ABSTRACT
The world organization’s hierarchy of functions and tasks is reflected in the principles and values of the UN Charter – the world organization’s ‘constitution’ (Simma 2002). The Preamble expresses the main purpose, the maintenance of international peace and security, and to that end it outlawed the use of force except in self-defence. Indeed, such other main tasks as ensuring respect for human rights and promoting economic development were seen as instrumental to the primary security function rather than being crucial in themselves. The Charter’s foundation is state sovereignty – the sanctity of a state’s monopoly on the use of force and authority over a defined population within territorial borders. As Article 2(7) clearly states, ‘Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state’.
