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UNO
The aims and the structure of the UNO
The aims of the UN are to:
Preserve peace and eliminate war;
Remove the causes of conflict by encouraging economic, social, educational, scientific
and cultural progress throughout the world, especially in underdeveloped countries;
Safeguard the rights of all individual human beings, and the rights of peoples and
nations. (it was based on the principles of collective security)
To achieve international cooperation to solve international problems
Principles of the UN
All Member States have sovereign equality.
All Member States must obey the Charter.
Countries must try to settle their differences by peaceful means.
Countries must avoid using force or threatening to use force.
The UN may not interfere in the domestic affairs of any country.
Countries should try to assist the United Nations.
In spite of the careful framing of the Charter, the UN was unable to solve many of the
problems of international relations, particularly those caused by the Cold War.
On the other hand it played an important role in a number of international crises by
arranging cease-fires and negotiations, and by providing peace keeping forces.
Its successes in non-political work (such as case of refugees, protection of human
rights, economic planning and attempts to deal with health and populations problems)
have been enormous.
The structure of the United Nations Organization
There are six main organs of the UN:
Organs
The General Assembly
The Security Council
The international court of justice
The trusteeship Council
The Economic and Social Council
The General Assembly
It occupies the central position as the chief deliberative, policy-making and
representative organ of the United Nations.
A forum for multilateral discussion on international issues between 192 Members of the
United Nations
It 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.
The Security Council
5 permanent members: China, France, Russia, UK and the United States
10 rotating members
Responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security.
The Security Council
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to investigate any dispute or situation which might lead 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;
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 General Assembly the appointment of the Secretary-General and,
together with the Assembly, to elect the Judges of the International Court of Justice.
The International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations
(UN).
It was established in June 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations and began work in
April 1946.
The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands).
The Courts role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes
submitted to it by States and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by
authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies.
The Court is composed of 15 judges, who are elected for terms of office of nine years by
the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council.
Its official languages are English and French.
Economic and Social Council
ECOSOC coordinates economic, social, and related work of the 14 UN specialized
agencies, functional commissions and five regional commissions.
ECOSOC consults with academics, business sector representatives and more than 2,100
registered non-governmental organizations.
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
The Trusteeship Council
Responsible for supervising the administration of Trust Territories placed under the
Trusteeship System.
Major goals :
to promote the advancement of the inhabitants of Trust Territories and their progressive
development towards self-government or independence.
The aims of the Trusteeship System have been fulfilled to such an extent that all Trust
Territories have attained self-government or independence, either as separate States or
by joining neighbouring independent countries.
The Council suspended operation on 1 November 1994, with the independence of Palau,
the last remaining United Nations trust territory, on 1 October 1994.
How different is the United Nations from the League of Nations?
There are some important differences which have tended to make the UN a more
successful body than the league
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The UN spends much more time and resources on economic and social matters and its
scope is much wider than that of the League. All the specialized agencies with the
exception of the International Labour Organization (founded 1919), were set ip in 1945 or
later
The UN is committed to safeguarding individual human rights, which the League did not
get involved in
Changes in the procedures of the GA and SC especially the uniting for peace resolution,
and the increased power and prestige of the Secretary- General have enables the UN, to
take more action than the league ever achieved
The UN has a much wider membership. USA and USSR were founder members of the UN
whereas the US never joined the league.
UNO
The UNO
Aims
Preserve peace and eliminate war
Remove the causes of conflict by encouraging economic, social, educational, scientific
and cultural progress throughout the world, especially in underdeveloped countries
Safeguard the rights of all individual human beings, and the rights of peoples and nations
Successes
Arranging cease-fires and negotiations
Providing peacekeeping forces
Non-political works- care of refugees, protection of human rights, economic planning
and attempts to deal with health and populations problems
The Structure
Main organs
The General Assembly
The Security Council
The Secretariat
The International Court of Justice
The Trusteeship Council
The Economic and Social Council
UNO Vs. LON
Strengths
Wider scope
More time and resources spent on economic and social matters
Committed to safeguarding individual human rights
Power and prestige of the Secretary-general enabled taking decisive action
Wider membership (193 countries in 1993)
Weaknesses
Power of Veto (permanent council member)
Ineffective like the League in several crises (Hungary-1956, Czech-1968
UN and the emergence of the Cold War
An overview
Superpowers ignored the role of the UNO in controlling atomic weapons and sought to
take care of the same through bi-lateral agreements
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Back seat by UNO during- Soviet occupation of EE, Truman Doctrine for Greece and
Turkey, economic restructuring of Europe, Berlin Blockade, Prague Spring, Hungarian
Crisis
Marginalized role
Europes collective security relied on the superpowers pulling back from the brink, without
any prospect of UN intervention
D.J. Whittaker
UN and the global Cold War
International relations were determined by individual countries aligning with one or the
other of the superpowers
Rise of McCarthyism- accusations on Americans working for the UN being spies for the
USSR (supported by the UN)
Soviets considered the UN to be a tool for the Western capitalists (legitimacy of PRC)
How successful has the UNO been?
(Korea, Suez, Congo)
Korean War
(1950-53)
Role of the UN
The only occasion when the UN was able to take a decisive action in a crisis directly
involving interests of one of the super powers
16 member forces contingent took part under the joint command of Gen D MacArthur
Ended in a War of stalemate with neither the UN or the Chinese managing the upper hand
USSR used its veto power to block numerous Security Council initiatives
Results
Resolution for Uniting For Peace- stated if the SC vetoed any initiative that was imp for
maintaining peace, the GA should take over to keep going the impetus for peace
Resignation of Secretary-General, Trygve Lie, due to Soviet pressure
KW gave a clear indication that the UN was dominated by the US (90%-army personnel,
93%-airpower, 86%-naval power)
UN could not keep out of the Cold War issue
How successful has the UN been as a peace keeping organisation in Korea?
USSR boycotting the Security Council
Aid to South Korea
16-18 countries participated
US led mission under the UN flag
The role of General McArthur
Directly reporting back to Truman
Not to UN
Majority of troops Americans
US govt had already decided to intervene before the Security council decision was
taken
The Korean War had important results for the future of the UN, one was the passing of
the Uniting for peace resolution which would permit a Security Council Veto to be
bypassed by a general assembly vote.
Another was the launching of a bitter attack by the Russians on the Security general,
Trygvie Lie. For what they considered as the biased role and the crisis. His position
soon became impossible and he eventually agreed to retire early to be replaced by Dag
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Hammarskjold.
Suez Crisis (1956)- muted success
SC resolution passed, condemning the force used by Britain, France and Israel
UN force of 5000 troops from 10 different countries moved in to maintain peace
Prestige of Dag Hammarskjold, who handled the operation with considerable skill was
enhanced
Hungarian Uprising (1956)
UN at its most ineffective as the Soviets vetoed a SC resolution calling for a withdrawal of
their forces
GA passed another resolution to investigate the role of USSR but they refused to
cooperate and no progress was made
As compared to the Suez Crisis, Br/Fr/Is bowed to international pressure but the Soviets
ignored the UN and nothing could be done
Impact of the Cold War on UNs first decade
Korea US led mission had broadened the conflict into a war with China
Suez limited success as the superpowers had backed the UN
Hungary- failure as the UN was helpless as the Soviets simply refused to co-operate with
the committee
The Belgian-Congo Civil War
(1960-64)
The Congo Crisis (1960-64)
Korea problem faced by a newly independent state in their struggle for a new govt
Suez intervention by US, USSR, UN in an established independent nation trying to fight
foreign powers
Congo amalgamation of both (a newly independent nation that lacked a unified govt,
battling against foreign rule, struggling to find stability)
Belgian Congo
Background (Phase 1)
Independence from Belgium June 1960
Leadership Prime Minister (Patrice Lumumba)
President (Joseph Kasavabu)
Lasted barely 2 months- revolt by ANC (National Army)
State of panic made the Belgian govt send troops to protect their citizens
Secession of Katanga (Phase II)
Katanga produced 60% of worlds uranium and 80% of worlds industrial diamonds
Backed by European (Br, Fr) support, Tshombe declared Katanga independent.
Lumumba turned to the UN for help
Security council created an army of a million men to restore law and order ONUC, army
by soldiers from many countries
UN intervenes (Phase III)
Role of the ONUC ;
Restore law and order and maintain it
Stop other nations from getting involved
Assist in building the nations economy
Restore political stability
# UN troops allowed to use force as self defence but not to take sides
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Soviet intervention (Phase IV)
Lumumba accused UN of siding up with the imperial forces and turned to Soviet aid but
remained largely unsuccessful
Four groups claimed autonomy;
ANC Chief Mobutu
Lumumba supporters
Tshombe in Katanga
King Albert Kalonji
Nation on the verge of a Civil War
UN reacts
SC authorized troops to use force to stop war
Involvement of mercenaries
Without UN authorization from the SC, the troops arrested all foreign forces and launched
an attack
Faced flak by NAM nations for faulty policies
Resolution passed by the UN for a final attack in 1963
Situation diffused
Result
Tshombe elected the new Prime Minister but Mobutu held the real power (for more than 3
decades)
Regime created by the UN was one of the most corrupt in the world
Negative role of the UN
Brought UN to near bankruptcy as Fr, Br and USSR refused to pay their share of the war
cost in Congo high costs
Dags role criticized as he had over-reached his authority at times
USSR big propaganda against Dag and UN
Supporters also felt that UN had taken sides
USSR got opportunity to criticise the UN (pro-western / not neutral)
Role of the CIA in the assassination of Lumumba
Positive role of the UN
Defined the role of the Gen.Sec as Dag ahd been instrumental in making policies and
pushing the SC resolutions
UN could use force in a disturbed area if the legitimate govt asked them to
Fulfilled its 4 main objectives ( no civil war, USSR kept out, political stability achieved,
took care of the humanitarian aspects )
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