Concepts and Terms Flashcards
Multilateral Diplomacy
negotiations between more than one country to other countries.
Multilateral Organizations
organizations formed between three or more nations to work on issues that relate to all of the countries in the organization.
Italian city-states
The origin of a multilateral diplomacy 15th century after much bloodshed
Italian League (1455)
Another one of the first Multilateral Dimplomacies
Treaty of Westphalia
Signed in 1648, a multilateral diplomacy treaty
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) & Universal Postal Union (1874)
ITU founded in 1865 (originally called the International
Telegraph Union)
UPU 1874
both part of the UN System
Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague (1899)
The International Peace Conference held in The Hague
in 1899 established the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which started its work in 1902. It was the first medium for settling international disputes between countries and a predecessor of the UN’s International Court of Justice.
Woodrow Wilson and his influence on the League of Nations
Woodrow Wilson outlined his idea for the League of Nations due to the utter devastation of WWI and the need for international organization to settle disputes before they escalated to military conflicts.
Twenty Year Crisis
The time in between WWI and WWII
1938 Munich Conference and the failure of the League of Nations
The Munich Agreement was a settlement permitting Nazi Germany’s annexation of portions of Czechoslovakia along the country’s borders mainly inhabited by German speakers, for which a new territorial designation “Sudetenland” was coined. The agreement was negotiated at a conference held in Munich, Germany, among the major powers of Europe, excluding the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia. Today, it is widely regarded as a failed act of appeasement toward Germany.
League of Nations and the anarchical international system
States retain sovereignty and therefore problems arose with applying pressure through verbal warnings and sanctions.
Problems with the League of Nations
1938 Munich Conference
No rules to challenge State sovereignty
No army of its own
Declaration by the United Nations (1942)
26 countries pledged to fight Axis powers
obtain just peace
Date of Signing and founding UN
Meeting in Dumbarton Oaks 1944, UN Charter signed 1945 which established UN as an institution.
Basic overview of the UN Charter’s structure and process
111 articles, 19 chapters
Chapter 1 General purpose of UN
Chapter 2 Membership in UN
Chapters 3-15 Organs & institutions of UN
Chapters 6 & 7 SC investigative, mediation, sanction or military authorization power
Principle organs of the UN
General Assembly Security Council Economic and Social Council Secretariat International Court of Justice Trusteeship Council
United Nations vs United Nations System
UN - Principle Organs and their sub-bodies
UN System - The UN System is known as the “UN Family”, which consists of a support system for the principle organs through Programs, Funds, and Specialized agencies such as UNICEF.
Number of Member States of the UN (2015)
193
Observer States of the UN
2 Palestine & the Holy See
NGO representation
Non Governmental Organizations represented mostly within ECOSOC not GA and not SC
Voting in the UN
1 Country, 1 vote
Majority vote needed
except article 18 (2/3rd needed)
Voting Blocks
Membership of the UN Security Council
5 permanent members US, UK, France, Russia & China
10 non permanent members
Power of the Permanent five (P-5)
Veto power given to P-5 members to stop the passing of resolutions even if unanimous consent of other members.
Structure and Jurisdiction of ECOSOC
One Country, one vote
regional representation vs universal representation
54 members ‘73
Social, economic and environmental issues
NGO Representation at ECOSOC
NGO are represented at ECOSOC and there are various statuses of the NGO’s
International Court of Justice (ICJ) structure and jurisdiction
Civil Court
Contentious Cases - One country sues another
Advisory Opinion - Outline pre-existing norms of laws but are not binding
15 Judges, 3 year terms, 5 judges rotated out per election
No two from the same State and legal system representation
No State Representation but rather International Interests
ICC vs ICJ
ICJ (International Court of Justice) is one of the principle organs of the UN. The ICJ is a civil court for countries to sue each other. The two areas covered by ICJ are contentious cases and advisory opinion.
ICC (International Criminal Court) is a court to sue individuals or multiple individuals. The three areas covered by ICC are genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Un Trusteeship Council
Addresses issues of territories during decolonization
Helps protect territories from being taken over during transition to States
‘94 Palau became State from territory status
Meets once a year
Protectorate Status after WWI
the UN Trusteeship council was created as a protectorate to help territories not to get taken over by stronger States.
UN Secretariat
International Civil Service
Headed by Secretary General currently Ban Ki Moon
GA recommendation, SC approved
5 year term, no limits
No State Representation but rather International Interests
UN Secretary General (Current selection process and term limits
GA recommendation, SC approved
5 year term, no limits
Article 2 of the UN Charter
Issue of sovereignty at the UN
Voting structure in UN General Assembly
One Country, one vote
Majority vote
Except article 18 (maintenance & preservation of peacekeeping) 2/3rd vote
Issue of Article 12 of the UN Charter and the jurisdiction of the UN General Assembly and the UN
Seize upon the matter issues, SC can use this and GA can no longer talk about the issue
Committee Structure of the UN General Assembly and their Jurisdiction
First committee - Disarmament & International Security
Second committee - Economic & Financial
Third committee - Social, Humanitarian & Cultural
Fourth committee - Special Politics & Decolonization
Fifth committee - Administrative & Budgetary
Sixth committee - Legal
Small countries versus large countries missions and their representation in the UN
US 4 ambassadors, 150 staff
Czech Republic 1 ambassador, 10 advisers & counselors
Vanuatu 1 ambassador, 1 secretary
larger countries have a higher representation in the UN, smaller countries have to pick and choose their battles
Three Phase Process of the UN GA Proceedings
Broad Debate - Formal speeches
Formal Caucuses - Detailed consideration of proposed resolutions
Voting on Proposals
Formal Caucusing and informal caucusing
Formal Caucuses - call for motion to have a 15 minute break
Informal Caucuses - grabbing lunch, coffee, drinks etc.
Role of IGO’s in Coordinating Voting blocks during the Voting in the UN GA
IGO’s such as the European Union, African Union, Islamic League usually meet together during caucusing to come to an agreement to vote together through the GA’s voting process
Recommendation Power of the UN GA and International Law
Article 10 - Resolutions and recommendations usually are respected as a source of international law. 80% passed with unanimous consent and watered down
Primary Responsibility of the UN Security Council
Maintenance of International peace & security
Chapter 6 activities by the UN Security Council
Pacific settlement - mediation & acting as a good office
Chapter 7 activities by the UN Security Council
Use of Force & Sanctions - military forces PKO’s
Good Office
neutral grounds or entity for two opposing States to meet. May be a space UN grounds or a Country
Provisional agendas and the UN Security Council
Drawn by SG, approved by SC President
SC Pres rotates alphabetically every month
Basic Proceedings and the Structure of the UN Security Council
Meets year round - anytime President deems necessary
honors requests for mtgs in 24 hours
must meet within 14 day span
open or closed meetings
Statistics of vetos by P-5
Russia - 127 USA - 83 UK - 32 France - 18 China - 9
Issues vetoed by P-5 members
USA - Israel/Palestine, South Africa, Israel/Lebanon, Namibia, Nicaragua
UK - Southern Rhodesia, South Africa, Namibia, Libya, Egypt/Israel
China - Syria, Zimbabwe, Myanmar, Middle East, Guatemala
France - Namibia, South Africa, Libya, Egypt/Israel, Spanish Question
Russia - Spanish Question, India/Pakistan, Greek Question, Congo, Korea
Types of GA sessions
Regular Sessions - Sept to Dec & Jan til finished (credentials and or general committees)
Special Sessions - By request of SC or majority member states or one member state if members concur (29)
Emergency Special Sessions
UN GA Resolution 377 A(V)-the Uniting for Peace resolution (November 3, 1950)
Cold war deadlock between USSR and US
USSR blocked authorization to help South Korea against North Korea
Special Session - recommendation of collective measures use of armed force when necessary
PKOs and MNFs
Peacekeeping Operations - UN
Multinational Forces - IGO’s
Number of current Peacekeeping operations
16 current
71 total since 1948
Largest troop contributors to PKOs
Bangladesh (9432) Ethiopia (8309) India (7794) Pakistan (7533) Rwanda (5685)
First PKO by the UN
UN Truce Supervision Organization (result of 1948 war, May 1948-present)
Rise in number of intrastate conflict and the SC’s decision to be more involved in global community
One of the challenges after the Cold War
Multidimensional work of PKOs
Shift toward implementing of peace deals
Expansion of non military components such as human rights, gender issues and child protection
The Brahimi Report (Principles)
Consent by warranting parties
Clear and specific mandate
Adequate resources as minimum requirements for a successful UN mission
Responsibility to Protect (R2P)
The shirt in thinking about Sovereignty as just the control of affairs within its borders to it becoming the State’s responsibility to protect it’s members within its borders and if a state is incapable to protecting it’s members, it becomes the international communities responsibility to intervene.
Findings by the High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change (2004)
Takes into consideration seriousness of threat, last resort & proportionality of the response
International Bill of Human Rights
UDHR (1984) A/RES/3/217
International covenant on civil and political rights w it’s two optional protocols
The law that deals with protection of individuals and groups against violations of their internationally guaranteed rights.
personal and collective vulnerability
Natural Law vs Positive Law
Natural Law - God given privileges (rights and values inherent in human beings)
Positivist Law - The law of State, the source of the law is human construct
