The Security
Council shall consist of fifteen Members of the United Nations. The
Republic of China, France, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United
States of America shall be permanent members of the Security Council.
The General Assembly shall elect ten other Members of the United
Nations to be non-permanent members of the Security Council, due regard
being specially paid, in the first instance to the contribution of
Members of the United Nations to the maintenance of international peace
and security and to the other purposes of the Organization, and also to
equitable geographical distribution.
The
non-permanent members of the Security Council shall be elected for a
term of two years. In the first election of the non-permanent members
after the increase of the membership of the Security Council from
eleven to fifteen, two of the four additional members shall be chosen
for a term of one year. A retiring member shall not be eligible for
immediate re-election.
Each member of the Security Council shall have one representative.
FUNCTIONS and POWERS
Article 24
In order to
ensure prompt and effective action by the United Nations,its Members
confer on the Security Council primary responsibility for the
maintenance of international peace and security, and agree that in
carrying out its duties under this responsibility the Security Council
acts on their behalf.
In discharging these duties the Security Council shall act
in accordance with the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations.
The specific powers granted to the Security Council for the discharge
of these duties are laid down in Chapters VI, VII, VIII, and XII.
The Security Council shall submit annual and, when necessary, special reports to the General Assembly for its consideration.
Article 25
The Members of the
United Nations agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the
Security Council in accordance with the present Charter.
Article 26
In order to promote
the establishment and maintenance of international peace and security
with the least diversion for armaments of the world's human and
economic resources, the Security Council shall be responsible for
formulating, with the assistance of the Military Staff Committee
referred to in Article 47, plans to be submitted to the Members of the
United Nations for the establishment of a system for the regulation of
armaments.
VOTING
Article 27
Each member of the Security Council shall have one vote.
Decisions of the Security Council on procedural matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of nine members.
Decisions of the Security Council on all other matters
shall be made by an affirmative vote of nine members including the
concurring votes of the permanent members; provided that, in decisions
under Chapter VI, and under paragraph 3 of Article 52, a party to a
dispute shall abstain from voting.
PROCEDURE
Article 28
The Security
Council shall be so organized as to be able to function continuously.
Each member of the Security Council shall for this purpose be
represented at all times at the seat of the Organization.
The Security Council shall hold periodic meetings at which each of its members
may, if it so desires, be represented by a member of the government or by
some other specially designated representative.
The
Security Council may hold meetings at such places other than the seat
of the Organization as in its judgment will best facilitate its work.
Article 29
The Security Council may establish such subsidiary organs as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions.
Article 30
The Security Council shall adopt its own rules of procedure, including the method of selecting its President.
Article 31
Any Member of the
United Nations which is not a member of the Security Council may
participate, without vote, in the discussion of any question brought
before the Security Council whenever the latter considers that the
interests of that Member are specially affected.
Article 32
Any Member of the
United Nations which is not a member of the Security Council or any
state which is not a Member of the United Nations, if it is a party to
a dispute under consideration by the Security Council, shall be invited
to participate, without vote, in the discussion relating to the
dispute. The Security Council shall lay down such conditions as it
deems just for the participation of a state which is not a Member of
the United Nations.
THE SECURITY COUNCIL 