Foreign Relations of the United States, 1950, The United Nations; The Western Hemisphere, Volume II

IO Files: US/A/C.1/1890/Rev. 2

Text of Draft United States Resolution Entitled “Uniting For Peace” Submitted by the United States Delegation to Other Interested Delegations, New York, September 25, 1950¹

New York, September 25, 1950

secret

The General Assembly

Recognizing that the first purpose of the United Nations is ‘to maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace,’

Finding that international tension exists on a dangerous scale;

Recalling its Resolution 290 (IV) entitled “Essentials of Peace,” and desiring to contribute further to the objectives of that Resolution;

Reaffirming the importance of the Security Council exercising its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and the duty of the permanent members to seek unanimity and to exercise restraint in the use of the veto;

Conscious that failure of the Security Council to discharge its responsibility on behalf of all the Member States does not end the responsibility of the United Nations under the Charter to maintain international peace and security, and recognizing in particular that such failure does not relieve the General Assembly of its rights, and consequent responsibilities, under Chapter IV of the Charter in relation to the maintenance of international peace and security;

Recognizing that discharge by the General Assembly of its responsibilities in these respects calls for possibilities of observation which would ascertain the facts and expose aggressors; for the existence of armed forces which could be used collectively, and for the possibility of timely recommendation by the General Assembly to United Nations members for collective action which, to be effective, should be prompt.

A

1. Resolves that if the Security Council fails to exercise its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security with respect to a threat to the peace, a breach of the peace or an act of aggression, the General Assembly shall consider the matter immediately with a view to making appropriate recommendations to Members for collective action, including when necessary the use of armed force, to maintain or restore international peace and security. If not in session at the time, the General Assembly shall meet in emergency special session which shall be called by the Secretary-General and convened within 24 hours of the receipt of a request from

(a) Any seven of the Members of the United Nations then represented on the Security Council;

(b) A majority of the Members of the United Nations expressed through the Interim Committee or otherwise;

2. Adopts for this purpose the revisions in its rules of procedure set forth in the annex to this resolution.

B

3. Establishes a Peace Observation Commission composed of representatives of (9–14 Members) which the General Assembly or the Security Council may utilize for the purpose of ensuring immediate and independent observation in and reporting from any area in which international tension exists the continuance of which is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security. The Commission shall have authority in its discretion to appoint subcommissions and to utilize the services of observers to assist it in the performance of its functions.

4. Authorizes and requests the Interim Committee of the General Assembly to call upon the commission to observe in and report on the situation in any area where in the view of the Interim Committee such international tension exists, upon the invitation or with the consent of the state into whose territory the commission would go. In the performance of its duties under the present Resolution the Interim Committee shall act only if the Security Council is not exercising in respect of the matter the functions assigned to it by the Charter and only upon the vote of a two-thirds majority of the Members present and voting.

5. Recommends to all governments and authorities that they cooperate with the commission and assist it in the performance of its functions;

6. Requests the Secretary-General to provide the necessary staff and facilities utilizing where directed by the commission the United Nations panel of field observers envisaged in Resolution 297 (IV) B.

C

7. Invites each Member of the United Nations to survey its resources in order to determine the nature and scope of the assistance it may be in a position to render in support of any United Nations measures for the restoration of international peace and security;

8. Recommends to the Members of the United Nations that, pending the creation of the armed forces provided for under Article 43 of the Charter, each Member designate within its national armed forces a United Nations unit or units, to be so trained and equipped that they could be made available for prompt service on behalf of the United Nations upon call or recommendation by the Security Council or recommendation by the General Assembly;

9. Requests the Secretary-General of the United Nations to appoint, with the approval of the Committee provided for in paragraph 10, a United Nations military adviser to consult with the Member States who wish to establish such units to advise them regarding the organization, training and equipping of such units;

10. Establishes a Collective Measures Committee consisting of representatives of (10 to 14 Members) and directs the Committee, in consultation with the Secretary-General and with the United Nations Military Adviser, to study and report to the General Assembly on measures, including the use of armed force, which might be made available, by agreement or otherwise, for employment by the United Nations collectively in order to carry out the purposes and principles of the Charter, and, in particular, to study and report on:

(a) Collective measures not involving the use of armed force; and

(b) Methods for the collective use of United Nations units established or to be established by Member states.

11. Authorizes payment of the Military Adviser’s salary and expenses from the regular budget of the United Nations; and

12. Requests the Secretary-General to furnish the Military Adviser and the Collective Measures Committee the staff and assistance necessary for the effective accomplishment of their respective tasks.

1. This draft, based on the September 12 draft (USUN telegram 507, September 12, p. 331), had been approved in substance by President Truman on September 16 (330/10–1150). The Department of State was to have broad drafting latitude in order to maximize its General Assembly support, with no departure from fundamentals. This September 25 draft became the basic negotiating draft in the United States diplomatic effort to win acceptance of its proposals.