The Security Council

The UN Charter gives the Security Council primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. The Council may convene at any time, day or night, whenever peace is threatened. Under the Charter, all Member States are obligated to carry out the Council’s decisions.

There are 15 Council members. Five of these – China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States – are permanent members. The other ten are elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms.

Decisions of the Council require nine yes votes. A decision cannot be taken if there is a no vote, or veto, by a permanent member.

The Economic and Social Council

The Economic and Social Council coordinates the economic and social work of the United Nations and the UN family. As the central forum for discussing international economic and social issues and for formulating policy recommendations, the Council plays a key role in fostering international cooperation for development. It also consults with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), thereby maintaining a vital link between the United Nations and civil society.

Five regional commissions promote economic development and strengthen economic relations in their respective regions.

The Trusteeship Council(совет по опеке)

The Trusteeship Council was established to provide international supervision for 11 Trust Territories administered by 7 Member States and ensure that adequate steps were taken to prepare the Territories for self-government or independence. By 1994 its work had completed, the Trusteeship Council now consists only of five permanent members of the Security Council. It has amended its rules of procedure to allow it to meet as and when occasion requires.

The International Court of Justice(международный суд, состоит из 15 судей)

The International Court of Justice, also known as the World Court, is the main judicial organ of the UN. Consisting of 15 judges elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council, the Court settles disputes between countries. Participation by States in a proceeding is voluntary. The Court also provides advisory opinions to the General Assembly and the Security Council upon request.

The Secretariat(административная работа ООН)

The Secretariat carries out the administrative work of the United Nations as directed by the General Assembly, the Security Council and the other organs. At its head is the Secretary General, who provides overall administrative guidance.

The Secretariat consists of departments and offices with a total stuff of about 8,900 under the regular budget, drawn from some 160 countries.

BASIC FACTS ON THE EUROPEAN UNION

The EU means many things to many people. For some it has been at the core of efforts to help maintain peace over the past 50 years in a continent which in the past has been riven by rivalry and suspicion. Others, however, talk of its political impotency.

For many the EU is primarily about the single market and the opportunities and benefits this presents to business, students, pensioners and holidaymakers.The European Union – previously known as the European Economic Community (EEC) – is an institutional framework for the construction of a united Europe. It was created after World War II to unite the nations of Europe economically so another war among them would be unthinkable. Twenty five countries are members of the European Union, and more than 400 million people share the common institutions and policies that have brought an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity in Western Europe.The European Union’s mission is to organize relations between the Member States and between their peoples in a coherent manner and on the basis of solidarity. The main objectives are:

to promote economic and social progress (the single market was established in 1993; the single currency was launched in 1999);

to assert the identity of the European Union on the international scene (through European humanitarian aid to non-EU countries, common foreign and security policy, action in international crises; common positions within international organizations);

to introduce European citizenship (which does not replace national citizenship but complements it and confers a number of civil and politic rights on European citizens);

to develop an area of freedom, security and justice (linked to the operation of the internal market and more particularly the freedom of movement of persons);

to maintain and build an established EU law (all the legislation adopted by the European institutions, together with the founding treaties).

(внутренний рынок , помощь беженцам, предоставление работы студентам, гуманитарная помощь)

POLITICAL SYSTEM AND STATE STRUCTURE

OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

Article 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus says that the Republic of Belarus is a unitary, democratic, social state based on the rule of law.

According to the Constitution the state power in the republic is exercised on the principle of divisions of power between the legislature, executive and judiciary.

The parliament, the National Assembly, is a representative and legislative body of the Republic of Belarus. It consists of two chambers – the House of Representatives and the Council of the Republic. The House of Representatives includes 110 deputies. The elections of deputies is carried out in accordance with the law on the basis of universal, direct electoral suffrage. The Council of the Republic is a chamber of territorial representation. Eight deputies are elected at the meetings of local Councils of deputies, and eight other are appointed by the President of the Republic of Belarus.

The right of legislative initiative belongs to the President, members of the House of Representatives, Council of the Republic, Government.

The executive power in the Republic of Belarus is exercised by the government – the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus. The government in its activity is accountable to the President and to the National Assembly. The head of the government, the Prime Minister, is appointed by the President with the consent of the House of Representatives.

The courts exercise judicial power in the Republic of Belarus. The judicial system is based on the principle of the territorial delineation. In administering justice judges are independent and subordinate to law alone. Supervision of constitutionality of the enforceable enactments of the state is exercised by the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Belarus.