapons mass destruction(1) and others.
When the Security Council receives information about the emergence of a threat to international peace, it first considers ways to peacefully resolve the dispute. It can work out the principles of a settlement or act as a mediator. In the event of the outbreak of hostilities, the Security Council makes efforts to cease fire. For example, he may send a peacekeeping mission to help the parties maintain a truce or ensure the separation of opposing forces.
The Security Council can take coercive measures to ensure the implementation of its decisions: impose economic sanctions or impose an arms embargo (in accordance with Chapter VII of the Charter); on a number of occasions, the Council has authorized Member States to use “all necessary funds", including joint military operations. Thus, in accordance with the resolution of the UN Security Council in 1991, collective military actions were taken against Iraq, which in 1990 occupied the territory of sovereign Kuwait.
When a complaint concerning a threat to the peace is brought before the Security Council, it usually first recommends that the parties try to reach an agreement by peaceful means. Sometimes the Council itself conducts investigations and mediates. He may appoint special representatives or invite the Secretary-General to make such appointments or use his services. The Council may lay down principles for the peaceful settlement of disputes.
When a dispute leads to hostilities, the Security Council's first concern is to bring them to an end as soon as possible. On many occasions, the Council issued ceasefire instructions that played an important role in preventing an escalation of hostilities. Thus, UN Resolution on Afghanistan No. 1510 of October 13, 2003 “authorizes the expansion of the mandate of the International Security Assistance Force so that it can ... support the Afghan Transitional Administration and its successors in maintaining security in areas of Afghanistan outside of Kabul and its surroundings..."
Statements by the Chairman of the Council, statements by the Security Council, and reports by the UN Secretary General may be heard at meetings of the Security Council. Thus, in 2015, 78 reports presented or forwarded by the UN Secretary General were heard at the meetings of the Security Council.
