- •Diplomatic handbook Seventh Edition
- •Longman London and New York
- •Contents
- •Chapter I
- •Introduction
- •International organisations: accreditation
- •In the absence of a full diplomatic
- •Orders of precedence
- •Precedence between heads of diplomatic
- •Individual precedence within a mission
- •Individual precedence inter se of
- •Precedence of heads of mission within the
- •Immunities
- •Inviolability and immunity of premises
- •Inviolability of records, documents,
- •Immunity from criminal jurisdiction
- •Immunity from civil and administrative
- •Inviolability of correspondence
- •Inviolability of property
- •Relating to the consular post
- •Facilities, personal privileges and immunities
- •The united nations purposes and principles
- •Purposes
- •Principles
- •The general assembly
- •The security council
- •The economic and social council
- •The trusteeship council
- •The international court of justice
- •The secretary-general and the secretariat
- •Intergovernmental agencies related
- •Food and agriculture organisation
- •International atomic energy agency
- •International civil aviation organisation
- •International fund for agricultural development
- •International labour organisation
- •International maritime organisation
- •International telecommunications union
- •The international monetary fund
- •The world bank
- •United nations development programme
- •Universal postal union
- •World health organisation
- •World intellectual property organisation
- •World meteorological organisation
- •Subsidiary organisations
- •International law commission
- •International research and training
- •Institute for the advancement of women
- •Other consultative bodies
- •United nations children’s emergency fund
- •United nations environment programme
- •United nations fund for population activities
- •United nations high commission for refugees
- •International
- •Arab league/the league of arab states
- •Asia-pacific economic cooperation
- •Bank for international settlements
- •Black sea economic cooperation
- •Caribbean regional organisations the association of caribbean states
- •Central american common market
- •Central european initiative
- •Common market for eastern and southern africa
- •The commonwealth
- •Council of europe
- •Economic cooperation organisation
- •European free trade association/ european economic area
- •Indian ocean association for regional cooperation
- •Islamic conference organisation
- •Maghreb arab union
- •North american free trade agreement
- •North atlantic treaty organisation
- •Organisation of african unity
- •Organisation of american states
- •South pacific regional organisations
- •Visegrád group
- •Western european union
- •World trade organisation
- •Chapter 9
- •International law and
- •Definition and general principles
- •Treaties and treaty-making general principles
- •Types of treaties
- •The process of treaty-making
- •The form and content of treaties
- •The validity of treaties
- •The termination of treaties
- •Diplomatic asylum
- •Voting quorums and majority requirements
- •All male/female seating plan: host/hostess and seven guests
- •Invitations
- •Introducing people
- •Visiting cards
- •International
- •Islamic festivals
- •1. The ozone layer
- •2. Global warming and the
- •3. Biodiversity
- •4. The preservation of forests
The security council
The Security Council consists of fifteen members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the USA, who constitute the five permanent members; and ten non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly for a term of two years (provided that no member is elected for two consecutive periods). In order that it may function continuously, a representative of each of its members must be present at all times at the United Nations Headquarters. It has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and for this purpose acts on behalf of the members of the United Nations and in accordance with its purposes and principles. The members of the United Nations, for their part, agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council in accordance with the Charter.
The powers of the Security Council are specified in chapters VI and VII of the Charter. In terms of chapter VI the Council may investigate any dispute or situation which is referred to it by a state or which it considers may lead to international friction; and if it determines that its continuation is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security it will try to resolve it by peaceful settlement.
If it determines the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace or act of aggression, the Security Council is empowered in terms of chapter VII to decide what measures shall be taken to maintain or restore international peace and security; these may take the form of non-violent measures or, if they fail, the use of force by land, sea or air. The provision of armed forces by member states is governed by article 43 of the Charter, and is subject to special agreements requiring ratification between such states and the Security Council.
The Security Council is required to submit annual and, where necessary, special reports to the General Assembly for its consideration, including plans for the establishment of whatever subsidiary organs it may consider necessary for the performance of its functions (e.g. the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation in Palestine).
The General Assembly or any member state (or a non-member state under certain conditions) may bring to the attention of the Security Council any dispute or situation likely to endanger international peace and security.
Any state, whether it is a member of the United Nations or not, which is a party to a dispute under consideration by the Security Council and is not itself a member of the Council, has the right to participate (but not vote) in the deliberations. Similar provisions apply to any member state which, not being a party to a dispute nor a member of the Security Council, is nevertheless considered by the Council to be affected by the dispute.
In terms of articles 27 and 109 (l) of the Charter (as amended), decisions of the Security Council require the affirmative votes of nine members including the concurring votes of the permanent members; except (a) on procedural matters and (b) for deciding to hold and for fixing a date and place for a Conference to review the Charter, when the affirmative votes of any nine members suffice. Abstentions have not, in practice, always been interpreted in terms of the Charter. Amendments to the Charter require to be ratified by all the permanent members of the Council.
In decisions under chapter VI (pacific settlement of disputes) and article 52, paragraph 3 (the pacific settlement of local disputes through regional arrangements) any member of the Security Council who is a party to a dispute is required to abstain from voting.