17 March 2003

Uniting for peace
One of my pet hates (call me pedantic, everyone else does) is the way primary documents are pretty much invisible in the regular media.

In The forgotten power of the General Assembly Robert Fisk calls for a Uniting for Peace resolution in the General Assembly. The idea was put forward by the Centre for Constitutional Rights on 27 January. Fisk published his article on 14 march. The good people at Metafilter have been talking about it since 15 March and West by Northwest have a petition opponents of the war should send.

The relevant section of Resolution 377 is:

Resolves that if the Security Council, because of lack of unanimity of the permanent members, fails to exercise its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security in any case where there appears to be a threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression, the General Assembly shall consider the matter immediately with a view to making appropriate recommendations to Members for collective measures, including in the case of a breach of the peace or act of aggression the use of armed force when necessary, to maintain or restore international peace and security. If not in session at the time, the General Assembly may meet in emergency special session within twenty-four hours of the request therefor. Such emergency special session shall be called if requested by the Security Council on the vote of any seven members, or by a majority of the Members of the United Nations;


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