TIME: Almanac 1995

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<text id=93CT1941> <link 93HT0265> <link 93XP0173> <title> The United Nations:Origin, Purposes, And Principles </title> <history> Compact ALMANAC--World Organizations </history> <article> <source>CIA World Factbook</source> <hdr> The United Nations Origin, Purposes and Principles </hdr> <body> The immediate antecedent of the United Nations was the League of Nations. It was created under US leadership following World War I (although the United States never became a member). The League existed from 1919 until its reduced organization and functions were replaced by the United Nations in 1945. The idea for the United Nations found expression in declarations signed at conferences in Moscow and Tehran in October and December 1943. In the summer of 1944, representatives of the USSR, the UK, and the United States met at Dumbarton Oaks, a mansion in Washington, DC. Later, discussions among China, the UK, and the United States resulted in proposals concerning the purposes and principles of an international organization, its membership and principal organs, as well as arrangements to maintain international peace and security and international economic and social cooperation. These proposals were discussed and debated by governments and private citizens worldwide. On March 5, 1945, invitations to a conference to be held in San Francisco in April were issued by the United States on behalf of itself, China, the USSR, and the UK to 42 other governments that had signed the January 1, 1942, "Declaration by United Nations" and that had declared war on Germany or Japan no later than March 1, 1945. The conference added Argentina, Denmark, and the two republics of Belarus and the Ukraine, bringing the total to 50. The 50 nations represented at San Francisco signed the Charter of the United Nations on June 26, 1945. Poland, which was not represented at the conference but for which a place among the original signatories had been reserved, added its name later, bringing the total of original signatories to 51. The United Nations came into existence 4 months later, on October 24, 1945, when the Charter had been ratified by the five permanent members of the Security Council--China, France, the USSR, the UK, and the United States--and by a majority of the other signatories. UN membership is open to all "peace-loving states" that accept the obligations of the UN Charter and, in the judgment of the organization, are able and willing to fulfill these obligations. Admission to membership is determined by the General Assembly upon recommendation of the Security Council. In September 1991, there were 166 members. By August 1992, 179 countries were members of the UN. In September 1992, however, the General Assembly, by a vote of 127 to 6 with 26 abstentions, revoked Yugoslavia's membership, reducing the total to 178. In New York City, the UN owns its headquarters site , which is international territory. The UN headquarters building was constructed between January 1, 1949, and August 21, 1950, beside the East River on donated land. Under special agreement with the United States, certain diplomatic privileges and immunities have been granted, but generally the laws of New York City, New York State, and the United States apply. Preamble to the Charter: The Preamble to the Charter expresses the ideals and common aims of all the peoples whose Governments joined together to form the United Nations: WE THE PEOPLES OF THE UNITED NATIONS DETERMINED to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, AND FOR THESE ENDS to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours, and to unite in strength to maintain international peace and security, and to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save the common interest, and to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples, HAVE RESOLVED TO COMBINE OUR EFFORTS TO ACCOMPLISH THESE AIMS Accordingly, our respective Governments, through representatives assembled in the city of San Francisco, who have exhibited their full powers found to be in good and due form, have agreed to the present Charter of the United Nations and do hereby establish an international organization to be known as the United Nations. Purposes and Principles: The purposes of the United Nations, as set forth in the Charter, are: -- to maintain international peace and security; -- to develop friendly relations among nations; -- to co-operate internationally in solving international economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems and in promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; -- to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in attaining these common ends. The United Nations acts in accordance with the following principles: -- It is based on the sovereign equality of all its Members. -- All Members are to fulfill in good faith their Charter obligations. -- They are to settle their international disputes by peaceful means and without endangering peace, security and justice. -- They are to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against any other State. -- They are to give the United Nations every assistance in any action it takes in accordance with the Charter, and shall not assist States against which the United Nations is taking preventative or enforcement action. -- The United Nations shall ensure that States which are not Members act in accordance with these principles in so far as it is necessary for the maintenance of international peace and security. -- Nothing in the Charter is to authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any State. Sources: "Basic Facts About the United Nations," Department of Public Information, United Nations, New York, N.Y., 1987. "U.S. Department of State Background Notes," Bureau of Public Affairs, U.S. State Department, Washington, D.C., 1993. </body> </article> </text>