The principle that the General Assembly can act to keep the peace when the Security Council is unable to act was established in 1950, during the Korean conflict.
At the time, the Soviets were boycotting the Security Council to protest the majority's refusal to give China's seat-held by Chiang Kai-shek's nationalist government in Taiwan-to the newly established People's Republic of China. As a result of the Soviet boycott, the Security Council was able to adopt several resolutions condemning the invasion of South Korea and calling for its immediate defense.
When Soviet Ambassador Yakov Malik returned to the Council and vetoed further action on Korea, Washington turned to the General Assembly, which adopted a "Uniting for Peace" resolution. Drawn up by American Secretary of State Dean Acheson, the resolution spelled out the Assembly's authority to take action if the Council cannot deal with a threat to peace because of a veto by one or more of the five permanent members (Britain, China, France, the US and the USSR).
By: Michael J. Berlin (excerpt from Keeping the Peace) From: A Global Affair: An Inside Look at the United Nations, published by Jones & Janello, copyright 1995, all rights reserved.
