Strengthening the UN's Early Warning and Conflict Prevention Capabilities

a) Mediation Corps: Establish a professional mediation corps in the UN and in each of the regional security organizations trained in conflict prevention and resolution to assist the Secretary General, the Special Representatives of the SG and envoys sent into the field, and the Security Council in taking a more pro-active conflict prevention role.

b) Conflict Prevention Committee: Establish an additional Committee of the General Assembly - a Conflict Prevention Committee - to assess early warning information and tension zones, to inform, supplement and react to the work of the Security Council.

c) Clarity on Humanitarian Intervention: Member states should agree to a standard for "humanitarian intervention" including a wide spectrum of measures that can be used to address gross violations of human rights on the understanding that the Security Council has the only mandate to authorize use of force.

d) Dialogue, Consultation and Cooperation with NGOs: Institutionalize a point of entry for maximum use of NGO expertise, early warning information and presence in areas of conflict.

e) Fulfilling Charter Obligations: UN member states should fulfill their obligations under Articles 43, 45 and 47 in the pursuit of the collective international security system envisioned by the founders, making available the required equipment, forces and advice for timely response to tension and conflict, including the use of targeted sanctions.

f) Authorize SG for up to 30 days: The Secretary General should be authorized to deploy, for up to 30 days, military or police forces of limited size for conflict prevention.

New measures for Peace Support Operations

g) Rapid Response: Establish a standing UN rapid response peacekeeping force of 10,000 individually recruited persons and a $500 million contingency fund to enable rapid deployment. Establish rapid response brigades also in the regional organizations.

h) Civilian Police Force: Establish a standing force of 2,000 - 5,000 volunteer civilian police officers trained in preventative peacekeeping, disaster relief and humanitarian aid missions to carry out pre-conflict and post-conflict peacekeeping tasks.

Building Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Peaceful Resolution of Conflicts

i) ICJ: Promote the International Court of Justice dispute settlement role.

j) ICC: Promote the establishment of the International Criminal Court.

k) ICPT: Promote the entry into force of the UNGA Convention on International Cooperation to Prevent Terrorism.

Working Against Arms Races and Offensive Military Strategies that Breed Mistrust and War

l) Freeze on forces and production: Establish a coordinating committee to oversee the implementation of a worldwide freeze on armed forces and a 25% cut in production and trade of major weapons and small arms. The committee would oversee the banning of arms sales to private groups or nations with bad human rights records.

m) Nuclear Disarmament: The above mentioned committee would also oversee reduction of nuclear weapons, the exchange of data on arsenals and the commencement of multilateral negotiations for the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

n) Abstain from using the veto: The P5 should voluntarily and informally agree to suspend or severely restrict their use of the veto.

o) Observer seat for GA President on Security Council: The President of the GA should have an observer seat on the Security Council allowing him to report to the GA, and to make better use of the "Uniting for Peace" procedure of the GA, if action by the Security Council remains blocked.

p) Parliamentary Assembly: Current representatives at the UN are not elected but appointed. A Parliamentary Assembly with its membership selected through an election process on the national level should advise the General Assembly.

February 2001

   Home  |  World Court Project   |  Nuclear Weapons Convention  |  Abolition 2000  |  Global Action to Prevent War