The Evolution of the Concept of International Peace and Security in light of UN Security Council Practice (End of the Cold War-Until Now)

Abstract

With the start of globalization and the third millennium, international peace and security have gradually lost their traditional westphalian notion and have become complicated. The nature of threats against international peace and security has also spread to political, economical, social and environmental aspects as well as military ones. Therefore, it is not just governments who are responsible for establishing international peace and security; rather all the actors of the international system including individuals and major international bodies have their own share in bringing about peace and security. In this regard, UN Security Council, which is the most significant pillar of UN and guardian of international peace and security, has faced multiple challenges during its lifetime. During the Cold War and due to the competition between west and east superpowers, this council has proved principally impotent in encountering international crises. When the Cold War came to an end and the Soviet Union collapsed, there had been offered a great chance to the council to analyze international affairs with a new approach. The evolution of international peace and security notion and new interpretations of threats are the most manifested matters of the council in the post-Cold War era. This has proceeded to an extend that sometimes finding a legal status for the measures of the UN Security Council is difficult and the council has become sort of a legislator in the world. The most important issues that were addressed in the Council regarding international peace and security in post-Cold War era have been human rights violations, humanitarian law, terrorism, proliferation of mass destruction weapons and environmental problems. Expanding the Council’s authorities should be based on a clear and general interpretation of them in the framework of the principles of the UN Charter. Consequently, the Security Council is not legally capable of doing arbitrary and limitless actions.