Of the six principal organs which make up the United Nations, the General Assembly (GA) is the only one which includes representatives of all the Member States. It is primarily a deliberative body. The General Assembly acts by making recommendations and has general supervisory, reviewing and coordinating functions in regard to the United Nations as a whole.

Each Member State is entitled to five representatives in the Assembly, their alternates, and in addition, to advisers who vary in number with the individual states. The choice of its representatives and alternates is left to each Member State.

Provisions of the Charter of the United Nations give the General Assembly the right to discuss and to make recommendations on all matters within the scope of the Charter and all matters relating to the powers and functions of the other organs. The only limitation on its power is that it may not make recommendations on any dispute or situation which may be under deliberation in the Security Council, which has primary responsibility for maintaining peace and security, unless the Security Council so requests.

Provision is also made in the 1950 "United Action for Peace" resolution for the following action: "If the Security Council, because of lack of unanimity of the permanent members, fails to exercise its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security in any case where there appears to be a threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression, the General Assembly shall consider the matter immediately with a view to making appropriate recommendations to Members for collective measures, including, in the case of a breach of the peace or act of aggression, the use of armed force when necessary, to maintain or restore international peace and security. If not in session at the time, the General Assembly may meet in emergency special session within twenty-four hours of the request therefor. Such emergency special session shall be called if requested by the Security Council on the vote of any seven members, or by a majority of the Members of the United Nations."

The Assembly is convened in regular annual session and in special sessions which may be called by the Security Council, by a majority of Members of the United Nations, or at the request of one Member concurred in by the majority.

Annual and special reports are made to the Assembly by the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, and the Trusteeship Council; the Assembly also receives reports from other United Nations organs. Each year the Assembly receives a report from the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization as a whole.

The functions of the General Assembly as outlined in the Charter are the maintenance of international peace and security; the promotion of international economic and social cooperation; the operation of the International Trusteeship System; the promotion of international political cooperation and the encouragement of the progressive development of international law and its codification. In addition, the Assembly elects the non-permanent members of the Security Council, the members of the Economic and Social Council and the elective members of the Trusteeship Council. In conjunction with the Security Council, it elects the judges of the International Court of Justice and, on recommendation of the Security Council, it appoints the Secretary-General. The budgetary functions of the Assembly include its power to fix the contributions of Member States. Other administrative functions include such mat ters as admission, expulsion and suspension of Members; functions concerning Non-Self-Governing Territories not placed under the Trusteeship System and matters pertaining to the Secretariat.

Member States are entitled to one vote in the General Assembly. On important questions, such as recommendations on peace and security, election of Members to organs, admission, suspension and expulsion of Members, trusteeship questions and budgetary matters, voting is by a two-thirds majority of the Members present and voting. On other questions, including the determination of 'additional categories of questions to be decided by a two-thirds majority, decisions are taken by a majority vote of the Members present and voting.

A President and seven Vice-Presidents are chosen by the General Assembly at each annual session and hold office through the close of the session in which they are elected.

The General Assembly has four types of committees:

1. Main Committees

2. Procedural Committees 3. Standing Committees

4. Ad hoc Committees and other subsidiary bodies

The six Main Committees consider agenda items referred to them by the General Assembly, and recommend draft resolutions or make recommendations for submission to the General Assembly. Every Member has the right of representation on each of these Main Committees, which correspond to the major fields of responsibility of the General Assembly and are as follows:

First Committee-Political and Security (including the regulation of armanents)

Second Committee-Economic and Financial Third Committee-Social, Humanitarian and

Cultural

Fourth Committee-Trusteeship (including Non-Self-Governing Ter

ritories) Fifth Committee-Administrative and Budgetary

Sixth Committee-Legal

There are two committees concerned with the procedural problems of the General Assembly. The General Committee, composed of the President and seven Vice-Presidents of the Assembly and the Chairman of the six Main Committees, considers and reports to the Assembly on matters proposed for the agenda and assists the President in the conduct of the work of the Assembly which falls within his competence. The Credentials Committee, composed of nine members elected at each session on the proposal of the President, examines and verifies the credentials of representatives.

Two standing committees assist in the work of the Assembly. The Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions consists of nine members, at least two of whom should be recognized financial experts. The Committee on Contributions is composed of ten members. Rep

resentatives to both committees are elected for three-year terms on the basis of personal qualifications and experience.

From time to time 'ad hoc' committees are appointed to deal with special problems. An example is the United Nations Special Committee on the Balkans. This Committee was set up in 1947 to see that Albania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia, on the one hand, and Greece, on the other, complied with recommendations for the establishment of good neighborly relations toward the peaceful settlement of disputes, and to give them aid in doing so. Another is the Commission for the Unification and Rehabilitation of Korea organized in 1950 to assist in the unification of Korea and to observe the withdrawal of occupying units. The United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine, the Special Committee on Information Transmitted under Article 73(e) of the Charter (concerning non-selfgoverning territories), and the Headquarters Advisory Committee are other examples.

The Interim Committee, sometimes called the 'Little Assembly,' is responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security during the interval between the regular sessions of the General Assembly. It is composed of a representative of each Member State. In 1950 the Assembly established the High Commissioner's Office for Refugees, the Collective Measures Committee and the Peace Observation Commission. Four other bodies assist the Assembly in its work: The Board of Auditors, the Investments Committee, the United Nations Staff Pension Committee and the International Law Commission.

An Administrative Tribunal was established at the Fourth Session of the General Assembly in 1949 to review and pass judgement upon applications alleging non-observance of contracts of employment or of terms of employment of staff members of the Secretariat of the United Nations and of staff members of those specialized agencies which have concluded agreements with the United Nations.

The Security Council (SC) is composed of eleven members. Of these five-China, France, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom and the United States-are permanent members. The six remaining places are filled by non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly. In electing these members the Assembly must consider the contribution of Members of the United Nations to the maintenance of international peace and security and to other United Nations purposes, and must also consider equitable geographical distribution. Non-permanent members are not eligible for immediate re-election.

The Council functions continuously and each member is required to be represented at all times at United Nations Headquarters.

The Security Council determines the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression and makes recommendations, or decides what measures shall be taken to maintain or restore international peace and security. These may include complete or partial interruption of economic relations and of rail, sea, air, postal, telegraphic, radio and other means of communication, and the severance of diplomatic relations. If these measures are inadequate, the Council may take such action by air, sea or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security. Action in this case may include demonstrations, blockade, and other operations by forces of Members of the United Nations.

Member States may take individual or collective

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) consists of eighteen members elected by the General Assembly for three-year terms. Six of these members are elected each year, retiring members being eligible for immediate reelection.

ECOSOC is under the authority of the General Assembly and devotes itself to the promotion of international economic and social cooperation. In these areas it initiates studies, submits reports and makes recommendations on international economic, social, cultural, educational, health and related matters to the General Assembly, the Members of the United Nations and to the specialized agencies concerned. It makes recommendations for promoting respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all. It prepares draft conventions for submission to the General Assembly and calls international conferences on matters within its

competence. A Member of the United Nations may participate in discussions on matters which concern it though it is not a member of the Economic and Social Council. Specialized agencies may send representatives to the Council meetings and ECOSOC in turn may send its representatives to meetings of the specialized agencies.

ECOSOC is also concerned with bringing the various specialized agencies into relationship with the United Nations and to this end agreements which define the terms of the relationships are negotiated by a committee of the Economic and Social Council. Such agreements must be approved by the General Assembly and by the appropriate organ of the specialized agency concerned before entering into effect. It also consults with international and national nongovernmental organizations (with the agreement of the country concerned) on matters within its competence.