Suchergebnisse

CHINA'S POSITION ON UN PEACEKEEPING HAS SEEN FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES IN THE LAST 45 YEARS. BITTER CONDEMNATION IN THE 1950S AND THE 1960S HAS EVOLVED INTO ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE 1980S AND THE 1990S. THIS ARTICLE EXAMINES THE PROCESS OF EVOLUTION AND ITS LIMITATIONS. IT ARGUES THAT CHINA HAS EVENTUALLY OPTED TO ACCEPT PEACEKEEPING AS A FUNCTION OF THE UNIVERSAL VALUES INHERENT IN THE UN. CHINA'S ACCEPTANCE OF SUCH VALUES BEST ILLUSTRATES ITS PERCEPTION OF THE CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL ORDER AND ITS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT ORDER. SUCH ACCEPTANCE CONTRIBUTES TO THE EMERGENCE OF WHAT THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL OBSERVED AS THE "GREATER UNITY" AND "COLLEGIALITY" OF THE PERMANENT SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHICH IS AN INDISPENSABLE CONDITION THAT GIVES A BETTER CHANCE FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE AN SECURITY IN THE POST-COLD WAR ERA.

DUE TO THE CONFLICT WITH CERTAIN SOMALI FACTIONS AT THE OUTSET, THE UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN SOMALIA II WAS NOT ABLE TO FULFILL ITS PEACEBUILDING OBJECTIVES. THIS ARTICLE ARGUES THAT RECONCILIATION AND PEACE ARE PREREQUISITES FOR THESE EFFORTS AND THAT DISARMAMENT IS AN INDISPENSABLE FIRST STEP TO LONGER-TERM PEACE. CONVERSELY, IT FURTHER ARGUES THAT PEACEBUILDING IS A SINE QUA NON FOR A MISSION WHICH AIMS TO ESTABLISH A LONG-LASTING PEACE IN A WAR-DEVASTATED COUNTRY. FINALLY, THE ARTICLE ARGUES THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST BE PREPARED TO COMMIT ITSELF FULLY FINANCIALLY SINCE PEACEKEEPING IS EXPENSIVE.

OPINION POLLS REGULARLY SHOW DIFFERENCES OF OPINION BETWEEN WOMEN AND MEN ON TOPICS RELATED TO PEACE. THIS ARTICLE ARGUES THAT WHEN WOMEN ARE ABSENT FROM PEACEKEEPING DECISIONS, TALENT IS LOST. WHEN THEY ARE PRESENT, THEY NOT ONLY BRING NEW TALENT TO DIFFICULT TASKS, THEY MAY ALSO BRING NEW ITEMS TO THE AGENDA, MAY MOBILIZE NEW CONSTITUENCIES THUS EXPANDING THE LEGITIMACY OF A MISSION, AND MAY REDUCE TENSION AND FACILITATE CONFLICT RESOLUTION. PEACEKEEPING IS NOT SOLDIERING.

THIS ARTICLE DISCUSSES THE END OF THE COLD WAR AND THE GROWING NUMBER OF INTERNAL CONFLICTS IN WORLD POLITICS. IT EXPLAINS WHAT THESE CHANGES MEAN TO THE UN. IT THEN COMMENTS UPON THE NEW GENERATION OF PEACEKEEPING--PEACEKEEPING INSIDE NATIONS RATHER THAN ON THE BORDERS BETWEEN NATIONS. THE MAIN THEME IS CONFLICT PREVENTION AND THE PRACTICAL ACTION ONE CAN TAKE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. IN CONCLUSION, IT COMMENTS ON REFORMS THAT MIGHT BE NEEDED IN THE UN.