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The UNO:
Basic Principles & Objectives
The UN is the successor organziation of
the League of Nations: Particularly in
terms of its organs/ bodies and primary
goal of providing “collective security”
The UN comprises nearly all the states
which exist in the world today with the
exception of Taiwan & TRNC
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Who can become a member of
the UNO? Membership Criteria
According to the Article 4 of UN
Charter:
“all peace-loving states which accept
the OBLIGATIONS contained in the
Charter and in the judgement of the
organization are willing to carry out
these obligations”.
(OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.uno.org)
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The procedure for a new
member?
Security Council should recommend
new members to the General Assembly
which decides with a 2/3 majority
(Article: 18)
The UN is a global NOT a regional IO.
The UN includes only states not non-
governmental institutions as
members!!!
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AIMS/ OBJECTIVES of the UN:
The aims of the UN are laid down in
Article 1 and in the preamble (önsöz):
1. To maintain international peace and
security through effective collective
measures and peaceful settlement
of disputes. The “use of force” in
settling disputes is outlawed.
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1. To promote the principle of self-
determination of peoples,
2. To promote international economic
and social co-operation to achieve
economic security, and to promote the
respect for human rights
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Why kind of an IO is the UN?
UN is a multi-purpose organization.
UN is a global IO in terms of its membership
& aims + activities
UN has six principal organs;
1. General Assembly
2. Security Council
3. Secretariat
4. Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC)
5. Trusteeship Council
6. International Court of Justice (ICJ)
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Three Important Issues to
remember about UN
Membership
Principles & Objectives
Structure:
- Decision-making procedure
- Balance of power among its members,
- Egalitarian or Inegalitarian
Organization?
- Organs/ bodies/ commissions/ court etc.
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STRUCTURE of the UNO:
Structure of an IO refers to the
question whether IOs differentiate
between one member and another
Is the organization is independent from
member governments
Is the institution egalitarian or
authoritarian?
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Question to answer?
“One state – one vote”
Is it really what we have in the UN
decision making? Apparently YES
because all the states have only ONE
VOTE not 2 votes.
So; why the UN is often
criticized for being not democratic/
egalitarian in taking decisions?
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Answer:
Some states are sometimes more
EQUAL than the others!
Permanent seats in the Security Council
in some cases lead the UN not to take
any decision: blocking decision-making
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EXAMPLE:
1951 – 52 Korean War:
When Soviet Union’s protested the UN
for the misrepresentation of People’s
Republic of China, Security Council was
able to take a quick resolution to
involve in Korean War
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Example # 2:
1956 Suez War:
VETO powers of Britain and France led
the Security Council not to come to a
resolution of the dispute
Instead; UN created “peace-keeping”
missions under the SC
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ANALYSIS of UN ORGANS:
Structure
General Assembly (GA/UN):
“Equal Votes Regime”
Article 11 is very important.
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GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Functions and Powers of the General Assembly
Forum for multilateral negotiation
Established in 1945 under the Charter of the United
Nations, the General Assembly occupies a central
position as the chief deliberative, policymaking and
representative organ of the United Nations.
Comprising all 192 Members of the United Nations, it
provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of
the full spectrum of international issues covered by
the Charter.
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General Assembly
It also plays a significant role in the
process of standard-setting and the
codification of international law.
The Assembly meets in regular session
intensively from September to
December each year, and thereafter as
required.
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Functions and powers of the
General Assembly
According to the Charter of the United
Nations, the General Assembly may:
Consider and make recommendations on the
general principles of cooperation for
maintaining international peace and security,
including disarmament;
Discuss any question relating to international
peace and security and, except where a
dispute or situation is currently being
discussed by the Security Council, make
recommendations on it;
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Discuss, with the same exception, and make
recommendations on any questions within the scope
of the Charter or affecting the powers and functions
of any organ of the United Nations;
Initiate studies and make recommendations to
promote international political cooperation, the
development and codification of international law, the
realization of human rights and fundamental
freedoms, and international collaboration in the
economic, social, humanitarian, cultural, educational
and health fields;
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Make recommendations for the peaceful settlement
of any situation that might impair friendly relations
among nations;
Receive and consider reports from the Security
Council and other United Nations organs;
Consider and approve the United Nations budget and
establish the financial assessments of Member
States;
Elect the non-permanent members of the Security
Council and the members of other United Nations
councils and organs and, on the recommendation of
the Security Council, appoint the Secretary-General.
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Uniting for Peace Resolution
Pursuant to its “Uniting for Peace” resolution of
November 1950 (resolution 377), the Assembly
may also take action if the Security Council fails to
act, owing to the negative vote of a permanent
member, in a case where there appears to be a
threat to the peace, breach of the peace or act of
aggression.
The Assembly can consider the matter immediately
with a view to making recommendations to Members
for collective measures to maintain or restore
international peace and security (see "Special
sessions and emergency special sessions”).
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Significance of the General
Assembly
While the Assembly is empowered to make
only non-binding recommendations to
States on international issues within its
competence, it has, nonetheless, initiated
actions—political, economic, humanitarian,
social and legal—which have affected the
lives of millions of people throughout the
world.
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The search for consensus !!!
Each Member State in the Assembly has one
vote.
Votes taken on designated important issues,
such as recommendations on peace and
security and the election of Security Council
members, require a two-thirds majority of
Member States, but other questions are
decided by simple majority.
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Membership in SC/UN
Membership in 2009
The Council is composed of five permanent
members — China, France, Russian
Federation, the United Kingdom and the
United States — and ten non-permament
members (with year of term's end):
Austria (2010) Japan (2010)Uganda
(2010)Burkina Faso (2009)Libyan Arab
Jamahiriya (2009)Viet Nam (2009)Costa Rica
(2009)Mexico (2010) Croatia (2009)Turkey
(2010)
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The Council
The Presidency of the Security Council is held
in turn by the members of the Security
Council in the English alphabetical order of
their names. Each President holds office for
one calendar month.
Ten non-permament members, elected by the
General Assembly for two-year terms and not
eligible for immediate re-election. The
number of non-permanent members was
increased from six to ten by an amendment
of the Charter which came into force in 1965.
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Council...
Each Council member has one vote. Decisions on
procedural matters are made by an affirmative vote
of at least nine of the 15 members. Decisions on
substantive matters require nine votes, including the
concurring votes of all five permanent members. This
is the rule of "great Power unanimity", often referred
to as the "veto" power.
Under the Charter, all Members of the United Nations
agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the
Security Council. While other organs of the United
Nations make recommendations to Governments, the
Council alone has the power to take decisions which
Member States are obligated under the Charter to
carry out.
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Functions of the Security Council:
Under the Charter, the functions and powers of
the Security Council are:
to maintain international peace and security in
accordance with the principles and purposes of the
United Nations;
to investigate any dispute or situation which
mightlead to international friction;
to recommend methods of adjusting such disputes or
the terms of settlement;
to formulate plans for the establishment of a system
to regulate armaments;
to determine the existence of a threat to the peace
or act of aggression and to recommend what action
should be taken;
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Functions...
to call on Members to apply economic sanctions and
other measures not involving the use of force to
prevent or stop aggression;
to take military action against an aggressor;
to recommend the admission of new Members;
to exercise the trusteeship functions of the United
Nations in "strategic areas";
to recommend to the GeneralAssembly the
appointment of the Secretary-General and, together
with the Assembly, to elect the Judges of the
International Court of Justice
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ECOSOC: Economic & Social
Council
ECOSOC was established under the United Nations
Charter as the principal organ to coordinate
economic, social, and related work of the 14 UN
specialized agencies, functional commissions and five
regional commissions.
The Council also receives reports from 11 UN funds
and programmes. The Economic and Social Council
(ECOSOC) serves as the central forum for discussing
international economic and social issues, and for
formulating policy recommendations addressed to
Member States and the United Nations system.
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It is responsible for:
promoting higher standards of living, full
employment, and economic and social progress;
identifying solutions to international economic, social
and health problems;
facilitating international cultural and educational
cooperation; and
encouraging universal respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms.
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Members ...
The Council's 54 member Governments are
elected by the General Assembly for
overlapping three-year terms.
Seats on the Council are allotted based on
geographical representation with fourteen
allocated to African States, eleven to Asian
States, six to Eastern European States, ten to
Latin American and Caribbean States, and
thirteen to Western European and other
States.
