Editing United Nations Security Council (section)

== Role ==
{{UNSCR}}
The UN's role in international [[collective security]] is defined by the [[Charter of the United Nations|UN Charter]], which authorizes the Security Council to investigate any situation threatening international peace; recommend procedures for peaceful resolution of a dispute; call upon other member nations to completely or partially interrupt economic relations as well as sea, air, postal and radio communications, or to sever diplomatic relations; and enforce its decisions militarily, or by any means necessary. The Security Council also recommends the new Secretary-General to the General Assembly and recommends new states for admission as [[member states of the United Nations]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/chapter2.shtml |title=Charter of the United Nations: Chapter II: Membership |publisher=United Nations |access-date=26 November 2013 |archive-date=8 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131208031716/https://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/chapter2.shtml |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="chapter5">{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/chapter5.shtml |title=Charter of the United Nations: Chapter V: The Security Council |publisher=United Nations |access-date=9 June 2012 |archive-date=1 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131001102526/http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/chapter5.shtml |url-status=live}}</ref> The Security Council has traditionally interpreted its mandate as covering only military security, though US Ambassador [[Richard Holbrooke]] controversially persuaded the body to pass a resolution on [[HIV/AIDS in Africa]] in 2000.{{sfn|Fasulo|2004|p=46}}

Under [[Chapter VI of the United Nations Charter|Chapter VI]] of the Charter, "Pacific Settlement of Disputes", the Security Council "may investigate any dispute, or any situation which might lead to international friction or give rise to a dispute". The Council may "recommend appropriate procedures or methods of adjustment" if it determines that the situation might endanger international peace and security.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/chapter6.shtml |title=Charter of the United Nations: Chapter VI: Pacific Settlement of Disputes |publisher=United Nations |access-date=26 November 2013 |archive-date=8 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131208032239/https://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/chapter6.shtml |url-status=live}}</ref> These recommendations are generally considered to not be binding, as they lack an enforcement mechanism.<ref>See {{harvnb|Fomerand|2009|p=287}}; {{harvnb|Hillier|1998|p=568}}; {{harvnb|Köchler|2001|p=21}}; {{harvnb|Matthews|1993|p=130}}; {{harvnb|Neuhold|2001|p=66}}. For lack of enforcement mechanism, see {{harvnb|Magliveras|1999|p=113}}.</ref> A minority of scholars, such as [[Stephen Zunes]], have argued that resolutions made under Chapter VI are "still directives by the Security Council and differ only in that they do not have the same stringent enforcement options, such as the use of military force".{{sfn|Zunes|2004|p=291}}

Under [[Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter|Chapter VII]], the council has broader power to decide what measures are to be taken in situations involving "threats to the peace, breaches of the peace, or acts of aggression."<ref name=Chapter7/> In such situations, the council is not limited to recommendations but may take action, including the use of armed force "to maintain or restore international peace and security."<ref name=Chapter7/> This was the legal basis for UN armed action in Korea in 1950 during the Korean War and the use of coalition forces in Iraq and Kuwait in 1991 and Libya in 2011.{{sfn|Kennedy|2006|pp=56–57}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2011/sc10200.doc.htm |title=Security Council Approves 'No-Fly Zone' Over Libya, Authorizing 'All Necessary Measures' to Protect Civilians, by Vote of 10 in Favour with 5 Abasentions |date=17 March 2011 |publisher=United Nations |access-date=26 November 2013 |archive-date=19 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110319093321/http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2011/sc10200.doc.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> Decisions taken under Chapter VII, such as [[economic sanctions]], are binding on UN members; the Security Council is the only UN body with authority to issue binding resolutions.{{sfn|Fomerand|2009|p=287}}{{sfn|Fasulo|2004|p=39}}

The [[Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court]] recognizes that the Security Council has authority to refer cases to the Court in which the Court could not otherwise exercise jurisdiction.<ref>[http://legal.un.org/icc/statute/99_corr/cstatute.htm Article 13] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019222421/http://legal.un.org/icc/statute/99_corr/cstatute.htm |date=19 October 2013}} of the Rome Statute. United Nations. Retrieved 26 November 2013.</ref> The Council exercised this power for the first time in March 2005, when it referred to the Court "the situation prevailing in [[Darfur]] since 1 July 2002"; since Sudan is not a party to the Rome Statute, the Court could not otherwise have exercised jurisdiction.<ref>{{cite press release |publisher=United Nations Security Council |date=31 March 2006 |url=https://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2005/sc8351.doc.htm |title=Security Council Refers Situation in Darfur, Sudan, To Prosecutor of International Criminal Court |access-date=14 March 2007 |archive-date=11 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201011221020/https://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2005/sc8351.doc.htm/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Bush-relents-to-allow-UN-vote-on-Sudan-war-crimes/2005/04/01/1112302241979.html |title=Bush relents to allow UN vote on Sudan war crimes |author=Wadhams, Nick |date=2 April 2005 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=27 November 2013 |archive-date=19 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140119052456/http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Bush-relents-to-allow-UN-vote-on-Sudan-war-crimes/2005/04/01/1112302241979.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The Security Council made its second such referral in February 2011 when it asked the ICC to investigate the Libyan government's violent response to the [[2011 Libyan Civil War|Libyan Civil War]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-libya-icc-idUSTRE71Q1DB20110227 |title=Q+A: How will the world's war crimes court act on Libya? |author=Gray-Block, Aaron and Greg Roumeliotis |date=27 February 2011 |work=Reuters |access-date=26 November 2013 |archive-date=26 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161226220819/http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-libya-icc-idUSTRE71Q1DB20110227 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[United Nations Security Council Resolution 1674|Security Council Resolution 1674]], adopted on 28 April 2006, "reaffirms the provisions of paragraphs 138 and 139 of the 2005 [[World Summit Outcome Document]] regarding the responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?docid=4459bed60 |title=Resolution 1674 (2006) |publisher=UN Security Council via Refworld |access-date=26 November 2013 |archive-date=2 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202231721/http://www.refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?docid=4459bed60 |url-status=live}}</ref> The Security Council reaffirmed this [[responsibility to protect]] in [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 1706|Resolution 1706]] on 31 August of that year.{{sfn|Mikulaschek|2010|p=20}} These resolutions commit the Security Council to protect civilians in an armed conflict, including taking action against genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.{{sfn|Mikulaschek|2010|p=49}}