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Charta of the United Nations, 26 June, 1945

Chapter VII of the UN-Charta

CHAPTER VII

  ACTION WITH RESPECT TO THREATS TO THE PEACE, BREACHES OF THE
                    PEACE, AND ACTS OF AGGRESSION
 
 
 

                                  Article 39

The Security Council shall determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression and
shall make recommendations, or decide what measures shall be taken in accordance with Articles 41 and 42, to maintain
or restore international peace and security.
 
 

                                  Article 40

In order to prevent an aggravation of the situation, the Security Council may, before making the recommendations or
deciding upon the measures provided for in Article 39, call upon the parties concerned to comply with such provisional
measures as it deems necessary or desirable. Such provisional measures shall be without prejudice to the rights, claims,
or position of the parties concerned. The Security Council shall duly take account of failure to comply with such provisional
measures.
 
 

                                  Article 41

The Security Council may decide what measures not involving the use of armed force are to be employed to give effect to
its decisions, and it may call upon the Members of the United Nations to apply such measures. 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.
 
 

                                  Article 42

Should the Security Council consider that measures provided for in Article 41 would be inadequate or have proved to be
inadequate, it may take such action by air, sea, or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international
peace and security. Such action may include demonstrations, blockade, and other operations by air, sea, or land forces of
Members of the United Nations.
 
 

                                  Article 43

    1.All Members of the United Nations, in order to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security,
     undertake to make available to the Security Council, on its call and in accordance with a special agreement or
     agreements, armed forces, assistance, and facilities, including rights of passage, necessary for the purpose of
     maintaining international peace and security.

    2.Such agreement or agreements shall govern the numbers and types of forces, their degree of readiness and
     general location, and the nature of the facilities and assistance to be provided.

    3.The agreement or agreements shall be negotiated as soon as possible on the initiative of the Security Council. They
     shall be concluded between the Security Council and Members or between the Security Council and groups of
     Members and shall be subject to ratification by the signatory states in accordance with their respective
     constitutional processes. 
 
 

                                  Article 44

When the Security Council has decided to use force it shall, before calling upon a Member not represented on it to provide
armed forces in fulfilment of the obligations assumed under Article 43, invite that Member, if the Member so desires, to
participate in the decisions of the Security Council concerning the employment of contingents of that Member's armed
forces.
 
 

                                  Article 45

In order to enable the United Nations to take urgent military measures, Members shall hold immediately available national
air-force contingents for combined international enforcement action. The strength and degree of readiness of these
contingents and plans for their combined action shall be determined within the limits laid down in the special agreement or
agreements referred to in Article 43, by the Security Council with the assistance of the Military Staff Committee.
 
 

                                  Article 46

Plans for the application of armed force shall be made by the Security Council with the assistance of the Military Staff
Committee.
 
 

                                  Article 47

    1.There shall be established a Military Staff Committee to advise and assist the Security Council on all questions
     relating to the Security Council's military requirements for the maintenance of international peace and security, the
     employment and command of forces placed at its disposal, the regulation of armaments, and possible
     disarmament.

    2.The Military Staff Committee shall consist of the Chiefs of Staff of the permanent members of the Security Council or
     their representatives. Any Member of the United Nations not permanently represented on the Committee shall be
     invited by the Committee to be associated with it when the efficient discharge of the Committee's responsibilities
     requires the participation of that Member in its work.

    3.The Military Staff Committee shall be responsible under the Security Council for the strategic direction of any armed
     forces placed at the disposal of the Security Council. Questions relating to the command of such forces shall be
     worked out subsequently.

    4.The Military Staff Committee, with the authorization of the Security Council and after consultation with appropriate
     regional agencies, may establish regional sub-committees. 
 
 

                                  Article 48

    1.The action required to carry out the decisions of the Security Council for the maintenance of international peace and
     security shall be taken by all the Members of the United Nations or by some of them, as the Security Council may
     determine.

    2.Such decisions shall be carried out by the Members of the United Nations directly and through their action in the
     appropriate international agencies of which they remembers.
 
 

                                  Article 49

The Members of the United Nations shall join in affording mutual assistance in carrying out the measures decided upon by
the Security Council.
 
 

                                  Article 50

If preventive or enforcement measures against any state are taken by the Security Council, any other state, whether a
Member of the United Nations or not, which finds itself confronted with special economic problems arising from the
carrying out of those measures shall have the right to consult the Security Council with regard to a solution of those
problems.
 
 

                                  Article 51

Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack
occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain
international peace and security. Measures taken by Members in the exercise of this right of self-defence shall be
immediately reported to the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility of the Security
Council under the present Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore
international peace and security.