Exam questions: THE UNITED NATIONS ORGANISATION

Question 1

What does the phrase “an international organization” mean in the conventional sense? Give examples.

Answer 1

The very term international organization is ambiguous (двусмысленный, неопределенный). In the conventional (общепринятый) sense, an international organization is an institution or structure similar to Congress or to a city council; it has a definite set of rules, members, agenda, places and times of meeting.

Question 2

What is a noninstitutional aspect to the phrase “an international organization”?

Answer 2

If organization is an arrangement of parts into a unified whole, then there is a noninstitutional aspect to the phrase international organization. The purpose of organization is conscious coordination of activity; the method of organization is to routinize coordination by such techniques as division of labour and task specialization

Question 3

In what ways can coordination of an international organization be performed? What do they involve?

Answer 3

Coordination can be performed either formally or informally. When coordination is formal, it takes place within official structures and institutional machinery. Informal coordination involves an unwritten system of practices in which units of the system assume such roles as those of leader or nonleader.

Question 4

What main principles does the UN Charter set out?

Answer 4

1. principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members
2. shall fulfill in good faith the obligations
3. shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means
4. shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state

Question 5

What do the countries joining the UN agree to accept?

Question 6

Why does the UN have little independent power or authority?

Question 7

What other purposes does the UN serve?

Question 8

Do you think the UN fulfils its mission today?

Question 9

Do you think that the role of the UN is really very important in the modern world? Substantiate your point of view.

Question 10

Is there any country in the world that the UN should refuse to admit as its member? Give your reasons.

Question 11

What is the composition of the General Assembly?

Question 12

How many votes is each UN member-country entitled to?

Question 13

What matters may be brought before the General Assembly?

Answer 13

provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter.

Question 14

What are the functions of the General Assembly and how does it take its decisions?

Answer 14

The General Assembly takes decisions in the form of Resolutions. Each member country represented has one vote. The decision-making process is made by either a simple or two-thirds majority, depending on the subject matter.

Question 15

IIn what cases may the General Assembly be convened within 24 hours in an emergency special session?

Question 16

How many members does the Security Council consist of?

Answer 16

15

Question 17

What countries have permanent seats in the Security Council and why?

Question 18

Who are the remaining 10 members of the Security Council elected by?

Question 19

What is the primary responsibility of the Security Council?

Question 20

How does the Security Council function?

Question 21

Who can participate in the discussions of the Security Council’s sittings?

Question 22

In what way can the Security Council enforce its decisions?

Question 23

In what cases can the Security Council furnish armed forces?

Question 24

What are the functions of the Economic and Social Council?

Question 25

Why doesn’t the Trusteeship Council function today?

Question 26

What is the principal judicial organ of the UN? Where does it sit?

Question 27

Who are its members elected by?

Question 28

What organ carries out the administrative functions of the UN?

Question 29

Who is at the head of the Secretariat?

Question 30

What agencies work in partnership with the UN? Give some examples.

Question 31

What authority does the Secretary General have in the UN?

Question 32

Who is the Secretary General chosen by?

Question 33

Can the Security Council nominate a candidate to the post of Secretary General from any country?

Question 34

What post was created by the General Assembly in 1997?

Question 35

Why shouldn’t the Secretary General come from any of the most powerful countries?

Question 36

What recent actions or peacekeeping operations of the UN can you remember? Were they successful?

Question 37

Do you think that the UN peacekeeping forces could substitute for NATO or EU forces in the future?

Question 38

What role does the Secretary General play in the UN? How has it changed recently? Is the UN Secretary General an important political figure in the world?

Question 39

What is done by the UN to preserve world peace?

Question 40

What are the examples of the UN activity in peacekeeping illustrating its efforts and successes?

Question 41

What is the UN role in halting the spread of arms and elimination of weapons of mass destruction?

Question 42

How is peacekeeping policy carried out? (Comment on the UN’s role in the establishing international relations, world politics and world peace (peacekeeping, peacemaking, peacebuilding , conflict prevention, enforcement definitions /examples of the UN activity /missions in peacekeeping).

Question 43

Human rights issues

Question 44

Does the world community need such an organisation? Give your pro and contra.

Question 45

What measures would you propose to make the UN more powerful?

Question 46

The Security Council should be authorized more powers and given more power nowadays.

Question 47

The overall structure of the UNO should be changed. How? Why? Give your reasons.