be Council came into effect on August 31, has met in special sessions and 1965. emergency special sessions. The United Nations now consists of Security Council The Security Council 191 member states, of which 51 are consists of 15 members, of which 5—the founding members. People's Republic of China, France, The purposes of the United Nations Russia, the United Kingdom, and the set out in the Charter are to maintain United States of America—are international peace and security; to permanent members. The 10 develop friendly relations among nonpermanent members are elected for nations; to achieve international 2-year terms by the General Assembly. cooperation in solving international The primary responsibility of the Security problems of an economic, social, Council is to act on behalf of the cultural, or humanitarian character and members of the United Nations in in promoting respect for human rights; maintenance of international peace and and to be a center for harmonizing the security. Measures that may actions of nations in the attainment of employed by the Security Council are these common ends. outlined in the Charter. The principal organs of the United The Security Council, together with Nations are as follows: the General Assembly, also elects the General Assembly All states that are judges of the International Court of members of the United Nations are Justice and makes a recommendation to members of the General Assembly. Its the General Assembly on the functions are to consider and discuss any appointment of the Secretary-General of matter within the scope of the Charter of the organization. the United Nations and to make recommendations to the members of the The Security Council first met in United Nations and other organs. It London on January 17, 1946, and is so approves the budget of the organization, organized as to be able to function the expenses of which are borne by the continuously. members as apportioned by the General Economic and Social Council This Assembly. organ is responsible, under the authority The General Assembly may call the of the General Assembly, for the attention of the Security Council to economic and social programs of the situations likely to endanger international United Nations. Its functions include peace and security, may initiate studies, making or initiating studies, reports, and and may receive and consider reports recommendations on international from other organs of the United Nations. economic, social, cultural, educational, Under the "Uniting for Peace" health, and related matters; promoting resolution adopted by the General respect for and observance of human Assembly in November 1950, if the rights and fundamental freedoms for all; Security Council fails to act on an calling international conferences and apparent threat to or breach of the peace preparing draft conventions for or act of aggression because of lack of submission to the General Assembly on unanimity of its five permanent matters within its competence; members, the Assembly itself may take negotiating agreements with the up the matter within 24 hours-in specialized agencies and defining their emergency special session—and relationship with the United Nations; recommend collective measures, coordinating the activities of the including, in case of a breach of the specialized agencies, and consulting peace or act of aggression, use of armed with nongovernmental organizations force when necessary to maintain or concerned with matters within its restore international peace and security. competence. The Council consists of 54 The General Assembly normally meets members of the United Nations elected in regular annual session from by the General Assembly for 3-year September through December. It also terms; 18 are elected each year. The Council usually holds two regular Statute of the Court. Nonmembers of the sessions a year. It has also held a United Nations may become parties to number of special sessions. the Statute of the Court on conditions Trusteeship Council The Trusteeship prescribed by the General Assembly on Council was initially established to the recommendation of the Security consist of any member states that Council. administered trust territories, permanent The jurisdiction of the Court comprises members of the Security Council that did all cases that the parties refer to it and not administer trust territories, and enough other nonadministering countries Charter of the United Nations or in all matters specially provided for in the elected by the General Assembly for 3 treaties and conventions in force. year terms to ensure that membership would be equally divided between The Court consists of 15 judges known administering and nonadministering as “members' of the Court. They are members. Under authority of the elected for 9-year terms by the General General Assembly, the Council Assembly and the Security Council, considered reports from members voting independently, and may be reelected. administering trust territories, examined petitions from trust territory inhabitants, Secretariat The Secretariat consists of a and provided for periodic inspection Secretary-General and such staff as the visits to trust territories. Organization may require." The With the independence of Palau, the Secretary-General, who is appointed by last remaining U.N. trust territory, the the General Assembly on the Trusteeship Council formally suspended recommendation of the Security Council, operations after nearly half a century. is the chief administrative officer of the The council will henceforth meet only United Nations. He acts in that capacity on an extraordinary basis, as the need for the General Assembly, the Security may arise. Council, the Economic and Social International Court of Justice The Council, and the Trusteeship Council. International Court of Justice is the Under the Charter, the Secretary-General principal judicial organ of the United "may bring to the attention of the Nations. It has its seat at The Hague, The Security Council any matter that in his Netherlands. All members of the United opinion may threaten the maintenance Nations are ipso facto parties to the of international peace and security." SELECTED BILATERAL International Boundary Commission, United States Section: 1250 23rd Street commission.org. Canadian Section: Room 555, 615 Booth Street, Ottawa, ON K1A 0E9. Phone, 613-995-4341. International Boundary and Water International Joint Commission-United United States Section: 1250 23rd Street Canadian Section: 22nd Floor, 234 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, ON K1P 6K6. Phone, 613-995-2984. Fax, 613993-5583. Regional Office: 100 Ouellette Avenue, Windsor, ON N9A 6T3; or P.O. Box 32869, Detroit MI 48232. Phone, 519257-6700. Joint Mexican-United States Defense Commission United States Section: 5134 Joint Staff, Room 2D967, Pentagon, Washington, DC 20318. Phone, 703-695-8164. Mexican Section: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Mexican Embassy, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20006. Phone, 202-728-1748. Permanent Joint Board on DefenseUnited States and Canada United States Section: Suite 511, 1111 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22202. Phone, 703-604-0488. Fax, 703-604-0486. Canadian Section: National Defense Headquarters, 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A OK2. Phone, 613-992-5457. Appendices APPENDIX A: Commonly Used Abbreviations and Acronyms ADA Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 Bank Fund Information Service (Defense) AGRICOLA Agricultural Online Access AmeriCorps* National Civilian NCCC Community Corps VISTA America Service Passenger Corporation for the Blind (Education) Inspection Service Commission Service Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Analysis Center (SBA) Security (Commerce) Management BTS Bureau of Transportation Statistics Appeals Office Protection Corporation Development Block Grant Advisers Environmental Quality Regulations Trading Commission Oriented Policing Services (Justice) Service Research, Education, and Extension Service University Administration Homeland Security Agency Systems Agency |