Daily Archives: 19. April 2024


19.04.2024 - 20:55 [ New York Times ]

Oct. 25, 1971 | People’s Republic of China In, Taiwan Out, at U.N.

(October 25, 2011)

On Oct. 25, 1971, the United Nations General Assembly voted to admit the People’s Republic of China (mainland China) and to expel the Republic of China (Taiwan). The Communist P.R.C. therefore assumed the R.O.C.’s place in the General Assembly as well as its place as one of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. (…)

The United States, the most significant opponent of the resolution, then argued for the P.R.C. to be admitted separately from the R.O.C., which would have allowed the R.O.C. to retain its spot. The proposal was defeated.

19.04.2024 - 20:40 [ General Assembly of the United Nations ]

Rules of procedure: XIV. Admission of New Members to the United Nations

Applications

Rule 134

Any State which desires to become a Member of the United Nations shall submit an application to the Secretary-General. Such application shall contain a declaration, made in a formal instrument, that the State in question accepts the obligations contained in the Charter. [See introduction, para. 8]

Notification of applications

Rule 135

The Secretary-General shall, for information, send a copy of the application to the General Assembly, or to the Members of the United Nations if the Assembly is not in session. [See introduction, para. 8]

Consideration of applications and decision thereon

Rule 136

If the Security Council recommends the applicant State for membership, the General Assembly shall consider whether the applicant is a peace-loving State and is able and willing to carry out the obligations contained in the Charter and shall decide, by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting, upon its application for membership.

Rule 137

If the Security Council does not recommend the applicant State for membership or postpones the consideration of the application, the General Assembly may, after full consideration of the special report of the Security Council, send the application back to the Council, together with a full record of the discussion in the Assembly, for further consideration and recommendation or report. [See introduction, para. 8]

Notification of decision and effective date of membership

Rule 138 PDF

The Secretary-General shall inform the applicant State of the decision of the General Assembly. If the application is approved, membership shall become effective on the date on which the General Assembly takes its decision on the application. [See introduction, para. 8]

19.04.2024 - 20:30 [ General Assembly of the United Nations ]

Rules of procedure: I. Sessions

Rule 8

(a) Special sessions of the General Assembly shall be convened within fifteen days of the receipt by the Secretary-General of a request for such a session from the Security Council or from a majority of the Members of the United Nations or of the concurrence of a majority of Members as provided in rule 9.

(b) Emergency special sessions pursuant to General Assembly resolution 377 A (V) shall be convened within twenty-four hours of the receipt by the Secretary-General of a request for such a session from the Security Council, on the vote of any nine members thereof, or of a request from a majority of the Members of the United Nations expressed by vote in the Interim Committee or otherwise, or of the concurrence of a majority of Members as provided in rule 9.

Request by Members

Rule 9

(a) Any Member of the United Nations may request the Secretary-General to convene a special session of the General Assembly. The Secretary-General shall immediately inform the other Members of the request and inquire whether they concur in it. If within thirty days of the date of the communication of the Secretary-General a majority of the Members concur in the request, a special session of the General Assembly shall be convened in accordance with rule 8.

(b) This rule shall apply also to a request by any Member of the United Nations for an emergency special session pursuant to resolution 377 A (V). In such a case, the Secretary-General shall communicate with the other Members by the most expeditious means of communication available.

19.04.2024 - 20:10 [ United Nations ]

Retaliatory spiral in Middle East must end, says UN chief after reported strikes on Iran

Following reports of alleged Israeli strikes inside Iran near a nuclear power station early Friday, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a new appeal to all parties to “stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation in the Middle East”.

“The Secretary-General condemns any act of retaliation and appeals to the international community to work together to prevent any further development that could lead to devastating consequences for the entire region and beyond,” he said in a statement issued by his Office.

19.04.2024 - 19:41 [ Newsweek ]

Iran Map Reveals How Close Israeli Strikes Were To Hitting Nuclear Sites

The Natanz uranium enrichment plant is located close to the region where the strikes are understood to have taken place.

A separate uranium conversion plant is located in Zerdenjan, a southwestern region of Isfahan. The site has been previously targeted by suspected Israeli sabotage attacks.

19.04.2024 - 19:33 [ Tehran Times ]

Air defenses fire at suspicious objects in Isfahan

Earlier General Siavash Mihandoost, the Army’s senior official in Isfahan province, said the relatively loud sound of the explosion that was heard in the eastern parts of Isfahan on Friday morning was the result of shots fired at “suspicious” objects by the air defense units, Tasnim reported.

He said there have been no damages or specific incidents.

„The sound was related to Isfahan‘s air defense systems firing at suspicious objects and we have not had any damage or accident,“ Mihandoust said.

Officials also said important facilities in Isfahan province, especially nuclear sites, are completely safe.

19.04.2024 - 19:23 [ Washington Post ]

Isfahan, apparent site of Israeli strike, is home to Iranian nuclear facilities

(today)

The Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center is Iran’s largest nuclear research complex and employs approximately 3,000 scientists, according to the nonprofit Nuclear Threat Initiative. It was built with Chinese assistance and opened in 1984. It operates three small Chinese-supplied research reactors, the NTI says, adding that the facility is also the target of both U.S. and U.N. sanctions.

19.04.2024 - 19:19 [ Vanguardngr.com ]

Iran warns Israel against attacking nuclear sites

(18-04-2024)

“If the Zionist regime (Israel) wants to take action against our nuclear centres and facilities, it will definitely and surely face our reaction,” the official news agency IRNA quoted Haghtalab as saying.

“For the counterattack, the nuclear facilities of the (Israeli) regime will be targeted and operated upon with advanced weaponry.”

19.04.2024 - 19:06 [ New York Times ]

Blinken says the U.S. has not been involved in ‘offensive operations’ in Iran.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said on Friday that the United States “has not been involved in any offensive operations” in Iran when asked about Israel’s strike on the country on Friday, but he declined to comment further.

Mr. Blinken spoke on the last day of a meeting of Group of 7 ministers in Capri,

19.04.2024 - 18:54 [ Antiwar.com ]

Israel Launches Attack on Iran

Updated 1:14 am EST on 4/19/24

US officials told multiple media outlets that Israel launched an attack against Iran early Friday morning.

Iran’s Mehr news agency reported explosions in the Iranian province of Isfahan. Sources told Mehr that the explosions were the result of air defenses destroying three “micro” drones. ABC News reported that missiles targeted Iran, but an Iranian official told Reuters that no missile attack was carried out.

19.04.2024 - 18:53 [ Ahram.org ]

US veto of Palestine statehood at UN sparks international condemnation

The United States Thursday veto at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that blocked full membership of the State of Palestine has drawn strong criticism from various nations and stakeholders.

19.04.2024 - 18:44 [ Al Jazeera ]

‘Blatant aggression’: Reactions to US veto of Palestine’s UN membership bid

Here are some international reactions:

19.04.2024 - 04:25 [ Al Jazeera English / Youtube ]

‘Unfair, unethical and unjustified’: Palestine responds to US veto

The Palestinian presidency has condemned the US veto of the Security Council resolution that recommended full UN membership for a Palestinian state. The presidency said in a statement the US veto was “unfair, unethical and unjustified”.

19.04.2024 - 04:16 [ Guardian News / Youtube ]

United States vetoes Palestinian request for full UN membership as UK abstains from vote

The US vetoed a Palestinian request to the United Nations security council for full UN membership, blocking the world body’s recognition of a Palestinian state. US officials had been hoping Washington could avoid use of its veto if other states objected to a draft resolution before the council recommending the ‚State of Palestine be admitted to membership of the United Nations‘

19.04.2024 - 04:05 [ Associated Press / Youtube ]

Moment US vetoes resolution backing full UN membership for Palestine

The United States vetoed a widely backed U.N. resolution on Thursday that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for Palestine. The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 12 in favor, the United States opposed and two abstentions.

19.04.2024 - 03:48 [ Tagesschau.de ]

USA blockieren UN-Vollmitgliedschaft für Palästina

Die USA haben im Sicherheitsrat ein Veto gegen eine Resolution für eine UN-Vollmitgliedschaft Palästinas eingelegt. Washington sieht eine Zweistaatenlösung als Voraussetzung.

19.04.2024 - 03:25 [ United Nations ]

US vetoes Palestine’s request for full UN membership

In a vote of 12 in favour to one against, with two abstentions, the Council did not adopt a draft resolution that would have recommended the General Assembly to hold a vote with the broader UN membership to allow Palestine to join as a full UN Member State.

The draft resolution is among the shortest in the Council’s history: “The Security Council, having examined the application of the State of Palestine for admission to the United Nations (S/2011/592), recommends to the General Assembly that the State of Palestine be admitted to membership in the United Nations.”