Picture of the UN Security Council Chamber from UN site This work is copyrighted. The individual who uploaded this work and first used it in an article, and subsequent persons who place it into articles assert that this qualifies as fair use of the material under United States copyright law...

Picture of the UN Security Council Chamber from UN site This work is copyrighted. The individual who uploaded this work and first used it in an article, and subsequent persons who place it into articles assert that this qualifies as fair use of the material under United States copyright law...

A session of the Security Council in progress

The United Nations Security Council is the most powerful organ of the This article is about the United Nations, for other uses of UN see UN may stand for: the United Nations the IATA code for Transaero Airlines This page expands a two-letter combination or a three-letter abbreviation/acronym (TLA). It aims to include all uses. This is a disambiguation... United Nations. It is charged with maintaining peace and security between nations. While other organs of the UN only make recommendations to member A government is an organization that has the power to make and enforce laws for a certain territory. There are several definitions on what exactly constitutes a government. Contents // 1 Definitions 2 Operations 2.1 Territory 2.2 Law enforcement 2.3 Subsidiaries 3 Scale 4 Other meanings 5 See... governments, the Security Council has the power to make decisions which member governments must carry out under the The United Nations Charter is the constitution of the United Nations. It was signed at San Francisco on June 26, 1945 by the 50 original member countries. It entered into force on October 24, 1945, after being ratified by the five founding members—the Republic of China, France, the... United Nations Charter. The decisions of the Council are known as A United Nations Security Council Resolution is voted on by the fifteen members of the UN Security Council. It is passed if nine or more members vote for the resolution, and it is not vetoed by any of the five permanent members: Peoples Republic of China (until 1971 the... UN Security Council Resolutions.

History

The Security Council held its first session on January 17 is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 348 days remaining (349 in leap years) January Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19... January 17, 1946 is the common year starting on Tuesday. (see link for calendar) Years: 1943 1944 1945 - 1946 - 1947 1948 1949 Decades: 1910s 1920s 1930s - 1940s - 1950s 1960s 1970s Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century 1946 in topic: Arts Architecture - Art - Film - Literature - Music Science and technology Aviation - Rail transport... 1946, at Church House is the building that serves as the headquarters of the Church of England, occupying the south end of Deans Yard next to Westminster Abbey in London. The current building, designed by Sir Herbert Baker, is a 1930s replacement of the original building, commissioned in 1902 by the... Church House, For other uses, see London (disambiguation). London — containing the City of London — is the capital of the United Kingdom and of England and a major world city. With over seven million inhabitants (Londoners) in Greater London area, it is amongst the most densely populated areas in Western Europe... London.

Members

A representative of each Security Council member must always be present at UN headquarters so that the Council can meet at any time. This requirement of the United Nations Charter was adopted to address a weakness of the The League of Nations was an international organisation founded after the First World War with its constitution being approved by the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. The Leagues goals included disarmament, preventing war through collective security, settling disputes between countries through negotiation and diplomacy, and improving global welfare. The... League of Nations since that organization was often unable to respond quickly to crises. The presidency of the security council is rotated and lasts for one month.

The role involves setting the agenda, presiding at its meetings and overseeing any crises. It alternates in alphabetical order of the members' names in English.

Permanent members

The Council has five "permanent" members.

• The Peoples Republic of China (PRC) comprises most of the cultural, historic, and geographic area known as This article is on the geographic and cultural entity. For other meanings, see ... China (disambiguation). ... ... The The Great Wall of China (TC: 長城; SC: 长城, Pinyin: Chángchéng), also... People's Republic of China
• Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. Subject to disclaimers. Trying... France
• The Russian Federation ( Russian (русский язык) Spoken in: The Russian Federation ( Russian (русский язык) Spoken in: Russia and many other countries Region: Eastern Europe and Asia Total speakers: 280 million Ranking: 4... Russian Federation
• The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and a member of the European Union. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, UK or, inaccurately, as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent parts. Three of these parts England, Wales and... United Kingdom
• For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). The United States of America, also referred to as the United States, U.S.A., U.S., US, America¹, or the States, is a federal republic of fifty states, mostly in central North America. The U.S. has three land... United States

The permanent members were originally based on the victorious powers after German soldiers at the Battle of Stalingrad World War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the worlds nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. The German invasion... World War II. In 1971 is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). Years: 1968 1969 1970 - 1971 - 1972 1973 1974 Decades: 1940s 1950s 1960s - 1970s - 1980s 1990s 2000s Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century 1971 in topic: Arts Architecture - Art - Film - Literature - Music Science and technology Aviation - Rail... 1971, the People's Republic of China replaced the The Republic of China (Traditional Chinese: 中華民國; Simplified Chinese: 中华民国; Wade-Giles: Chung-hua Min-kuo, Tongyong Pinyin: JhongHuá MínGuó, Hanyu Pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó) is a state that currently administers the island groups of Taiwan, the Pescadores, Quemoy, and the... Republic of China, while in 1991 is a This is the calendar for a common year starting on Tuesday (dominical letter F), e.g. 2002, 1991, 1985, 1974, 1963... (A common year is a year with 365 days -- in other words, not a leap year.) January Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa   1... 1991, Russia succeeded to the seat originally held by the Soviet redirects here. For other uses, see Soviet (disambiguation). The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) .( Russian (русский язык) Spoken in: The Russian Federation ( Russian (русский язык) Spoken in: Russia and many... Soviet Union.

Currently the five members are the only nations permitted to possess Download high resolution version (800x1094, 114 KB)Picture taken of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. The picture was taken from one of the B-29 Superfortresses used in the attack. Picture taken from http://www.archives.gov/research_room/research_topics/world_war_2_photos/images/ww2_1623.jpg Page: http://www... nuclear weapons under the The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is a treaty, opened for signature on July 1, 1968, restricting the possession of nuclear weapons. The vast majority of sovereign states (189) are parties to the treaty. Only five states are permitted by the NPT to own nuclear weapons: the United States (signed... Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which lacks universal validity, as not all nuclear nations have signed the treaty.

Elected members

Ten other members are elected by the The term general assembly can refer to The largest unit of organisation in the polity of a (national) Presbyterian church, containing several synods or presbyteries. The name of the legislature in several U.S. states The general assembly or landsgemeinde of all citizens used as an institution of direct democracy... General Assembly for 2-year terms starting on January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Here a calendar year refers to the order in which the months are displayed, January to December. The first day of the medieval Julian year was usually a day other than January 1... January 1, with five replaced each year. The members are chosen by regional groups and confirmed by the United Nations General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. It is made up of all United Nations member states and meets in regular yearly sessions under a president elected from among the representatives. The first session was convened on... United Nations General Assembly. The African, Latin American, and Western European blocs choose two members each, and the Arab, Asian, and Eastern European Bloc may stand for: The Eastern Bloc Countries: a former group of countries in Europe Bloc Québécois: a political party in Canada Bloc (or Block) voting: a form of elections Trade bloc This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise... blocs choose one member each. The final seat alternates between Asian and African selections.

The current (2005–2006) elected members are:

1. Algeria is a country in northern Africa with a coast on the Mediterranean Sea along the north and bordered by Tunisia in the northeast, Libya in the east, Niger in the southeast, Mali and Mauritania in the southwest, and Morocco and Western Sahara in the west (the Moroccan border is... Algeria
2. Argentina is a country in southern South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. South America is situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. It became attached to North America only recently, geologically speaking, with the... Argentina
3. For other uses, see Benin (disambiguation). The Republic of Benin is a nation of western Africa, formerly known as Dahomey. It has a small coast line with the Bight of Benin in the south, borders Togo in the west, Nigeria in the east, and Burkina Faso and Niger in the... Benin
4. For other uses, see Brazil - a country in South America. Brazil R/S - The Brazil Rendering System, a photorealistic rendering engine. Brazil, Indiana - a town in the United States. Brazil - a movie directed by Terry Gilliam. Brazil (mythical island). a former name of Terceira Island. a neighbourhood or refugee camp... Brazil
5. For other uses, see Denmark (disambiguation). The Kingdom of Denmark is the geographically smallest Nordic country. It is located in Scandinavia, which is in northern Europe. Denmark borders the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, and consists of a peninsula attached to Northern Germany named Jutland (Jylland in Danish) and... Denmark
6. For other uses, see Greece (disambiguation). Greece, formally called the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), is a country in the southeast of Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. It has land... Greece
7. For other uses, see Japan (disambiguation). 日本国 (Nippon/Nihon-koku) Dual status seal. See National and Imperial Seal for more of this issue. (Flag of Japan) Official language Japanese Capital Tokyo Largest City Tokyo Emperor Akihito Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 60th 377... Japan
8. The Republic of the Philippines is an island nation consisting of an archipelago of 7,107 islands, lying in the tropical western Pacific Ocean about 100 kilometers southeast of mainland Asia. Spain (1565-1898) and the United States (1898-1946), colonized the country and have been the largest influences on... Philippines
9. Romania (formerly spelled Rumania or Roumania) is a country in southeastern Europe. It is bordered by Ukraine and Moldova in the northeast, Hungary and Serbia in the west and Bulgaria to the south. Romania also has a stretch of sea coast on the Black Sea. România (Flag) (Coat of... Romania
10. The United Republic of Tanzania (Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania in Swahili) is a country on the east coast of central Africa. It is bordered by Kenya and Uganda on the north, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique on... Tanzania

See Since 1965, the UN Security Council has included 10 elected (non-permanent) members. To ensure geographical equality, five members are African or Asian states, one is an eastern European state, two are Latin American or Caribbean states, and two are Western European or other states. From 1946 to 1964, the... Elected members of the UN Security Council for other years.

Membership reform

See Reform of the United Nations: Security Council reform for additional information.

There has been discussion of an increase in the number of permanent members. The countries who have made the strongest demands for permanent seats, For other uses, see Japan (disambiguation). 日本国 (Nippon/Nihon-koku) Dual status seal. See National and Imperial Seal for more of this issue. (Flag of Japan) Official language Japanese Capital Tokyo Largest City Tokyo Emperor Akihito Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 60th 377... Japan and Bundesrepublik Deutschland (In Detail) National motto: Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit (German: Unity and Justice and Freedom) Official language German1 Capital Berlin Largest City Berlin Chancellor Gerhard Schröder President Horst Köhler Area - Total - % water Ranked 61st 349,223 km² 2.416% Population - Total (2004) - Density Ranked 13th 82... Germany, are the UN's second and third largest funders, respectively. Germany is also the second largest contributor of troops to UN-mandated missions, after the United States.

UN Secretary General Kofi Atta Annan Order: 7th Secretary-General Term of Office: January 1, 1997–present Predecessor: Boutros Boutros-Ghali Successor: incumbent Born: April 8, 1938 Place of birth: Kumasi, Ghana Died: Place of death: Kofi Atta Annan (born April 8, 1938) is the seventh and current Secretary-General of the... Kofi Annan has asked a team of advisors to come up with recommendations for revamping the United Nations by the end of 2004. A proposed solution is to increase the number of permanent members by five, which, in most proposals, would include For other uses, see Japan (disambiguation). 日本国 (Nippon/Nihon-koku) Dual status seal. See National and Imperial Seal for more of this issue. (Flag of Japan) Official language Japanese Capital Tokyo Largest City Tokyo Emperor Akihito Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 60th 377... Japan, Bundesrepublik Deutschland (In Detail) National motto: Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit (German: Unity and Justice and Freedom) Official language German1 Capital Berlin Largest City Berlin Chancellor Gerhard Schröder President Horst Köhler Area - Total - % water Ranked 61st 349,223 km² 2.416% Population - Total (2004) - Density Ranked 13th 82... Germany, The Republic of India is the This is a list of countries by population. The data are generally a projection for July 2005 made by the US Census Bureau, unless specified. Rank Country Population — World 6,445,398,968 1 China 1,306,313,812 2 India 1,080... India, For other uses, see Brazil - a country in South America. Brazil R/S - The Brazil Rendering System, a photorealistic rendering engine. Brazil, Indiana - a town in the United States. Brazil - a movie directed by Terry Gilliam. Brazil (mythical island). a former name of Terceira Island. a neighbourhood or refugee camp... Brazil and one seat for a major country from ... World map showing location of Africa Download high resolution version (741x800, 113 KB) This image page contains items that originally came from a NASA website or publication. All works created by NASA are in the public domain, with the exception of the usage-restricted NASA logo, because works created by... Africa (most likely The Federal Republic of Nigeria is a country in West Africa. It borders on Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, Niger in the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the south. Major cities include the capital Abuja, the former capital Lagos, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Port Harcourt... Nigeria). On September 21 is the 264th day of the year (265th in A leap year (or intercalary year) is a year containing an extra day or month in order to keep the calendar year in sync with an astronomical or seasonal year. Seasons and astronomical events do not repeat at an... September 21, 2004 is a This is a calendar for any leap year starting on Thursday (dominical letter DC), e.g. 2004. January February March Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa 1 2 3 1 2 3... 2004, those four countries issued a joint statement mutually backing each other's claim to permanent status, together with an African country. France and the United Kingdom declared that they support this claim.

India

Nuclear power The Republic of India is the This is a list of countries by population. The data are generally a projection for July 2005 made by the US Census Bureau, unless specified. Rank Country Population — World 6,445,398,968 1 China 1,306,313,812 2 India 1,080... India represents approximately a fifth of the world's population and is backed by France, the United Kingdom, and Russia.

On a 2004 is a This is a calendar for any leap year starting on Thursday (dominical letter DC), e.g. 2004. January February March Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa 1 2 3 1 2 3... 2004 visit to India, Wen Jiabao (Simplified Chinese: 温家宝; Traditional Chinese: 溫家寶; pinyin: Wēn Jiābǎo) (born September 1942) is the Premier of the State Council of the Peoples Republic of China. He serves as a member of its Leading Party Members Group and... Wen Jiabao of the The Peoples Republic of China (PRC) comprises most of the cultural, historic, and geographic area known as This article is on the geographic and cultural entity. For other meanings, see ... China (disambiguation). ... ... The The Great Wall of China (TC: 長城; SC: 长城, Pinyin: Chángchéng), also... People's Republic of China initially seemed to support India's candidature for the UN Security council, which would have been significant considering that the PRC's "all-weather ally" Pakistan has been resolutely opposed to such candidacy. However, by the time Wen Jiabao returned to the PRC, the PRC had changed its position, saying that its stance on the subject was neutral and that it neither supported nor opposed India's membership in the UN Security Council.

Germany

France has explicitly called for a permanent seat in the UN for Germany: "Germany's engagement, its ranking as a In the context of international relations and diplomacy, power (sometimes clarified as international power, national power, or state power) is the ability of one state to influence or control other states. States with this ability are called powers, middle powers, regional powers, great powers (sometimes capitalized), superpowers, and hyperpowers. Recently... great power, its international influence—France would like to see them recognised with a permanent seat on the Security Council", French president Chirac said in a speech in Berlin in 2000. The German Chancellor also identified Russia, among other countries, as a country that backed Germany's bid. For other uses, see Italy (disambiguation). The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a southern European country, comprising a boot-shaped peninsula and two large islands in the Mediterranean Sea: Sicily and Sardinia. It shares its nothern alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. The... Italy and For other uses, see The Netherlands have been the name of different political and geographical entities in northwestern Europe. The Netherlands (Dutch: Nederland), the current Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Seven United Netherlands, also known as the United Provinces. A predecessor of the current country. It existed from 1581 to... Netherlands on the contrary suggest a common EU seat in the Council instead of Germany becoming the third European member next to France and the UK. The German Foreign Minister Joseph Martin Joschka Fischer (born April 12, 1948 near Crailsheim) has been the German foreign minister (and thus deputy chancellor) in the red-green coalition since 1998. He is seen as a leading figure in the German Green Party and was top candidate in the 2002 election campaign, which supposedly... Joschka Fischer said Germany would also accept a common European seat, but as long as there is little sign that France and the UK will give up their own seats, Germany, a much larger country, should also have a seat. Thus, the German campaign for a permanent seat has been intensified in 2004 is a This is a calendar for any leap year starting on Thursday (dominical letter DC), e.g. 2004. January February March Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa 1 2 3 1 2 3... 2004. Chancellor Gerhard Schröder made himself perfectly clear in August, 2004: "Germany has the right to a seat".

Japan

On the other hand, Japan's eagerness to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council meets strong opposition from East Asian countries, especially China, South Korea and North Korea. In March 2005, grass-roots in China started an Internet campaign which gathered about 22 million signatures online (as of 31 March 2005). Although the This article is on the politics of Mainland China. See also: Politics of the Republic of China (on Taiwan), Politics of Hong Kong, and Politics of Macau. Politics of the Peoples Republic of China Politics of the Peoples Republic of China Political parties in China Communist Party of... Chinese government did not explicitly approve this campaign, it gave tacit approval to the campaign. In late April 2005, large anti-Japan protests broke out in China. The impetus of the protests are varied, but include tensions between Japan and China over the future of the Security Council. While the protests were not officially sanctioned by China, some analysts suggested the This article is on the politics of Mainland China. See also: Politics of the Republic of China (on Taiwan), Politics of Hong Kong, and Politics of Macau. Politics of the Peoples Republic of China Politics of the Peoples Republic of China Political parties in China Communist Party of... Chinese government allowed the protests to proceed to upset Japan's bid to be added to the Security Council. (See Wikinews Article)

Role of members and non-members

Decisions in the 15-member Security Council on all substantive matters—for example, a decision calling for direct measures related to the settlement of a dispute—require the affirmative votes of nine members. A negative vote—a The word veto comes from Latin and literally means I forbid. It is used to denote that a certain party has the right to unilaterally stop a certain piece of legislation. A veto thus gives unlimited power to stop changes, but not to adopt them. The veto originated with the... veto—by a permanent member prevents adoption of a proposal, even if it has received the required number of affirmative votes. Abstention is not regarded as a veto. Since the Security Council's inception, China (ROC/PRC) has used 5 vetoes; France, 18; Russia/USSR, 122; the United Kingdom, 32; and the United States, 79. The majority of the USSR vetoes were in the first ten years of the Council's existence, and the numbers since 1984 have been: China, 2; France, 3; Russia, 4; the United Kingdom, 10; and the United States, 42.

A state that is a member of the UN, but not of the Security Council, may participate in Security Council discussions in which the Council agrees that the country's interests are particularly affected. In recent years, the Council has interpreted this loosely, enabling many countries to take part in its discussions. Non-members routinely are invited to take part when they are parties to disputes being considered by the Council.

Role of the Security Council

Under Chapter Six of the The United Nations Charter is the constitution of the United Nations. It was signed at San Francisco on June 26, 1945 by the 50 original member countries. It entered into force on October 24, 1945, after being ratified by the five founding members—the Republic of China, France, the... Charter, "Pacific Settlement of Disputes", the Security Council "may investigate any dispute, or any situation which might lead to international friction or give rise to a dispute." The Council may "recommend appropriate procedures or methods of adjustment" if it determines that the situation might endanger international peace and security. These recommendations are not binding on UN members.

Under Chapter Seven, the Council has broader power to decide what measures are to be taken in situations involving "threats to the peace, breaches of the peace, or acts of aggression." In such situations, the Council is not limited to recommendations but may take action, including the use of armed force "to maintain or restore international peace and security." This was the basis for UN armed action in Korean Peninsula Korea is a formerly unified country, situated on the Korean Peninsula in north East Asia adjacent to China in the west and Russia in the north. When World War II ended in 1945, the country was divided into two: the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic... Korea in Years: 1947 1948 1949 - 1950 - 1951 1952 1953 Decades: 1920s 1930s 1940s - 1950s - 1960s 1970s 1980s Centuries: 19th century - 20th century - 21st century 1950 in topic: Arts Architecture - Art - Film - Literature - Music Science and technology Aviation - Rail transport - Science - Television Other topics Canada - Sport Lists of leaders: State leaders - Religious... 1950 during the Military history of North Korea Military history of South Korea Military history of Australia Military history of Canada Military history of China Military history of the United Kingdom Military history of the United States Conflict Korean War (Cold War) Date 1950–1953 Place Korean peninsula Result Continued Partition of... Korean War and the use of coalition forces in Iraq and This article is about the country of Kuwait. For the capital city with the same name, see Kuwait City The State of Kuwait is a small oil-rich monarchy on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed by Saudi Arabia in the south and Iraq in the north. Kuwait is... Kuwait in 1991 is a This is the calendar for a common year starting on Tuesday (dominical letter F), e.g. 2002, 1991, 1985, 1974, 1963... (A common year is a year with 365 days -- in other words, not a leap year.) January Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa   1... 1991. Decisions taken under Chapter Seven, such as economic Sanction is an interesting word, in that, depending on context, it can have diametrically opposing meanings. Words like this are called contronyms. A judge may sanction a party during a legal proceeding, by which it is meant that he imposes sanctions (penalties). Conversely, the word may be used to mean... sanctions, are binding on UN members.

The UN's role in international collective security is defined by the UN Charter, which gives the Security Council the power to:

• Investigate any situation threatening international peace;
• Recommend procedures for peaceful resolution of a dispute;
• Call upon other member nations to completely or partially interrupt economic relations as well as sea, air, postal, and radio communications, or to sever diplomatic relations; and
• Enforce its decisions militarily, if necessary.

The United Nations has helped prevent many outbreaks of international violence from growing into wider conflicts. It has opened the way to negotiated settlements through its service as a center of debate and negotiation, as well as through UN-sponsored fact-finding missions, mediators, and truce observers. Peacekeeping is a way to help countries torn by conflict create conditions for sustainable peace. UN peacekeepers—soldiers and military officers, civilian police officers and civilian personnel from many countries—monitor and observe peace processes that emerge in post-conflict situations and assist ex-combatants to implement the... UN peacekeeping forces, comprised of troops and equipment supplied by member nations, have usually been able to limit or prevent conflict. Some conflicts, however, have proven to be beyond the capacity of the UN to influence. Key to the success of UN peacekeeping efforts is the willingness of the parties to a conflict to come to terms peacefully through a viable political process.

Resolutions

The legally binding nature of A United Nations Security Council Resolution is voted on by the fifteen members of the UN Security Council. It is passed if nine or more members vote for the resolution, and it is not vetoed by any of the five permanent members: Peoples Republic of China (until 1971 the... Security Council Resolutions has been the subject of some controversy. It is generally agreed that resolutions are legally binding if they are made under Chapter VII (Action with Respect to Threats to the Peace, Breaches of the Peace, and Acts of Aggression) of the Charter. The Council is also empowered to make resolutions under Chapter VI (Pacific Settlement of Disputes); most authorities do not consider these to be legally binding. The The International Court of Justice (known colloquially as the World Court) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Established in 1945, its main functions are to settle disputes submitted to it by states and to give advisory opinions on legal questions submitted to it by the General Assembly... International Court of Justice suggested in the The Republic of Namibia is a country in southwest Africa, on the Atlantic coast. It is bordered by Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east, and South Africa to the south. It gained independence in 1990, and as such it is one of the youngest nations in... Namibia case that resolutions other than those made under Chapter VI can also be binding, a view that some Member States have questioned. It is beyond doubt however that those resolutions made outside these two Chapters dealing with the internal governance of the organization (such as the admission of new Member States) are legally binding, where the Charter gives the Security Council power to make them.

See also

• A United Nations Security Council Resolution is voted on by the fifteen members of the UN Security Council. It is passed if nine or more members vote for the resolution, and it is not vetoed by any of the five permanent members: Peoples Republic of China (until 1971 the... List of UN Security Council Resolutions
• In recent years there have been many calls for reform of the United Nations. But there is little clarity, let alone consensus, about what reform might mean in practice. Both those who want the UN to play a greater role in world affairs and those who want its role confined... Reform of the United Nations
• This article is about the United Nations, for other uses of UN see UN may stand for: the United Nations the IATA code for Transaero Airlines This page expands a two-letter combination or a three-letter abbreviation/acronym (TLA). It aims to include all uses. This is a disambiguation... United Nations
• There are currently 191 member states in the United Nations. Afghanistan - November 19, 1946 Albania - December 14, 1955 Algeria - October 8, 1962 Andorra - July 28, 1993 Angola - December 1, 1976 Antigua and Barbuda - November 11, 1981 Argentina - October 24, 1945 Armenia - March 2, 1992 Australia - November 1, 1945 Austria - December... United Nations Member States
• While the United Nations is an International organization, the United Nations System is the whole network of international organizations, treaties and conventions that were created by the United Nations. The United Nations System is based on five active principal organs (formerly six, the UN Trusteeship Council suspended operations in 1994... United Nations System
• United Nations General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. It is made up of all United Nations member states and meets in regular yearly sessions under a president elected from among the representatives. The first session was convened on... UN General Assembly
• The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations assists the General Assembly in promoting international economic and social cooperation and development. ECOSOC has 54 members, 18 of whom are elected each year by the General Assembly for a three-year term. Even though all UN members can be... UN Economic and Social Council
• The United Nations Trusteeship Council, one of the principal organs of the United Nations, was established to help ensure that non-self-governing territories were administered in the best interests of the inhabitants and of international peace and security. The trust territories - most of them former mandates of the League... UN Trusteeship Council
• The United Nations Secretariat is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and it is headed by the United Nations Secretary General, assisted by a staff of international civil servants worldwide. It provides studies, information, and facilities needed by United Nations bodies for their meetings. It also carries... UN Secretariat
• The International Court of Justice (known colloquially as the World Court) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Established in 1945, its main functions are to settle disputes submitted to it by states and to give advisory opinions on legal questions submitted to it by the General Assembly... International Court of Justice

External links

• United Nations Security Council (http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/)
• Veto patterns of the Security Council (http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/data/vetotab.htm)