ABSTRACT
T h e p l a c e of law i n t h e s e t t l e m e n t of disputesb y t h e S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l is at o p i c which has a l r e a d y occasioned d e b a t e . M a n y l a w y e r s c o n t e n d t h a t law plays aminimal r6le i n t h e work of t h e Council. T h a t o r g a n is, t h e y p o i n t out, essentially apolitical body. I t o p e r a t e s i n ad i f f e r e n t way from a j u d i c i a l b o d y such as t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o u r t o f Justice, a n d f r e q u e n t l y ignores t h e l a w of nations. Oscar Schachter, w r i t i n g i n t h i s JoURNAL i n 1964, has offered a n o t h e r view, p o i n t i n g to s u b t l e ways i n w h i c h t h e influence of l a w can still make itself f e l t in t h e work o f t h e S e c u r i t y Council, b y p r o v i d i n g acommon language, b y a p p l y i n g principles to specific cases, a n d b y d e t e r m i n i n g new points of community i n t e r e s t . l T h e p u r p o s e of this a r t i c l e is to examine, in t h e l i g h t of r e c e n t years, some of t h e limitations withinwhich this l e g a l e n d e a v o r takes place, a n d to see w h e t h e r law has any r e a l function i n t h e s e t t l e m e n t of disputes. T h e Security C o u n c i l may b e ap o l i t i c a l body, b u t its r 6 l e is defined b y t h e U n i t e d Nations C h a r t e r , which is alegal i n s t r u m e n t , at r e a t y b e t w e e n nations. F u r t h e r , Article 1of t h e C h a r t e r d e c l a r e s am a j o r p u r p o s e of t h e U n i t e d Nations to b e t h e resolution of disputes"in conformity w i t h t h e principles of justice a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l law." W h a t does i t m e a n for apolitical b o d y to a c t w i t h i n alegal framework, a n d to h a v e to p r o v i d e solutions to disputest h a t are in conformity w i t h t h e law?
