Disputes over the un’s Organisation

Task 1. Read the article “Disputes over the UN’s Organization”, formulate the main idea of the article in writing and choose the topic from the offered below that suits best.

a) The History of the UNO.

b) Problems around the main issues of the UN’s organization.

c) Different ways on reaching consensus on the matters of the UN’s organization.

The structure and rules of the new organization were bound to be controversial because of two major tensions between the countries that founded it. Firstly, the growing suspicion between Stalin’s Russia and the West as the Cold War was beginning. This meant that each aspect of the UN’s foundation was scrutinized carefully, especially by the highly suspicious Russians, to ensure that there was no hidden trap that would weaken one side’s power base in future years. Secondly, the small nations were anxious to ensure that the UN did not become merely the tool of the major powers, whereas the latter wanted to ensure that decisions were not foisted upon them by a majority of, in their eyes, tiny and insignificant states.

Early disputes focused around the following issues:

The veto. The only way to ensure the participation of the great powers was to allow the five permanent members of the Security Council an absolute veto on any proposal with which they disagreed, despite the protests of smaller states that this would be undemocratic. Even though President Truman was willing to consider giving the Assembly a way to overcome “some stubborn big power that wanted to block efforts towards the solution of peace”, he recognized that this was not realistic in the circumstances of 1945. However, it has always been recognized that a veto cannot be used to prevent a problem being discussed.

By 1950 the USSR had used the veto 100 times. As a result the General Assembly passed (by 55 votes to 5) the Uniting for Peace’ resolution, which meant that, if the Security Council was paralyzed by the use of the veto, a two thirds majority in the Assembly could agree to send UN observers to a trouble spot. In practice, however, without at least tacit support from all of the great powers it has still not been possible for the UN to take effective action. Sending observers alone is not a solution to an international crisis.

The choice of Secretary General. Trygve Lie, the Norwegian Foreign Minister, was chosen as a compromise candidate because the Russians would not accept the front-running candidate, Paul Henri Spaak of Belgium. Spaak was seen by the Soviets as a champion of the western European bloc of nations.

Membership. The USSR argued that its component members should each be allowed to have a seat in the Assembly so as to counter the Western capitalist bias that the USSR believed was present. A compromise was reached, giving three places to Soviet states: Russia, White Russia and the Ukraine.

(Paul Chapman. The United Nations. “Hidsight” journal, September 2000)

Task 2. Write out the rhemes / key words to support the main idea.

Task 3. Write the summary of the article on the basis of the chosen rhemes / key words.

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