SECURITY COUNCIL

The Effectiveness of the Security Council in ensuring Peace and Security

The Effectiveness of the Security Council in ensuring Peace and Security

Introduction

Maintenance of peace and security is dedicated to the United National Security Council, under the Charter, one of the six principal organs of United Nations. United Nations Security Council origins back to the Congress of Vienna and other peacemaking process after the Napoleonic wars 1977-1815 AD.

Whenever a complaint pertaining to peace is put forth before the Council, the Council's first recommendation would be to resolve it through mutual agreement of negotiation, in a peaceful manner. However, Council does have the power for an independent investigation to ascertain the problem. The utmost priority of the Council is to bring dispute down as soon as possible. The Council has different options available at its disposal, ranging from cease-fire directives to sending peace keeping forces to disputed areas. The Council, however, have only few measures but are of excellent importance: namely, economic sanctions and combined military action.

Over the period of time, the Security Council has played her role internationally for the resolution of conflicts and for maintenance of peace and security. On the other hand, it has also been criticized for failing to carry out it's highly aim. Many argues that her approach is not free from biases as the countries having veto power are obstruction in the process of international peace, having a lack of concern for the developing and under developed states

The effectiveness of UN Security Council can only be judged through the lens of history. How the Council played her part can only are estimated from her workings to bring about the current law and order situation prevailing all over the globe.

Review: The Effectiveness of the Security Council in ensuring Peace and Security

Higgins, R. (1995) Peace and Security Achievements and Failures. European Journal of International Law p. 445-460, Retrieved from Retrieved from http://www.ejil.org/pdfs/6/1/1306.pdf.

White, N.D. (1997) Keeping the Peace: The United Nations and the Maintenance of International Peace and Security. Manchester University Press p. 81, Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=EBkNAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=security+council+AND+peace&hl=en&sa=X&ei=XHvVUYnvAY-p4APJ_IGoBA&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=security%20council%20AND%20peace&f=false

Stone, J. (2007) Aggression and World Order. The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. pp. 41-46, Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=YmTSSIzlu_kC&pg=PR36&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=3#v=onepage&q&f=false

White sheds light on the Article 33(1) of the UN Charter which makes it mandatory upon the members to settle disputes in a peaceful manner, this power is not just a reminder for the members of the Security council of their duties of being a member state, but this also serves as a warning under the provisions of chapter VI or breach of the possibility of Council's actions under the Chapter VII (White, 1997, p. 81). An example can further elaborate this, in 1982 upon the request of United Kingdom; the council was convened regarding the invasion of Falklands by Argentina. The council directed to look for a mutual peaceful path and a diplomatic solution rather than the threat of force; this was also a warning statement for Argentina under the Chapter VII. As a matter of fact, Argentina did not revive any ...