The legal and political spectrum of the instruments available to the United Nations Security Council

Abstract

The United Nations Security Council (the UNSC) has been given a wide range of instruments to use in order to carry out its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. These instruments each have different legal and political spectrum. The most effective instrument is a resolution of the UNSC due to its a legally binding effect. However, since, in accordance with Article 27(3) of the United Nations Charter, resolutions of the UNSC are adopted by an affirmative vote of nine members of the UNSC including the concurring votes of the permanent members, adoption of resolutions may be impossible due to the interests and influence of the permanent member(-s). Therefore, this thesis examines the legal and political spectrum of various instruments available to the UNSC by analysing the meaning, effect, advantages and disadvantages of these instruments.