[United States Government Manual]
[July 01, 1995]
[Pages 769-779]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 769]]


SELECTED MULTILATERAL ORGANIZATIONS

________________________________________________________________________



MULTILATERAL INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN WHICH THE UNITED STATES 
PARTICIPATES

Explanatory note: Descriptions of most of the organizations listed below 
may be found in the publication entitled United States Contributions to 
International Organizations.

    The United States participates in the organizations named below in 
accordance with the provisions of treaties, other international 
agreements, congressional legislation, or executive arrangements. In 
some cases, no financial contribution is involved.
    Various commissions, councils, or committees subsidiary to the 
organizations listed here are not named separately on this list. These 
include the international bodies for narcotics control, which are 
subsidiary to the United Nations.

I. United Nations, Specialized Agencies, and International Atomic Energy 
Agency

United Nations
Food and Agricultural Organization
International Maritime Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency
International Civil Aviation Organization
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
International Labor Organization
International Telecommunication Union
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
Universal Postal Union
World Health Organization
World Intellectual Property Organization
World Meteorological Organization

II. Peacekeeping

United Nations Forces in Cyprus
United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and UNIFIL
Multinational Force and Observers
United Nations Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group (UNIIMOG)
United Nations Observer Group in Central America (UNOGCA)

III. Inter-American Organizations

Organization of American States
Inter-American Indian Institute
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
Pan American Institute of Geography and History
Pan American Railway Congress Association
Postal Union of the Americas and Spain and Portugal

IV. Regional Organizations

NATO
North Atlantic Assembly
Colombo Plan for Cooperative Economic and Social Development in Asia and 
    the Pacific
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
South Pacific Commission

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V. Other International Organizations

Bureau of International Expositions
Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
Customs Cooperation Council (CCC)
Fund for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
Hague Conference on Private International Law
International Agency for Research on Cancer
International Bureau of the Permanent Court of Arbitration
International Bureau for the Publication of Customs Tariffs
International Bureau of Weights and Measures
International Center for the Study of the Preservation and the 
    Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM)
International Coffee Organization (ICO)
International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas
International Cotton Advisory Committee
International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES)
International Council of Scientific Unions and Its Associated Unions 
    (20)
International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)
International Hydrographic Organization
International Institute for Cotton
International Institute for the Unification of Private Law
International Jute Organization
International Lead and Zinc Study Group
International Natural Rubber Organization
International North Pacific Fisheries Commission
International Office of Epizootics
International Office of Vine and Wine
International Organization for Legal Metrology
International Rubber Study Group
International Seed Testing Association
International Sugar Organization
International Tropical Timber Organization
International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)
International Whaling Commission
International Wheat Council
Interparliamentary Union
North Atlantic Ice Patrol
North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization
Permanent International Association of Navigation Congresses
United Nations Compensation Commission
World Tourism Organization (WTO)

VI. Special Voluntary Programs

Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Program
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna 
    and Flora (CITES)
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
International Atomic Agency Technical Assistance and Cooperation Fund
OAS Special Cultural Fund
OAS Special Development Assistance Fund
OAS Special Multilateral Fund (Education and Science)
OAS Special Projects Fund (Mar del Plata)
PAHO Special Health Promotion Funds
United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)
United Nations Center for Human Settlements (Habitat) (UNCHS)
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Educational and Training Program for South Africa
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
United Nations/Food and Agricultural Organization World Food Program 
    (WFP)
United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control (UNFDAC)
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Program (UNHCR)
United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)
United Nations Trust Fund for South Africa
United Nations Volunteers (UNV)
WHO Special Programs

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WMO Voluntary Cooperation Program

African Development Bank

Headquarters: Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire

President: Babacar Ndiaye

The African Development Bank (AFDB) was established in 1963 and, by 
charter amendment, opened its membership to non-African countries in 
1982. AFDB's mandate is to contribute to the economic development and 
social progress of its regional members. AFDB members\1\ total 76--
including 51 African countries and 25 non-regional countries. Ownership 
of the Bank, by charter, is two-thirds African and one-third non-
regional.
    \1\AFDB membership totals include the former Socialist Federal 
Republic of Yugoslavia.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The African Development Fund (AFDF), the concessional lending 
affiliate, was established in 1973 to complement AFDB operations by 
providing concessional financing for high-priority development projects 
in the poorest African countries. AFDF membership consists of 26 member 
countries and AFDB, which represents its African members and is 
allocated half of the votes.
    The United States became a member of AFDF in 1976 by virtue of the 
African Development Fund Act (22 U.S.C. 290g note) and, in February 
1983, became a member of AFDB by virtue of the African Development Bank 
Act (22 U.S.C. 290i note).

Asian Development Bank

Headquarters: 6 ADB Avenue, 1501 Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. 
Phone, 632-711-3851

President: Mitsuo Sato

The Agreement establishing the Asian Development Bank came into effect 
on August 22, 1966, when it was ratified by 15 governments. The Bank 
commenced operations on December 19, 1966. The United States became a 
member by virtue of the Asian Development Bank Act of March 16, 1966 (22 
U.S.C. 285). The Bank now has 55 member countries--39 from Asia and 16 
from outside the region.
    The purpose of the Bank is to foster economic growth and contribute 
to the acceleration of economic development of the developing member 
countries in Asia, collectively and individually. The Bank, including 
its concessional loan window, lends about $5 billion annually and 
provides over $100 million per year in technical assistance.

Correspondence to the Asian Development Bank should be mailed to P.O. 
Box 789, 1099 Manila, Philippines.

Inter-American Defense Board

2600 Sixteenth Street NW., Washington, DC 20441. Phone, 202-939-6600

Chairman: Maj. Gen. John C. Ellerson, USA

The Inter-American Defense Board is a permanently constituted, 
international organization, autonomous within the inter-American system, 
composed of army, navy, and air officers appointed by the governments of 
American Republics. Its constitutional sources are: Resolution XXXIX of 
the Meeting of Foreign Ministers at Rio de Janeiro in January 1942; 
Resolution XXXIV of the Ninth International Conference of American 
States held in Bogota, Colombia, in April 1948; and Resolution III of 
the Fourth Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, held 
in Washington, DC, March-April 1951.
    The Board studies and recommends to the governments of the American 
Republics measures necessary for close military collaboration in 
preparation for the collective self-defense of the American continents.

Inter-American Development Bank

Headquarters: 1300 New York Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20577. Phone, 
202-623-1000

President: Enrique V. Iglesias

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is an international financial 
institution established in 1959 to help accelerate economic and social 
development in Latin America and the 

[[Page 772]]
Caribbean. It is based in Washington, DC.
    The Bank has 28 member countries in the Western Hemisphere and 18 
outside of the region.
    In its 34 years of operation, IDB has helped to provide, secure, and 
organize financing for projects that represent a total investment of 
more than $178 billion. The Bank has also fostered a more equitable 
distribution of the benefits of development, and has been a pioneer in 
financing social projects.
    The Bank's highest authority is its Board of Governors, on which 
each member country is represented. Its 12-member Board of Executive 
Directors is responsible for the conduct of the Bank's operations.
    The Bank's field offices represent its dealings with local 
authorities and borrowers and supervise the implementation of Bank-
supported projects.

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Headquarters: 1818 H Street NW., Washington, DC 20433. Phone, 202-477-
1234

President: James D. Wolfensohn

The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), also 
known as the World Bank, officially came into existence on December 27, 
1945.
    IBRD's purpose is to promote economic, social, and environmental 
progress in developing nations by raising productivity so that their 
people may live better and fuller lives. It does this by lending funds 
at market-determined interest rates, providing advice, and serving as a 
catalyst to stimulate outside investments. IBRD's resources come 
primarily from funds raised in the world capital markets, its retained 
earnings, and repayments on its loans.
    During the Bank's 1994 fiscal year, it made new loan commitments 
totaling $14,244 million in support of sound development projects, 
primarily in middle-income developing countries.

International Development Association  The International Development 
Association (IDA) came into existence on September 24, 1960, as an 
affiliate of IBRD. IDA's resources consist of subscriptions and 
supplementary resources in the form of general replenishments, mostly 
from its more industrialized and developed members; special 
contributions by its richer members; repayments on earlier credits; and 
transfers from its net earnings.
    IDA promotes economic development, increases productivity, and 
raises the standard of living in the least developed areas of the world. 
It does this by financing their developmental requirements on 
concessionary terms, which are more flexible and bear less heavily on 
the balance of payments than those of conventional loans, thereby 
furthering the objectives of IBRD and supplementing its activities.
    During the World Bank's 1994 fiscal year, IDA made new commitments 
totaling $6,592 million, primarily in the poorest countries in sub-
Saharan Africa and Asia.

International Finance Corporation

Headquarters: 1818 H Street NW., Washington, DC 20433. Phone, 202-477-
1234

President: James D. Wolfensohn
Executive Vice President: Jannik Lindbaek

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), an affiliate of the World 
Bank, was established in July 1956 to promote productive private 
enterprise in developing countries.
    IFC pursues its objective principally through direct debt and equity 
investments in projects that establish new businesses or expand, modify, 
or diversify existing businesses. It also encourages cofinancing by 
other investors and lenders. For every dollar of financing approved by 
IFC for its own account, other investors and lenders provide about 
$5.43.
    Additionally, advisory services and technical assistance are 
provided by IFC to developing member countries in areas such as capital 
market development, privatization, corporate restructuring, and foreign 
direct investment.

[[Page 773]]

    During the World Bank's 1994 fiscal year, IFC made new debt and 
equity commitments for its own account of $2.5 billion supporting 231 
new projects. The entire size of these projects totalled approximately 
$15.8 billion.

International Monetary Fund

700 Nineteenth Street NW., Washington, DC 20431. Phone, 202-623-7000

Managing Director and Chairman of the
Executive Board: Michel Camdessus

The Final Act of the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference, 
signed at Bretton Woods, NH, on July 22, 1944, set forth the original 
Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund. The Agreement 
became effective on December 27, 1945, when the President, authorized by 
the Bretton Woods Agreements Act (22 U.S.C. 286) accepted membership for 
the United States in the Fund, the Agreement having thus been accepted 
by countries having approximately 80 percent of the quotas. The 
inaugural meeting of the Board of Governors was held in March 1946, and 
the first meeting of the Executive Directors was held May 6, 1946.
    On May 31, 1968, the Board of Governors approved an amendment to the 
Articles of Agreement for the establishment of a facility based on 
Special Drawing Rights (SDR's) in the Fund and for modification of 
certain rules and practices of the Fund. The amendment became effective 
on July 28, 1969, and the Special Drawing Account became operative on 
August 6, 1969. The United States acceptance of the amendment and 
participation in the Special Drawing Account were authorized by the 
Special Drawing Rights Act (22 U.S.C. 286 et seq.).
    On April 30, 1976, the Board of Governors approved a second 
amendment to the Articles of Agreement, which entered into force on 
April 1, 1978. United States acceptance of this amendment was authorized 
by the Bretton Woods Agreements Act Amendments (22 U.S.C. 286e-5). This 
amendment gave members the right to adopt exchange arrangements of their 
choice while placing certain obligations on them regarding their 
exchange rate policies, over which IMF was to exercise firm 
surveillance. The official price of gold was abolished and the SDR 
account was promoted as the principal reserve asset of the international 
monetary system.
    On June 28, 1990, the Board of Governors approved a third amendment 
to the Articles of Agreement, under which a member's voting rights and 
certain related rights may be suspended by a 70-percent majority of the 
executive board if the member, having been declared ineligible to use 
the general resources of the Fund, persists in its failure to fulfill 
any of its obligations under the Articles.
    On November 11, 1992, the third amendment to IMF's Articles of 
Agreement took effect, increasing quotas by approximately 50 percent 
under the Ninth General Review to SDR's 145 billion (equivalent to 
approximately $202 billion). As of March 31, 1995, IMF had 179 member 
countries.
    The purposes of the Fund are to promote international monetary 
cooperation through a permanent institution that provides the machinery 
for consultation and collaboration on international monetary problems; 
to facilitate the expansion and balanced growth of international trade; 
to promote exchange stability; to assist in the establishment of a 
multilateral system of payments for current transactions between 
members; and to give confidence to members by making the Fund's 
resources temporarily available to them under adequate safeguards.
    In accordance with these purposes, the Fund seeks to shorten the 
duration and lessen the degree of imbalance in the international 
balances of payments of members.
     The Fund provides financial assistance to aid its members in 
handling balance-of-payment difficulties through a variety of facilities 
that are designed to address specific problems. These lending mechanisms 
include stand-by and extended arrangements, as well as separate 
facilities to provide compensatory and contingency financing 

[[Page 774]]
to countries suffering temporary declines in their export earnings, to 
support structural adjustment programs in the poorest countries, and to 
promote systemic transformation in the formerly centrally planned 
economies during the transition to a market economy.

For further information, contact the Chief, Public Affairs Division, 
External Relations Department, International Monetary Fund, 700 
Nineteenth Street NW., Washington, DC 20431. Phone, 202-623-7300.

International Organization for Migration

Headquarters: 17 Route des Morillons, Grand-Saconnex, Geneva; mailing 
address--P.O. Box 71, CH1211, Geneva 19, Switzerland

Director General: James N. Purcell, Jr.

Washington Office: Suite 1110, 1750 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20006. 
Phone, 202-862-1826
Chief of Mission: Hans-Petter Boe

New York Office: Suite 1610, 122 E. 42d Street, New York, NY 10168. 
Phone, 212-681-7000
Chief of Mission: Richard E. Scott

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), formerly the 
Intergovernmental Committee for Migration (ICM), was created in 1951 at 
a conference in Brussels sponsored by the Governments of the United 
States and Belgium.
    IOM is a technical, nonpolitical organization that plans and 
operates refugee resettlement, national migration, and emergency relief 
programs at the request of its member states and in cooperation with 
other international organizations.
    IOM has four major objectives: the processing and movement of 
refugees to countries offering them permanent resettlement 
opportunities; the promotion of orderly migration to meet the specific 
needs of both emigration and immigration countries; the transfer of 
technology through migration in order to promote the economic, 
educational, and social advancement of countries in the process of 
development, particularly in Latin America and Africa; and the provision 
of a forum to states and other partners to discuss experiences, exchange 
views, and devise measures to promote cooperation and coordination of 
efforts on migration issues.
    IOM has a membership of 54 governments; 41 other governments have 
observer status. Operational offices are located in 60 countries, 
including some nonmember countries.

Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency

Headquarters: 1818 H Street NW., Washington, DC 20433. Phone, 202-477-
1234

President: James D. Wolfensohn
Executive Vice President: Akira Iida

The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), an affiliate of the 
World Bank, was formally constituted in April 1988.
    MIGA's basic purpose is to facilitate the flow of private investment 
for productive purposes to developing member countries by offering long-
term political risk insurance to investors, such as coverage against 
risks of expropriation, currency transfer, and war and civil 
disturbance; and by providing advisory and consultative services.
    During the World Bank's 1994 fiscal year, MIGA issued 38 guarantees 
with a maximum contingent liability of $372.6 million to facilitate 
aggregate direct investment of approximately $1.3 billion.

Organization of American States

General Secretariat: 1889 F Street NW., Washington, DC 20006. Phone, 
202-458-3000. Fax, 202-458-3967

Secretary General: Cesar Gaviria
Assistant Secretary General: Christopher Thomas
Executive Secretary for Economic and Social Affairs: Lorne McDonnough, 
Acting
Executive Secretary for Education, Science, and Culture: Leonel Zuniga, 
Acting
Assistant Secretary for Management: Phillip McLean
Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs: William M. Berenson, Acting

    The Organization of American States (OAS) is a regional, 
intergovernmental 

[[Page 775]]
organization whose primary purposes are to strengthen the peace and 
security of the continent; to promote and consolidate representative 
democracy, with due respect for the principle of nonintervention; to 
prevent possible causes of difficulties and to conciliate disputes that 
may arise among the member states; to provide for common action by those 
states in the event of aggression; to seek the solution of political, 
juridical, and economic problems that may arise among them; to promote, 
by cooperative action, their economic, social, and cultural development; 
and to achieve an effective limitation of conventional weapons that will 
make it possible to devote the largest amount of resources to the 
economic and social development of the member states. With roots dating 
from 1890, the first OAS Charter was signed in 1948. Two subsequent 
protocols of amendment, Buenos Aires 1967 and Cartagena de Indias 1985, 
gave it its present form. Two additional protocols of amendment, 
Washington 1992 and Managua 1993, are currently in the ratification 
process. The Protocol of Washington will incorporate provisions for the 
protection of democratically constituted governments and will include 
the eradication of extreme poverty, which constitutes an obstacle to the 
full democratic development of the peoples of the hemisphere, among the 
essential purposes of the Organization. The Protocol of Managua will 
establish the Inter-American Council for Integral Development in 
replacement of the current Inter-American Councils for Economic and 
Social Affairs and Education, Science and Culture.
    The OAS member states are Argentina, Antigua and Barbuda, 
Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, 
Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Commonwealth of Dominica, Dominican 
Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, 
Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Kitts 
and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad 
and Tobago, the United States of America, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The 
present Government of Cuba is excluded from participation by a decision 
of the Eighth Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in 
1962. Thirty-three non-American countries and the European Union are 
Permanent Observers.
    The principal organs of the OAS are:
    --the General Assembly, which is normally composed of the foreign 
ministers of the member states and meets at least once a year to decide 
the general action and policy of the Organization;
    --the Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, which 
meets on call to consider urgent matters of common interest or threats 
to the peace and security of the hemisphere;
    --the Permanent Council, which meets twice a month at OAS 
headquarters;
    --the Inter-American Economic and Social Council and the Inter-
American Council For Education, Science, and Culture, which meet once a 
year;
    --the Inter-American Juridical Committee;
    --the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights; and
    --the General Secretariat, which is the central and permanent organ, 
headquartered in Washington, DC.
    OAS has six specialized organizations that handle technical matters 
of common interest to the American States. OAS also holds specialized 
conferences on specific technical matters.

For further information, contact the Director, Department of Public 
Information, Organization of American States, Seventeenth Street and 
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20006. Phone, 202-458-3760. Fax, 
202-458-6421.

United Nations

United Nations, New York, NY 10017. Phone, 212-963-1234

Secretary-General: Boutros Boutros-Ghali

United Nations Office at Geneva: Palais des Nations, 1211 Geneva 10, 
Switzerland

Director-General: Antoine Blanca

United Nations Office at Vienna: Vienna International Centre, P.O. Box 
500, A-1400, Vienna, Austria


[[Page 776]]

Director-General: Giorgio Giacomelli

Washington, DC, Office: U.N. Information Centre, Suite 400, 1775 K 
Street NW., Washington, DC 20006. Phone, 202-331-8670; Fax, 202-331-9191

Director: Michael Stopford

The United Nations is an international organization that was set up in 
accordance with the Charter\1\ drafted by governments represented at the 
Conference on International Organization meeting at San Francisco. The 
Charter was signed on June 26, 1945, and came into force on October 24, 
1945, when the required number of ratifications and accessions had been 
made by the signatories. Amendments increasing membership of the 
Security Council and the Economic and Social Council came into effect on 
August 31, 1965.
    \1\Charter of the United Nations, together with the Statute of the 
International Court of Justice (Department of State Publication No. 
2353, International Organization and Conference Series III, 21), June 
26, 1945. Available for sale from the Superintendent of Documents, 
Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. Phone, 202-783-3238.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The United Nations now consists of 185 member states of which 51 are 
founding members.
Purpose  The purposes of the United Nations set out in the Charter are: 
to maintain international peace and security; to develop friendly 
relations among nations; to achieve international cooperation in solving 
international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian 
character and in promoting respect for human rights; and to be a center 
for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common 
ends.

Organization

The principal organs of the United Nations are:

General Assembly  All states that are members of the United Nations are 
members of the General Assembly. Its functions are to consider and 
discuss any matter within the scope of the Charter of the United Nations 
and to make recommendations to the members of the United Nations and 
other organs. It approves the budget of the organization, the expenses 
of which are borne by the members as apportioned by the General 
Assembly.
    The General Assembly may call the attention of the Security Council 
to situations likely to endanger international peace and security, may 
initiate studies, and may receive and consider reports from other organs 
of the United Nations. Under the ``Uniting for Peace'' resolution 
adopted by the General Assembly in November 1950, if the Security 
Council fails to act on an apparent threat to or breach of the peace or 
act of aggression because of lack of unanimity of its five permanent 
members, the Assembly itself may take up the matter within 24 hours--in 
emergency special session--and recommend collective measures, including, 
in case of a breach of the peace or act of aggression, use of armed 
force when necessary to maintain or restore international peace and 
security.
    The General Assembly has held to date 50 regular sessions, 18 
special sessions, and 11 emergency special sessions. It normally meets 
in regular annual session in September.
Security Council  The Security Council consists of 15 members of which 
5--the People's Republic of China, France, the Union of Soviet Socialist 
Republics, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America--are 
permanent members and are elected each year. The 10 nonpermanent members 
are elected for 2-year terms by the General Assembly. The primary 
responsibility of the Security Council is to act on behalf of the 
members of the United Nations in maintenance of international peace and 
security. Measures that may be employed by the Security Council are 
outlined in the Charter.
    The Security Council, together with the General Assembly, also 
elects the judges of the International Court of Justice and makes a 
recommendation to the General Assembly on the appointment of the 
Secretary General of the organization.

[[Page 777]]

    The Security Council first met in London on January 17, 1946, and is 
so organized as to be able to function continuously.
Economic and Social Council  This organ is responsible, under the 
authority of the General Assembly, for the economic and social programs 
of the United Nations. Its functions include making or initiating 
studies, reports, and recommendations on international economic, social, 
cultural, educational, health, and related matters; promoting respect 
for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all; 
calling international conferences and preparing draft conventions for 
submission to the General Assembly on matters within its competence; 
negotiating agreements with the specialized agencies and defining their 
relationship with the United Nations; coordinating the activities of the 
specialized agencies; and consulting with nongovernmental organizations 
concerned with matters within its competence. The Council consists of 54 
members of the United Nations elected by the General Assembly for 3-year 
terms; 18 are elected each year.
    The Council usually holds two regular sessions a year. It has also 
held a number of special sessions.
Trusteeship Council  The Trusteeship Council was initially established 
to consist of any member states that administer trust territories, 
permanent members of the Security Council that do not administer trust 
territories, and enough other nonadministering countries elected by the 
General Assembly for 3-year terms to ensure that membership would be 
equally divided between administering and nonadministering members. At 
present, the participating members of the Council are the United 
Kingdom, China, France, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and the 
United States.
    Of the original 11 trust territories, all except the Trust Territory 
of the Pacific Islands, which is administered by the United States, have 
attained the goals of the trusteeship system, either as independent 
states or as parts of such states.
    The Council functions under authority of the General Assembly. It 
considers reports from the member administering the Trust Territory, 
examines petitions from inhabitants of the Trust Territory, and provides 
for periodic inspection visits to the Trust Territory. The Council has 
held 61 regular sessions and a number of special sessions.
International Court of Justice  The International Court of Justice is 
the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It has its seat at 
The Hague, the Netherlands. All members of the United Nations are ipso 
facto parties to the Statute of the Court. Nonmembers of the United 
Nations may become parties to the Statute of the Court on conditions 
prescribed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security 
Council.
    The jurisdiction of the Court comprises all cases that the parties 
refer to it and all matters specially provided for in the Charter of the 
United Nations or in treaties and conventions in force.
    The Court consists of 15 judges known as ``members'' of the Court. 
They are elected for 9-year terms by the General Assembly and the 
Security Council, voting independently, and may be reelected.
Secretariat   The Secretariat consists of a Secretary-General and ``such 
staff as the Organization may require.'' The Secretary-General, who is 
appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security 
Council, is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations. He 
acts in that capacity for the General Assembly, the Security Council, 
the Economic and Social Council, and the Trusteeship Council. Under the 
Charter, the Secretary-General ``may bring to the attention of the 
Security Council any matter that in his opinion may threaten the 
maintenance of international peace and security.''

[[Page 779]]